DEV HYNES STYLES LEVI'S SS26 COLLECTION

Levi's

Summary:

• Dev Hynes takes creative control of Levi's SS26 campaign, bringing his unfiltered musical sensibility to fashion styling
• The campaign explores the tension between polished preppy style and raw grunge aesthetics through reimagined denim pieces
• Shot in Los Angeles with photographer Katharina Korbjuhn, the project features spontaneous imagery inspired by Hynes' album Essex Honey

Levi's taps Dev Hynes to reinterpret select pieces from its Spring/Summer 2026 collection. The musician, producer, and creative force behind Blood Orange brings his approach to the brand's latest campaign.

Hynes has built his career on contradiction and creative freedom. His musical output tends toward the emotional and direct. This same sensibility informs how he dresses: honest, intuitive, bold. Levi's selected him to shape a campaign centered on the clash between refined and rough, between preppy codes and grunge attitude.

The brand sent Hynes a selection of SS26 garments and invited him to work with them on his own terms. He took on styling and creative direction, working alongside photographer Katharina Korbjuhn in Los Angeles. The result includes images and video content drawn from deliberately sincere moments. The project takes inspiration from "Somewhere in Between," a track from his recent album Essex Honey.

In the photographs, Hynes breaks conventional dressing rules. He wears the Authentic Button Down outside its typical context. He layers the Clayton Leather Aviator over the Hayes Boxy Full-Zip Hoodie. He pairs the 578 Baggy jeans with preppy textures. The visual language shifts between two worlds: controlled studio settings on one side, raw scenes like improvised rehearsals on the other. This duality reinforces the central concept.

The campaign extends beyond still images. Spontaneous videos and conversational content build on Hynes' own reflections about style and contradiction. An informal phone call became the starting point for the project's tone and language. The conversation touched on personal style, the value of unexpected combinations, and the space between opposing aesthetics.

Hynes approaches fashion the same way he approaches music. He strips away filters. He trusts his instincts. He mixes elements that others keep separate. For this Levi's project, he applies that method to classic American denim. The Authentic Button Down appears in new contexts. The Clayton Leather Aviator gains a different meaning when paired with casual pieces. The 578 Baggy jeans work with dressy fabrics.

Levi's

Levi's

Levi's

Levi's

The campaign photography balances precision and spontaneity. Some shots show clean studio backdrops and controlled lighting. Others capture loose, unstructured moments. Korbjuhn's lens moves between these modes, following Hynes as he interprets the clothing through movement and layering.

Video segments add another dimension. They show Hynes talking about his process without a script. The footage feels conversational rather than promotional. This approach aligns with his broader artistic practice, where authenticity matters more than polish.

The SS26 collection itself explores the friction between different style vocabularies. Tailored pieces meet relaxed fits. Traditional denim construction meets contemporary silhouettes. Hynes' styling pushes these tensions further. He combines items in ways that highlight their differences rather than smooth them over.

Los Angeles provides the backdrop for this exploration. The city's mix of cultures and aesthetics matches the campaign's theme. Studio spaces alternate with grittier locations. The environment shifts as Hynes moves through different looks and moods.

His work on this project demonstrates how personal style develops outside conventional frameworks. He doesn't follow established rules about what goes with what. He responds to the clothing directly, building combinations based on feeling rather than formula. This approach suits Levi's position as a brand that spans multiple subcultures and style tribes.

The campaign positions denim as a neutral ground where different aesthetics meet. Preppy elements coexist with grunge details. Structured pieces work alongside loose ones. Hynes treats these contrasts as complementary rather than opposing.

His involvement gives the collection a specific point of view without limiting its reach. The styling choices reflect his personal taste while leaving room for others to interpret the pieces differently. This balance makes the campaign both distinctive and accessible.

Levi's continues its tradition of working with artists who bring their own vision to the brand. Hynes joins a line of creative collaborators who have shaped how the company presents its clothing. His contribution adds to this legacy while maintaining his individual voice.