Ever heard of SSENSE? Might as well ask, "Ever heard of Apple? Or Amazon? Or Google? Ever heard of this omnipresent, cutting-edge force of nature that's reshaped entire industries to its will?" You know, that old question.
My point is, you know SSENSE and you know that its universal fame didn't just come outta nowhere. But did you know that SSENSE is nearly old enough to buy alcohol (in America)? Yes, this titan of fashion (and etc.) retail has had 20 years to refine its inimitable sense of curation, presentation, ideation.
To ring in another landmark decade, SSENSE is offering us gifts. How kind!
SSENSE XX is the cleverly concise title of the 20 exclusive collaborations that SSENSE has curated from the world's most influential designers and longtime SSENSE partners. Running on SSENSE's 20th anniversary website from October 11 to November 7, SSENSE XX is everything that fashion retail aspires to — and we've got your first look at the drop schedule.
Encompassing clothing capsules, one-off accessories, home goods, and tchotchkes of the highest caliber, SSENSE XX is... a lot. Like a lot a lot.
SSENSE XX's diverse selection is representative of the far-reaching offering available 24/7 on SSENSE's own website. Remember that SSENSE bills itself as "the global technology platform for fashion and EVERYTHING ELSE™" — fashion may come first but it's far from the only thing that SSENSE has on tap.
This is also hardly the first time that SSENSE has partnered with the labels it sells online. There've been so many SSENSE-exclusive installations, clothes, and shoes that it'd take a whole separate article to recount 'em. Just searching "Exclusive" on SSENSE's website right this moment turns up nearly a dozen pages of goods reserved for SSENSE alone.
So, put on your Thom Browne whale hat (that's basically a party hat, right?) and start stretching your shoppin' fingies — it's nearly party time.
October 11: ERL SSENSE 'Be Nice' Hoodie - SSENSE's exclusive iteration of ERL's signature cropped hoodie is extra graphic, laden with a load of high-vis prints.
October 12: Rick Owens SSENSE TVHKB Edition Flag Scarf - Rick Owens is one of SSENSE's oldest designer pals and so it offers the retailer a massive selection of goodies by way of an entire exclusive capsule collection. Designed with longtime Owens friend and Cinema of Transgression pioneer Kembra Pfahler, RICK OWENS\KEMBRA PFAHLER even includes a giant flag that was displayed during performances of The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black, Pfahler's stalwart art-punk band.
October 16: Martine Rose SSENSE Graffiti Trousers - A classic example of Martine Rose's design ethos, the designer transformed a wardrobe staple, subverting the stoicism of carpenter pants with graffiti hand-painted in Rose's London studio.
October 17: The Elder Statesman SSENSE Patchwork Cashmere Jacket - A veritable work of art, The Elder Statesman pieced together deadstock fabrics from its previous offerings to create a bespoke .
October 18: KNWLS SSENSE Exclusive Brown Ceramic Vase - Uncategorizable British brand KNWLS offers SSENSE a one-off vase, a departure from its typical womenswear.
October 19: Salomon SSENSE XT-6 GTX Sneakers - A street classic served in a special primary color makeup. No frills, just a terribly wearable sneaker.
October 20: The North Face SSENSE Hassan Rahim 2-Meter Dome Tent - Artist Hassan Rahim remixed a TNF dome tent for SSENSE XX, demonstrative of a SSENSE's disparate interests.
October 23: Marine Serre SSENSE Regenerated Chess Set - Much like KNWLS, Marine Serre's output can't be put into a box. Well, I suppose you could do just that with this chess set, a covetable one-off that repurposes junked silverware and cutlery into chess pieces.
October 24: New Balance SSENSE 1906R Sneakers - You know SSENSE is only gonna put its stamp on one of the best New Balance silhouettes out there and, going into 2024, the 1906R is a particularly key NB shoe.
October 25: Curves by Sean Brown SSENSE White Floor Candelabra - Created by hand with a Toronto metalworker, Sean Brown's four-foot tall sculpture inverts the placement of a statement light.
October 26: Y/Project SSENSE Cutout Jeans - Y/Project's denim experiments are the stuff of legend and the rust-tinged pair it devised for SSENSE are indicative of creative director Glenn Martens' cheekiness — literally, as this pair has chaps-like cutouts.
October 27: Jil Sander SSENSE Sleeping Bag - Even as one of the foremost proprietors of the movement some call stealth wealth, Jil Sander also has ample outdoorsy inclinations, evidenced by its Arc'teryx team-up and this SSENSE XX sleeping bag.
October 30: SR. STUDIO. CA. LA. SSENSE Silver Gourd & Bone Necklace - Sterling Ruby's clothing line is as personal as his art. For SSENSE XX, the LA-based artist devised his first-ever piece of jewelry, a Canadian-made necklace reflective of the sculptures Ruby will soon be exhibiting in Tokyo.
October 31: Thom Browne SSENSE Book - For SSENSE XX, Thom Browne elected to look inward: the special monograph Browne created celebrates Browne's own two decades in the biz and even includes a personal message to SSENSE from Thom himself.
November 1: Amiri SSENSE M.A. Studio Chair - Mike Amiri's world-conquering luxury label finally takes the plunge into homeware with this LA-made chair, a completed iteration of a prototype that's been in development for years.
November 2: Niko June SSENSE Cake Candleholders - How about a literal birthday celebration? NIKO JUNE did just that, as the design studio fired five stoneware birthday cakes that riff on an the delicious, indulgent Danish birthday cakes. Cleverly, they're intended to hold candles — and not the kind you blow out before chowing down!
November 3: Acne Studios SSENSE Painter Jeans - As a brand founded on a desire for great jeans, how better could Acne honor SSENSE than with special denim trousers? This pair wears paint splatters and a tricky trompe l'oeil print that's quite convincing.
November 6: LỰU ĐẠN SSENSE Kikusumi ‘The Slasher’ Santoku - Itself only two years young, LỰU ĐẠN has a remarkably developed sense of self. The handmade Japanese cooking knife it provided for SSENSE XX reflects the brand's approach to realizing and reframing the Asian diaspora through designer Hung La's distinct lens.
November 7: Wales Bonner SSENSE Gemstone & Charms Necklace - SSENSE XX introduces the world to a lot of firsts, including Wales Bonner's debut jewelry. These necklaces, all made in Ghana, are each unique, comprising a mix of "natural freshwater pearls, sandalwood beads, semiprecious stones, and recycled glass beads," according to a press release.
November 8: 032c SSENSE ’Religious Services' Long-Sleeve T-Shirt - First released exclusively by SSENSE in 2016, 032c's Religious Services sweatshirt has been reborn as a long-sleeved T-shirt.
