A Night With The Little Bastards

Longston Johnston, the 26-year-old creative director and co-owner of the Little Bastards Co. on Main Street, cradled a cold Pabst in the center of his company’s 2011 fashion line release party Friday night.  He named the line “Sleep When You’re Dead” because he barely slept while designing it. 

Johnston has a John Lennon-like look—thin black hair and a long face. His high-top white designer sneakers looked fresh off the shelf as he strolled around  the room; first he looked over a sultry black-haired model being photographed in cut-off jean shorts and one of his signature black t-shirts, then he welcomed a few friends and grabbed a couple of homemade egg-rolls.

 “Try this man,” he said to the reporter, “My mother made it.”

The thin, lightly breaded and fried egg-rolls are a signature dish of Laos, the war-torn Southeast Asian country that Johnston’s family escaped from when he was 6 years old.  His family came to Woonsocket to give their children a better life and Johnston is making the best of it.

“I’ve always been a broke kid in Woonsocket,” said Longston, who goes by Long. “Living with other families and stuff.”

But on Friday night he and his company were the center of attention.  About 100 local residents had gathered at the store at 285 Main Street and the basement was turned into an ad-hoc nightclub featuring models, drinks and a live DJ.  Their guests seemed equally fashionable, wearing black leather jackets, flat-brimmed hats and designer sneakers.

Little Bastards was started by Long and his friend Nik Minyvong, also of Woonsocket, three years ago when they realized Rhode Island had little in the way of urban clothing.  The company is named after James Dean’s car “Little Bastard”, a Porsche 550 Spyder.  They embraced provocative designs right from the start.  One of their first black t-shirts featured a naked female prisoner covered up only with chains.  Their slogan “Old soul, young rebel” arose from Long’s fascination with cultural icons such as classic American rebels like James Dean and 1950s pinups, which are often featured on their clothing.

In 2009 they began selling their designs wholesale to area businesses such as Karmaloop on Newbury Street in Boston and Sneaker Junkies in Providence.  By 2010, with a little financial help from another Woonsocket resident, Jason Dusablon, they opened a storefront at 285 Main Street.

“We made the store around here to give people access to the clothes,” said Dusablon, who also owns around the corner, “We were born and raised here, we’re loyal.”

With the release party on Friday and collaborations with local photographers, writers and artists, Little Bastards is making strides in uniting the local Woonsocket arts community.

“No one else is bringing this many people together,” said Dave LaForce, a former Woonsocket resident who now lives in Providence, “When I was growing up here nothing like this went on.”

 “I’m trying to bring that West Coast feel here, just chilling and doing something at the same time,” said Long.  Doing something also includes charity events.  Led by Dusablon, the company had a canned foods drive before Thanksgiving and a fundraiser for pancreatic cancer research in which Long gave donors a specially designed black shirt with an intricate purple design.

Long hopes 2011 will be a progressive year in which he and his co-owners expand the company through trade shows, picking up new accounts and expanding overseas, but even with new success he wants to give back to the city that made him, Woonsocket.

“I don’t just want to have a good time,” said Long, “I want to give back to the community and make Woonsocket a better place.”

Stop by Little Bastards Company at their store on Main Street or visit their website to place your order from their original clothing line: http://poorlittlebastard.com/

Editor's note: Longston Johnston is the creative director's "art" name, which he uses in association with everything related to the business AND privately.  He specifically requested that we use it for this piece.