Brand: Stüssy
Season: Fall 2021
Buy: Stüssy's website, chapter stores, and stockists.
Editor's Notes: Streetwear brands ebb and flow like the tide, swelling to impressive heights and shrinking to disappointing lows as the years wear on. "Nothing gold can stay," as Robert Frost once said. So, it's especially impressive when one label hits on a lasting winning streak, as Stüssy so clearly has.
Year after year, Stüssy has only put out top-tier stuff. Just this past month, it dished out kickass eyewear, luxe sleepwear, and home goods, and each of those drops was well on-point. A deft touch is necessary to ensure that this kind of drop frequency doesn't dilute a company's appeal: the brains behind Stüssy know all too well what they're doing.
Fall 2021 epitomizes the magic that made contemporary Stüssy as stylish as it used to be, if not more stylish (heresy, I know). It's cliche to say, but this really is a strong selection.
This menswear collection is all clean lines, easy shapes, and ebullient patterns, undermining the would-be stodginess of sweater vests, pleated slacks, and suits with funky fabrics (pile fleece! thick corduroy) and graphic zest.
As usual, workwear (chore coats, double-knee jeans) meshes with surf-y shapes (woven hats, pull-on shorts) and classic streetwear flair to create a mélange as vividly appealing as it as approachable — nothing too advanced here, just hyper wearable apparel strengthened by solid design chops.
If you can peel your eyes away from the fuzzy cardigans, zippered overshirts, and floral trousers, check out the kicks: Stüssy likes to tease its Nike collabs before they drop, so those clunky hiking boots and ACG Rufus II mules may be a joint effort with the Swoosh. Or, they're just here because Stüssy knows what looks cool with its cool-looking clobber.
