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Justin Timberlake launches William Rast line at Selfridges

www.telegraph.co.uk

7.1.09

It’s pretty hard to interrupt a conversation between Justin Timberlake and his best friend, Trace Ayala. Slunk low on neighbouring armchairs in a personal shopping suite at Selfridges, the pair are caught up in an intense discussion about the dangers of golf. “Man, I swear, it’s almost like an extreme sport,” insists Timberlake, clad in oiled black William Rast jeans, a black shirt and leather boots.

I clear my throat. Interviews with Hollywood stars peddling films, perfume or clothing are unnatural affairs: too brief and sanitised to give any real sense of character, they often reduce you to barking out questions until some minder materialises and informs you in a digital voice that you have three, two… one question left.

“Do you know who we’re trying to get into a pair of our jeans?” volunteers Timberlake, pale and slight, but perky, at the end of a long day giving interviews about the British launch of his new womenswear line for William Rast, the premium denim brand he founded with his childhood friend Ayala in 2005. “Prince William – he’d look pretty cool in Rast. And Harry too.” Harry’s an outlaw, I tell them, so probably in keeping with their “Badlands” ethos. “So we’ve heard,” he chuckles.

With their new womenswear collection – distressed leathers, tailored blazers, flattering jeans and edgy T-shirt and waistcoat combos – reflecting the hard, premeditated styles you see on the streets of New York, I wonder whether this a reaction to the loungewear of their hometown, Los Angeles. “The women in LA dress like boys,” says 28-year-old Timberlake, shaking his head. “Here in London, you see a lot more of that tailored, sharp look that New York women have.”

“He’s right,” says 28-year-old Ayala. “British girls dress pretty sharp – in the States people tend to wear their clothes looser.”

What does Timberlake most hate to see a woman wearing? “Spray tans are the worst,” he says, “and women in velour trousers.” Ayala cries out in horror: “Tucked into Ugg boots!”

Both men fall about laughing. “Oh and those tights girls wear under dresses, T-shirts and everything,” Ayala adds.

“They’re leggings, man,” explains Timberlake patiently. “And they’re OK when there’s a great body underneath.”

Rast denim is the opposite of all that nasty, Desperate Housewives couture – and loved by everyone from Jessica Biel (Timberlake’s girlfriend) to Cindy Crawford, Jessica Simpson and Cameron Diaz. “The thing about jeans is that you can wear them at any age,” says Ayala.

“Ask any American,” adds Timberlake, “and they will tell you that you are never too old to wear jeans, but there are rules you need to stick to, whether you’re a boy or a girl. They shouldn’t be so loose that you can fit twins in there, or so tight that you can see the shape of your calves. And if you’re going to dress them up with nice shoes and a jacket, the socks have got to be good – don’t go teaming them with plain old white sports socks.”

For the line to take off as it has done in America, they say, would be a coup, but there is something else – aside from that picture of Prince Harry swaggering out of Boujis in Rast strides – that they aspire to. “We’d like to get Michelle Obama in the new collection, so we’re going to send her some things. Barack Obama would be great in our jeans, too – we haven’t really seen his dressed-down look yet.”

If the clothes could speak, I ask, as I’m ushered out, what would they say? “I am a rebel,” says Timberlake, “come and have a go.”

William Rast womenswear and menswear pop-up shops are open in Selfridges now, prices from £78; 0800 123 400, selfridges.com

07.07.2009. 18:21

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