Gallery Dept.
Gallery Dept. is a clothing label from Los Angeles, founded by artist and designer Josué Thomas. The brand is known for clothes that look as if they came straight out of a studio: jeans and hoodies with paint splatters, faded prints and visible repairs. As a result, almost every piece has its own character.
The history of Gallery Dept.
Josué Thomas started Gallery Dept. from his own practice as an artist. He bought and reworked vintage clothing, painted it by hand and gave old jeans and jackets a second life. That work grew into a label that deliberately blurs the line between art and clothing.
The brand has stayed closely tied to Los Angeles. In its own space in the city, pieces are designed, made and sold, and that mix of studio and shop suits the way Thomas works: lots of handwork, small numbers and a raw, unpolished style.
What Gallery Dept. is known for
The most recognisable feature is the paint. Jeans, hoodies and jackets carry splatters and smears in bright colours, as if they had been worn in a painter’s studio. The brand is also known for faded, vintage-style logo prints that show at a glance which label you are wearing.
Gallery Dept. has also worked with big brands. With UGG it released a 2024 collection inspired by Thomas’ own UGG boots, which were covered in paint after years in the studio. The Classic Boot and the UGG Tasman were given a reworked look. With ASICS the label released the GEL-K1011 at the end of 2024, a sneaker that combines elements from several generations of the GEL-KAYANO. The French fashion house Lanvin has collaborated with Gallery Dept. as well.
Well-known Gallery Dept. pieces
- Flared jeans: jeans with a wide, flared leg, often with paint splatters and reworked seams.
- Logo T-shirts: tees with the Gallery Dept. print in a faded, worn-in look.
- Hoodies and sweatshirts: with large logo prints or hand-painted details.
- Shorts and jackets: often made from recycled or reworked material, in the same studio style.
Fans of Gallery Dept. often also look at Denim Tears, which, like Thomas, tells a story through jeans, or at Fear of God Essentials for calmer basics to pair with the louder pieces.
What makes Gallery Dept. different from other streetwear brands?
Where many streetwear brands revolve around a clean logo and large runs, Gallery Dept. works from the idea of an artwork. Paint, wear and repairs are part of the design and are not polished away. As a result, a piece feels more like something you have worn for years than something new from a shop.
How does Gallery Dept. clothing fit?
Gallery Dept. does not use one fit that applies to every item. Because many pieces are reworked or finished by hand, measurements can differ per item and per collection. With the flared jeans, focus mainly on the waist and inseam, as the wide leg is meant to fall over the shoe. If in doubt, compare the measurements with trousers or a hoodie you already own.
Buy Gallery Dept. at WOOVIN
On WOOVIN you will find Gallery Dept. clothing such as flared jeans, logo T-shirts, hoodies and shorts. Because the paint and rework can turn out differently on each piece, it pays to study the photos closely before you choose. With the size filter you can see straight away which jeans and shirts come in your size.
