WORDS: Chris Krovatin
HEADER: Scott Lewis by Bryan Kirks, Vince Neil by Scott Harrison.
Whether you know it or not, you’ve seen Tod Junker’s work. The clothing and costume designer’s distinct products, involving a worn-down sense of ruggedness that gives off a vibe of apocalyptic royalty, have been notably worn by musicians including Marilyn Manson, Aerosmith, Dimmu Borgir, and Carnifex, as well as public figures like illusionist Criss Angel. When you see an outfit that looks as though it was cobbled together by biker out of remnants of an exploded punk venue, there’s a good chance Tod is behind it.
What makes the clothing created by Tod’s own Junker Designs so unique is that much of Tod’s earliest items were actually made of repurposed materials, found objects, and straight up junk. Of course, as Tod’s client list has grown, so has his ambition, and these days he’s experiments with elaborate cast-plastic armor and special effects built right into his outfits--but it all stems from that same ethos of taking other people’s refuse and turning it into the royal robes of lowbrow nobility.
“The first time I saw a Mötley Crüe concert and saw them wearing my stuff, I was like, ‘Woah, this is officially crazy,’” says Tod. “I remember being in high school listening to Kiss, and someone brought in Mötley Crüe’s Shout At The Devil, and that changed everything. I was also a drummer at the time, and I especially loved Motley Crue’s drumming. So, fast forward twenty years, I’m watching them live in an outdoor venue, with Vince Neil on the Jumbotron in clothing I made, and I thought, ‘Man, this is insane.’”