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It’s tough to succinctly describe the movie, but to be honest, that's fine; the Donnie Darko experience is one of vibes, not plot points. But to sum it up: Gyllenhaal stars as Donnie, a brooding teenager who serves as a constant scapegoat, both within his family and in his suburban town of Middlesex, Virginia. Beyond that, Donnie contends with an impending apocalypse that only he knows about as well as a budding romance with with his girlfriend, Gretchen, a tragic figure in her own right. Obviously, I latched onto Donnie Darko as a kid because I was a teenage edgelord, but also after many subsequent rewatches, including one just last night, it’s become apparent to me that this is also a very trans movie (something I will get more into in a future blog).

The capsule collection consists of three shirts, two zip-up hoodies, one bunny hat, and assorted Donnie Darko paraphernalia, including a Frank the Bunny figurine, a photo signed by James Duval, and a copy of the movie on VHS. While I admire the blatant play at cornering the Halloween costume market, the full Donnie Darko cosplay isn’t something I actually see myself wearing outside of the context of a party. (Also, the ensemble could be easily recreated for probably $20.)

I was drawn to the Frank the Bunny zip-up, but it sadly sold out of my size before I could snag it. A friend pointed out that Hot Topic probably sold a really similar hoodie about 10 years ago.

And that’s what I love about the collection, and perhaps about Heaven as a whole. I was — am — one of those emo kids for whom the old adage “it’s not a phase, Mom” rings true. I still feel the most Myself in a majority-black ensemble. I unironically got a My Chemical Romance-inspired tattoo in the year of our Lord 2023. This very morning, I sent my girlfriend a flyer for a Rocky Horror shadow cast in a cemetery.

Heaven is elevated Hot Topic-core for adults, and this capsule feels specifically like it was engineered in a lab to drive my little transmasculine self insane. If you're reading this, Marc Jacobs PR, please know I will Venmo you directly if I can simply purchase one of these hoodies in XXL.

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