It's an Ed Hardy party! Unknown is all aboard the Y2K train, bringing about an Ed Hardy revival with a new collaborative collection.
My new way of tracking eras of style is through Skepta's discography and wardrobe choices. The current decade is, of course, all about Bottega, while the tail-end of the 2010s was heavy on ALYX.
The midpoint of the 2010s, when Grime really exploded onto the international scene, was tracksuit dominant in the UK (not just the inner-cities where they've always thrived, but across the islands) with SK declaring "That's Not Me" to Gucci and LV.
For the 2000s, "Ed Hardy Party" was the theme song, as Christian Audigier's Ed Hardy and Von Dutch was the epitome of style.
Thanks to nostalgia, TikTok, and fashions capitalization of trends, the Y2K era is undergoing a serious comeback and luxuryfication. Von Dutch caps are rife, and Unknown is flying the flag for Ed Hardy with a brand new collection full of classic motifs.
Unknown's rise to cult status in the British streetwear scene has been steep – its on-trend capsules of rhinestone tracksuits and tattoo-inspired graphic prints have made it an easy pick for Gen-Z's adoration of the 2000s and a natural choice to Ed Hardy's contemporary makeover.
The collection comes on the eve of Hardy's 20th anniversary, marrying the best of both brands for a range of denim jeans, jackets, t-shirts, sweatsuits, and accessories decked out in print and embroidery.
Though the first drop of the collection flew off virtual shelves in 20 seconds (don't act surprised), a second drop with further products, such as a 2-in-1 puffer and gilet, is set to touch down before the year ends.
Unknown x Ed Hardy second drop launches online on December 26.
