OG Club Kid Walt Cassidy is Back with a Vengeance

The late 80s throughout the 90s saw the rise of the Club Kid group, a creative and fashion-conscious youth movement founded in self-expression and nightlife. One of the scene’s most prominent figures was Walt Cassidy aka Waltpaper, an artist and writer at the forefront of the rebellious tribe. Now 20 years since Cassidy hung up his dancing shoes, he's revisiting the scenes of his youth with several projects due out this month.

Available to buy at the end of November, Cassidy is releasing his first book; titled New York Club Kids by Waltpaper ,the publication will contain photographs, magazine editorials, and momentos from Cassidy's days as one of the scene’s pioneering members. As well as Cassidy's own paraphernalia, the visual diary will include personal archives from other photographers and artists Club Kid backgrounds.

To coincide with the release of his book, Cassidy has also teamed up with Opening Ceremony to create a capsule collection set to be dropped 15 November. Opening Ceremony x New York: Club Kids by Waltpaper will feature styles inspired by Cassidy's tales of the Club Kids. Included in the collaboration are graphic t-shirts and sweatshirts adorned with a young Cassidy’s face, tutu skirts and lunch boxes featuring new artwork by Dolphina Jones and Gregory Homs. Responsible for creating the majority of artwork for New York clubs in 90s, Jones and Homs are close friends and collaborators of Cassidy and are central figure within the Club Kids movement themselves.

Their artistic stylings can also be seen in Cassidy's upcoming collaboration with cosmetics company MAC. Joining forces with senior members of MAC's creative team, Cassidy curated a seven-piece makeup set full of Club Kid essentials. The kit represents the DIY looks and self-expression driven motif that was inherent in the Club Kid movement. Cassidy wrote on his Instagram about his excitement for the collaboration stating that 'anyone that was around during the Waltpaper days, knows that I was all about the makeup.'

To celebrate the release of New York Club Kids by Waltpaper, Waltpaper x MAC essentials and Opening Ceremony x New York: Club Kids by Waltpaper, OC are hosting a launch event at their New York flagship store on 16 November. The event will feature a panel talk with original Club Kids: Walt Cassidy (Waltpaper), Desi Santiago (Desi Monster), Jenny Dembrow (Jennytalia), Sidney Prawatyotin, and Zaldy Goco.