Meet the Bearded Brookylnite Who's Changing Urban Culture

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A prominent fixture on the streets of Boerum Hill (not to mention an abundance of street style blogs), Ouigi Theodore (pronounced Wee-Gee, like the board) launched clothing line and boutique Brooklyn Circus in 2006 with one purpose: to elevate the meaning and style of urban culture. And it's not just the neighbors who have taken notice. Yesterday's The New York Times featured a big profile of Ouigi.

His dream, as the Times puts it, "is to enhance a side of black urban culture that goes beyond the baggy jeans and sneakers that still define hip-hop". Or as he explains: "My dream is to see guys hanging on the corner in suits."

Theodore's pin-pointed POV has caught the attention of various advertising and marketing companies, who have recruited the Manhattan-based entrepreneur to provide some insight into his young, influential, stylish segment of the market. And his outsized personal style and dandyish clothing line (along with the blog of the same name) have won an international following, allowing Brooklyn Circus to expand globally. So far, he's opened a second shop in San Francisco, a store-within-a-store at Sir & Madame in Chicago, and a pop-up shop in Stockholm..—Yale Breslin
· The Bearded Dandy of Brooklyn [NYT]
· Street Scenes: Ouigi on Bergen [Racked NY]
· The Brooklyn Circus [Official Site]