It looks delightfully quaint (and stylishly 90s), especially considering the over-saturated, Tinder world we all live in now. The single folks featured run the spectrum from 27-year-old Cherie, who loves true crime, podcasts, and adventures, to 85-year-old Jay, a retired speech pathologist with a penchant for antiques and theater. Helmut Lang also has purportedly sourced from real-life singles for the dating concept, too.
If you’d like to hit up any of these people (we’re rooting for Jay!!!), you can email [email protected]. Ava Nirui, Helmut Lang’s digital editor, explained to Vogue where the inspiration for the personals ads came from.
“I’ve always been super obsessed with the unique verbiage that goes with personal ads,” she said, referencing shows like The Dating Game, Next, and The Bachelor. “I recently had a realization that I’m constantly matchmaking friends and thought it would be fun to invite these friends (and friends of friends) to be a part of the Helmut Lang community, while potentially helping them find love in their lives.”
The headshots all look like perfectly diffused, VHS-hued images from the ‘80s and ‘90s. The 12 people chosen for the matchmaking service are also a tribute to the community that Lang built, from Masami Hosono, owner of very cool East Village salon Vacancy Project, to the 69-year-old mother of stylist Mac Huelster.
If you want to not only make that love connection but cop Helmut Lang’s new collection, find it here and in stores. It’s as ‘90s as its dating service—think lots of nude shades and black and white shirts with cut-out sleeves.