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Celebrity Branding: Kanye West x A.P.C.
Every now and then collections will use models solely for runways and bring in actual celebrities to represent their brands. After numerous success stories of celebrity/brand pairings when it comes to sales, its no wonder why the most popular ads we see are of celebrities and those very same brands are raking in record amounts of revenue. You have Jay-Z for Barneys, Rihanna for River Island, and now Kanye West’s second collection for A.P.C. Looks like it runs in the Roc Nation family.
“After his first collection with French label, A.P.C. sold out in minutes and crashed the store’s website, Kanye West is once again partnering with the Parisian clothing company for a new collection of menswear. Ye and A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou recently revealed the new line at a showroom event during Paris Fashion Week. The threads are set for a late summer-early fall release”
-C. Vernon Coleman (XXLMag.com)
Looking at the urban minimalist approach presented in Paris recently, you instantly get the impression that Kanye had pieces created to be specifically paired with others throughout the collection; all the while remaining true to his own personal style. Slight detailing of fitted bombers with shearling collars, over-sized capes, and coats with fur lapels kept Kanye’s style apparent and are sure to draw money from those fans who acquire his taste, but on a less expensive level.
Washed out denims and buckwheat colored Timberland boots dominate the artists collection and keeps it synonymous with today’s urban grunge scene with familiar styles of layering and nonchalant stances to keep things simple but luxurious. The question we should all be pondering is will there be any interesting limited edition pieces added to the collection for the F/W 2014 holiday season?
Keep a lookout! However, also expect to see these looks in mass marketed stores as the season rolls in. Links attached!
MFW Exclusive: Philipp Plein’s Noir Cowboy
Noir – Crime fiction featuring hard-boiled cynical characters and bleak sleazy settings.
Philipp Plein could not have been more accurately enticing with his word choice to describe his latest menswear collection for F/W 2014. While the designer has remained true to the natural aesthetic of a western cowboy, he has revamped it…embossing dark heavy leathers with spiked studding, masquerading brilliant fringed scarves, and subtly placing a new age favorite….camouflage print.
Upon first look at the clothing, one might get the initial thought that the clothing represents that of a motor biker opposed to the Clint Eastwood inspired cowboys we see in films. However, upon second glance you begin to notice key detailing that draws you back to that of an old Western flick. Detailing such as the masculine fedora, the graphic deer and human skull heads, the over sized jackets with shearling collars, and we can’t forget about the kick-ass cowboy boots!
In the photos above, if you look closely you’ll see our new age classic, the camo print, subtly detailed onto the puffy bomber jackets. Cowboys have been noted to wear snake and crocodile printed clothing and if you look through Plein’s entire collection you’ll see he made interesting attempts to pay homage to those details that really do define a true Western man’s style. However, it blew me away to see the way he brought those vintage men into 2014 with the rest of us by adding in something familiar to a younger generation, which ultimately makes the entire collection amazingly fresh.
Overall, the collection lives up to the word “noir.” Its dark, its bleak, it’s mildly sleazy…but it’s also cohesive and creates an intriguing story line for what it means to be a classic cowboy apart of a transformed environment.
Take a good look, Plein’s personal style has an honest influence on the collection overall. Trendsetting.
Let me know what you guys think! The link to Plein’s full show is attached! Also check out his incredibly hip website at:
Uomini di Stile. 