Salehe Bembury has a new apparel range on the way, but his partners may come as a surprise to some.
The 2020 FN Designer of the Year has partnered with Lexus and Champion on a new collection of apparel, which arrives online today. The collection is “driven by a shared dedication to pushing the boundaries of design and creativity” and pairs “Lexus’ future-looking mobility innovation and Bembury’s signature nature-inspired design ethos.”
For this collection — which includes a hoodie, a T-shirt and a hat — Bembury opted to reimagine some of Champion’s popular Reverse Weave styles.
“This collaboration was a new type of challenge for me. It is both challenging and rewarding to explore design outside of footwear and allowed me to think outside of my usual realm of design,” Bembury said in a statement.
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According to a statement, Bembury used the carmaker’s push toward the electrification of its vehicle lineup for his designs and employed graphic elements derived from the 2022 Lexus NX. Some notable elements featured throughout include archway shapes on the front and back “to tie the design elements together, symbolizing a pathway toward the future” and graphics on the back that frame the word “electrified” based on the vehicle’s taillights. Also, fans of Bembury can expect elements synonymous with his work, such as his logo and fingerprint.
Breaking down the partnership even further, Bembury utilized reflective ink on the the T-shirt and hoodie as a nod to “the idea of electrification” and he employed a custom oil wash process to dye the fabric dark gray. The colors, according to a statement, come from the Lexus NX exterior options. As for the unstructured baseball cap, Bembury added his fingerprint logo to the brim, and Lexus and Champion logos were added to complete the look.
“This collaboration merges different design disciplines to create a modern collection rooted in heritage for fans across the three brands,” Champion Athleticwear global president Jon Ram said in a statement. “As a brand that continuously pushes the boundaries of creativity, Champion is excited to work with Bembury and Lexus to elevate the conversation around design, fashion and technology.”
The unisex apparel pieces arrive today exclusively via HBX.com. Sizes range from small to extra large, and prices will range from $50-$150.
Bembury has been busy on the collaboration front this year, most recently revealing late last month his latest footwear project, a silhouette with Crocs that resembles the silhouette of the Crocs Classic Clog but reimagined with his fingerprint. Prior to that, he delivered another eye-catching look with New Balance, the “Water Be the Guide” 2002R. His New Balance “Water Be The Guide” 2002R collab arrived via Newbalance.com on June 25.
