Grailed, the one-stop-resell-shop for coveted streetwear and vintage finds, is teaming up with Polo Sport on an invite-only pop-up later this month. The temporary retail shop will give new and longtime fans an IRL opportunity to snag some of the American label’s most iconic pieces ahead of the launch its Limited Edition Polo Sport Denim & Silver line, which debuts May 30.
“So much of where fashion is at today draws clear inspiration from the groundbreaking sportswear-meets-fashion narrative pioneered by Polo Sport,” Grailed co-founder Lawrence Schlossman told Complex.
Grailed has pioneered the men’s resale market since launching in 2014, expanding into a global menswear platform and partnering with some of the biggest and freshest voices in contemporary fashion. Yet despite being billed as a chance to give fans the opportunity to shop the website’s extensive archives, the event will be strictly invite-only. If you want to try your hand at winning 2 golden tickets, download the POLO app today. Good luck out there.
For summer, Stüssy is releasing a bright and tropical collection that pays homage to its rich California heritage. The range of shirts, jackets, shorts, and button downs are perfectly fit for the sun, with pieces in a variety of light colorways elevating the gear to take any regular fit to the next level. Some of the more monochromatic pieces are enhanced by graphic prints of palm trees and logo branding, making them perfect for mixing and matching, and the collection also includes some suits and trousers for a more sophisticated look, if you’re into that. In addition to embracing pastels, tie-dye prints elevate the collection with retro fervor that wouldn’t look out of place in mid90s.
The Stüssy Summer ’19 collection will be available in select stores and online tomorrow. Check out some of the looks below.
Since launching in 1968, Calvin Klein has continued to set new standards with its captivating ads. From the 1982 Tom Hintnaus underwear campaign that would revolutionize the men’s market to its amplification of the ‘heroin chic’ trend of the late ’90s, the American designer knows how to get people talking. And its newest is no different, casting a feast of young and emerging talent in the global I SPEAK MY TRUTH campaign.
Previous brand faces like Noah Centineo, Shawn Mendes, Kendall Jenner, and A$ap Rocky are cast alongside new faces like Troye Sivan, Kevin Abstract, and Billie Eilish in a dizzying new video that invites the viewer to ‘speak their truth’ while decked out in the latest CK merch. Since the brand announced it would shutter its runway collections back in March, the latest seems to indicate a return to the fresh minimalism that the label is renowned for. See for yourself below.
Two beloved jewels that emerged as trend pioneers in the early ’00s have teamed up on a limited-edition range of cozy summer footwear. Australian footwear brand Ugg and Japenese streetwear label Bape have unveiled two new shoe models that perfectly marry their signature styles: the Sneaker is a chunky shoe that is lined with Ugg’s distinct yet breathable sherpa and embellished with a shooting star detail on the exterior, while the Xavier Fur Logo Slide is peak branded luxury comfort, with each shoe spelling out ‘BAPE.’ Lil Wayne models the styles in an international campaign was shot by Neil Favila. It’s safe to say that the ’90s revival is ending and clearing the way for more retro-aughts trends to emerge.
The UGG x BAPE collection launches on April 27 at select Bape stores. Check out some of the looks below.
For Spring/Summer 2019, Acne Studios revisits the core pieces that launched the Swedish denim label back in the ’90s. The latest iteration of the Acne Studios Blå Konst collection (which combines items from the permanent line with new, timely seasonal pieces) pays homage to the workwear influence that continues to inspire the brand over 20 years later. The classic 1996 and 1997 jeans available in a range of washes are the center of the collection, while color-blocked patch denim, pastel varsity jackets, and dyed button-down shirts add a retro-yet-current update to the staples. It’s another collection that exhibits the denim brand’s affinity for being at the intersection of cool and a little weird — how else would you wanna live in 2019?
Eschewing traditional takes, the latest collection from Sacai and Nike focuses on revamping what makes a sneaker, from tongue to sole. Footwear from the line may cause double vision: both the low-tops and mid-tops feature layers of tongues, overlapping swooshes, and color compositions that make them easy to match with anything. Other pieces from the collection embrace ‘90s-style nostalgia, experimenting with different combinations of denim and flannel—a perfect fusion of bold and traditional.
Reebok has updated another one of its seminal sneaker models from the ’90s, the Aztrek Double. To celebrate the nostalgic launch, the sportswear brand is rolling out a multi-platform campaign, featuring ambassadors Cardi B and Future, and inviting customers to ‘Sport the Unexpected.’ The elaborate campaign (available on all Reebok platforms) includes exclusive video footage that explores some of the label’s most popular sneakers, as well of the gear in action at a basketball game. Originally launched in 1993, the Aztrek Double remains one of Reebok’s most recognizable shoes and has been reimagined in a crisp all-white style for the modern consumer, with two more color options to be released later this year.
Landing on the scene with a hyper-surreal perspective, Thierry Mugler dominated the fashion world in the late 20th century with his high-production showmanship and futuristic garments. By fusing science fiction and film noir visuals into razor-sharp silhouettes that celebrated femininity, the French label was able to simultaneously capture the zeitgeist and propel it to new heights, turning runway shows into opulent spectacles and models into superwomen.
The reclusive designer, who stepped down from his eponymous brand in 2002 before it shuttered completely shortly after, remains an instrumental figure in contemporary fashion. Renowned for sculpting entire worlds that extended far beyond the runway and amassing a vast body of work that fortified his singular vision, Mugler’s influence remains as idiosyncratic as ever and continues to rouse the public. Almost two decades after exiting the limelight, the designer is being honored with the first exhibition dedicated to his work, Thierry Mugler: Couturissime, which opens at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts this weekend.
When presented with the idea to commission an exhibition, Mugler himself chose curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot to make it a reality. Loriot has emerged as a young, yet seasoned veteran in sartorial show curation—his first exhibition was the widely successful Jean-Paul Gaultier retrospective that toured the world from 2011 to 2016.
“I was quite surprised and flattered when he [Mugler] asked because I know that many museums approached him for the chance to do an exhibition about his work,” Loriot says. “I guess it was a match with the museum director here [Nathalie Bondil] because we do more installations, rather than general retrospectives.”
The two worked closely together to design an immersive experience poised to re-introduce the genius of Mugler’s mind to the masses. (After all, the designer was the first to host a show that was open to the public—the Fall/Winter 1984 show in Paris featured over 350 looks and drew in an audience of over 6,000.) “We make installations that are very alive,” Loriot assures. “We are storytellers. That’s what the exhibition will be about—it’s going to be about fashion and the obsession with Mugler through the years with a thematic approach.”
Comprised of over 150 full couture looks (many on display for the first time), the exhibition encompasses Mugler’s multidisciplinary work as a full auteur, including photographs, original illustrations, and rare video footage from his extensive archives, which remain hidden and carefully preserved in secret warehouses throughout France.
“It’s quite impressive to see the level of perfection that was achieved in these pieces, and also the amount of work and number of hours he spent on every piece,” Loriot says, regarding his time spent combing through the archives and what viewers should expect. “Many people see the pieces in the magazines and on TV, but to see them up close is really impressive.” There’s also some irony that Mugler, whose work was frequently acclaimed for its futuristic appeal, had not preserved any of his archives digitally. “[Mugler] stopped doing fashion in 2002, when pretty much all the photographers went digital, so none of the images were digitized from the archives.”
Despite a seemingly never-ending public demand for all things nostalgic, Loriot is adamant that the exhibition is very much a reflection of today. “I don’t think this is something nostalgic, to be honest. I think this is more like a new work altogether,” he says. Additionally, a section of the exhibit includes new looks crafted exclusively for the museum.
He also mentions the importance of re-contextualizing Mugler’s work for modern consumption. Even at his career peak, his pieces were not without scrutiny—critics frequently deemed his clothes sexist and harmful for their exaggerated shapes and hypersexual tone.
“I think it’s always interesting to put things in context. We live in a #MeToo era,” he says, showing how hindsight has affected interpretation to carry Mugler’s work in higher regard. In his universe, women were autonomous supervixens who existed unburdened by systemic oppression. And it’s likely this interpretation that has continued to attract some of the biggest stars—like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Cardi B—today.
Since parting ways with his label, Mugler (who’s reverted to using his birth name, Manfred) has turned his focus to extreme bodybuilding, yet his larger-than-life presence still resonates within the industry. His brand remains a fragrance juggernaut, consistently ranking among best-selling in the world since the first perfume launched in 1992. And the label remains a Paris Fashion Week fixture since its resurrection in 2010 under the direction of stylist and art director Nicola Formichetti. (It’s currently overseen by Casey Cadwallader.) But it’s this exhibition that promises to remind the public why a designer like Mugler is so necessary—harnessing a distinct utopian vision, he shattered sartorial convention and expanded the notion of what fashion could be.
“He was really using fashion as a medium; as an artist, and for me that’s what’s important,” Loriot says. “He revolutionized the system.”
This article is featured in the Spring 2019 issue of Essential Homme.
Saturdays NYC Spring 2019 collection offers a nod at the ’90s with its denim essentials, oversized silhouettes, and vivid prints characteristic of the hip-hop and skate cultures of the era. The new season also brings in several tapered utilitarian pieces, a nylon track jackets, and pants, as well as new styles of nylon active and leisure wear. Take a peek at the collection below–
The collection will be available online and in-store at all US Saturdays NYC locations on February 7th and on February 8th worldwide.
Combining innovative heat-tech with classic styles, Polo Ralph Lauren simultaneously feeds the demand for nostalgia while implementing new technology with the launch of two new jackets. One style, the Polo 11 Jacket, is a limited edition parka inspired by one of the label’s most iconic styles from the ’90s, which was inspired by the insulated pressure suits worn on space expeditions, emphasized with a playful arm graphic that parodies the NASA logo. The updated iteration of the jacket is equipped with new heat technology that can be controlled and altered with a downloadable app. The second coat, the Glacier Down Jacket, is a slightly more casual option (for those of us stuck on Earth) but contains the same innovative technology to get you through the winter months.
The Polo 11 Jacket and Glacier Down Jackets are available now at Ralph Lauren’s SoHo store at 109 Prince St and on the Polo App. Check out the jackets below.
Sandro collaborated with Norwegian cult ski-brand Helly Hansen in their Fall/Winter 2018 collection, revisiting classic pieces from both brands’ archives and symbiotically fusing them. The collection pays homage to the 150 years history of Helly, particularly from the 90s — the label was a favorite amongst rappers and R&B artists for its bulky puffer jackets. Combined with the urban and minimalist brand of Sandro, the key pieces of the new collection including jackets, t-shirts, windbreaker, and a duffle bag pay homage to the codes of vintage 90s music scene.
The Sandro Helly Hansen collection will be available online at www.Sandro-paris.comthis Saturday, and in the brand’s SoHo pop-up store in October.
When Helmut Lang debuted in the 90s, it instantly carved its own special niche within the industry. From the start of the Austrian label’s time in New York City, the designer always found innovative ways to showcase his latest collections. In 1998, two days before his scheduled runway show, Lang decided to live broadcast the entire show online – an ingenious move at the time since the internet was still bubbling with newness. Later that year, he became the first designer to advertise his brand on top of NYC yellow taxi cabs. An even cooler move in 2000 saw the brand’s unconventional print ads placed in National Geographic magazine rather than traditional fashion publications. TLDR; they were always ahead of the curve.
Helmut Lang has solidified itself in the fashion sphere as a pioneer in contemporary and minimalist designs, collaborating with artists and challenging social conventions. Although the label has gone through changes and Lang himself left the namesake brand in 2005, different creative visionaries have taken charge to uphold the brand’s legacy. Now under the helm of Hood by Air designer Shayne Oliver, the brand is taking steps to honor its legacy with a new limited-edition collection and major TBT campaign.
Starting today, Helmut Lang’s groundbreaking taxi ads will re-emerge on 275 NYC yellow taxi cabs in the city. A mini three-piece collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts also launched, and the editorial campaign was cast with real taxi drivers. The pieces various various taxi motifs as well as a print of the original Helmut Lang taxi ad taken by Ian R. Webb, dating back to September 2000 and originally published in the book Postcards from the Edge of the Catwalk. Check out some of the pieces below.
The exclusive pieces are available at Helmut Lang stores and online today.
