The Big Draw In Menswear: Black And White Graphics

The revolving door of creative directors at luxury menswear brands has been spinning faster of late. When it was announced that Virgil Abloh, of cult streetwear label Off-White, was moving to take over at Louis Vuitton, the reaction from industry observers was mixed. Some considered it interesting (pointedly italicising the word in conversation). Louis Vuitton chief executive Michael Burke cited Abloh’s “sensibility towards luxury and savoir-faire” as key selling points. To many he’s known simply for putting slanted white stripes on hoodies and socks. Regardless, it’s a significant move: previous creative director Kim Jones’s heavily branded collaboration with Supreme — the skatewear brand that routinely has hours-long queues outside its stores — spun gold for Vuitton, contributing to a 23 per cent increase in profits last year at LVMH. One of the most significant features of the new streetwear-lead design school is in its use of graphics, simple black and white motifs, scripts and slogans. While radical changes in silhouette and fabrication are less easy to sell to many male consumers, the focus on this relatively straightforward design tool has been instrumental in building a brand’s success. Vetements, Off-White, Supreme and Gosha Rubchinskiy, the Russian-born designer who last week announced he would be “stopping” his namesake label “as you’ve known it” in readiment to unveil a new chapter for the brand, have all built successful businesses by making simple sportswear adorned with distinctive branded details. Read more at Financial Times.