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November 20, 2021As we head further into fall and inch closer to winter, our wardrobes are getting bulkier and, yes, cozier. Fortunately, this month is rife with fantastic fashion news, curated below for your reading (and shopping) pleasure. Keep scrolling for this month’s hottest drops, launches, and collaborations.
K.NGSLEY Launches Inaugural Expansive Collection, C1A1
Who: K.NGSLEY
What: C1A1 collection
Where: Available online at k.ngsley.com and in select retailers
Why: At the helm of K.NGSLEY is first-generation Nigerian-American creative and activist Kingsley Gbadegesin. K.NGSLEY first gained attention when the label released its tanks as part of Collection 0: BQ Essentials, which went viral and were donned by the likes of Lil Nas X, Bretman Rock, Issa Rae, and Zaya Wade, among others. Gbadegesin directly supports oppressed communities by reclaiming and redefining the Black, queer, and femme body with approachable luxury. With C1A1 comes the label’s first foray into footwear, including a combat boot made to be a staple for K.NGSLEY fans. Another highlight is its 701 jewelry line, which dropped this past summer. The PrEP blue enamel pieces dipped in gold were an instant hit, and called attention to the disproportionate HIV and AIDS infection rates within the Black community. The ideas woven into the ready-to-wear collection translate Gbadegesin’s dialogue to the world.
Awake NY Collaborates With Crocs
Who: Awake NY
What: Collaboration with Crocs
Where: Available online at awakenyclothing.com, projectgreenhouse.com, and at Foot Locker stores
Why: In celebration of the unique culture and vibrant energy of New York, lifestyle brand Awake NY has partnered with Crocs to bring us sensible footwear designed with the sentiment of “home is where the heart is” in mind. Awake NY’s founder and creator Angelo Baque focused on the significance of family and community to create Crocs with a cute heart motif, as an homage to the city he visited every summer as a child. His grandmother’s home in Washington Heights became a significant part of the designer’s spiritual education during his formative years. It was within this community that he learned the meaning of family and, as of late, how that meaning has evolved. “Whether we were physically with family or connecting electronically with chosen family, it’s the people we love that have helped us through this uncertain time,” Baque says. The collection consists of the classic clog in two distinct colorways, available in adult and child sizes, and a series of NY-themed jibbitz for an added layer of personality.
Maison Margiela Releases Icons Collection
Who: Maison Margiela
What: Icons collection
Where: Available online and at Margiela store pop-ups in Paris (pictured here), London, Tokyo, and Shanghai
Why: Maison Margiela’s house codes are many, and the discerning fashion fanatic can spot any instantly. One code known as decortiqué—distilling a garment down to its core—can be see on the collars, cuffs, and lapels of its newest Icons Collection. This seasonless offering whittles the Margiela codes built over the last 30 decades down into core wardrobe pieces that define the brand ethos. Building on the Margiela style pyramidical method of creativity, the Icons collection elaborates on Lines 4 and 14 and features iconic staples including denim, fisherman knitwear, sharp-as-a-knife pinstripe suiting, red threading details, and, of course, trench coats. Galliano has emphasized the idea of “hastily” dressing throughout his tenure at the Maison, a garment still in motion, unfinished yet perfect in its incompleteness, seen here on coat shoulders with top-stitching still intact. He introduced the idea of “inverted snobbery”—swapping humble and fine fabrics for one another—and this comes to life in bias cut silk suits and “shadow play” trench coat pockets. The pieces are muted in color and take on a vintage feeling while still remaining pertinent to modern dressing. The collection wouldn’t be complete without split-toe Tabi boots, which come in recycled rubber and leather, along with 5AC and Glam Slam handbags which are reissued in their original colors and textiles. To celebrate, Margiela has released a short film directed by Olivier Dahan that honors the juxtaposition that the collection celebrates: the impermanence of life detailed through instantly recognizable silhouettes and symbols that make Margiela the iconic house it is.
