Established in 1830, Pennsylvania-based label Woolrich is among the oldest outerwear brands in the country. Combining its timeless American design ethos with a future-facing initiative, the company has announced its partnership with Japanese tech and sportswear giant Goldwin for a line of tech-infused outerwear.
“This agreement is a milestone in the growth of an iconic American brand,” Nick Brayton, President of Woolrich Inc. said in a statement. “And it will translate into further acceleration of our growth.” While the development of the capsule collection is still in its earliest stages, the combination of a classic heritage brand with Japanese technology and activewear will surely yield compelling results that will continue to blur the lines of tech and fashion. The SS18 menswear collection will show next June and the FW18 capsule will be available in September 2018.
Gearing up for winter, designer retailer Opening Ceremony has announced its first collaboration with omnipresent outerwear brand Columbia. The combination of Columbia’s classic silhouettes with Opening Ceremony’s floral print linings creates a quintessential winter-ready collection. Each parka, fleece jacket and shirt is made irreversible providing 2-looks-in-1, while incorporated logo details from each brand unite the pair seamlessly. Ranging from $65-$995, the 10-piece unisex OC x Columbia collection will be available to purchase at Opening Ceremony stores and online on October 26.
California-based men’s skincare line Max Green Alchemy has released a range of natural Scruff Rescue products that tame your mane while also caring for the skin below the beard. The lightly scented Beard Oil is the perfect treatment to keep your facial hair looking its healthiest. Beard oils are basically there to keep your follicles looking lively, and moisturize them so that the hairs don’t feel coarse or dry.
On the other hand, the Beard Tamer is a two-for-one cream that benefits the beard and the skin. While standard moisturizers may have trouble penetrating deeply through beard hairs to reach the skin, the Tamer contains proteins, shea butter, and green tea extracts that tighten, moisturize, and reduce puffiness. Additionally it helps give your beard a shape without it looking messy. You get the best of both worlds.
On the road promoting the launch of CÎROC French Vanilla, a new flavored vodka made in collaboration with Diddy, we catch up with French Montana to talk about his new beverage, style evolution, and other exciting projects to raise a glass to.
Congratulations on the brilliant campaign! Can you tell us a little bit more about the inspiration that went behind it?
I’ve had an amazing year, and I always look to my Brother Diddy for guidance and he has given me the opportunity to front my own Cîroc flavor – French Vanilla, the video is about the culture of hip hop coming together to celebrate our hustle and successes as a community and how we all can win as a family
Diddy is renowned for his fashion sense – has he inspired your style evolution?
Diddy influenced everybody. He influenced three generations including mine. There’s nobody that listens to hip hop that wasn’t influenced by him.
Who are your biggest style influences?
Hustlers from New York that were driving fancy cars and wearing fancy clothes. Specifically in Harlem and the Bronx. This trickled down to rappers like Diddy and myself.
What’s next for you going forward – any other exciting projects in the works?
Me and A$AP Rocky have a mix tape coming out, there’s my new movie “Respect the Shooter” and my next album.
Anything else you wanna add?
Be yourself. When you be yourself, you become something nobody else can.
It’s common these days to encounter well-dressed individuals walking their equally well-dressed pets, and more designers are recognizing the potential. Gucci, Burberry and Louis Vuitton have all dabbled in accessories or clothes for dogs. However it seems fitting that Moncler, the Italian outerwear brand famous for their down jackets, would create its own dogwear line. Creative Director and owner of two French bulldogs Maurizio Azzimonti said that “in a world where the care of details increasingly makes the difference in every part of our lives, we can certainly not miss the details that concern our great and small companions of life.”
Moncler x Poldo is a capsule collection featuring items that keep dogs warm and protected in luxury. Poldo Dog Couture is the perfect partner because of their refined style and insight into successful dogwear. The styles of the collection mimic the motifs seen in Moncler’s signature jackets and sweaters – the nylon laqué puffy jacket comes in a range of bright colors, and the cable knit sweater is designed with a classic Norwegian pattern. The items fit any dog breed and come in sizes small to medium, and fit up to a French bulldog.
The collection will be available in December at the Moncler New York Madison Flagship and online.
Since launching in late 2014, The Arrivals has become synonymous with effortless city cool. The New York-based outerwear brand, the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Kal Vepuri and architect Jeff Johnson, rapidly blossomed from word-of-mouth digital buzz and a sleek design sensibility that combined functional design savvy with high-quality performance materials. While the brand currently retails online, its launching a series of pop-up shops in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to provide a rich IRL experience for its growing fan-base. We caught up with Jeff Johnson at the launch of the pop-up shop in Soho to learn more about the themes behind the space.
Could you describe the concept around the series of spaces?
Absolutely. Basically I think that being an outerwear brand in New York, there is this tension of performance, but also the idea of being expressive. Think about street style, outerwear is not just a functional thing, but when you put it on, you kind of know who you are and who you want to be. At the same time, it has to be functional.
I think for the store and even for the pieces themselves, it is always on this natural tension of function, performance, and individual expression. So within the store, we wanted to make apparent. And the store itself has super refined surfaces, like mirrored podiums, stainless steel hanging elements, but at the same time we have lava rock, pumice stone — this juxtaposition of the refined versus the rugged. I think that’s who we are as a brand.
One of the terms we use when speaking more internally, is this idea of being ‘out there.’ Out there, in a lot of circumstances, you can imagine an REI or Patagonia commercial and it hints to someone on a cliff or in a tent. On the other side of the spectrum, you can go to Bushwick or some random place in Queens and there all these kids in platform shoes and they’re also getting out there.
Neither you or your partner have a fashion background – how has that benefitted your brand?
I think that my background, when I studied and trained and I worked as an architect before I did this, I think that one of the biggest components of architecture is you try to create an idea that people believe in, I think that’s the romantic part, and this thing has to work, it has to be a space that keeps people protected, allows functions to happen within it, so I think there is some very fundamental principles that are very related on a one to one relationship. At the same time I think there are a lot of parallels from architecture whether it’s again material performance, ideas of versatility of use, is this a jacket just for one occasion? Or can we have modular elements. When we were talking about making the space, we found the space, and everyone said we couldn’t do it, it’s too short notice, that we were crazy. I think there’s almost this thing about being from outside of the industry, being young we have this element of naïveté.
There’s a little more of ‘Well, why can’t we do this?’ Why can’t we try it, maybe it’s not going to work out, but we’re surrounding ourselves with the most talented people, and working as hard as we can, so far it’s paid off. So I think it adds this ability for us to just go for it, to try it, so I think those kinds of things, pulling from my career in architecture, and Kal coming from a business background having so much experience with a lot of these young direct-to-consumer brands but brands from so many different spectrums, and being able to observe what are the trends and tendencies of these brands that do succeed and pulling those learnings from a portfolio of 150 companies and being able to have that as a resource is super valuable, so I feel like there is a nice synergy that is made possible.
I was talking to someone else about how having a unique and outside perspective is a benefit since you don’t have to follow any rules. You can make them up as you go and ‘Why not?’ is the key thing.
Even just in the space, it’s this idea, that paradigm between performance and expressive — the rope holding merchandise is actual climbing rope. So there’s really this thing of how can you bring these traditional things that have a performance-only function and weave it into this very designed space, so I think that’s something that’s part of it and the atmosphere.
Actually my wife, who I married a few days ago, designed the space. It’s been so nice to work with her. Working with someone you don’t have to communicate much with, because your design language is so similar, she has a pretty good sense and vice versa. There’s so much trust, that she is going to put the pressure on herself, but it’s just a fun way to create a space, with minimal time and people telling you it’s not possible to come up with something pretty special.
The Arrivals pop-up shop is open at 42 Crosby St, New York, NY 10012.
Progressive New York-based unisex label TELFAR, helmed by designer Telfar Clemens, celebrated its collaboration with iconic fast food chain White Castle at the The Well in Brooklyn this past Sunday. The collaboration includes a capsule eight-item unisex line titled “Le Frak” and a redesign of the uniforms of 12,000 White Castle employees. The night was an extravagant affair with surprise performances by Cam’ron, Dev Hynes, Venus X and Total Freedom among other guests.
The new uniforms maintain the signature White Castle blue, but with a wide collar and a revamped version of the White Castle logo on the front. Meanwhile the capsule line features t-shirts, caps and sweatshirts in various styles of blue, black and white, while integrating the unique Old English style lettering of the White Castle logo. The result is bold, graphic and statement-making.
“The uniforms were not about reinventing White Castle, just reflecting that core authenticity that people crave,” Telfar said in a statement.The move comes from the designer’s love for the burger chain – it was where he spent time as a child in Le Frak, Queens and where he would end up after a night out. Additionally, all the proceeds of the line go towards bailing out minors from Ryker’s Island, where the average bail is $900. Furthermore, Telfar will also follow up the line with zip-code specific capsules for White Castle stores in Detroit, Chicago, St Louis and more. The Telfar x White Castle collection is available online now.
Classic American brand Tommy Hilfiger has officially announced an adaptive clothing line for adults with disabilities. The brand has been teasing an adult line ever since their success of their adaptive kidswear which was first released in 2016. While Hilfiger previously partnered with adaptive clothing brand MagnaReady and nonprofit Runway of Dreams to bring the children’s line to fruition, the new collection for adults was designed exclusively in-house.
The collection will include magnetic and velcro closures, as opposed to the traditional buttons and zipper fixtures. Pant legs have been restructured to accommodate leg braces and seams have been altered to ensure an easy dressing process every time. The collection — comprised of 37 garments for men and 34 for women — is made in the label’s signature red, white and navy hues.
Hilfiger is one of the biggest names to lead this initiative. Hopefully more brands will follow suit.
When I meet Sunni Colon in person, he is warm and charismatically affable — a textbook sunny disposition. A reflection of his California upbringing, it provides a soft contrast to the mellow ambiance of his genre-defying music. We met at Founder’s Lab, an event and production space in Williamsburg, to go through the stage design of his new project, Manifest 1.0. The immersive installation will serve as the stage for a performance art residency where he’ll play tracks from his debut EP — 2016’s funky Thierry Disko — along with unreleased material. We discussed his new multimedia agency, psychedelic influences, and the marrying of sounds with material before the opening of his show.
Could you give some background on the presentation?
Essentially, I started a company called Tetsu, which is a design and multimedia agency. But pretty much with Tetsu I was able to conceptually build a world around, I guess, whatever’s in my head. Which is essentially what my album sounds like. So we recruited all the best people — sound designers, architects, other creatives — that we knew and allowed them to come into this space and build this project which is Manifest; it’s a beta project. We’re still testing and trying to figure out how this shit works.
You went to school for engineering, which is evident in the technical design of the space. Are there any key influences that were involved in your process for designing Manifest 1.0?
Yeah so, I’m really inspired by a lot of esoteric design. Mainly because I love playing with natural light, but also artificial light. Just natural light, and the sun to whatever kind of solar light that is emitted. There’s so many artists that are so amazing like Doug Aitken to James Terelll. All of these different artists inspired me.
From the aspect of sound design, it definitely came from me really being into a lot of psychedelic music. I stem from psychedelic rock, Italian psychedelic rock, french psych… and there are no rules to those actual sounds. They literally warp things. Everything is played with as a very interdisciplinary fashion. There’s also going to be a short film that I directed – the first film I actually ever directed – that is going to be projected onto three different walls. I want to form this so people would literally feel like they’re in a very vulnerable space, just like I am when I’m performing these new songs no one has ever heard before. I’m doing it in a weird fashion where it’s like I’m testing my album.
Like a listening session.
Yeah! I’m performing it but people are gonna see me, but they’re not gonna fully see me. Visually that makes it very vulnerable for me because when I’m in that enclosure I can’t see anything out there. It’s literally just plexy.
It reminds me a bit of the panopticon.
Exactly. It feels weird being in there because, even yesterday when I was rehearsing, I was like wow, I’m having a very intimate session with myself. The way the space feels and the way the performance is gonna be – you can’t focus on me – so you have to focus on everything else. We’re not allowing phones, so you almost have to feel like you’re in this weird vulnerable space.
You recently released a song with Kaytranada “Little Things” – are there any producers you’re interested in working with?
I produce all my music so working with Kay was very interesting. I would definitely love to work with Arca. I come from an electronic world but I also come from a very acoustic world ya know. So someone like Arca, he’s very electronic. When you talk about someone being formless, Arca’s formless.
I worked with DJ Falcon recently who is a producer from Paris. He’s amazing, he’s basically the father of Daft Punk – not even the father, he’s like the big brother. And it’s funny because he produced on their last album and now he’s working on his first album ever. He’s finally putting it out, and I’m on two tracks. It was crazy working with him because we were surfing and skating all day, then going to his studio in his crib – it was amazing. So that was another producer I worked with and would love to work with again. And Daft Punk too.
Any finals word on the show?
With this project, I’m very thankful to the team that worked on this with me. Without every individual on this project, this shit would have never been able to happen. I’m super appreciative of that because I come from a world of doing things on my own. I feel like the men and women in there come from the future of tech, the future of science, the future of sound and art. To bring all of those people into one space is a dream come true.
Manifest 1.0 will be on display from October 19-27. Tickets are available now.
Styled by Savannah White.
Los Angeles-bred denim label Stampd has expanded its line into home goods, releasing the Superior Life Goods capsule collection of designed household accessories for fall. Following the launch of the brand’s newly designed website in September, this move sees the label moving beyond cult fashion status into a greater lifestyle entity.
Inspired by creative director Christopher Stamp’s ability to find art in the ordinary, the collection of monochromatic household products and tools perfectly integrates aspects of modern design with utility. Decorative furnishings including an explicit welcome mat, incense, candles, and a coffee table art book will give your home the instant bold Stampd treatment. Elsewhere, a butterfly knife, lighter, and branded measuring tape among other tools elevate the mundane with a sleek makeover that highlights functionality.
The Stampd Superior Life Goods collection is available online now. Peek some items below.
Luxury fashion label Gucci announced Wednesday that it will no longer be using fur starting with its Spring/Summer 18 collection. Marco Bizzari, the company’s president, announced the news at the 2017 Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion, saying “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values, and we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals.”
Gucci now joins the likes of Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss, who have all gone fur-free. Bizzari says that all fur products, including coats and signature loafers, will now be made with faux-fur, wool, and new fabric innovations. The remaining fur items will be sold at auction with the proceeds donated to Humane Society and Italian animal rights organization LAV. Moreover, Bizzari has also announced that Gucci will be donating €1 million to Unicef’s Girls Empowerment. With enthusiastic response to the brand’s recent campaigns and presentations under the helm of Alessandro Michele, the company is not concerned that the change will affect their sales in any significant way.
“Jijibaba is a Japanese term for Grandma or Grandpa, but for me it’s also a word that a child could say easily. So for me, it’s like the beginning and the end of life. It’s playful,” declared Jaime Hayon, product designer and co-founder of menswear label Jijibaba, at the launch of his collection in Dover Street Market New York.
Since its global reveal at London Design Week, the brand has quickly become a surprise hit among industry insiders. Designed by European industrial designers Jaime Hayon and Jasper Morrison, the pair’s debut collection has received enthusiastic response despite neither coming from a fashion background.
We spoke to Hayon to learn more about his first venture into menswear, challenging the traditional fashion cycle, and the future of the ‘why-not?’ brand.
To start, you and Jasper don’t even consider Jijibaba to be a fashion line.
Mmhm. Some items might not be permanent, but some of them will — we don’t have a specific seasonal idea. If you design a collection by the season, you already determine the life and death of the product. Sometimes you find something you love, then it’s immediately unavailable — it’s not because people are tired of it, but because the fashion cycle is a tool that makes people want to renew their clothing constantly. We don’t work like that — we tell people we will introduce the clothing when it’s ready. There’s not a summer or winter collection, this is just how we do things.
Do you want to continue working with people who don’t have a fashion background?
Yeah, that’s the idea. For now, we want people that don’t see fashion as fashion. For us, to have a completely virgin approach is what we want. When I designed the patterns on some of the shirts — I made some drawings with pencils — when I was in the factory the guy didn’t know what to think. It was a novel approach to him. In my opinion, being unfamiliar with the matter makes you more creative on the matter.
Do you have any plans to expand into womenswear?
Absolutely! We just gotta get a woman on board who wants to make some nice clothes. We have some people in mind, people that are making amazing stuff like furniture and even graphic designers. I don’t wanna keep only the industrial point of view, we eventually want a graphic designer or artist to come on board and do something great. The other day I was looking at an incredible glass-blower. I was looking at the color that he used and I asked ‘what would you do for us?’ and immediately he had an idea. So we’re very open. And there’s still shoes to do, glasses, accessories… there’s a lot of possibilities.
And no pressure to rush it out anytime soon.
Yeah, we’re seeing what people like from this collection. Obviously some people in the fashion business are surprised by what we do. Even our clothing rack system is quite interesting because we can mount it in different ways — it’s completely modular. It’s actually the first thing Jasper and I have designed together.
After debuting your collection at Dover Street Market London and now New York, are you interested in opening up a permanent space?
Why not? For sure — we will. We already have a design for it. We’re gonna need space. The ability to make anything — clothing and products, etc — is like why not? We’re a ‘why-not’ operation, which is interesting in terms of proposing something that people might not be used to in the fashion world. This is why we’re here at Dover Street Market. For us to be here is an honor. But I talked to them for 5 minutes and they loved the idea – they said ‘you guys are different, and we like that.’
