Long before the designer collaboration became a mainstay of fashion, there was Fred Perry x Raf Simons. For the past ten years, the two brands have bridged a gap between the high street and the menswear catwalk.
Fred Perry, named after the tennis player of the same name, began life as a maker of — unsurprisingly — tennis shirts in the 50s. By the 60s the distinct shirts had became a symbol of mod culture and a uniform for youth rebellion. In 2018, it remains one of Britain’s most beloved heritage brands. Since collaborating with Raf, bold graphic designs have been reimagined across classic British mainstays, like the polo shirt and the Harrington jacket, offering a fresh, modern take on menswear.
To commemorate this decade of successful collaboration, the two are dropping 100 garments from the archive, in areas around the world where subcultures are thriving. In the run up the release of their fall/winter 18 collection on August 20, photographers Olya Oleinic and Kyle Weeks will be traveling across the globe, photographing different birthplaces of youth culture and leaving behind a trail of hand-folded, vacuum-sealed garments.
Keep an eye on fredperryxrafsimons.com and Fred Perry’s official Instagram, to find out more about where these drops will be happening, as well as see images from the two photographer’s journey.
