About Platinum Dirt
What’s that old maxim? “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Never was there more of a truism with budding fashion designer Dustin Page, the mastermind behind the Platinum Dirt label as creator, designer, producer, and tailor. Dustin started his fashion tour de force with a home silk-screen kit to create uniquely designed tee shirts sporting kitschy newspaper clip art of the 60’s and 70’s. Whether it’s a pair of old-school headphones, Space Ninja, or “Star Girl” in heels, there is a plethora to choose from. As the tees became more popular with his friends in Oakland, where Dustin was born and raised, he began to experiment with colors and prints to truly make every tee matchless. However, the brilliance didn’t quite end there when, in what Dustin terms a “moment of clarity”, he looked at the worn, yet durable leather of his ’91 green Volvo station wagon and thought “Jackets”; after all, he hadn’t even yet sweated 50 of the 99%!
“When I started doing t-shirts I always wanted to spin it into a full clothing line. After doing the shirts for two years I got the idea for the VIN jacket,” reflects Dustin. The best way to describe the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) jacket of the Platinum Dirt line is with two words: Green and Mean.
Where else could you be both environmentally conscious but still uphold that rough, don’t F’ with me exterior? These fierce jackets do just that since they are made from the genuine leather interiors of old Caddies and Lincolns complete with ass kneaded creases, wrinkles and folds that give it that tough, raw sexy look. That’s why the VIN Jacket is specifically designed for the progressive crowd who still likes to get their hands dirty. The hood ornament zipper pull, VIN breast plate , and uniquely patterned interior lining all help distinguish the Mean and Green that is the essence of Platinum Dirt.
After launching his jackets, which have already created a buzz in Oakland as seen in the April issue of Oakland Magazine, handbags became Dustin’s next conquest. Using the left-over leather scraps of rich teals, burgundies, creams, tans, and dark browns lying around his basement “office”, Dustin worked his creative magic and designed a set of purses that possess many of the same characteristics of the VIN Jackets. Multi-colored and shaped like a lopsided picture frame, each handbag is one of a kind and a perfect accessory that can be worn to anything from a black tie event to a dive bar in the Mission.
Platinum Dirt tees, jackets and handbags are for the hip and fashion forward who want a one of a kind look at a price that may not be the cheapest, but totally worth it. Soon Platinum Dirt clothing will not only don the mannequins of the many stylish San Francisco and Bay Area shops, but expect it to be seen in New York, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Paris, and Milan. Simply put, Dustin sums up the Platinum Dirt line with this philosophy: “I'm not into copycat designs. If everyone is going right, I want to go left. Trends aren't set by those who follow them. I'm not really paying close attention to what others are doing; it's just in my peripheral only.”