Kyle Lindgren on the World of PALY HOLLYWOOD
We sit down with PALY HOLLYWOOD co-founder Kyle Lindgren to talk growing up around skateboarding, learning under Jason Dill, Hollywood’s hidden histories, building PALY with James Franco, and the obsession behind the clothes.
Kyle Lindgren did not grow up around fashion. In a small town in Colorado, some of his earliest encounters with clothing came from following his mother on shopping trips, watching her hunt for deals while he found himself studying something else entirely: seams, fabrics, construction and the small decisions that turned clothing into an object.
Skateboarding soon became his world. By eight, Lindgren was immersed in the culture, spending the next decade and beyond inside it, painting motifs across his grip tape and developing an instinct for making things distinctly his own. That instinct eventually led him to Fucking Awesome, where working alongside Jason Dill taught him how a point of view could travel through every part of a garment.
PALY HOLLYWOOD grew from a similarly instinctive beginning. Lindgren and James Franco began collaborating for fun, translating Franco’s drawings onto garments they could give to friends. What started casually developed into a much larger investigation of Hollywood, not simply its familiar iconography, but the contradictions, forgotten histories and strange mythology underneath it.
Today, PALY operates somewhere between fashion, artifact and storytelling. Franco brings an archive and deep fascination with Hollywood history while Lindgren translates those references through vintage clothing, textiles, construction, washes and obsessive hand treatments. Their upcoming FW26 collection pushes that language further, turning toward the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and the lives and legacies contained within it.
For 713 Magazine, we spoke with Lindgren about where that obsession began, what he learned before PALY, the stories hidden beneath Hollywood and why, despite everything happening around the brand, what he wants most right now is balance.
713 MAGAZINE: I’d like to go further back into your early life. What did you grow up around, and what first shaped your understanding of clothing, creativity and taste?
KYLE LINDGREN: Growing up in a small-ish town in Colorado, I wasn’t really exposed to the world of fashion very often. My mom, however, loved to shop and was incredibly good at finding deals. She was very much part of the couponing culture, so I’d tag along with her on these shopping trips more often than not. Those trips ended up exposing me to a lot of different types of apparel from a pretty young age.
I’ve always been fascinated by how things are made, so while my mom was shopping, I’d often find myself looking at the construction of the garments: the seams, details, materials, and how everything was put together.
Around eight years old, I also started skateboarding, and it quickly became my entire universe through my early twenties. I was completely immersed in skate culture. I think I was probably the only kid at the skatepark who painted his entire grip tape with some kind of motif that I’d come up with for every board I had. Looking back, those little drawings and the way I personalized my boards were probably some of my earliest experiences with making something feel distinctly my own.
713 MAGAZINE: Before founding PALY, you worked within another creative environment at Fucking Awesome. Looking back, what was the most valuable lesson from that experience that prepared you to build your own label?
KYLE: At Fucking Awesome, I spent my time asking a million questions and learning how to translate Jason Dill’s artwork and point of view into clothing. It taught me that the strongest garments start with a clear perspective and a story, where every wash, embellishment, graphic, and construction detail has a purpose. For me, it’s not just about making clothes; it’s about having something to say and using the garment to communicate it.
713 MAGAZINE: PALY has grown into one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary fashion. Looking back, what was the realization that made you believe this brand needed to exist?
KYLE: James and I started collaborating for fun. I was inspired by his drawings and thought it would be interesting to translate them onto garments and gift them to our friends.
What really interested us was the industry itself…Hollywood, its history, and the culture and mythology that surround it. PALY became an opportunity for us to explore the trials, contradictions, and stories within that world through our respective crafts. James brings his deep connection to the industry and perspective as an artist, while I bring my obsession with vintage, hand-treated design, garment construction, and the physical process of making clothing. That combination felt like a perfect pairing, and it allowed us to explore these themes with a depth and specificity that we didn’t see elsewhere. Together, we’re able to create deeply referential collections that draw from Hollywood’s history and mythology while translating it into a product that feels entirely our own.
713 MAGAZINE: Where did the name PALY come from, and how did it capture the world you wanted to build through the brand?
KYLE: When James and I were discussing names, we were combing through old photos and came across a yearbook photo from Palo Alto High School of an athlete wearing a PALY jersey. The lettering immediately caught my attention. It looked like a designer name, almost as if it were already a label. It clicked right away.
With our exploration of LA and Hollywood, the name perfectly encapsulated our ethos. It also pays homage to James’s roots, being from Palo Alto.
713 MAGAZINE: How would you describe your craft? Not simply as a designer, but as someone building an entire world through clothing.
KYLE: Every collection starts with a piece of Hollywood history that we’re obsessed with, whether it’s the tension between image and reality or a forgotten story that deserves another look, and my job is to translate that into a garment through every decision, from the fabric and silhouette to the hand distressing, washes, artwork, and even how the elbows, cuffs, or waistband will wear over time. The goal is to make something that feels like a lived-in artifact from that world, where the story doesn’t end when it leaves our studio but keeps evolving with the person wearing it.
713 MAGAZINE: Walk me through the beginning of a PALY collection. What usually comes first, and how does an idea evolve into the first finished sample?
KYLE: A lot of the collections start with James and his personal archive of Hollywood memorabilia, books, and artwork, where he’ll find these deep cuts from film history or celebrity culture that most people have never seen, then start sketching original artwork around those stories. From there, I obsess over every part of bringing that world into a garment, going through countless iterations of the fabric, silhouette, artwork placement, distressing, dying, and hand treatments until the piece feels right on the body, and because the process is so intensive, we make limited quantities where every SKU has to be something we’re genuinely proud to put out.
713 MAGAZINE: You and James approach the brand from different creative perspectives. What does each of you bring to PALY that the other could not?
KYLE: What makes PALY work is that James and I have very different areas of obsession that naturally come together. James has this deep knowledge of Hollywood history, culture, and art, and I’ve spent years obsessing over vintage clothing, textiles, and how garments are made, so together we’re able to create a very singular design perspective that has both a strong story and a really considered physical execution.
713 MAGAZINE: PALY often begins with a story, image, film or historical reference. How do you decide which ideas are strong enough to become clothing?
KYLE: The ideas that become PALY are usually the stories that exist a little deeper beneath the surface, the moments behind closed doors, and the parts of Hollywood history that most people never hear about. A lot of people know the iconic stories, but we’re more drawn to the mysterious underbelly, the trials, contradictions, and human side of those tales because those details open up a much bigger world to explore, and it’s been really cool seeing our community go down those same rabbit holes with us.
713 MAGAZINE: Was there a particular piece, collection or moment when you felt PALY had finally become the brand you originally imagined?
KYLE: Because we’ve always been so obsessed with the quality of the final product, we never had a drop that felt like a milestone. Each collection has truly been a labor of love to ensure we’re stoked about the final product. That said, FW26 is a season I’m especially proud of. It’s our most expansive collection to date, exploring new categories, fabrications, and distressing techniques. We’re working with world-class factories and some of the same suppliers used by the most respected luxury houses. Because the theme of the collection centers on the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, we’re also able to sink our teeth into many different legacies, honoring those laid to rest there.
713 MAGAZINE: Is there an idea you’ve been carrying for years that still hasn’t found its way into the brand?
KYLE: We’re really intentional about how we grow because we never want to compromise the quality, craft, or thoughtfulness that goes into each piece just to increase production. Long-term, I’d love to create our own brick-and-mortar space in LA that’s truly ours, where the community can come together, explore the histories that inspire the collections, and experience the world we’re building beyond just the garments.
713 MAGAZINE: What is the best piece of creative advice you’ve ever received, and do you still believe it?
KYLE: The best creative advice I’ve received is to not worry too much about how something will be received and just keep creating. The moment you start thinking about outside opinions or how something might be perceived, you can lose the instinct that made it interesting in the first place. I believe in staying consistent, creating every day, and trusting your own point of view. The more you stay true to the process, the better the work becomes.
713 MAGAZINE: Is there something you’ve become less interested in as you’ve gotten older?
KYLE: I’ve become less interested in following trends or feeling pressured by what’s being pushed at us. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve trusted my own taste more and realized there’s more value in following your instincts than trying to keep up with what’s happening around you. The proof is in the work. When we’ve trusted our own point of view, it’s resonated.
713 MAGAZINE: What do you want more of in your life at the moment?
KYLE: Balance. My personality is pretty addictive, so I tend to go all in on whatever I’m focused on. Right now, I’m completely immersed in PALY. We’re so proud of how it’s resonating and excited for what’s ahead, but it can be nonstop when you have a perfectionist work ethic like me.
Shop the Spring/Sunmer 2026 Collection here: https://palyhollywood.com
