Asher Levine Has Balls (as If You Couldn’t Tell)

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for more photos of Asher by Richard Kern

Vice: I can’t believe that you go to the gym and work out in these outfits. Asher Levine: I’ve been going to David Barton Gym for about two and a half years now, but last fall, in October, this idea occurred to me. The David Barton experience is like—there are DJs, it’s a sexy scene, it’s really checky-outy. But what was lacking was clothes. Workout gear is just so bland. I want to go to the gym and wear something sexy and fun. To me, life really shouldn’t be anything but fun and sexy! And so your bodysuits were born. Yeah, these colorful, ultrastylized wrestler singlets. And now I really look forward to working out! I mean, you’re already practically nude when you do it, which is sort of hot. I’ve always heard that David Barton is a really cruise-y scene. Oh yeah. And that’s what makes it even more fun. I would imagine that some of those really hardcore gym-queen types are blown away by you. I’ve only got shit from one person. He was like, “What’s that?” and I was like, “It is what you want to make it!” Nice. People need to abandon their fears and insecurities and get the fuck over themselves! I like how my bodysuits make people feel happy, even if they’re not wearing one. Do you think they make your workouts better? Yeah! I open up my closet and I’m like, “Hmm, should I wear the gold lamé and black or should I wear the striped one?” I’ve been pretty serious about working out for about two years. I go four or five times a week. I created my own routine by researching online. I do weightlifting one day and then I do cardio the next day to let my muscles rest. Cardio is hell. But it’s like someone takes a big needle and puts it in your body and sucks these pockets of fat out that weightlifting can’t get to. And I’m sure you have to eat really carefully too. Yeah, but let me tell you! I live in the West Village and at 11:30 one night last week I was like, “Fuck this!” and I went and totally splurged on a Five Guys burger. Those are really good. Have you ever met anybody you ended up dating because of your workout gear? No, I haven’t. And right now I’m sort of dealing with a boy issue. I feel like, at a young age, like, don’t rush into anything serious! Just have sex and have fun. There’s nothing wrong with spending your 20s just doing it with lots of people. But then when you get that special connection, it’s like, “Argh!” How long does it take you to make one of your pieces? Three hours, depending on how intricate the pattern is. And what materials do you use the most? Well, I shop at one place, and it’s called Spandex World. Get the fuck out of here. It’s this Indian guy named Rama or something like that. He’s seen me so much that he just started giving me discounts without me even having to ask. And then someone told me, “You know, there’s another place called Spandex House,” and I was like, “Yeah, that’s a couple of blocks down. I only go to Spandex World!” How many pieces have you made so far? I’ve made about ten, but including the ones I made to go out at night I’ve made about 15. I’m also working on a denim silhouette that I call Sacks. You know how the drop crotch is starting to come in again? Surprisingly, yes, I do know that. Well, I made these extremely dropped-crotch jeans with a couple pleats in the front and the back, and they’re tapered to the bottom. That’s funny, because your bodysuits are about cupping the package as much as possible and drop-crotch jeans sort of hide it. Two package extremes. That’s an interesting dichotomy! I never thought of that! Did you go to FIT or something? No, I actually have one more year of business school to go now. But my mom put me in a sewing class when I was ten and I picked it up really fast. And then there was sewing club. That’s a real thing? I was in a sewing club when I was like 11 and 12. I was such a good sewer that I was on the local news and after the story ran, everyone started saying, like, “Asher the Sewer, yadda yadda ya.” Whatever! It must have been hard to be in the closet but also probably the only guy in sewing club. I came out when I was 16. This was in southwest Florida. It was tough for me, so I was like, “Fuck this shit” and I started the first Gay-Straight Alliance in my neighborhood. Do you know about the “God Hates Fags” people from down there? I’m familiar with them. They came to my school to protest the club that I started! In general, in life, I don’t like taking shit. And I like putting that philosophy into fashion too! Asher wants us to tell you that he twitters under his name: asherlevine. OK?