Ford, Kyle & Chloe

Story by Derek Rielly

Photos by: Steve Baccon

I won’t kid ya. The scene at Narrabeen for the world junior contest was a fashion apocalypse, a sartorial version of The Road. It was a conference for Boys Who Wear Skate Shoes with Giant Tongues, a seminar for the Men in Nylon Skirts, a reunion for the school of 5XL white tee wearers. Not in the event, but skirting the periphery, were Ford Arcbhold and Kyle Kennelly, two Californians who are attempting to lead the pack away from their jock wardrobes. Let me describe.

Ford Archbold is a 19-year-old Newport surfer who can take a shot at pro surfing, but only if he wants. He is tall, six-one tall, and his hair is baby chicken yellow. On Ford’s right nipple and descending to just below his lungs is a texta drawing of a penis. “It’s an outline, no detail,” he defends. Kyle Kennelly is 20, from Huntington Beach, and dreams of becoming an economics professor. His hair is red, straining to be yellow. On one ankle is a texta drawing of testicles, with upright bristles of hair, and a love heart. On his right ankle is a love heart only.

Manipulative and roguish, camera-swinging and Ghetto Queen-loving Kyle is Andy Warhol to cute Ford’s blond bunny Edie Sedgwick. Kyle wears plaid shirts buttoned to the trachea, denim capri pants, Vans boat shoes and shields his eyes with squared-off Ways. Ford wears cords with a rope belt, no shoes, no eyeglass, and a RVCA long-sleeve tee. They are a pendulum swing apart, style-wise, but both embrace a visceral dislike of the typical surfer uniform.

Ford and Kyle blow into the studio on a day of 43 degrees. Indoors, fans of aircraft size pummel and distribute air that is velvet thick. Creeks of sweat on their brows become exploding levees when 18-year-old Chloe Chapman strolls around the corner, holy-mother-of-Christ cans squeezed into a Von Zipper one-piece of red, white and blue, the colours of Old Glory.

Kyle and Ford and another pal, 17-year-old Andrew Doheny, have plugged themselves live with a website called 3slobs.com. We saw the site a while back, liked it, liked their style, and since they were in Sydney shooting movies with Little Weed Riley Blakeway we invited them in for a photo shoot.

Around a table we sit. I find out that Kyle lives with this mum and two cats, Estelle and Beyonce, at a gated community called Pacific Ranch at 7531 Seabluff Drive, Huntington Beach. A guard lives in a box at the entrance. He is unarmed, not even a five-seven strapped onto an ankle to neutralize any intruders. Kyle is two years into a six-year economics degree. If he realizes the dream of becoming an economics prof, he’ll be banking a neat 150k a year.

Kyle is sponsored by Ezekiel, Electric, Xcel and Prolite, although he draws no salary. His pal Andrew Doheny has been shaping his boards for the last three months. Kyle has duel citizenship cause of an Irish mum, and owns the corresponding passports.

Ford lives in Newport Harbour with the Doheny family, who claim no rent from the boy. He dropped out of school two years ago in his 10th year. “I’m the biggest procrastinator ever,” he says.

As for the texta drawings on their bodies, both claim it was the art skills of Little Weed Thom Pringle though neither are in any rush to remove the sensual drawings.

Ford is sponsored by RVCA and Arnette. He rides six-foot Firewires and recently spent $900 on two Merricks, a Proton (which he loves) and a Rookie (which he hates). Both surfers are fast to reply, provocative and not entirely serious.

STAB: Come on in, have some sushi.KYLE: You know I’d rather be eating the pussy of a fallen ghetto Queen. FORD: I’m rice, seawood and canned tuna intolerant. Do you have any pussy? Any frail eel?

We all laugh and make appreciative comments about Beyonce, the American-African superstar.

STAB: To style biz, tell me, is there a local store or brand that influences your look? FORD: I like vintage clothes and there’s this spot called Swellegant on 32nd street in Newport that has the raddest shit, but it’s kinda pricey. KYLE: I really like stores that are trendy with a hint of geekiness. I love going to Fashion Island in Newport Beach: beautiful women roaming, great coffee shops, and some of my favorite stores including American Rag and Urban Outfitters. Every once in a while, I’ll go to American Apparel but their stuff is a little too metro. Gotta love those nerdy, single toned button-ups, though. Oh, and the socks! In all honesty Ezekiel hooks me up with so much good shit that I use these stores for outfit ideas, looks, new trends, that sort of junk.

STAB: What inspires you to put stuff together a certain way? FORD: I really just throw on one piece that I think is cool at the time. No trying to match or trying on 15 different outfits before I go out. I like the not-trying-too-hard look – it’s really a hit right now. (Laughs.) KYLE: I like stealing looks from movies like Public Enemies and Sherlock Holmes. That old 30s look gets me rock hard.

STAB: I see a 60s boho Newport-Malibu look in you both. FORD: That’s the one. Beach Blanket Be-Bop. KYLE: Definitely Beach Blanket Be-Bop. And Big Wednesday!

STAB: Where does someone like Alex Knost fit into your scene? FORD: Alex is a huge influence on kids’ style in Orange County. A lot of people used to write him off and now they try to dress just like him. Everyone is starting a band and getting a log. It’s pretty sick though, I think. KYLE: I wish I could walk a log like that dude. I love the Japanese Motors too! I like his style even if it is a little grungy for me.

STAB: Do you cut your own hair or do you buy a hairdresser’s skills? FORD: I just cut it myself usually, grab the clippers and go to town! Maybe a little choppy but it saves some money and looks cool sometimes. KYLE: I can’t remember the last time I paid for a hair cut. It’s just hair, man!

STAB: What is the hottest look for a girl? FORD: I love “hipster” girls and that style. I actually like a girl to look kind of grungy. I don’t know why, but it’s sexy! KYLE: I love skinny girls in tight jeans and heels. High shorts are rad. Clear glasses, blue eyes, black hair. And, then, of course, you have the classic ghetto Queen. But, what proud African-American woman would take a red-headed surfer like me?

STAB: What do you clove your feet in? Do thongs have a place in the armoury? Lace ups? Boots? FORD: Sandals are lame. Go barefoot! I go barefoot when I can. I like simple shoes though, nothing too flashy. And, they have to be thin – no puffs! KYLE: I love Converse, Vans, simple slip-ons, boater’s delight.

STAB: How long will boat shoes kick around for before being binned? FORD: I don’t even like them. They’re already binned in my mind. KYLE: This time they’re sticking around.

STAB: What place have you visited that has its own style? FORD: Australia, for sure. Tight pants, singlet or a huge neck shirt is what everyone’s rocking. It’s a cool look. KYLE: I love the Australian fashion. The surfers seem super cool, laid back, not as comped-out as some of the roidz heads back home. I would live in Sydney if I could!

STAB: Is there any style that you admire that is not really your current scene? FORD: No, I’m pretty pleased with what I got now. KYLE: I like the Flight of the Conchords kind of style: geeky, retro and lame but cool at the same time.

STAB: What’s your favourite piece right now? FORD: My blue cords. I wear them everywhere. They’re as dirty as a red-headed HB surfer with a Ghetto Queen fetish. Oh, and my Mickey shirt. I love that little guy! KYLE: My disturbingly ugly socks! I have this one pair that has a forest with moose printed on it!

STAB: Favourite ensemble? FORD: Some flood pants (pants that puddle on your ankles), a shirt with no big logos and I’m ready to go. If I’m going out, I’ll throw on a long-sleeved collared shirt right over it. KYLE: Two meanings of that word. Music-wise, it’s Daft Punk’s old stuff right now. For clothes, this blue-and-white striped 3/4 sleeve shirt, skinny 303 Ezekiel jeans and my navy Vans.

STAB: What is the greeting an American male should give to an a) an Australian male b) a European male c) a Pacific Islander? FORD: Hey dude, Hey man, Aloha. KYLE: To everyone, Hi sir!

STAB: Are you ashamed of your nationality or proud? FORD: Proud to be an American. Freedom rules! KYLE: Proud. California is the best place on earth.

STAB: Are you like me and do you weep with happiness when you see the Obama presidential photos at American airports? FORD: Uh, not really. It’s cool he’s black, though! KYLE: I do! That was my first time voting! I just wish he would bring our troops home instead of just moving them from one hell-hole to the next. My father went to war so I’ve seen how that shit fucks up peoples’ minds.

STAB: Was George Bush a failure so massive it is without precedent or a statesman whom history will remember fondly? FORD: He was lame, that’s all I know. KYLE: He should get FAIL tattooed on this forehead.

STAB: I have a Tom Ford quote for you: “There’s one indulgence every man should try in his lifetime. If you’re straight, sleep with a man at least once, and if you’re gay, don’t go through life without sleeping with a woman. Either way, you might be surprised at how natural it will feel if you can get past the mind-fuck of stereotypes. In the end, it’s just another person that you are relating to in a physical way.” Comment. FORD: Ew! No thanks! I never want to do that in my life. It’s different for chicks, they’re not all hairy and weird. Total ew! KYLE: Wow, uh, I would never do that in a million years. I love girls! Black ones, yellow ones, brown ones, even white ones, at a pinch!

STAB: What do you want to achieve with your cute blog? FORD: We want people to think we’re super cool. (Laughs.) We just want to keep trying to make it about surfing but not a stereotypical surfer bro blog. KYLE: Our main goal is to show that not all kids are fucking lame competitive jocks. I know that’s a bold statement but its true. I’m so over the direction the surfing world is going in. I mean, I only like watching 10 of the surfers on the WCT. Surfers aren’t supposed to be jock athletes, we’re meant to be fun-loving, free-spirited stoke junkies. This stupid little website is merely a platform for us to voice that opinion.