New York City menswear label Descendant of Thieves has made its cinematic debut with the animated short film Dres the Thief, which premiered Sunday, June 21, at Dances With Films: LA at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Known for its nonconformist approach to modern luxury, the independent fashion brand celebrated the premiere with a VIP reception following the screening. The film played to a full house and drew an enthusiastic audience response, including sustained applause.
Founded by Matteo Maniatty alongside the enigmatic Dres Ladro, Descendant of Thieves has built its identity around rarity, intention, and personal expression. Those same principles now extend into the brand’s storytelling with a dark, visually rich animated short centered on Ladro, the elusive designer behind the label.
The film was conceived by founder Matteo Maniatty and co-owner and COO Suwana Perry, who served as executive producer and guided the project from concept to completion. Director and animator Tomas Vergara joined the film after a chance meeting with Maniatty in Barcelona, where the two discovered a shared creative vision.
It draws from formative moments in Ladro’s life, following his early creative awakening as he begins stealing and reconstructing his father’s shirts. The origin story foreshadows the design ethos that would later define Descendant of Thieves: limited production, obsessive detail and an instinct for turning rebellion into craft. Watch the trailer below:
The project also serves as the first chapter in an expanding narrative universe, deepening the mythology around both Dres Ladro and the brand.
For years, the story of Dres Ladro existed as an internal concept. It only moved into production when the right artistic collaborator emerged. Vergara’s handcrafted animation style, which favors artistry and texture over large-scale studio polish, aligned with Descendant of Thieves’ own commitment to craftsmanship and originality.
That connection was key. Just as the brand avoids mass production in favor of tightly controlled small-batch collections, the film approaches animation as a handmade extension of the label’s design language.
The short screened as part of Competition Shorts Block 4, a curated selection of films recognized for strong character-driven storytelling and artistic merit. The short is eligible for the festival’s Grand Jury Award, one of Dances With Films’ top honors.
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