For the summer of 2019, Faith Connexion is breaking boundaries with graphic, organic silhouettes that wrap the body in the season’s 70’s inspiration. Pulling from art, music, and 90s pop culture, the collective fuses its diverse influences into a collection that mixes rock chic and street-inspired glamour.
Taking a cue from the art world, the clothes this season invite the wearer to create their own interpretation: dresses that reinvent themselves from day to evening; jackets that unzip at the shoulders or sleeves. From lingerie-inspired dresses to sportswear drowned in sequins, the garment is designed to surprise, through the use of unexpected fabrics, colors, and visual effects. Getting dressed is an experience, a form of self expression and self discovery.
The suit is revisited in pastel tones, expressed for example in elaborately detailed ruffled jumpsuits for a total 70’s look. Pastels are also the order of the day in the unisex pieces which form a key foundation of the brand’s heritage. No gender stereotypes here: what men wear, women must be able to wear too. Even the brand’s signature camouflage gets a pastel makeover, returning to the ranks in a washed-out version that recalls the recycling theme of previous seasons.
Faith Connexion launches itself into the stars this summer, rhinestone constellations tracing their way across sweaters and evening dresses, a nod to a hidden universe. The iconic off-shoulder jacket is reinvented in the traditionally masculine Prince of Wales fabric, while a cutout swimsuit literally traces the shape of the body. A trompe-l’oeil kimono in necktie fabric and bustier-inspired dresses in mixed materials further develop the brand’s glam chic aesthetic.
The collective takes sportswear in new directions this season, splashing the street across the runway with aplomb. Team numbers adorn the backs of bright oversized dresses printed with Florida and California landscapes. The use of nontraditional materials adds a playful twist, with sequins and faux-leather being adapted to fashion basketball jerseys and hoodies.
The brand’s collaborations continue to evolve. The Faith tribe is growing, with old and new favorites making their way onto the scene. The high note of this season: the first in a new series of collaborations curated by Grammy Award winning producer and art collector Swizz Beatz.
Swizz Beatz / Nina Chanel
Grammy award-winning producer and art collector Swizz Beatz is the catalyst behind this meeting of minds. His « No Commission » project is dedicated to making art more accessible while also tearing down barriers for young artists. It was during the Bronx edition of No Commission that Nina Chanel, a contemporary Afro-American artist, began to make her waves in the art scene. Referring to her colorful and graphic frescoes, which explore notions of gender, identity and politics, Nina explains that her work is « easy to swallow, difficult to digest ».
For the upcoming collection, Nina launches her capsule into the Faith Connexion universe, joining the brand’s collective of creatives, composed of designers, taggers and renowned visual artists. By inviting Nina to collaborate, Faith Connexion puts a new twist on the No Commission concept: her art becomes even more accessible when transposed to the medium of the brand’s signature sportswear silhouettes.
MARVEL
Faith Connexion’s collaborations take a heroic twist with this season’s Marvel-themed sportswear. Inspired by American basketball’s March Madness event, which took place at the same time the collection was being developed, the collective reimagines superheroes as star players. In a nostalgic wink to the early 90s, Captain America and Spiderman find their names emblazoned across jerseys, basketball shorts and tees.
NTMB
The Italian collective NTMB is back with its reworked and customized vintage denim. Jackets, shirts, hoodies and miniskirts are dissected and transformed through zips, paint and decorative cutouts. The United States is in the spotlight, with star motifs and tags of the Statue of Liberty. A rallying cry is emblazoned on the back of the jackets, calling on the tribe to « Have Faith ».
NVDS
For his latest collaboration, NVDS brings his unique glam chic influence to the Faith Connexion team. Each garment is designed to surprise: under a skirt, shorts decorated with lace, while the dresses, with their adjustable sleeves, pass with ease from day to night, open to the interpretation of the wearer.