It's a bit of a stretch to call Midnight Studios' Spring/Summer 2022 collection "the return" of founder Shane Gonzales — it's not like Gonzales, a permanent fixture at every need-to-know event in Los Angeles, actually went anywhere.
But, then again, SS22 is the proper revival of Gonzales' Midnight Studios so it is kind of a comeback moment, as revealed exclusively to Highsnobiety.
“As I show the debut collection of Midnight Studios by Shane Gonzales, it made sense to have the show in Los Angeles, the birthplace of the brand," Gonzales explained.
"I’ve felt so much support throughout my career from my friends, family, and fans in LA, and this is an exciting way for me to usher in my next chapter with them."
Aligned with tastemakers like A$AP Rocky's AWGE collective and Mitch Modes, Gonzales kept Midnight Studios going for the past few years as a creative agency of sorts, allowing him to explore collaborations and infrequent collections at his leisure.
Most recently, though, Gonzales has been all in on Midnight Rave, his pop-up party series, complete with merch drops.
Midnight Rave allowed Gonzales to again bring together his two great loves: music and clothing, perhaps sparking his creative spirit to revive Midnight Studios proper.
Gonzales only offered a few stylized teaser images of the new line, "Midnight Studios by Shane Gonzales Season 0 + Season 1," ahead of the LA runway show on February 9, showcasing glimpses at the goods to come.
In classic Midnight Studios style, Gonzales has concocted punkish printed shirts, tweaked tailoring, and mutated layering pieces — witness the hoodie with built-in headphone pockets.
Par for the course? No such thing. The only thing you ought come Midnight Studios' February's presentation to expect is the unexpected.
