Curated by Highsnobiety and presented during the time period formerly known as Paris Men’s Fashion Week, “Not In Paris 2” is our second in a series of bi-annual digital exhibitions celebrating creativity in the age of remote interactions. Head here for the full series and cop our new merch via our online store.
Bstroy, the brainchild of Brick Owens and Duey Catorze (aka Dieter Grams), is no stranger to eye-catching visuals. For FW21 and as part of Highsnobiety’s second edition of “Not In Paris,” the creative duo has unveiled its collection via a basic training Army-inspired video.
The military has served as inspiration for past Bstroy collections, most controversially its FW20 collection that referenced infamous school shootings on bullet hole-riddled sweatshirts during its runway show in New York a year ago. That collection — named SAMSARA after the cycle of aimless wandering, death, rebirth, and reincarnation that precedes nirvana in Indian religions — also included “Combat School” and “Weapons of War” T-shirts.
This season, Bstroy adds a two-piece athletic suit to its existing (b).s. Air Force line. “The two-piece sets are made of nylon with concealed hoods for rain and reflective 3M piping for visibility,” explains Grams. “They are branded with our ‘(b).s. Air Force’ patches, which are representative of our rebellious perspective on government, something we’ve adopted from punk and street culture, as well as our own realities.”
The video combines elements such as training exercises, obstacle courses, and drill sergeant-style scenes with Bstroy’s signature aesthetic. It reflects the complicated relationship between street culture and the military, whose simplicity and utility have been a source of inspiration for the brand since its inception. The video also features music from producer F1lthy, who just worked on several tracks on Playboi Carti’s new album.
“Youth street culture is historically loyal to military staple garments like the MA-1 bomber jacket, the combat boot, and the duffle bag,” Grams explains. “Military surplus stores, local in many American communities for many decades, made technical, durable clothing available for very affordable prices. The streets have always been draped in military gear but the attitude toward the actual military is not the same because of the United States’ history of oppressing its own people.”
“In the streets, it has not been noble to join the military because their causes and agendas are not aligned with the streets. So there is an interesting irony, where we love their stuff but wouldn’t dare join them in using it,” Grams continues. “This is where our “(b).s. Air Force” concept comes from. It is complimenting and acknowledging the technology, but denouncing the leadership.”
Take a look at Bstroy’s collection above.
