Tag Archives: minimal

helmut lang

Helmut Lang Returns to the City

Following a quiet hiatus, Helmut Lang is back in the spotlight. Since the eponymous founder of the minimal label stepped down in 2005, a roster of talented designers—including Hood By Air’s own Shayne Oliver for one brash presentation—have taken over the role to continue what he started. Industry veterans Mark Thomas and Thomas Cawson are only the latest to inherit the empire.

 

The duo remains committed to honoring and preserving the legacy the epochal designer has built. “I think change can be a trap and a distraction, so I think it is very important for us to keep a steady course,” Thomas, creative director of men’s and womenswear, tells me in the label’s studio in the Meatpacking District in downtown New York City. “A uniform for today is really what we’re working towards,” Cawson, creative director of Helmut Lang Jeans, affirms.

 

When the pair debuted their first collection in New York this past February, it was a reminder of what made the label great in the first place. Classic men’s pieces—the perfect building blocks for any uniform—were updated in new and, at times, contrasting fabrics. There was not a print in sight, with material and texture drawing emphasis on the immaculate structure and form of each piece.

“Design is function,” Cawson says. “There is a purpose, and there are parameters that you have to keep yourself within, but it’s also finding yourself joy and fun within those parameters.”

 

Thomas and Cawson got the sartorial experience that Lang never sought. (Lang always considered himself an artist first, designer second. The first Helmut Lang collection was even shown in an art museum as part of an exhibition on modernism.) Both attended the prestigious Central Saint Martins. Thomas worked in production at various factories and eventually landed at Paul Smith. Cawson made the rounds in Paris and Milan before working at Calvin Klein under the direction of Raf Simons. This combination of experiences seems perfectly tailored to carry on such a heterogeneous label.

 

In the time since Helmut Lang last showed, the industry has undergone serious change, a lot of which the label predicted back in its heyday. We’re still technically following the same fashion schedule that was established when Lang decided to move his show six weeks earlier in 1998. Later that year, the designer was the first to release a collection on the Internet—today, most major designers livestream their presentations to get a bigger audience. This globalization has an effect on how people consume and discuss fashion, which quickly trickles back to the designers as feedback and potentially influences their next move. The industry has become democratized.

“Now everything is so accessible and I think that’s the challenge for designers now—the people are speaking,” Thomas says. Once a trailblazer in disruption, the label is readjusting to the mercurial industry it helped create.

 

Helmut Lang was also among the first to introduce the idea of artist collaborations when it partnered with Jenny Holzer on a series of installations. In just the past year, the designer has released collections incorporating the work of queer photographer Peter Hujar, a Pride capsule collection with Artforum, and most recently a three-piece denim line with visual artist Josephine Meckseper. But while Lang sought to blur the worlds of art and fashion, Thomas and Cawson see things differently.

 

“I still don’t think of making clothes being a form of art,” Thomas says. It’s apparent that delivering a brilliantly designed product, rather than something that’s just nice to look at, is paramount to the designer. Cawson is quick to agree. “It’s an applied art and there’s commerciality to it. There is definitely a strategic position the company is taking for it to be successful, for sure,” he says.

 

“We need people to trust us and see us as a resource, for we really are kind of the best offer for a modern wardrobe,” Thomas says, ahead of the label’s forthcoming September show. This mentality is one of the many ways the pair reinforces their mission to honor and expand the legacy without feeling restricted to the rules of those before them. Historically speaking, Helmut Lang was always interested in coloring outside the lines anyway.

helmut lang resort 2020

Peep Helmut Lang’s Intimate Resort 2020 Lookbook

Back in February, Helmut Lang resumed its residence at New York Fashion Week with a buzzy Fall ’19 show following a year plus hiatus. The recent Fall 2019 presentation marked the debut collection for Mark Thomas and Thomas Cawson, who took over the cult label after Shayne Oliver‘s guest collection for Spring ’18. The most recent collection was a return to Lang’s distinct minimalism-at-its-finest form: a monochrome color palette, crisp tailoring balanced out with sheer and leather pieces, and an irrefutable street edge is what made the designer one of the biggest defining cultural presences of the ’90s. The new lookbook echoes this sentiment, capturing the pieces with an intimate yet candid lens. Check out some of the images below.

 

helmut lang resort 2020
helmut lang resort 2020

 

helmut lang resort 2020
helmut lang resort 2020

 

helmut lang resort 2020
helmut lang resort 2020

 

 

ami spring summer 2020 menswear show

AMI Spring/Summer 2020 Was ’90s Done Right

It seems as though every other day a new ’90s trend pops up to fulfill the societal demand for all things nostalgic and familiar — whether it’s a reboot of a popular TV show or a capsule collection that celebrates some of the best and worst trends of the era. Over the past few years, countless designers have referenced the decade to varying successes but the recent AMI Spring/Summer 2020 show was a perfect demonstration of how to use inspiration from the period and give it a contemporary spin. The French label’s latest collection offered a crisp range of cropped trousers and relaxed blazers that perfectly evoked effortless minimalism of the decade (led by Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang), while a selection of lustrous leather pieces — long trench coats and button-downs left unbuttoned — felt current. Also, it makes the case that chain wallets might be one of the bigger trends of the year. Pops of color, including hot pink and blood orange, elevated the collection of perfect unisex essentials which look like they could be worn in any decade.

 

Watch the AMI Spring/Summer 2020 show below now.

 

totokaelo archive menswear

Totokaelo Archive Introduces Menswear

The New York-based fashion retailer Totokaelo has launched its first official menswear line. While the company has carried menswear in its stores for a while now, this marks the first time the designer has developed its own men’s line from its in-house design team. Following the official launch earlier today, the brand plans to release 3 collections a year.

 

The inaugural collection is inspired by archival hits from seminal minimalist and avant-garde designers — the limited range of monochromatic pieces has strong ’90s influences that evoke the likes of Helmut Lang, Comme des Garcons, and Raf Simons. Some highlights include a black sheer voile button down, a pleated kilt, and contrast stitching button downs. Basically, seasonless clothing that will probably be seen on gallery assistants in Chelsea all summer long (read: understated yet powerful). It’s a promising first collection that references the past while looking to the future.

 

Totokaelo Archive Men is available online now. Check out some of the looks below.

 

totokaelo archive men collection

 

totokaelo archive men collection

 

totokaelo archive men collection

 

totokaelo archive men collection

egg collective showroom in tribeca

A New Egg Collective Showroom Takes Tribeca

The New York-based design firm Egg Collective has opened a new spacious showroom in Tribeca. The company, which was started in 2012 by Stephanie Beamer, Crystal Ellis, and Hillary Petrie, focuses on combining different design disciplines with natural materials, an ethos which is reflected in the new space.

 

Spanning 2000-square-feet, the showroom houses the company’s newest striking pieces, including stainless steel hardware furnishings, a curved steel reception desk, modular sofas and other seating arrangements, along with carefully crafted wooden tables and various surfaces. Additionally, pieces from contemporary artists like Mimi Jung, Tealia Ellis Ritter, Matthew King, Kristina Riskaand Stephen Somple, will also be displayed throughout the interior. The resulting space is an airy and inviting vista that showcases the collective’s design highlights in one initimate location.

 

The Egg Collective showroom is open now at  151 Hudson St, NY 10013. Check out some more pictures of the space below.

 

egg collective showroom in tribeca

egg collective showroom in tribeca

egg collective showroom in tribeca

kaleos-rtw

Kaleos Eyewear Launches Full Apparel Line

The Barcelona-based funky eyewear maker Kaleos is expanding beyond optics with a new crisp RTW line. The new development from the European brand is a safe yet comfortable take on contemporary menswear — lots of tailored button-down shirts, smart trousers, and premium basics. The whole line has a clean and minimalistic tone that’s definitely reminiscent of Acne Studios (even the websites are kinda similar) but without the street-savvy weirdness. The Kaleos apparel is definitely grounded in functionality rather than spectacle. Fortunately, the pieces are timeless and will likely look fresh when styled with the brand’s innovative and flashy eyewear.

 

To correlate with the brand’s eyewear releases, there will be two 50-piece collections released a year, with the inaugural release launching online tomorrow. Check out some of the looks below.

 

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feature

Jil Sander+ Fits All Your Outdoor Needs

As we enter hiking season and images of people embracing nature start seeping into our newsfeeds, Jil Sander is taking note. Starting today with its FW ’19 collection, the German designer, under the creative direction of Lucie and Luke Meier, is expanding its range with Jil Sander+, a new seasonal line with pieces inspired by life outside the city.

 

Retaining the label’s signature effortless and casual sophistication, the range is a monochromatic and functional assortment of pieces fit for all outdoor endeavors — the line features an oversized poncho (for hiking the trails or a music festival), knit blankets and scarves, and packable outerwear pieces that can be used at a moment’s notice. Boots and other durable footwear are also available, as are lush silk pajamas for all your #glamping needs.

 

Jil Sander+ will be available in select stores and online now.

feature

Aesop’s Cleansing Milk Has You Set for Summer

Opting for a new soothing texture, Aesop has unveiled its newest cleanser: the Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk. The latest release from the Australian skincare company retains all the refreshing qualities of its other products while an alternative creamy texture makes the application of this daily cleanser even more relaxing. The formula is full of enriching skin-nourishing ingredients, including grapeseed oil (which helps reduce wrinkles) and Panthenol (which prevents dryness). Sandalwood and lavender give the cleanser even more soothing qualities, which are much needed during the summer when increased sun exposure and heat stress the skin.

The Aesop Gentle Facial Cleansing Milk ($53, 6.8 fl oz + $35, 3.4fl oz) will be available in stores and online from April 2nd.

 

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no21

No°21 x Stutterheim Add Drama to the Utilitarian

No°21 embedded its contemporary vitality into the sleek and practical Stutterheim outerwear by collaborating with the Swedish designer on a limited range of raincoats. By reinterpreting the pieces with contrasting details that augment the utilitarian look of the garment, it ensures the wearer will stand out even when the skies are grey.

$550 each, available at NumeroVentuno.com.

Images: Courtesy of the designers.

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helmut-lang-feature

Helmut Lang Expands its Taxi Line

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Images: Kenta Nakamura.

Helmut Lang, the cult New York designer and first fashion brand to advertise on yellow cabs, is expanding its taxi-inspired capsule collection to include more cities. Now paying homage to cultural capitals Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Tokyo, in addition to its native New York, the latest collection of t-shirts and hoodies captures taxi drivers in their native cities sporting the merch.  Each image was shot by a young native photographer in each city, to authentically capture the culture of each area.

The collection is available online now and in select Helmut Lang Stores.




apc-techno

A.P.C. Enters Sneaker Game With Techno Shoes

French contemporary minimal label A.P.C. enters the sneaker game with the release of its own A.P.C. sneakers. The new model — aptly named Techno shoes — are perfect for hitting the club in the 90s or in Berlin. The clean and fresh design echoes the normcore sneaker trend that is inescapable from the runway or the streets, with a more subdued and fitted look, the result of a three-year design process to make sure it was just right.

Order the A.P.C. techno shoes here, and be on the look out for more releases soon.

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KARL LAGERFELD Releases Line of Luxury Essentials

KARL LAGERFELD, the label inspired by the eponymous designer and innovator, has released a new line of luxury basics, called Karl Essentials. The assortment of pieces includes baseball caps, wallets, and other assorted accessories are embellished with various branded iconography and nods to the designer’s legacy. The monochromatic color palette of the collection allows for seamless mixing and integration into any wardrobe.

The new collection launches globally in KARL stores and online on March 8th. Check out some key items below.

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