November 5, 2014 |
Yay, I get to write about Hood by Air. I’m not alone in thinking that the New York brand is one of the most exciting things happening in fashion right now. It’s just been announced as a guest at the next edition of Pitti Uomo, being held in Florence this January. The brainchild of Brooklyn-born designer Shayne Oliver, the brand has been garnering attention for its shows which, season by season, border on performance art. Take the men in blonde weaves voguing at the end of their AW14 show for example. Oliver and his team at Hood by Air have been compared to Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren in the seventies, because their brand represents more than just clothes – it represents a movement. As Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine described, “[they have a] distinctive way of making each, meticulously styled collection into a strong statement about gender, social class, power and beauty. Multidisciplinary research, roots firmly anchored in black culture, and the unexpected aspects of certain solutions are all reflected in their fashion shows where performance, music and product define each other.” Now Oliver’s collective are taking on Pitti Uomo, charged with the task of creating a “special event” for it. Though Florence will be a change of scene from Brooklyn, we’re looking forward to seeing what Oliver et al bring to the Pitti Uomo table.
By Ted Stansfield
