Paly Hollywood Drops Cult-Classic Pieces at Complex LA’s One-Day Pop-Up
For one day only, Paly Hollywood is taking over Complex’s Fairfax storefront (433 N Fairfax Ave.) to celebrate the launch of their SS25 collection. The event runs from 11AM to 7PM on Saturday, April 12 — and if you’re a fan of cult fashion, this is one you don’t want to miss out.
The pop-up will feature the full SS25 line alongside exclusive drops, including reworked Dickies carpenter pants, custom sweatpants, rare archive pieces, and one final run of the now-infamous James Dean Death Cult hat — made legendary after Jacob Elordi wore it and basically broke the internet. This will be the last time the hat is available at retail.
Founded in 2022 by designer Kyle Lindgren (formerly of Fucking Awesome) and Academy Award nominated actor James Franco (Spider-Man, Freaks and Geeks, 127 Hours), Paly Hollywood has quickly carved out a lane for itself by leaning into the darker, messier mythos of Los Angeles — infamous crimes, cults, and the blurred lines between celebrity and performance. The brand feels just as rooted in narrative as it is in streetwear. And it all started, believe it or not, during Bachelor watch parties.
In a recent interview with Office magazine, Lindgren recalls coming home from his job at Fucking Awesome and mocking up t-shirt designs based on Franco’s sketches — doodles he made while watching The Bachelor as “research” for a TV script. “I’d wake up at 5AM, watch Photoshop tutorials on YouTube, and just start experimenting,” Lindgren says. “Most of it was terrible, but a few designs stuck.” Eventually, they laid out a batch of t-shirts and had friends vote on their favorites. That makeshift vote became Paly’s first unofficial collection.
Franco, who had been drawing obsessively during lockdown after reading Jerry Saltz’s How to Be an Artist, brought a massive archive of hand-drawn material to the table — thousands of sketches, many of which still get scanned and repurposed for apparel drops today. “I liked that it wasn’t about me,” he told Office. “For once, it wasn’t my face attached to the work. People liked the product before they knew who was behind it.”
That quiet approach worked. Paly debuted its first official collection in Paris in 2023, showing during Men’s Week and eventually landing in boutiques like H. Lorenzo through pure hustle. No PR machine, no celebrity branding — just word of mouth and standout design.
Saturday’s pop-up brings it all full circle. It’s a rare chance to shop limited pieces, revisit some early grails, and meet the founders in person. Kyle and James will both be there, hanging with the crew and celebrating the drop.
