These are the menswear happenings to have on your radar, including Rimowa’s Design Prize winner, Vans getting *Better With Age and APC x Fragment Design.
JW Anderson’s in sports mode thanks to Diadora
After unveiling their debut collaboration back in January, JW Anderson and Diadora have reignited the sportswear brand’s The Equipe model. Arriving in four vibrant colourways, we get a mixture of suede and a durable nylon for the upper, with top-notch Italian craftsmanship, a co-branded tongue and a double-lacing system – one of which will have the JW Anderson logo running all along the laces. If you’re interested in picking up a pair for yourself, make sure to set your alarms for drop day on the 15th May.
Vollebak takes jackets to a sonic level
Vollebak’s founders Nick and Steve Tidball are evolving fashion one step at a time. From creating a jacket that was built from the technology used to land rovers on Mars to altering fabric manipulation to create garments out of copper and wood, they’re really pushing the envelope on technology’s place in fashion. Their latest endeavour comes in the form of the Sonic Jacket, an outerwear piece that features 180 speakers to alter the wearer’s consciousness and mental state through sound waves. With the help of special effects studio FBFX – the great minds behind Dune, Project Hail Mary and Prometheus – they’re truly carving a new lane for themselves in the wearable tech space. Find out more about it here.
Rimowa crowns a worthy winner for its Design Prize
Courtesy of Rimowa
In support of the next generation, Rimowa has continued its initiative to push emerging creatives with its Design Prize. Running for the fourth year, the worthy winner this time around was NURA, a wearable bracelet created by Samuel Nagel and Paul Feiler that translates sign language into spoken word. It also converts speech into visible text to support seamless communication between deaf and hearing individuals, creating an elegant, wearable tech product that breaks barriers for those with hearing disabilities. Under the mentorship of Rimowa’s Head of Industrial Tim Richter, the duo were able to design a fashion item that innovates in spaces that are commonly neglected. Check out more info on the Design Prize here.
Supreme gets moody with Salem
Supreme have, once again, listened to the people with its latest collaboration with cult American electronic group Salem. Taking big notes from the group’s sombre sound and dark aesthetic language, the six-piece capsule has some very big hitters, including a Half Zip Stadium Jacket and Zip Up Hooded Sweatshirt, the latter featuring a collegiate-esque logo running across the centre. We also get two short-sleeve tops, a New Era fitted cap and even a pair of Hospital Socks, a subtle nod to the band’s raw visuals and identity. The collection is available to shop online and in-store now.
These Vans are made to age like fine wine
A fresh pair of Vans is cool. But they’re the type of sneakers that get better with age, beaten up, soles full of shenanigans with the battle scars to prove it. That spirit is key to Vans’ latest collaboration and LA vintage upcycling label Better With Age. The two brands have teamed up to give the LX Authentic 44 and LX Half-Cab a makeover. The former comes with a navy and white base ith a yellow sole, with a leather sole and insole. The Half-Cab arrives in black suede, with a yellowed sole, custom leather kiltie tassel. But wait, because it gets better, because if you get yourself down to Dover Street Market London on June 15, you can customise you shoes with a selection of vintage patches and beads. Oh, and there’ll be an exclusive T-shirt, too. If you can’t get down to DSM, an online release will follow.
A.P.C. and Fragment unveil Interaction #30 collaboration
Courtesy of A.P.C.
Fragment design was founded by Hiroshi Fujiwara in Tokyo, and has boomed into one of Japan’s most significant design labels, with deep ties to music (its founder was is a musician) and street culture. When you’re involved in these circles, you see your fair share of denim – which is Parisian imprint A.P.C.’s whole thing. Throw in Fujiwara’s friendship with A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou, and a link-up between the two brands makes sense. The collection, titled Interaction #30, looks to cinematic icons through the design language of both brands. It comprises a jean jacket and trousers which form a Canadian tuxedo, a work jacket inspired by Charlie Chaplin, and jeans finished with a rubber stripe, nodding to Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke. The collection also features, shirts, chinos, graphic tees, and a leather card holder. Sound like a bit of you? Check it out here.
Lock in: there’s a new LOEWE and On sneaker
LOEWE and On have dropped a new limited-edition sneaker: the LightSpray Cloudmonster. This sees On’s spray-on technology, essentially acting as a second skin for your feet coupled with LOEWE’s capital ‘F’ fashion stamp of approval. The result is a futuristic-running sock-shoe without laces. It slants more functional than the collaboration-exclusive Cloudsolo (which has also been updated in a load more new colours), so expect to see these in Third Space gyms in trendy cities. But in a neutral white colourway, there’s an out-of-gym allure in these, too. Check them out here.
Puma revamps the ’90s Cell Geo 1
The Puma Cell is a running sneaker from the 1990s with visible cushioning-tech, which became an aesthetic signifier of performance shoes from that era. And it has the futuristic feel of something you might wear to a rave in space. Now it’s back with a revamped sculptural silhouette, made from a fancy mix of premium leather and canvas in colours ranging from all-black to Russet Brown-Tart Apple. The choice is yours my friend. Available here.
