This Hollywood Trading Company "Mysteric Eyes" Belt (Light Brown Tea-core) is worn by CORLECTION’s Lee. As he recalls:
“This was my very first Hollywood Trading Company belt. I was inspired by Brad Pitt and Takuya Kimura — both hardcore fans of HTC. Zip Stevenson, the founder himself, suggested I go with this unique piece. He said, ‘Kiddo, this is your lifetime HTC belt. One day, you’ll realize how strong my products are built.’ And honestly? Life feels like a movie sometimes... The moment I put it on, I felt like a Hollywood Rockstar,immediately! Lol~”
"The light brown full-grain cowhide started out in a softer tone, and the brass studs had an oxidized, darker finish. I began wearing this belt twice a week around 2011—if memory serves me right. After about a year of wear, the leather had deepened into a rich chocolate brown, and a subtle sheen began to emerge. At the same time, you may have noticed that the scratched areas of the oxidized brass studs started to shine more brightly. The aging process of this belt was almost unnoticeable at first—perhaps I just enjoyed it too much to realize~"
"After the first year of wear, I slowed down the process a bit—I started wearing it just once a week. During that time, I had a fight incident involving two well-trained pitbulls, and the original brass buckle was destroyed. I contacted Zip, and they sent me another buckle in silver. It actually turned out pretty well. Thanks to HTC’s Chicago construction on the buckle head, I was still able to keep wearing the belt afterward."
"I've been wearing this belt for over a decade. The studs have developed a greenish patina—copper dust, and the back of the belt shows indigo stains from denim. It’s all about Time. It’s all about My Life. These days, I still like to wear it on special occasions, especially with my Japanese denim..."
"Sometimes, I can still hear the belt whisper to me: ‘You were just a young boy... and see yourself now, you’re on the journey to becoming a sempai. My old fella...’"