
Joe Strummer by Josh Cheuse.
A Neil Young song is playing in the background of the small space on Christopher Street where black lacquered furniture and snakeskin-print seats are adorned in skulls, studs, and everything that comes to mind when you think of rock and rollĀ at its most legendary.
Lining the shelves are beautifully crafted, mostly leather shoes with intricate menswear designs of the sortĀ that only the people we deem ācoolā would think toĀ wear. There are only about twelve of each shoe made, and then its life cycle ends. Uniqueness is key. At Jeffery-West, after all, individuality is celebrated.

(Photo: Erica Commisso)
Itās a natural fit, then, that photographer Josh Cheuseās prints would be adorning the walls. Images ofĀ outsizeĀ personalities from Joe Strummer to Run-DMC complement shoes inspired by Keith Moon and David Bowie.
Cheuse has been friends with Monroe Robertson, aĀ 34-year-old British actor and partner at Jeffery-West, for over a decade. Their latest project sees them team up to display Cheuseās photos at Robertsonās Jeffery-West outpost in Greenwich Village, with an opening party slated for Thursday night.
āI just kind of started following bands around,ā Cheuse says of his introduction to music photography. āIn those days, things were way more accessible. The Clash were recording at Electric Lady and I went to my junior high school pay phone. I called there and I asked for the manager, and I said, āCan I come take pictures?ā and he said, ‘Sure.āā

Run-DMC by Josh Cheuse.
The Clash, he says, introduced him to the āpunk ethosā: āIf you have something cool to bring to the party, youāre welcome to come,ā he says. āSo I went down the rabbit hole and I never came out.ā
āAll these pictures were shot on film,ā he says. āI donāt know. Thereās something about that time. In the ’80s, people had better style. They were more individual. You couldnāt just walk into a store and be cool when you walk. So this is to celebrate that individualism.ā

(Photo: Josh Cheuse)
Jeffery-Westās shoes embody the ’80s, celebrating the edgier style of the time but creating them in a new English way, to bring a level of craft and expertise to a vintage vibe. āTheyāre all inspired by different names and characters in films,ā Robertson says. āThey all have this essence about them. Thatās why the brand is very influenced by rock and roll.ā
The black-and-white photographs are decidedly vintage-trendy, appealing to those who celebrate the talented musicians of yesteryear. Rock and roll stars like Joe Strummer and The Clash exude a confident, cooler-than-you vibe. Theyāre accompanied by The Beastie Boys on a video shoot in Long Island and the now-famous photo of Run-DMCās Adidas shoes.

Run-DMC by Josh Cheuse.
Cheuse, like Robertson, is very well-versed in creativity, and the power it has on society. He was born in 1965 to parents he calls bohemian, who sent him to ethical culture schools and introduced him to the arts. Robertson brought Jeffery-West to the USA from England, in a time of fast-fashion and designer craze. Both have come to appreciate the lasting impact of craftsmanship in creativity, whether it be shoes that last a lifetime or music that transcends time periods. āIn the old days, it wasnāt cool to sell out,ā Cheuse says.
Both Monroe Robertson and Josh Cheuse celebrate the artists who defined their generation, independent of wealth or desire to conform. They celebrate the people who made it cool to be whatever they wanted. The people who said what they thought, wore what they wanted, and played whatever music they pleased. And, together, theyāre bringing it to a small space in New York City. After all, Cheuse says, āthereās nothing more rock and roll than a good pair of shoes.ā
Correction: Due to an editing error, Josh Cheuse’s name was misspelled in the headline and captions.