It’s KAWS’ world, we’re just living in it. The imprint is everywhere thanks to collaborations with CDG, sacai, Supreme, Nike, Reeses Puffs, and now, The North Face. The collection is centered around the idea of “Two mindsets, one vision. To see the world outside the lines.” The North Face and KAWS intend to “blur the lines between on-and-off mountain performance and style.” The result is a wonderful testament to both technical innovation and contemporary art.
Earlier this week, KAWS teased the collab on Instagram, revealing a few 1994 Mountain Light Jackets. Unbeknownst to us, that was just the tip of the iceberg. Titled “XX KAWS,” the capsule is packed with bright colors to liven up your winter wardrobe. “XX KAWS” effectively builds on The North Face’s message to “Never Stop Exploring.”
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The full collection includes a series of multi-colored 1996 Retro Nuptse Jackets, hoodies, sweats, down pants, t-shirts, beanies, bags, and a balaclava. The jackets and down pants don abstract camouflage with boldly contrasting panels. Additionally, select items are available in men’s, women’s, and youth’s styles. KAWS’ signature ‘XX’ motif is displayed prominently alongside The North Face branding. Overall, the garments serve the central theme well, showing a new range of perception and visibility. Brian Donnelly, the artist behind KAWS, had this to say on the collaboration.
“I’ve always admired The North Face iconic silhouettes. I have had them in my winter rotation for years. The blocking, stitching, and details on their coats really lent themselves to the way I structure a painting. So I treated the garments in our collaborative collection like a blank canvas. And I enjoyed exploring their extensive color and material archive as I would a new paint set.”
You can view select images from the lookbook in the gallery above. The “XX KAWS” collection will be available through a mini-program, also at 82 retail stores beginning on January 7th. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below! Lastly, Dua Lipa Pays Homage to the 90s with Upcoming PUMA Capsule.
