It’s been a busy year for G-star. Four months into 2016 and we’ve already seen them celebrate the 20th anniversary of their iconic Elwood jean and announce that Pharrell has become a co-owner of the company. Originally introduced in 1996, the Elwood Jean was the first pair of jeans created by the brand using their 3D denim approach to construction. In the 20 years since G-Star has gone from strength to strength, becoming a brand globally known for being at the forefront of denim, and now with a man of many talents, Pharrell Williams joining the team as co-owner, we can’t wait to see where the brand will go next. “In working with Pharrell Williams we wish to continue to innovate by allowing Pharrell to push the boundaries even further across all aspects of our business, from creating new product ideas and new visions on sustainability, to creating new brand experiences. We’re genuinely excited to welcome Pharrell into the G-star mission in order to reimagine the future of denim together, ” said G-Star’s chief marketing Officer, Thecla Schaeffer.
Grammy award-winning Pharrell Williams has been involved in the fashion industry for some time. The musician turned designer founded two streetwear brands – Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream, launched a fragrance in collaboration with Comme Des Garcons and designed a sunglasses range for Louis Vuitton. Furthermore, Pharrell has been working alongside G-Star for several years, before becoming co-owner of the brand last month. The ethos of G-Star resonates strongly with Pharrell’s belief in sustainability, “Through our RAW for the Oceans project with Bionic Yarn, I saw their commitment to creating denim that has a positive impact on our planet. Together we experienced the feeling that there is so much yet to be done with that fabric. It is latent with potential, and that is why we took our relationship to the next level – I want to be a part of that journey. I believe in the future of G-Star.” Said Phrarell.
With Pharrell as ‘head of imagination’, it was unlikely the G-Star HQ was going to be your normal, bog-standard denim factory. Instead, the Amsterdam studio was more of a denim-filled version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Pharrell taking on the role as a pink-haired, one-piece wearing Willy Wonka. The glass and concrete wonderland contains a variety of spaces including the brand’s vast archive of vintage workwear, a denim lab and in-house atelier. Oh, and did we forget to mention the suspended denim shark, and giant denim teepee?
The tour of the G-Star factory was a perfect showcase of the brand’s dedication to quality and progress. Friends of the brand including A$AP Rocky, Miguel and Lion Babe were amongst the guests invited to tour the RAW factory and those who attended were fully immersed in G-Stars vision as a sustainable and innovative brand in the driven world of denim.
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Text Lula Ososki