Basic Rights launches core collection at NYFW: Men’s

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Feb 2, 2016

Basic Rights, the vintage-inspired menswear brand from Brianna Lance and Freddie Cowan, launched its core collection of basics at New York Fashion Week: Men’s on Monday.

The 16-piece collection features high quality staple pieces that are the building blocks to a wardrobe. Each piece is made with immense precision and thought, for example, the t-shirts have French Terry that keeps its shape regardless of how many times it is run through the washing machine, a button-down shirt features a curve button placket that was first seen on vintage workwear shirts, and the sweatpants feature a slim taper not commonly found on a casual style. The bottoms in the collection were made with David Chambers, a Savile Row tailor that applies tailored sensibilities to the casual styles.
 
The Creative Directors were inspired by the style of several culture and style icons like Paul Newman, George Harrison and Muhammad Ali. The collection references 1950s and 1960s style, in particularly the items that were often purchased in catalogs. Though the items are designed in New York City, fabrics are handpicked from Japan, and hand sewn in Thailand. Fits and patterns are also perfected in London.

“This is our core collection,” explained Brianna Lance. “Each month-to-month we will expand with a new item because we’re a direct-to-consumer business. We’ll do another big collection in April.”
 
Brianna and Freddie met years ago and began working on tour outfits for Freddie’s band, The Vaccines, of which he is the lead guitarist. He had wanted to start a collection of his own, so he partnered with Brianna, the former Creative Director of Reformation, to work on the brand. After perfecting the Basic Rights t-shirt and jeans, the duo set out to produce a full collection of core pieces.
 
“We take a lot of musicians as inspiration,” Lance explained. “We couldn’t find a lot of the pieces. We couldn’t find a trouser that wasn’t going to rip on them while they were playing in it or a t-shirt that you could sweat in and feel fine, or even the right cuts. We had to go to vintage stores and so many new brands to piece together the look so we’ve decided to create a line ourselves that is the right look.”
 
Basic Rights has made its core collection available on Monday at its website. Prices range from $45 to $200.