WINGED VICTORY : Costa Mesa designer Dana Harvey’s backpacks have taken off. Now he’s the starry-eyed creator of a divine Angel Boy world, which includes clothing, jewelry and eye wear.
Dana Harvey owes his success as a rising star to the wings of an angel
Because of their inherent humor, the Costa Mesa designer’s backpacks, made of quilted metallic vinyl and shaped like angel wings, have created a buzz among the young and trendy. Wings symbolize innocence, especially amusing in a nightclub setting. And cut from quilted material like Channel bags, they take on a couture quality.
Harvey, 26, however, does not ascribe divine inspiration or the supernatural as the impetus behind his junior and menswear label, Angel Boy. A miracle, however, might apply--the birth of his son, Dana Jr., four years ago. Harvey photographed his son in 1992 wearing nothing but a pair of wings. With his long, curly hair, the 2-year-old looked like a cherub.
The name “Angel Boy” stuck--as a nickname for his son and as a label for the jewelry and clothing Harvey designs.
Angel Boy menswear is inspired by Hawaiian tourists and dude ranchers, with a space-age spin. Shirts ($15 to $150) take on a Martian-meets-Islanders look. In tribute to the truest American hero--the cowboy--there are ‘40s-style Western shirts in black satin and gray twill, already popular among young rockabilly fans, and a jacket made from upholstery vinyl with a generous, stretched out collar.
For traditionalists, there’s the Star 69 line of vintage Hawaiian shirts. Star 69, says Harvey, refers to the call-back feature the telephone company offers. Harvey buys old Hawaiian shirts, adds his label, then “we sell them back,” he says.
His accessory line, Angel Props, complements these images: holster belts that hold cigarette lighters; wide, white leather belts inspired by a ‘70s Elvis and the winged backpacks.
With retro all the rage, Dana has created his “future retro” line ($17 to $67) for juniors with an all-American theme of stars and Tuffskin-like denim.
Harvey opts for A-line silhouettes with dresses and skirts. There are minis cut from fuzzy pink fur and leopard velour. For evening, there’s a glittering series, long and above the knee, made from metallic yardage or fabric covered in pailettes. For a twist, Harvey uses thin leather belts as spaghetti straps.
Tiny Tees feature images of the toys his young followers grew up with: a Barbie head, atank and a cymbal-wielding monkey.
In addition to Angel Boy, Harvey and his partner Aristotle Circa, 19, have Angel Eyes, a line of retro-inspired eye wear ($36 to $50). Next on the drawing board: a salon called Angel Hair.
The Angel Boy label first appeared two years ago on baroque-inspired vests Harvey designed for the waiters of Louis XIV, a hip Melrose restaurant. More avant-garde pieces followed, thanks to custom orders or items sold in the Sandra Harvey boutique in Costa Mesa, owned by his wife, Sandra Harvey. (The two met in 1987, two years after Dana Harvey arrived from his native New Zealand.)
The Angel Boy store, across from Triangle Square in Costa Mesa, is a “petri dish,” Circa says. It allows them to experiment and observe public reaction.
The small shop reflects the Angel Boy image: irreverent, quirky and retro. Vinyl curtains hang from thick chains, and shelves are suspended by chain and anchored by colorful bowling balls.
Angel Boy is also available at Ladies Lounge in Newport Beach, Mad in Long Beach, Mondorama’s-MOA in Hollywood and Shop in London.
