Enfants Riches Déprimés

Henri Alexander Levy’s fashion house Enfants Riches Déprimés (ERD) has become somewhat of a spotlight in the current space of the punk/nihilism aesthetic that we have seen blowing up throughout the 2020s. This isn’t exclusive to ERD either, with brands like Balenciaga, Vetements, and Rick Owens all being associated with this space, partially amplified by the rise of the Opium movement led by Playboi Carti. But ERD is a standout for me, not necessarily because of its clothing and designs, but because of its purpose.

ERD was originally created with somewhat of a satirical and self-critical quality to its brand, where it mocks the isolation, angst, and self-destruction of affluent youth through the use of countercultural symbols. The name itself literally translates to “Depressed Rich Kids,” which is already a unique approach compared to a lot of designers today. With the purposely scarce and very limited quantities of their pieces, alongside nihilistic designs that combine premium materials like cashmere and fine leather with raw and destructive punk aesthetics, ERD has taken much of the typical design and ethos of a fashion brand in a different direction that I haven’t seen from many brands out there.

In terms of their designs, the combination of high-quality materials like raw leather and cashmere with very esoteric graphics, gothic imagery, and heavily distressed and destroyed fabrics gives their pieces a different flavor that I don’t see often within this side of fashion. It especially stands out compared to the very loud and obnoxious angle that Vetements takes, or the more absurdist approach Balenciaga takes with many of its designs.

One of my highlights is their silverwork and jewelry. The St. Teresa Ring, for example, is a beautiful ring with a St. Teresa motif in the upper middle, surrounded by detailed leaf designs and ERD lettering around the ring. Beyond their motifs and designs being unique, ERD and Henri also remind me of BOND, created by the brothers Arben and Kuj Durollari, who had a similar aesthetic and approach to their designs that I also see in Henri’s work with ERD.

Some of the notable BOND designs I remember are the “Life Is A Brick Wall” hoodie, the PSYCHO KILLER Cuban shirt, and a Hangman flannel that had a “FVCK LIFE” graphic underneath a lost game of Hangman. There are a lot of parallels that I draw between BOND and ERD, which I found interesting. Another parallel I took from this is the exclusivity aspect. ERD is purposely scarce to the general public while remaining disproportionately visible among celebrities and wealthy individuals, and BOND was somewhat similar in the way celebrities and famous musicians were often the ones wearing their distinct clothing.

As much as I find ERD unique and a refreshing approach to the punk nihilism aesthetic that is popular in today’s world, I also find their approach just as ironic as I find it interesting. What initially started as an underground, gatekept project from Henri that made fun of elite wealth and the elitism we see within wealthy circles and fashion, has now established fixture in high-fashion runways and celebrity culture, somewhat similar to what happened with BOND back in the day.

In addition to that, the pricing is also interesting because it almost allows the ultra-rich to posture an edgy and self-destructive image of their lives, which I found amusing when I really thought about it. There is something inherently ironic about a brand mocking wealthy, depressed youth while simultaneously becoming something that only wealthy people can realistically afford.

But all in all, I am interested in seeing where Henri takes the fashion house that he built from the ground up, and what he can accomplish with what he has already created so far.