The Misshapes

The Misshapes are a New York City-based DJ trio composed of Geordon Nicol, Leigh Lezark and Greg Krelenstein. Beginning in 2003, the trio cultivated a large following when they brought to downtown New York City the dance party, «Misshapes». On September 8th 2007 after a successful 4 year run, the trio discontinued Misshapes as a weekly party. Since then, the trio continues to DJ and have done several outside projects, including a style book; Misshapes(Nicol, 2008), published by MTV Press, remixes for indie rock and electroncia bands and film soundtracking, and have been involved in fashion journalism and photography.

In 2006, the trio toured the United States, Europe, Asia and South America. While on various shows they served as supporting DJs for Art Brut, Celebration, The Killers, Lady Sovereign, Mötley Crüe, Peaches, Scissor Sisters, Serena Maneesh, The Rogers Sisters, She Wants Revenge, Stars, The Stills and Tapes ‘n Tapes. The trio would also appear in an International campaign for EDUN and ONE.org shot by supermodel Helena Christensen. The ads featured celebrities like Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, Naomi Watts, Kate Bosworth, Lindsay Lohan, Rosario Dawson, Djimon Hounsou, Q-Tip, Gary Oldman, Gabriel Byrne, Peter Sarsgaard, Jimmy Fallon, Damon Dash and Rachel Roy showing their support to help reach and engage people in the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty.

In 2007 they toured the United States, Europe and Asia. While on various shows they served as supporting DJs for Bloc Party, Cansei de Ser Sexy, Courtney Love, Crystal Castles, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Dragonette, Erasure, The Gossip, Riot in Belgium, Uffie and Voxtrot.

In September 2007, they released a style book; Misshapes(Nicol, 2008), published by MTV Press. The book contains almost 300 pages of fashion portraits and over 2,500 images. The book contains text by writer Legs McNeil, Pulp front man Jarvis Cocker, Vogue magazine editor Sally Singer, and photography by The Cobrasnake, Julian Gilbert, Karl Lagerfeld, Leigh Lezark, Nick Haymes, Miguel Villalobos, Patrick McMullan, Ryan McGinley, Ryan Pfluger, Scott Meriam and Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner.

In Fall 2007 Lezark appeared in the Roberto Cavalli for H&M ad campaign.

They provide runway show music for various fashion designers including: Bill Blass, Costello Tagliapeitra, Cynthia Rowley, House of Holland, Sienna Miller, Sophia Kokosalaki, Tony Cohen and Tory Burch.

Their party Misshapes was named after a Pulp song and was first hosted at Luke & Leroy’s, a small venue in the West Village. Geordon and Leigh, who had to lie about their age as well as falsify resumes, along with Greg, started the party as a way to hang out with their friends. DJ’s, both popular and unheard of, graced the party, although The Misshapes themselves often played. An in-house photographer was also employed to take «portraits» of everyone that came. With the help of the internet, the party’s popularity grew within the tragically-hip fashion, music and art scene. A few years later, the party moved to semi-iconic SoHo club Don Hill’s.

At its new location, the event, as well as the DJ’s, enjoyed growing success. Downtown it-kids, Parsons fashionistas, and celebrities partied together. Creative D.I.Y-style flyers were created and sent around. A big part of the Misshapes party is its accompanying website, Misshapes.com. Photos of the party, as well as the portraits taken against a white wall were posted online.

Geordon, Leigh and Greg are hired and flown around the world to DJ at various fashion parties and night clubs. They became fashion darlings in their own right, characterized by their signature black hair, blank expressions, and mostly-monochrome wardrobe of up-and-coming New York designers such as Obesity and Speed and Pleasure Principle (fashion). They appeared in various magazines, such as Vogue, Nylon, Teen Vogue and Paper.

Famous party guests included AFI, Agyness Deyn, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Amy Sedaris, Arcade Fire, Arden Wohl, Ashlee Simpson, Benjamin Cho, Bloc Party, Cassie, Chloë Sevigny, Cory Kennedy, Dash Snow, Fall Out Boy, Felix da Housecat, Franz Ferdinand, Gareth Pugh, Gemma Ward, Good Charlotte, The Gossip, Hedi Slimane, Hilary Duff, The Horrors, Hot Hot Heat, Interpol, James Iha, Janeane Garofalo, Jarvis Cocker, Jeremy Scott, Junior Sanchez, Junior Senior, Kelis, Kelly Osbourne, The Killers, Klaxons, Tajaluu, Lady Sovereign, Ladytron, Lily Donaldson, Littl’ans, M.I.A, Madonna, Mandy Moore, Mark Hunter, Max Minghella, Metric, MSTRKRFT, My Chemical Romance, Patrick Wolf, Peaches, Rilo Kiley, Rufus Wainwright, Selma Blair, Sienna Miller, Siouxsie Sioux, Sophia Lamar, The Sounds, The Strokes, Uffie, The Virgins, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Yoko Ono. Most notable party guests included Madonna, Hilary Duff, Kelis, Sienna Miller, Hedi Slimane, and Ashlee Simpson.

Friends of The Misshapes include supermodel Agyness Deyn, designer Benjamin Cho, UK band The Horrors and party host Sophia Lamar.

The Misshapes have been known to wear Alexandre Herchcovitch, H&M, House of Holland, Imitation of Christ, Jeremy Scott, Obesity and Speed, Pleasure Principle, Preen, Surface 2 Air, and many other designers. They also frequent stores like Seven New York and Opening Ceremony.

Most recently, The Misshapes were the cover story of the Sunday February 8, 2009 issue of The New York Post’s Page Six magazine supplement.