Need To Know: Calvin Klein collaborates with Palace on CK1, Diesel exhibits with Tom of Finland foundation, MACHINE-A supports new talent, Ahluwalia and Paul Smith launch mentorship programme.
CALVIN KLEIN AND PALACE COLLABORATE ON NEW CAPSULE COLLECTION TITLED CK1 PALACE
Calvin Klein has just announced their new collaboration with iconic skateboarding brand PALACE, redesigning and reshaping the symbols and motifs associated with the two fashion brands. The modern minimalism of CK meets Palace’s playful graphic energy in a symbiosis of spirit and nostalgia. The collection layers Palace’s playful, graphic aesthetic onto Calvin Klein’s signature underwear, denim, tees and fleece – including women’s underwear, a first for Palace. The garments play on CK’s classic palette of black, grey, white, wheat and quarry, and feature a custom logo that interpolates Calvin Klein’s standard logo with Palace’s iconic Tri-Ferg, imprinting Palace’s twist on, among other things, the world’s most iconic underwear. Basketball jerseys and baggy shorts also challenge the notion of traditional sportswear in the collaboration.
“I grew up admiring the iconic Calvin Klein campaigns of the early ‘90s for their simplicity and their forward-thinking depiction of fashion that appealed to everyone,” explains Lev Tanju, founder of Palace. “It was so visually impactful: the casting, the energy, it really remains unmatched. From the first call with the Calvin team, I knew there was so much we could do. This collaboration has grown organically and I’m proud of everything we’ve created together.”
The collection will be available on April 8th at Palace London, New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo stores, as well as online at palaceskateboards.com and calvinklein.com
DIESEL PARTNERS WITH TOM OF FINLAND TO PRESENT EXHIBITIONS IN VENICE AND PARIS
Diesel has partnered with the iconic Tom of Finland Foundation for a series of exhibitions of signature queer artwork, debuting in Venice and Paris. The exhibit, presenting the work of LGBTQIA+ artists, will open on Saturday 23rd in Venice, alongside an accompanying exhibition featuring the same artists but different works will open on the 8th May in Paris.
Discover more about the project at www.diesel.com and www.tomoffinland.org
MACHINE-A SPOTLIGHTS SUSTAINABLE KNITWEAR DESIGNER OLIVIA RUBEN WITH NEW INSTALMENT OF THEIR GRADUATE PROJECT
Stavros Karelis and MACHINE-A are launching a new instalment of their Graduates Project, continuing their commitment towards supporting emerging talent, by spotlighting sustainable knitwear designer Olivia Rubens with their new project Photosynthesize. “Our overall goal for this project is to redefine the meaning of our relationships with our garments, and to empower people with individual agency in climate change solutions," expresses Rubens.
The collection will launch with a campaign and in-store installation that will be running from Tuesday 29th March for 3 weeks and marks a breakthrough in design and sustainability by transforming garments into living organisms. The focal point of the collection is a series of green garments that are photosynthesis coated with Post Carbon Lab, giving each the qualities to live and breathe like plants.
The collection will be sold exclusively online at www.machine-a.com and in-store through Machine-A.
AHLUWALIA AND PAUL SMITH JOIN FORCES IN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION AND PARTNERSHIP, SUPPORTED BY THE PAUL SMITH FOUNDATION
Paul Smith has launched his inaugural collaboration and mentorship programme with an innovative capsule collection in partnership with the celebrated London-based menswear brand Ahluwalia, founded by Priya Ahluwalia. The unique partnership aims to create a long-standing mentorship, nurturing the next generation of upcoming designers.
“I had the pleasure of being introduced to Priya through a mutual friend and our shared approach to design was obvious from our first meeting. Her maverick spirit reminded me of myself when I was just starting out. While our styles may appear different at first glance, we’re coming at it from the same place: a real conviction that clothes should be a source of joy. This collaborative collection is proof of that,” says Paul Smith on the exciting new project.
With sustainability a key consideration for both designers, the collection utilises surplus Paul Smith fabrics found in the Paul Smith archive, as well as sustainable alternatives where new clothes were developed, which include 100% organic cotton and yarns, biodegradable viscose and surplus jersey and woven fabrics.
Ahluwalia & Paul Smith will be available online at paulsmith.com, in selected Paul Smith shops, at ahluwalia.world and exclusively at SSENSE.com.
SUPREME TAKES INSPIRATION FROM AEON FLUX GRAPHICS FOR THEIR NEWEST DROP
Supreme has collaborated with the 1991 animated series Aeon Flux for their newest drop, taking inspiration from the groundbreaking cinematic storytelling of the ‘90s. Aeon Flux wildly subverts conventional notions of heroic action by emphasising ambiguity and shifting perspectives. Aeon is self-motivated – she is not an agent of any state or organisation. She is not upholding any law or ideology. Trevor Goodchild is her enemy, as well as her lover. The series’ depictions of violence, sexuality, domination, fetish, and death are open-ended and unrestrained.
Discover more of the collection at www.supremenewyork.com
KENZO RELEASES THIRD CAPSULE COLLECTION WITH NEW SPRING SUMMER 2022 DROP
Kenzo has released their third instalment of limited-edition capsule collections, with their SS22 drop, the widest release yet under Creative Director Nigo’s vision.
The third capsule collection revolves around denim. A key element in Nigo’s own design tradition, Japanese denim is exercised across a selection of reinterpreted wardrobe tropes and married with the Kenzo boke flower created by the Artistic Director upon his arrival at the Maison. Denim defines a collection comprised of eight pieces for women and seven pieces for men, all genderless in nature. As precursors to a reinvigorated Kenzo, the SS22 capsule collections embody the philosophy at the root of Nigo’s practice at the Maison: a real wardrobe for the future, tied to the wisdom of the past.
Limited-edition capsule available on April 2nd 2022 in selected stores and www.kenzo.com
