Vlone debuts "Black History" Collection in Paris

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Jun 27, 2017

Vlone on Friday held its first runway show for its inaugural collection at Paris Fashion Week.

Designer and A$AP Mob member A$AP Bari announced at the beginning of June that he would hold a runway show for his fashion and lifestyle label. Very little was known about the show except that models would be cast from the streets of Paris.
 
Bari’s mission for the runway show was “to show kids that you can do anything,” and the 25-year old accomplished his mission without having attended fashion school or studied fashion.
 

 
Vlone is a favorite of celebrities such as Kanye West, The Weeknd, Drake and Virgil Abloh, and the brand has recently collaborated with Nike on an Air Force I sneaker, partnered with Off-White, Colette and Fragment in the past, and hosted pop up shops at Art Basel Miami and Hong Kong, New York Fashion Week, SXSW and NBA All Star Weekend.
 
Vlone’s inaugural collection debuted at 75 rue Cambon to a star-studded audience comprised of rappers including Bari's fellow A$AP Mob member A$AP Rocky and London-born grime artist Skepta, designers Virgil Abloh, Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo, Justin O’Shea, Laurence Chandler of Rochambeau, and Matt Williams of Alyx, as well as NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook, model Luka Sabbat, and artist Cali Thornhill Dewitt.

The collection, which is titled “Black History,” is inspired by global influences, like Harlem, where Bari grew up, as well as northern Italy, Japan, and South Africa, where Bari traveled to develop the collection.

Central themes include distressed jeans that resemble tie-dye patterns, camouflage and all-over prints, denim and leather stories, and pop culture references like the rock band Metallica, the film Scarface and The Little Rascals.
 
A number of looks from the collection repeat in different colors such as the leather jacket and pants with track stripe, and the denim jacket and jeans ensemble with the brand’s signature ‘Friends-‘ motif. The yellow leather jacket and matching pants reference the film Kill Bill and likely intentionally.

The collection is a representation of modern streetwear. Gone are the days of hoodies and sweatpants being the only components of streetwear. With Supreme collaborating with Comme des Garçons and Louis Vuitton after Riccardo Tisci made streetwear luxurious at Givenchy, it’s only natural that Bari incorporate cut-and-sew pieces and rich fabrics to Vlone’s inaugural collection.