Updated Story (August 13, 2021): Today's the day. Following a series of teases set into motion at Paris Fashion Week, Rhude has finally unveiled the full Rhude x McLaren Racing collection.
Scratching the surface of what we've already seen of the collection reveals a deeper connection to the racing brand's rich history, shedding light on a nostalgia trip through the 80s and 90s. References are littered throughout, with classic mechanic fonts and a rich palette of royal blue and papaya giving a fresh contemporary treatment. With a price point ranging from $54 to $3,500, the collection isn't accessible by all. To combat this, Rhude will also be launching an accompanying merchandise line titled “Rhude for the Fans” at a lower price range of $150 and $350.
The Rhude x McLaren Racing collection is pulling up online on August 15th, with a second drop to follow on September 1st.
Original Story: Let's face it, Rhude x McLaren is confirmation that luxury collaborations beyond the walls of the fashion industry are here to stay. From Louis Vuitton and League of Legends, to Virgil Abloh x evian, the lines continue to be blurred and somehow, it makes perfect sense.
Sitting at the forefront of American luxuries reinterpretation, Rhude's frontman Rhuigi has found himself at the center of fashion's convergence with a wider spectrum of culture, and the latest designer to recontextualize the automobile industry. Whether it's the LA Lakers, PUMA, Davidoff, or Canada Goose, Rhude's aesthetic touch can be applied to just about anything – A sentiment only further evidenced by the arrival of the McLaren collab.
First showcased as part of the brand's Fall/Winter 2021 collection at Paris Fashion Week, the teased products included takes on logo-patched pitstop boiler suits, racing leathers, and spell-out knitwear. The magic at play? Each of the pieces featured is unmistakably Rhude (see the Malboro-inspired pocket work, for example) but could just as easily have been pulled from the 1990 Formula 1 Championship. Recently worn by Future, who also starred in the brand's first campaign for SS21, it's safe to assume the co-branded leather and suede racing jacket will be the first item to fly off the virtual shelves.
The marriage of fashion and auto has become a rising trend. Seemingly, all realms of product design have woken up to the global significance of fashion designers because in the last year alone we've seen Aimé Leon Dore work with Porsche on a custom 911SC and co-branded capsule collection, while Mercedes-Benz also tapped Virgil Abloh to transform the iconic G-Wagon from a car to a $160,000 art piece. Unlike the 1996 BAPE wrapped Mercedes-Benz or Drake's garish Chrome Hearts Rolls Royce, these meldings of style and speed are full-bodied artistic experiences that are (largely) more accessible to younger consumers.
Following the initial tease, Rhuigi and Rhude have taken to Instagram to announce that Rhude x Mclaren from the “Storms Never Last” Fall/Winter 2021 will arrive on August 15th. For your chance for a closer look at what the collaboration has to offer, keep your eyes fixed on the Rhude website.
