THE ELDER STATESMAN UNVEILS HOLIDAY 2021 COLLECTION

by Stephen Garner Jul 07, 2021

The Elder Statesman has unveiled its holiday 2021 collection.

Dubbed, “The Laws of Cartoon Physics,” the collection explores, you guessed it, cartoon physics – a system of laws that supersede the laws of physics and are often used in animation for humorous effect. For example, when Wile E. Coyote runs off a cliff, gravity has no effect until he notices his mistake – only then does he plummet to the ground.

The Elder Statesman parallels this theory of cartoon physics to its own design and production practices – the Los Angeles-based luxury lifestyle brand abides by the general laws of luxury, yet overrides some of the ‘rules’ to reach nirvana.

For this collection, the brand partnered with two artists from LAND Gallery in New York, James Rosa and Carlo Daleo. LAND is a non-profit studio that works as a habilitation program for adults with developmental disabilities. Daleo is an animator and voice-over artist whose cartoon drawings and slogans of a grinning tiger, juggling clown, “Time For Fun” and an end of the world motto ‘The End..or is it?”, are knitted throughout the cashmere collection.

The Elder Statesman also commissioned a local Dio de Los Muertos cartonería artist to recreate Daleo’s cartoon characters as giant papier-mache sculptures. Rosa’s work is defined almost entirely by circular objects – many of the works appear abstracted but upon closer review can be made out as smiley faces, mirrors, and dinner plates. Rosa’s works were adapted by an artist collective in Central America who took the brand’s Italian cashmere and hand-crocheted it into technicolor knitwear. The collection also features a five-ply cable knit sweater and shorts set made and hand-tie dyed in Los Angeles – one of the most luxurious lounge sets the brand has done yet.

The collection’s lookbook and short film were shot at various structures by Mexican architect Javier Senosiain, who is known for practicing organic architecture and conserving microclimates and natural insulation around Mexico City.