Known for an artistic expression of high-fashion in his designs, Creative Director and designer Virgil Abloh explores concepts in the realm of youth culture in the contemporary context. For Off-White™’s Spring/Summer 2019 collection titled ‘Jim Stark’, he creates a graphic-heavy collection of t-shirts, trousers, denim-wear, shoes and accessories in collaboration with En Bravado that hark back to the streets of ’90s NYC.
Abloh envisions his muse of a “universal teenager” in New York, with an emphasis on skate culture through his details of industrial chains and charms paired eloquently with elevated utility jeans. New York native graffiti artist, Donald “Dondi” White’s best-known works appear across a multitude of tees and jackets within the collection – capturing the artistic, nostalgic nature of New York culture intertwined with the concept of rebellion. This idea of rebellion approaches Abloh’s reference to “Jim Stark” played by James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a Cause’, in addition to the appearance of Bart Simpson in the collection. Both two fictional young icons linked directly with an infamous wardrobe of T-shirts and jeans, and a subversive streak. Off-White x Rimowa suitcase backpacks walked the runway – clear and empty to signify “teenage emotional burden”. The elevated, structured silhouettes and textures within the collection fabricate the looks as ambiguous amongst adults and teens – reaching a universal relationship with youth culture.
Off-White™ Spring/Summer 2019 “Jim Stark” collection
The collection can now be explored at Harvey Nichols – Dubai in Mall of the Emirates.
