| The man can talk about anything. While most performers only seem comfortable talking about their music and their latest albums, Buck 65 (a.k.a. Richard Terfry) proves his reputation as a hip-hops master wordsmith by taking any conversation on wonderful and intricate tangents.
This is why, when the subject of fashion is brought up, he barely hesitates before telling me about the crush he had on the costume designer from his latest video, "Wicked and Weird," or the fact that he got rid of all of his white tube socks when he turned 30, or that he has very recently forsaken boxer briefs in favour of traditional boxer shorts. This only touches the surface on what Buck has to say on fashion and how it affects him.
"A while ago I got offered – right before the Juno awards – to basically go into Roots and help myself to whatever I wanted," says Buck. "I do tend to have a bit of a problem with anything that has any kind of logo or message splashed across it, so I try to avoid that. But I walked in and I saw this jacket hanging on the wall and I said, ‘I just want that.’ It was really expensive, but I just had to have it."
Listen to Buck’s music and look at him in almost any photograph and you can see the man has style. Perhaps it comes from his recent relocation from Halifax to the fashion mecca of Paris, or perhaps it is something he has had all along. Regardless, he takes all facets of fashion seriously
"I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration in my music from a few fashion designers who I think are so visionary, and are truly artists who are capable of conjuring these fantasy worlds," he says. " I’m speaking specifically about Vivian Westwood, who is credited with inventing punk – the look."
According to Buck, Westwood’s partnership with Malcolm McLaren led to her designs being adopted by the Sex Pistols.
"Her look now has a bit of a punk edge to it, but it has kind of evolved into something strangely punk yet Victorian…. I certainly enjoy watching her couture shows, in particular, because they are incredible, but she is a very intelligent and insightful woman, so if I have the chance to read or see an interview with her, I’m right there."
He also references John Galliano, the designer for Dior. "The guy is like a mad genius. Every season without fail he just completely astounds me. I will watch (his) shows and try to make sense of it and understand where it comes from and it gives me ideas for songs.
"When I look at the ready-to-wear collections of both those designers, for men, they’re not the designers that I feel most strongly compelled to wear. It’s their artwork that I appreciate the most."
When it comes to designers that Buck could see himself wearing, he immediately turns to Helmut Lang. "Just really no-nonsense, understated, classic kind of stuff."
Buck likes his work so much that he sent Lang a copy of his latest album, Talkin’ Honkey Blues, in the hopes that Lang, like him, might take inspiration from obscure sources. "I hope that he likes it and maybe we can create some kind of exchange, or at least I can maybe be on the receiving end ’cause I certainly can’t afford his stuff at this point."
Lang may be outside his budget, but Buck has found others to help influence his personal style. Devoting so much time to his work and touring leaves Buck without much time to shop.
"My ‘fashion sense’ is what gets thrown at me," he explains. "Believe it or not, everything that I am wearing right now, with the exception of my socks, is all stuff that I got for free." |
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