Pleasures Taps Into Teenage Angst With Its Version 4.0 Collection

It's been less than a year since Publish Brand's Alex James first launched Pleasures, but he is already gearing up to release his fourth collection.

Much like the previous drops, the latest offerings are heavily inspired by NYC in the '90s. This time around, James chose to focus specifically on the years 1994-98, a period he said was an important time in his life.

"I went from being a child into a man. I was lying to my parents and hanging out in seedy NYC bars and clubs," James tells Complex over email. "Cruising around the city, going to punk shows, meeting all types of people, and exploring NYC was crucial during these years."

The Version 4.0 collection consists of tees, sport caps, lightweight anorak jackets, coaches jackets, and hoodies in a mix of pastel and dark tones. Once again, James also incorporates imagery from cult movies and music. Graphics on tees reference The Pixies song "Wave of Mutilation" and another pays tribute to the character "Heroine Bob" from the 1998 film SLC Punk!—both are inspired by his own teenage angst. "Bob represents a suburban punk who was mad at the world; this was this first time I saw teen angst, that I could relate to, like this on film," James says. 

These references played a pivotal role in James' life. "The music of this era really opened my eyes and mind to get out of the suburbs of New Jersey and explore," James said. "Kids these days use the internet as a vehicle to explore, all I had was a train ticket and unparalleled desire to experience more."