Tommy Rebel
Some may call Tommy ‘Rebel’ a fossil from the 90’s generation. However, if you can appreciate a fossil for what it really is, you can capture an interesting, detailed and alluring story about an era that has come and gone, but is still intact in Mr. Gross’ everyday life. Some may just see him as a collector of fine apparel such as The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, and many others. On the other hand, he is more of a connoisseur or aficionado rather than the average collector. He is a person that pays tremendous attention to detail and uncovers the greater aspects of not only clothing, but anything at which he decides to look. Tommy is not solely a time-capsule from what he considers to be the final decade with a defining identity.
Rebel is far from a simple nickname for Gross, who is heavily involved in the graffiti world. Again, his attention to detail is clearly exhibited, in this case through his graffiti. Rebel’s work has been featured in the Source as well as many other graffiti publications. I will never forget the conversation I had with him him in 1994: ‘Why would you wear a North Face back pack to go out painting?’ He replied, ‘because those types of back packs have a lot of cargo room and a belt to attach to your body with a lumbar support. It’s very comfortable for climbing.’ It is that attention to detail (even applied to illegality) that Tommy Rebel revolves his life around.
His most notable appearance is in a sneaker documentary Just for Kicks and was featured on an MTV show called Sneak Attack. He has also been interviewed by Mass Appeal, Inquiring Minds and others, including a collective article in LTD magazine. As well as the aforementioned, Mr. Gross has worked with several companies in the past, his most recent work including the introduction of a new sneaker into the Nike Sb skateboarding line, the 1988 Air Trainer Tw 2, for the Supreme Skate shop . This was the first re-release of this specific by Nike in over 15 years. He even displays his versatility through working on smaller projects with independent companies including Orchard Street , Twelve bar and through being the founder of his own company, Brooklyn Basements.
Brooklyn Basements is an apparel line ranging from hats to tech wear that has single-handedly been engineered by Rebel. Brooklyn Basements has become more than just another brand name. It has also become a lifestyle, and in some perspectives a social club, where the higher echelon of street fashion discuss current trends in clothing and reference his albums which are filled with pictures of North Face ranging from 1988 to 1998 and Vintage Polo Ralph Lauren or ‘Lo,’ as it’s commonly called. Tommy is always looking to stay outside the street fashion bubble.
‘Never stop exploring.’ Rebel never did, and has no plans to discontinue his exploration of both fashion and all other aspects of life. While most use North Face brand products for outdoor activities, Tommy Rebel used and still uses them for the innovative exploration of New York City.
Contact: MrTommyRebel@gmail.com
