Coolhunts and Globetrotting: Welcome to The Marcus Troy Experience
h1 Guys want to be stylish but very comfortable.
Marcus Troy
When it comes to the intersection of culture and brands, Marcus Troy is a particularly astute observer and tastemaker. A fashion journalist and the creator of The Marcus Troy Experience, he's equally at home covering main street style, the cutting edge of design and the fruits of urban sub-cultures like music, art and new media.
As Marcus puts it: "In this my personal diary, I share with you my thoughts and ideas on all the things I am passionate about such as the brand experience, fashion, footwear, travel, gadgets, music and people. The people I focus on are those whom I consider to be trendsetters, visionaries and forward thinkers who are shaping the world around them. Marcustroy.com is your connection to the new, fresh and dope."
And as The New York Times puts it: "His readers hang on to his every word, often sending him photos of their outfits for approval. Brands now pay him for his fashion policing, too. He now travels the world to help Nike, Converse and others reach his style-savvy audience."
Marcus has worked with an array of upscale brands on creative projects and we're very excited to have him as a Say Media partner. We checked in with him (after a recent trip to Singapore) to get his take on men's media and style now.
Men's style sites are suddenly catching fire. Why do you think it's finally time? I don’t think it is really all of a sudden, I just believe that there are finally places for men to spend some quality time online. Men are also a lot more comfortable being into clothes, accessories and skin care products.
What do you think men come to a site like yours to find? What makes a great men's media site? The people who visit my site come for my opinion on things, they want to learn about new brands, music and accessories. They care about what I think and what I am into. I don’t run a news site; I am really just exploring the things that I love. What make a good site is of course great content, a good point of view, a nice design helps and something that is comprehensive.
What are some urban men's style trends you're enjoying right now? I’m not really one to follow trends but I would say there is still a strong movement of fashion and function. Guys want to be stylish but very comfortable. Wearing stylish design sweatpants are really in and make sure your garments are waterproof is really cool. The new breed of entrepreneurial guys want to be able to walk into a boardroom and pitch the CEO of a major company ... and then also jump on a bike or board and see friends at a bar.
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How about the flip side of that – what needs to go? Nothing needs to go. To each is own. I don’t try to play fashion or style police. Everyone expresses himself or herself the way they want. What does need to go is poor attitudes, copying ideas, low moral values and middle fingers in every picture.
Your site celebrates recently discovered artists. What are some of your current favorites? I am a big fan of Kendrick Lamar, and a local artist by the name of LES.
You're based in Montreal and a true globetrotter – what does that bring to the party style-wise? I get to see so much! I am so much more in tuned with other happenings in the world. I get to incorporate style ideas into my daily wardrobe and be inspired by looks from all over the world. However you don’t really need to travel the world to do that, you can just look online and it is all there. Travel keeps me sane and inspired.
What other style and culture voices do you follow? Who else is doing it right? I’ve stopped following other voices … even though my peers are doing a lot of interesting things, I find myself really busy on working on my projects and what I am doing. Every project that I embark on, I usually incorporate a few usual suspects who I respect and admire. I also pride myself on always paying attention, so if ever I do need to call upon some new talent I know what I am looking for.
You've worked with Timberland, Bentley... lots of brands on some really cool campaigns. What's your favorite way to work with sponsors? I like to be the Creative Director and drive the content! I like being creative and coming up with new ways to tell different stories.
What's something your readers would be surprised to learn about you? That I just started juicing and I am cutting out all of that great looking food that they see on my instagram. I am trying to take care of my temple and live forever so I can get these dreams out.
How would you finish this sentence: When in doubt, wear … your heart on the inside of your sleeve so it is not exposed and vulnerable.
What's next? I am working on publishing two books. One is called Give Yourself a Chance to Win which I co-wrote with my Father. I just need to find a publisher. The other book is one I've been working on for a while - it's about my plight as a blogger. I just haven't had the time to complete it.
Marcus Troy is a Say Media partner. Follow him on Twitter @marcustroy.
[All images from The Marcus Troy Experience]
