High Street
Pier 92 transformed this week into a complete hub for a style of clothing that can be described as high end streetwear. Throngs of style conscious buyers, writers and style personas flocked to the New York City, West Side Highway stationed location to check out the latest in garments that from a hip hop perspective can be significantly summed up as completely fresh. Buyers mingled, lauded designers such as Mark Mcnairy and former creative director of Supreme Brendon Babenzien milled about as people lined up for kale salad. Revered Rhude designer Rhuigi Villasenor states “We don’t even understand how powerful this is”. In retrospect, we might just look at the aesthetic or fashion presented at Capsule Trade Show and designate it to a significant impact on the fashion timeline in general. “I don’t like the term streetwear” he exclaims, abhorrent from the confines of a label.
Brands like KTZ, Maharishi, 424, the aforementioned RHUDE, Rochambeau, Stussy, Timberland, Lucid FC and countless others showcased in neat rows, the latest in their respective brands apparel. KTZ’s sports themed collection of high-contrast baseball lacing and literal baseball bats was a love letter to american pastimes and culture. When I asked Sergio Pacini Mersi the brands press rep about an incident in which a controversial Inuit native american print was utilized on a garment that was heavily criticized by american press, he broke down the situation for me invariably. “It’s like two guys from Macedonia, i’m Italian, we have Polish, Nigerian, Japanese, like they all— we don’t really understand the [American] culture.” The rep a close associate of Marjon Perjoski, the brand’s creative director, cannot comprehend the american media. “If you stop people from carrying it on, kinda like using contemporary fashion or art, then your killing it yourself.” he states. KTZ should be not for its championing of culture and fashion freedom.
Rochambaue presented smooth to the touch tailored bomber jackets and a completely stepped up quality that warrants its stepped up pricing. 424, a brand praised for its professional dyed denim offerings and its often tongue in cheek graphic designs, represented hip hop with its latest collection. “Mobb Deep and Soccer” is how the brands aesthetic can be explained. A blacked out T-shirt possessed the track-list in total of Nas’ Illmatic in a grimy font. Meticulously thought out and designed by the talented Guillermo Andrade, 424 has become revered for controversially thought provoking designs, that just so happen to appear on TMZ frequently due to Tyga and Kylie’s penchant for the LA located label. Depicting Tupac battle scarred after an Oakland Police Beatdown on a graphic tee, the brand’s last season focused on police inadequacy. 424 developed and transcended from a single accessory to a collection of accessories and subsequently became a full fledged apparel label incrementally and organically. The brand never pandered celebrities to wear its apparel, the LA Fairfax location and overall cool brand demeanor allowed artists and stars to gravitate towards it themselves. Kylie bought her own denim jackets, no discount. Next season you’ll be able to cop a host of apparel with hip hop inspired fonts and cuts reminiscent of Wu Tang clan stylings.
Maharishi showcased a love letter to gang apparel with Devil’s Angels like biker gang “top rocker and bottom rocker” silhouetted garments of stellar material. Individual hues of Olive, Maroon, Black and Orange (camouflaged beauty) formatted a collection of smartly tailored and aptly materialed wears. Travis Scott has teased on two separate occasions exclusive custom “La Flame” Maharishi garments, that depicts an irreverently shirtless Travis gripping on to a bucking horse. David Keogh, rep for the brand, was firmly tight lipped about anything to do with Travis Scott and would not offer up even the slightest detail. Stay tuned for updates and hopefully more information or images of another piece will surface.
Timberland showcased a selection of sneaker inspired apparel and had the field boot and the 6 inch dressed in subtly new color ways. Andy Friedman, an employee and member of the Timberland tribe for 25 years, explained the tie to hip hop culture and specifically one of it’s currently most pivotal stars. “Im sure that despite his contract with adidas, Im sure if it’s not today, it’ll be tomorrow that Pharrell will be wearing a pair of Timberlands.” he exclaims. “Pharrell has had a profound impact on the Timberland brand, we met Pharrell for Timberland with Mark Mcnairy and he was wearing the black 6 inches with the Chanel logos.” stated Friedman, knowledgeable on the impact of the producer on the paradigm of style. With a developed awareness of Timberland’s impact on the landscape of different fashion avenues and a keen insight on its demographic, expect Timberland to continue to satiate the culture with constantly improving lifestyle wear. Expect all brands present at Pier 92’s Capsule Trade Show to satiate the culture in ways it hasn’t ever been before, the culture is set for development. The lane of high end streetwear is maturing and developing, in effect proving that the streets will always and forever have a profound impact on the world of fashion.
