Sage Elsesser: Comfort as the Ultimate
Skateboarder and musician Sage Elsesser, the new face of UGG, advocates for comfort as the ultimate luxury. In an interview with Hypebeast, he details his simplified personal style, rooted in nostalgia and a daily uniform, and explains his affinity for the classic UGG Tasman slipper, which aligns with his philosophy that the greatest luxury is feeling at ease.
While Navy Blue's lyrics are riddled with well-penned complexities, in fashion, Sage Elsesser keeps it simple - and comfortable. The latest face of UGG, Elsesser explains why 'the greatest luxury is comfort.'
Sage Elsesser often feels like that one no one knows that I'm wearing... meme, in that he's always sneaking comfort into his daily outfits. Whether it's a secretly silk-lined hoodie or a pair of shearling-lined UGG Tasman slip-ons, comfort catalyzes his current wardrobe.
'I think my style has simplified a lot,' Elsesser says, sticking to a low-profile 'uniform' most days: a monochrome hoodie or T-shirt, a wide-legged pant, and something calm and clean on the feet. 'It's all about ease and comfort - ease not in the sense that it's easy, but in that there's a certain energy that comes with feeling like it's not too laborious to find inspiration. Simple, but not easy is the best way to put it.'
Bridging Skateboarding and Music
This effortless ethos bridges the gap between Sage Elsesser, the skateboarder, and Navy Blue, the musician. 'Dressing to skate and dressing to perform are both all about how the clothing fits and feels,' he continues. 'I love when people are willing to wear something less because of function, but more because of comfort. To me, the greatest luxury is comfort.'
In true Sage Elsesser fashion, the multihyphenate finds himself fronting another key lookbook, this time for a silhouette that actually remains in his uniform's footwear rotation: UGG's Chestnut Tasman. Dubbing the shoe a 'classic,' Elsesser's affinity for the silhouette stems from its ability to maintain cultural relevance while staying true to its low-profile persona - something he knows very well.
'When I saw some of the selects for the UGG Tasman shoot, I could tell I'm definitely smiling more in these pictures,' he laughs of the Chris Black-lensed visuals. It's likely because he was comfortable.
A Nostalgic Foundation
Fresh off the new campaign, Elsesser sat down with Hypebeast to share more about his stripped-back approach to personal style, and how comfort is the connective tissue through it all. He describes his style as full of nostalgia, loving vintage things for the feeling they carry from a past life. His current uniform reflects a simplification, moving away from loud graphics and becoming less precious about controlling his image.
He also discussed the iconic Chestnut color of the classic UGG boot, describing it as a rich, distinct shade of brown synonymous with the brand's identity. Elsesser's advice is to be grateful and enjoy opportunities without taking them too seriously. When asked which rapper would best rock the Tasman, he named MIKE. His approach to style is about focusing on the foundational elements that bring consistent value and comfort.
