Last weekend we gave you a detailed preview of the Hanon VCMP Project. Today we give you some more background information on how it all came together.

Since we do not come across many collaborative projects these days that go much beyond wanting to create a product, but rather have a strong message behind the project and communicate something in a meaningful way, we took some time out to sit down with Chris Johns to talk about how the VCMP Project came about.

Highsnobiety: Hi guys, can you give you tell us how the project started? Who had the idea, what was your inspiration?

Chris Johns: The idea for VCMP came from Reebok designers Christopher Torres (now working elsewhere) and Chris Johns. The project started in November 2006 as a simple discussion about a Vanity Fair article Chris Johns had read. The article, written by Henry Porter, was both shocking and enlightening. It described how disturbing things were in the UK vis a vis an erosion of privacy rights and civil liberties. It also detailed the proliferation of CCTV’s and other ways to monitor the public. Torres thought we should create a project bringing light to the subject, and we went from there. Without him seeing it as a viable idea, it would have ended there.

HS: The project involves lots of partners. How did you choose the collaborators?

Read the rest of the interview after the jump.

In the previous post we gave you the complete rundown of the Visual Countermeasures Project (VCMP), involving Hanon, 6876, Call of the Wild, Reebok, Henry Porter and Nino Leitner. We previewed the Reebok Stomper from the project and here we continue with a closer look at the collaboration, which also involves a custom 6876 jacket.

The Capandula’s distinctive curved double entry pockets utilise Ri Ri Aqua zips which are also used in a two-way opening method for the centre front. This lightweight but robust jacket is the base for the VCMP design featuring woven Tessitura Molteni Palmira Italian water resistant fabric and a scotchlite hood trim detail designed to mask the users face from photographic flashes at night. Not only a solid jacket, featuring all kinds of high quality tech details, it also perfectly translates the ideas of the entire project into a piece of clothing.

The 6876 Jacket from the VCMP Project will be released February 25th along with the Reebok Stomper and the rest of the products from the project at Hanon.

Detailed images follow after the jump.

A “Big Brother” culture, fuelled by technology and fear, is an expanding element of today’s world. This is especially true in Britain: the proliferation of CCTV cameras to monitor citizens movements, new state imposed limits on freedom of speech, and a serious erosion of individual privacy rights are all now commonplace.

The Visual Countermeasures Proejct (VCMP) is a multi-disciplinary 2.0 collaboration which aims to shed light on these crucial issues and encourage debate. VCMP speaks to individual freedom for all, for privacy, and for free speech.

Over the years we have reported about hundreds of collaborative projects, mostly because we are interested in the fusion of at least two different designers/brands and it that outcome. VCMP certainly takes the idea of a collaboration further and does not only impress with a strong line-up of product, but most importantly with a strong message behind the entire project – a message that raises some critical questions in our society.

Participants in the project include Hanon Shop, founded in 1990 in the UK by Brian Toft, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010. Brian put together an impressive group of brands and people in order to make the project happen. They worked with 6876, Call of the Wild, Reebok, as well as novelist Henry Porter and film director Nino Leitner. Leitner is about to release a movie at the Austrian film festival, dealing with the exact issues of CCTV cameras and their consequences in society, making this an incredibly round project overall. Check out the trailer of the “Every Step You Take” movie here below.

First we present you the Reebok Stomper of the collaborative project, with the other product to follow afterwards. The Reebok Stomper was originally produced for director James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi blockbuster Aliens and worn by the main character Ripley throughout the movie.

Not widely available and the purpose of the Stomper has always been a mystery it was the perfect silhouette for the VCMP project. It features a full reflective Scotchlite upper, full velcro fasten design and general dark look. The sneaker will be released February 25th along with the rest of the project and is limited to only 60 pairs worldwide.

Detailed images of the VCMP x Reebok Stomper follow after the jump.

Hanon is proud to present the Simpson cycle jacket, a collaboration between 6876 and ourselves combining design, high end fabric technology and technical features to a functional sports style. Primarily designed for cyclists of all types, be it fixed gear inner city or hard going downhill riders this jacket also acts as a stylish and practical off bike garment. Packs away into a tiny bag included and weighs just 69 grams, perfect for a backpack.

Crafted with micro polyamide level technology which contains over 50% micro fibers and a diamond ripstop design. This guarantees more comfortable wearing and guards against tears in the fabric. Machine washable, breathable dermatologically tested, is produced in line with the environment and guarantees a  UV filter protection.
Features Silk screened 6876 logo on the single zip fasten pocket and 6876 x Hanon colab logo on sleeve & packbag. Full zip down design with internal stormflap. A DuPont teflon coating design protects the wearer from rain and stains. Slightly extended sleeves keep arms covered and protected when in a cycling position.
The release date is still open, but we will keep you posted. After the jump some more detailed images.

Available soon form 6876, a series of tee’s dedicated to the punk band “The Reprobates”

Formed in Goole, Yorkshire, January 1983, The Reprobates missed the punk boom by six or seven years. While other local bands in the depressed port town were anticipating what would become goth, The Reprobates decided to stick staunchly to the 76/77 punk aesthetic.

Formed of Stalky – Vocals, Zander Bastard – Lead Guitar, Kev Mutton – Bass and Percy Pantry – Drums The Reprobates made an unorthodox entrance into the music scene and a sharp exit in the mid 80’s becoming one of the Great Lost Bands.
6876 will be releasing a series of t-shirts at Hanon very soon.

Today we came across an interesting new jacket from 6876. The Sonora jacket comes in techincal yellow polyester, which is water repellant, windproof and breathable. Those are features that we also know from most Gore-Tex jackets that we present you on a regular. On top of these features the Sonora jacket fabric also utilises UV40+ which provides key protection against solar ultraviolet radiation.
The jacket will be released in a limited edition of 60 pieces. Hanon will carry it as well.