Frank Ocean’s reputation as one of the most genius and influential artists of his generation is only furthered by the fact that he doesn’t say or do much until he’s ready.
Case in point: news a few days ago that he had launched his debut luxury fashion brand Homer, comprising of high-end jewelry pieces containing lab-grown diamonds and printed silk scarves.
For many of us, it’s the first we’ve heard from Frank in a while. He hasn’t dropped a long-player since 2016’s magnum opus Blonde, and he dropped four teaser tracks over the past two years, including “DHL” and “My Room.”
But in lieu of any music news, Frank gave his first interview in two years yesterday to the Financial Times to celebrate the launch of Homer, where he touched on a variety of topics (although we will tell you now, he didn’t mention any new music at all, sorry).
On Homer’s name, it’s true that it was given in honor of Antiquity’s greatest storyteller, the Greek writer Homer who composed The Odyssey and The Iliad but also because “it was five letters and the dot com [name] was free.”
Frank also discussed some of the influences on his line, particularly sculptor-turned-designer Pierre Paulin, the Tokyo Prada store designed by Herzog & de Meuron and Brazillian modernism, which he described as “just…horny.”
Frank also opened up on how his desire to succeed and build a legacy comes from his humble beginnings in New Orleans to opening up spaces for Black voices in the fashion industry.
“There are possibilities for Black people now that weren’t always there for us,” he said. “I grew up in poverty. I’m grateful to my mother because she tried to expose me to as much as she could so far as the bigger picture is concerned.
“I’m very fortunate to be someone who can make someone else feel like they have possibilities, and I think that will make art and fashion richer for it.”
Pieces from Frank’s first Homer collection can be purchased at their shop, located at 70-74 Bowery in New York City. It opens August 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and appointments can be made online at homer.com.
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