Remember Vetements' DHL shirt? The $300 take on the typical delivery uniform inspired much mockery, memes, and, eventually, logomania.
Something about seeing an everyday piece of clothing elevated to high fashion was stirring enough to inspire global outrage — Vetements' latest drop taps a bit of that impudent spirit.
Demna Gvasalia, the man responsible Vetements' Duchampian DHL design, has almost single-handedly engendered MerchTainment through his Balenciaga output, which makes sense.
His brother, Guram, has overseen Vetements' recent pushes into food and diffusion lines but, despite some shockingly huge collections, the magic has faded a bit.
When you look back at Vetements' legacy, it's hard not to admit that Gvasalia's foresight played a major role in its success: he just knew what buttons to push and where luxury fashion was going.
From its far-reaching luxury tie-ups to statements on society and, yes, recontextualized cultural touchstones, Vetements did it all before it was done by everyone. By now, though, one wonders if the industry has caught up.
Vetements' new capsule collection is a bit of an homage to its relatively humble origins as an edgy provocateur, available exclusively at SV Moscow's web store and flagship.
Here, Vetements remakes the typical security uniform worn in Russia — big black hoodies and T-shirts — complete with giant yellow "OXPAHA" ("Security") print on the rear. Conventionally unconventional and more than just a little cheeky.
It's kind of a return to form for Vetements, hearkening back to both an older graphic design and its Eastern European roots.
Nothing wild, to be sure, but if this foretells more irreverence from fashion's foremost contemporary prankster, color me I'm intrigued.
