If you go out on the Sunset Strip, I'm sure you've crossed paths with Max Noce. Always dressed in black, he's likely to show up at the Sunset Marquis right before midnight. He might also be in the company of one of his friends, a rockstar likely. Yes, Max is friends with rockstars, but only because he's a rockstar himself, a styling rockstar. He was born in Milan, that's where he fell in love with rock n' roll, that's when he experienced his first tours at age 13 (!); but he really started his career in Fashion in London, where Red Hot Chili Peppers convinced him to relocate to Los Angeles at the end of the 1990s.
A flight and a PCH drive later, and there he was, finally home in the city of angels. He started working at Lord's, crafting custom pieces for musicians, quickly forging a reputation for himself as one of the greatest clothing sculptors of the town. But what he really did was none other than helping those musicians craft their image and identity, something very important for an artist. After opening his first store with a friend he branched on solo and had his own shop/gallery/after-hours party club on the Sunset Strip for a while before closing it because, well, ... he needed to stay alive! Drained by his lifestyle, Max stepped aside a little bit and came back stronger. Nowadays, he keeps working in Hollywood and he has managed to create his own legend, being responsible for some of the most iconic looks of rockstars like Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains), Duff McKagan (Guns n' Roses), but also actors like Mickey Rourke, just to name a few.
It was a great opportunity for us to talk to a witness of the last glorious days of LA at the end of the '90s and see what he thinks of today's scene. He wasn't shy and he told us many amazing stories about legends such as Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Julian Lennon, and even French legend Johnny Hallyday.
For us, it was also the opportunity to talk about image, a very important component of today's digitalized communication. Do rockers know what to do in today's digital world? How can they maintain mystery and style in the day of constant broadcasting of our private lives? Max might not have all the answers but he sure knows about style and the essence of the Strip: Sex, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll, we're definitely hanging on Sunset in his company.
Listen to our extended interview with Max Noce on your favorite platform: https://linktr.ee/hangingonsunset
Picture by Fairy Finley. https://www.instagram.com/fairyfinley/