Virgil Abloh, Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas feature on retro-style T-shirt
Posted in: UncategorizedFrench brand Modern Man has created a retro T-shirt that presents fashion designer Virgil Abloh as a “world builder”, alongside influential architects Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas.
The T-shirt is the latest in a range by Modern Man founder Colin Torvino, who aims to “immortalise” current designers by portraying them as famous rockstars.
The front of the black cotton T-shirt features images of Abloh, Hadid and Koolhaas printed in a vibrant colour scheme – mimicking the style of merchandise sold at 1990s pop concerts.
The phrase “world builders” is overlaid in a curving red text, while “360 degrees” features below in a yellow font.
“Rem and Zaha were chosen because of their respective legacies. We observe them as pillars of iconic architectural design and the foundations for the next generation’s creative pursuits,” said Torvino.
The names and three-letter acronyms of the trios respective companies are written on the back of the garment in a bold, comic-sans like font, accompanied by a collage of projects by the two architects.
Torvino described the decision to juxtapose the designer alongside two of the most famous names in architecture as “an expansion of the popular notion of an architect.”
Abloh studied architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology, prior to launching his Off White label in 2014. Since then, he has had a rapidly rising fashion career, which has included a recent footwear collaboration with Nike and an upcoming project with IKEA.
The 37-year-old, who is also a long-term collaborator of Kanye West, recently told Dezeen that Mies van der Rohe had a modernist influence on his design aesthetic.
“With his prior background in architecture, it is the precedent of brilliant and polarising works from the likes of Hadid and Koolhaas that informs the myriad of projects under Virgil’s oversight,” said Torvino.
“His ventures have polarised the fashion community in a similar manner and this is the context and angle we approach with this project.”
The Modern Man team, founded in 2013, is made up of a number of graphic designers, who choose to remain anonymous in a bid to ensure the focus remains on the design of their products.
Prior to the release of the World Builders range, the brand released a number of T-shirts in a similar design style featuring well-known figureheads in the fashion industry – such as Calvin Klein chief creative officer Raf Simons and Vetements’ head designer Demna Gvasalia.
All of the label’s T-shirts are available to purchase via the Modern Man website, as well as being stocked in retailers such as Colette Paris.
The post Virgil Abloh, Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas feature on retro-style T-shirt appeared first on Dezeen.
