Remember Frank Ocean's enigmatic jewelry brand, Homer? It went quiet after its launch in August, keeping to itself and its New York flagship outpost, until it announced its second collection out of nowhere on December 19.
We'd heard that the second collection was en route but that was it: who knew Frank's company would make its major announcement on Sunday morning?
But here it is: Homer's website has been updated with bits from the second collection catalog and — perhaps most surprising of all — a Homer web store.
This goes against basically everything that Homer initially stood for, though. Ocean's company was intended to be a luxury label to compete with Cartier, formed by exclusivity and high-profile drops likes the Homer x Prada collaboration.
Homer product was initially only available in-store at 70-74 Bowery and interested international customers would have to contact the Homer store by phone to place an order. Is the online shopping portal a sign of trouble?
"I worry that with the price point and the density of the playing field, it will be very very faddish," said a Highsnobiety Rolodex member. "I just do not see this competing with the giants." Other respondents cited similar concerns about price and competitiveness, though Ocean's aura is enough of a draw to lure in at least some interested parties.
I have to wonder if the web store launch was always in the cards or whether it was a course correction needed to keep Homer relevant amidst the onslaught of perpetual drops.
Both the company and Ocean — who just launched new Blonded merch — remain as tight-lipped as ever.
But at least there's Homer's second collection, "When a Dog Comes to Stay," to look forward to, accompanied by an ambiguous new video campaign series called "I Remember" that's viewable on the Homer website.
"'When a Dog Comes to Stay' explores the dog as a symbol of one that walks lighter," said Ocean. "A sheepdog, an Akita and a bull terrier are rendered in pixels as if to simplify the qualities that make them our family. To the dog, it seems, loyalty is without thinking."
Ocean's typically lovely prose describes a line of jewelry rendered with doggy imagery, ranging from pixelized pooch pendants to dog bone bracelets to more silk scarves printed with the same imagery.
As usual, each Italian-made piece is realized in "18K gold, recycled sterling silver, hand-painted enamel and American lab-grown diamonds," a press release states.
Recall that Homer apparently owns its own American facility that produces all of its diamonds.
No blood diamonds here though some social media critics can't conceive of man-made gems deserving of Homer's prices — though cheaper pendants can be had for under $1k, Homer's diamond-studded pieces retail for upwards of five or six figures. Its most expensive piece, worn by Frank Ocean to the Met Gala, is over $1 million.
Either way, Homer promises that all of its jewelry is editioned and include both a unique, engraved serial number and certificate of authenticity.
To promote the new line, Homer's Instagram began posting for the first time, revealing imagery from the catalog and even a belated tribute to Virgil Abloh.
No release date for Homer's second collection, unsurprisingly, but it's a safe bet to expect things to get moving after the holidays
