Guillermo Andrade unveiled his 424 flagship to his entourage of friends on Friday.
Kanye West was among the guests, attracting attention — as he does — though his face was covered in a white mask.
“Something very important. The only GOAT,” Andrade shouted to the crowd with his hands on West’s shoulders. “The only GOAT,” he repeated. “The only f–king GOAT. The only one.”
The greatest of all time. It seems that’s who West is to Andrade — who has admirers of his own. An innovator in streetwear, Andrade’s former multibrand store on Fairfax Avenue, FourTwoFour, launched Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God and supported the likes of Rhude and Vlone early on. It’s now a new chapter for Andrade who has opened on coveted Melrose Place after closing the Fairfax location two years ago.
“I thought retail was over when I closed the Fairfax store,” Andrade told WWD. “I always knew I wanted to be in this neighborhood, and it is the right time now.”
It’s a cave-like feel inside the basement-level space, which offers Andrade’s label, 424. He introduced the line in 2015, launching with T-shirts, hoodies and trousers. It’s grown since then, expanding into new categories and manufactured in Italy. Priced between $115 and $1,480, it includes tailoring.
“Now we work with fabric mills and make our own fabric from scratch,” said Andrade. “We develop our own washes and our own treatments.”
Those who came out to the party included rapper Westside Gunn, actress Sasha Calle, stylist Aleali May, Simihaze Beauty’s Simi and Haze Khadra, actor-comedian DeRay Davis, stylist Ian Connor, designer Salehe Bembury and designer Reese Cooper.
