Black Chandelier began in Los Angeles in 1994, and was first produced out of the Jared Gold design room at 601 S. Rampart. Hand screen printed custom sewn garments with a dark victorian punk flair. Once called " Gorey versus Tim Burton in a candy shop" ...we were producing Sunday-best streetwear in the deep Ghetto. A premier runway in the big tent at Bryant Park led to an immediate ascension to the shelves of Barneys and Bendels. Eventually the brand relocates to Salt Lake City and develops a presence on the small cap NASDAQ. Upon its arrival at the Historic Bennet building, the studios were almost completely derelict. Over the space of three years Black Chandelier would come to occupy five floors of this Victorian-era paint and glass factory at 115 N. Temple in Salt lake City. It was a place of no-limits ideas with a team of dedicated artists helming the design process. The public was only allowed to visit once, the studio was a closed environment--reclusive, and eccentric.
The first Black Chandelier retail store opened in Trolley Square Mall on Thanksgiving 2006. Everything inside was produced in the downtown Salt Lake City studio. Screen printed scarves, bags, objects infested with technicolor pom-pom, and of course the live madagascar hissing cockroach brooch, under glass.
The only sound system the store boasted was a wind up victrola that needed attending to every 8 minutes. The Seatlle pop-up store was technically the second store to open. The space at 901 S. Pike St. was empty the day before the scheduled opening. Andy Pitts led the design team and built the entire store to fit perfectly into a u-haul box truck. When the truck pulled up, we unloaded everything and the store was open exactly 24 hours later. The third store to open was at the ass end of the Gateway mall. It was the first completely installed store the company would open. The interior was blinding neon yellow, gold mirror, and dark wood. Riverwoods opened next and was hastily completed to meet the holiday opening schedule, but remains as one of the most beautiful stores. The Fashion Place location was the final to open, but originally started out in a a temporary space. Andy and I designed and entirely coardboard store that included cardboard wrapped cash register and mannekins. There was even a cardboard sign that lit up and blew everyone's mind a bit. The grand opening of the Fashion Place store was a total eye opener for Salt Lake City. It's insane quilted exterior and funhouse style ramps literally intimidated the soft spoken mormons. Oh, and the endless clothing being printed and manufactured...endless. The once a week traffic schedule kept the shelves full and the kids gagging for the new shit. Catalog
The only sound system the store boasted was a wind up victrola that needed attending to every 8 minutes. The Seatlle pop-up store was technically the second store to open. The space at 901 S. Pike St. was empty the day before the scheduled opening. Andy Pitts led the design team and built the entire store to fit perfectly into a u-haul box truck. When the truck pulled up, we unloaded everything and the store was open exactly 24 hours later. The third store to open was at the ass end of the Gateway mall. It was the first completely installed store the company would open. The interior was blinding neon yellow, gold mirror, and dark wood. Riverwoods opened next and was hastily completed to meet the holiday opening schedule, but remains as one of the most beautiful stores. The Fashion Place location was the final to open, but originally started out in a a temporary space. Andy and I designed and entirely coardboard store that included cardboard wrapped cash register and mannekins. There was even a cardboard sign that lit up and blew everyone's mind a bit. The grand opening of the Fashion Place store was a total eye opener for Salt Lake City. It's insane quilted exterior and funhouse style ramps literally intimidated the soft spoken mormons. Oh, and the endless clothing being printed and manufactured...endless. The once a week traffic schedule kept the shelves full and the kids gagging for the new shit. Catalog
"Black Chandelier Gateway" Catalog
Screen printing is the DNA of Black Chandelier. There have been literally thousands of designs printed, some very simple, some requiring elaborate chemical and mechanical feats. All of the designers at Black Chandelier developed screen prints all week and here was always film and screens being delivered. It is quite apparent we were focusing energy into wordless humor, It read quite surreal at times. I would run up and down the stairs all day working color with the printers. The Black Chandelier screen room contained an 8 head screen press and a 6 head press. There was an industrial drier running between the presses ...and there was always prints on the belt. At one point we were doing beautifully printed versions of the screens on Arches paper and signing the images. They would sell in the store for 100.00. usually in a series of 3, I sadly own none of these prints now. The gallery contains some of my favorites. It will continue to grow forever... Gallery
"Tronster Truck" T-Shirt Screen We all just sat around laughing and laughing.
These events were to promote the store and website as well as the branding of the company. We would literally sit around the design room and think of promotions that would challenge people's sense of reality. To name a few: Giant mascot monsters chasing people in a gothic rollerderby to win Black Chandelier prizes, or a toy band playing christmas music covers with Ms. Utah and a neon pink Santa Clause to open a storee, a 20ft buffet table filled to turgid capacity with hostess cakes, or a live Taiko group, singing mermaids, runway shows, piano duals, Next Top Models, and car chases...We spent our advertising money on fun for all. It worked. Event Catalog
The strange, the unusual... Black Chandelier.
Black Chandelier made everything from wallpaper to stationery kits, stuffed toys, candles and handbags. The endless flow of merchandise required an avalanche of new ideas. Everyone was encouraged to suggest new items and ideas, and it was all we worked on from 9-6. Merchandise Catalog
Black Chandelier zipper pull and Fabergé Brass Knuckle sweatshirt. Reverse of cloissioné pull is de-bossed and reads: "Dreams of grandeur are nursed in darkness" Reiner Maria Rilke.
Black Chandelier advertised constantly. Our aim was to always compel people with a new idea or image, always coaxing our customers to buy into something more and more outrageous. We didn't shy away from much, but we kept sexuality out of the materials. The local clientele found lasciviousness unacceptable on any level. Catalog
The sexiest Black Chandelier Ad. Escandelo.
Black Chandelier was a darling of the local press. National attention came too. The entire company was aware of the importance of our press. We would spend endless time thinking up events that would attract the press, and developed all of the promotional materials with the idea in mind that the Black Chandelier ad would be the most beautiful item in the paper. Catalog
The local paper ate up everything we were doing , we made sure it was always photo worthy. Encouraging people to dress up, aranging elaborate events and performances was the mainstay of the Black Chandelier press coterie.
The only reason I wanted to do anything was to make cool stuff with my friends. So we did.
A strong family of artists creating together. Pure magic. Catalog
A strong family of artists creating together. Pure magic. Catalog
Aja's children visiting the studio... It was filled with toys and thrilling goings-on.
The opening of the Los Angeles studio and early screen prints sold to Beams, Isetan, Barnys, Brown's and Henri Bendel. Click here for a gallery dedicated to the early Black Chandelier prints.
