"Consider clothing designer David Jon Acosta a New Generation flower child.

Pincrest fashion designer creates hippie clothing line

BY ANNIE VAZQUEZ

Special to The Miami Herald

Consider clothing designer David Jon Acosta a New Generation flower child.

While the 24-year-old most likely wouldn't have followed the Grateful Dead or let his hair grow to a long untamed mess, Acosta says he's passionate about fashion from the hippie era that stretched from the 1960s into the 1970s.

In fact, he has created a clothing and accessories line that pays homage to that style.

And Miami hipsters and local boutiques are smitten with his graphic T-shirts and flower headbands.

He named his design label Gold Saturn after his first car because he said he had the time of his life in it and he wants his clothing to reflect that freedom. The label was launched accidentally last March.

``I use to work at an architectural firm and my boss would always go out of town. I'd find myself bored and doodling on the computer,' Acosta said. ``One day I scribbled a peace sign made out of pills and I liked it so much, I decided to turn into a T-shirt.'

That very shirt, which he calls Prescription for Peace, is what launched his career in the fashion industry after he wore it to the Art Institute of Miami where he's currently enrolled.

``The kids there all ordered one from me,' he said. ``I think they liked it because it has a peace sign and the pills are colorful . . . It's also open to interpretation so it could mean whatever you want it to mean -- like if its Tylenol for a headache and you want peace of mind.'

After the success of that shirt, Acosta decided to take a stab at launching a collection of tees with the same motif.

He produced eight psychedelic infused graphic shirts which were emblazoned with their own messages -- from LOVE to a hand making a peace sign. He even has a tee displaying a mushroom -- and the inscription ``Mushrooms not Missiles' under it.

His line was first picked up by South Miami boutique Studio LX where Acosta had taken a job as sales assistant.

``The manager saw them and she ordered one of each,' Acosta said.

``That's when I realized I was doing something right,' added the Cuban American, who graduated from St. Brendan High School, 2950 SW 87th Ave.

Soon after, other boutiques such as Habit in Coral Gables, Scarlett in South Miami and Swag in North Miami were stocking it.

The line retails between $32 to $62 and is designed from his computer in his living room using Adobe programs: Photoshop and Illustrator.

The shirts are manufactured in Peru.

``I love David's shirts. They sell well and it's what all the cool hip kids and mothers are wearing,' said Lauren Martinez, co-owner of Swag boutique. ``The fit is also great and it's made out of good cotton that won't shrink.'

Stacy Allen, owner of Scarlett boutique, said the quirky shirts are popular with her 14- to 50-year-old customers because they are versatile and can be mixed and matched with several outfits.

``It's easy chic,' Acosta said. ``You can wear them with skirts and high waisted shorts and even add a cute blazer for a dressier look.'

The designers' headbands are all handmade by him and were inspired by the flower wreaths hippies wore.

They also came to be added to the collection by accident as well.

``I made them because I needed a prop for the models to wear in a fashion show,' Acosta said. ``After the show, the girls in the audience were literally taking them off the models' heads and begging me to sell to them.'

The headbands sell at a vintage boutique, C Madeleine's in North Miami.

Acosta said his new collection, which hits stores in October, will have a new theme and new additions like floor-skimming tank dresses.

`I love the '70s, but I'm not always going to have tees adorned in peace signs and love -- that would be so boring,' he said. ``The new collection is a lot more chic and sexy. It was inspired by a photograph I saw on a blog of a French woman walking in Paris.'

Samples of the new line hang over his work desk while his Chihuahua, Pepito, races around underneath.

They include a red tee with a leggy pinup girl wearing the same red sunglasses as the French woman in the blog. There's also a long white tank with the face of a woman smoking a cigarette and a dancing skeleton with the words ``Le Disco Freak.'

``With this collection I'd like to think I'm moving Gold Saturn to another level,' Acosta said. ``I think the next one I'll base it on my trip to Key West.'

For more information on Gold Saturn check out www.goldsaturn.com.