Show us how you roll in Engineered Garments

[bry2000]

I like the fact that most of EG's stuff is made in NYC.

There were quite a few pieces in the Post-Imperial collab. Considered getting them at the time, but ultimately decided to pass. Not sure how successful the collab was in terms of sales. Quite a few of the pieces lingered after the season.

EG has done many collabs in footwear. Just did a collab with Kway for clothing. Has done extensive collabs with Golden Bear. Probably others I can't recall.

 

[innerpiece]

I like the fact that most of EG's stuff is made in NYC.

There were quite a few pieces in the Post-Imperial collab. Considered getting them at the time, but ultimately decided to pass. Not sure how successful the collab was in terms of sales. Quite a few of the pieces lingered after the season.

EG has done many collabs in footwear. Just did a collab with Kway for clothing. Has done extensive collabs with Golden Bear. Probably others I can't recall. I

Right, I mean I think its one thing to do a single item collab here or there which really is EG providing some design and then outsourcing production, especially with pieces they don't actually make, footwear being the prime example.

I can think of Woolrich as one where they have pulled fabrics and then incorporated design, but that doesn't carry the same cultural connotations.

I think the point is about how "African Inspired" falls short of "African Connected" which would have more heart and soul, especially if you could source materials with some authenticity in the print designs or fabrics.

Not that I disagree with the NYC base, its a missed opportunity imo.

 

[bry2000]

It might be a missed opportunity for some hardcore enthusiasts. Candidly, I am such an EG/Nepenthes/Daiki stan that I cut them all some slack here.

If this were a brand that I was less enthusiastic about, then yeah, I might bring out the pitchforks. (eg, if Drake's were to do this with their RTW clothing).

 

[innerpiece]

It might be a missed opportunity for some hardcore enthusiasts. Candidly, I am such an EG/Nepenthes/Daiki stan that I cut them all some slack here.

If this were a brand that I was less enthusiastic about, then yeah, I might bring out the pitchforks. (eg, if Drake's were to do this with their RTW clothing).

Well, now you just sound like a guy who actually wears his clothes rather that just talks about them.

 

[Peter1]

I'd also refer back to the Salmon People fabric from about a decade ago, which was clearly inspired by Northwestern Indian culture. I wonder how it would play today.

 

[ChetB]

I do like the vintage Willis & Geiger/A&F etc as reference points. Probably should have left it at that though and toned down some of the other stuff.

 

[ChetB]

I'd also refer back to the Salmon People fabric from about a decade ago, which was clearly inspired by Northwestern Indian culture. I wonder how it would play today.

I have a Salmon People coat from, I think, 2013. It's a pattern that Faribault Mills has been using for blankets for a long time right? Not sure if it was actually designed by a Native American artist originally or if it was just ripped off, but you raise a good question.

 

[bry2000]

I'd also refer back to the Salmon People fabric from about a decade ago, which was clearly inspired by Northwestern Indian culture. I wonder how it would play today.

I regret not keeping the Salmon People duffle.

 

[illiterate]

At least this thread is alive again

 

[illiterate]

I loved the Salmon People prints. I have one of the buckets. The peacoat pops up frequently along with the duffle coat but they're from slim fit era EG and it's hard to find the bigger sizes.

 

[whereeaglesdare]

It's interesting reading all the comments about SS 22. Especially that some people think that the theme of this season is somehow exploitive. The collection is Africa and safari-themed. Hence the pith helmets ( which only appear in the lookbook) the beige and khakis and colorful all-over prints.
Not sure if anyone read the bottom of the lookbook but for this season they teamed up with Kumanokido. They created a series of bears, giraffes, and elephants in EG fabrics. All proceeds from sales go towards building clean water wells in Mali.
To speak to the limited fabric choices in the past few seasons. We are still in the middle of a global pandemic and it's very hard to source fabrics from other countries, let alone travel. I'm sure Daiki would have loved to have done this but it simply wasn't possible. The whole of SS 21 was made whilst NYC was in lockdown and suffering the brunt of the covid pandemic. Hence most of the collection was from factories that were still able to produce materials and ripstop and high count twill featured heavily.
The fact that they were able to make a collection at all, under those circumstances, is simply amazing to me. Indeed SS 21 was meant to be influenced by ethnic and native patterns from all over the world.
For this season I count over a dozen custom made fabrics, so hopefully that will keep people interested. I know, I for one as much as I love ripstop, I don't need anymore in my wardrobe

 

[zenosparadox]

It's interesting reading all the comments about SS 22. Especially that some people think that the theme of this season is somehow exploitive. The collection is Africa and safari-themed. Hence the pith helmets ( which only appear in the lookbook) the beige and khakis and colorful all-over prints.
Not sure if anyone read the bottom of the lookbook but for this season they teamed up with Kumanokido. They created a series of bears, giraffes, and elephants in EG fabrics. All proceeds from sales go towards building clean water wells in Mali.
To speak to the limited fabric choices in the past few seasons. We are still in the middle of a global pandemic and it's very hard to source fabrics from other countries, let alone travel. I'm sure Daiki would have loved to have done this but it simply wasn't possible. The whole of SS 21 was made whilst NYC was in lockdown and suffering the brunt of the covid pandemic. Hence most of the collection was from factories that were still able to produce materials and ripstop and high count twill featured heavily.
The fact that they were able to make a collection at all, under those circumstances, is simply amazing to me. Indeed SS 21 was meant to be influenced by ethnic and native patterns from all over the world.
For this season I count over a dozen custom made fabrics, so hopefully that will keep people interested. I know, I for one as much as I love ripstop, I don't need anymore in my wardrobe

I hadn't actually read the Vogue article, but do think it's spot on. Especially the following, which mostly states what a lot of commenters have said:

"[...] this collection would have been served by a more specific starting point. For the most part, designers have come to view collections inspired by cultures other than their own as misguided, especially if the clothes weren’t made in collaboration with the artisans or designers who belong to that community. Had Suzuki gone the extra mile to partner with weavers or makers in Africa, this collection may have felt more genuine."

For me, at least, I actually don't find this collection to be exploitive. It's safari-themed, certainly, but that doesn't differentiate it from most of EG's recent S/S collections, including much of the just-concluding SS21 season, which I might also describe (in parts, although not in whole) as safari-themed. As someone who has done a lot of work on midcentury pan-African movements, and therefore has to know a bit about the heterogeneity of African cultures--one reason (alongside the interference of actors from the Global North) why such movements often fail-- I simply don't see any Africa in the EG safari. And I'm personally less interested in the tourist on safari look than I am in what Daiki's active collaboration with "weavers or makers in Africa" might look like, or, if the pandemic makes that less possible, then at least a thoughtful representation of what parts of Africa might look like when not on safari. You don't really even need to leave NYC to do the latter.

But yes, I really don't want to be as harsh as I probably sound. Nor do I wish to suggest some bad faith on Daiki's part. I've always admired the brand--I can't think of many brands that I bought pieces from 15 years ago that I'm still interested in buying more from now--so this is more just a loving critique of the ways I think they could do even better. By the same token, I don't want to suggest that I think anyone purchasing items from EG in SS22 is participating in any kind of exploitation. I do think the lookbook is a miss, but I'm sure there will be very nice individual pieces, and people are (of course) free to differ from me on what they think Daiki's accomplished with this collection.

 

[shopcanoeclub]

It's interesting reading all the comments about SS 22. Especially that some people think that the theme of this season is somehow exploitive. The collection is Africa and safari-themed. Hence the pith helmets ( which only appear in the lookbook) the beige and khakis and colorful all-over prints.
Not sure if anyone read the bottom of the lookbook but for this season they teamed up with Kumanokido. They created a series of bears, giraffes, and elephants in EG fabrics. All proceeds from sales go towards building clean water wells in Mali.
To speak to the limited fabric choices in the past few seasons. We are still in the middle of a global pandemic and it's very hard to source fabrics from other countries, let alone travel. I'm sure Daiki would have loved to have done this but it simply wasn't possible. The whole of SS 21 was made whilst NYC was in lockdown and suffering the brunt of the covid pandemic. Hence most of the collection was from factories that were still able to produce materials and ripstop and high count twill featured heavily.
The fact that they were able to make a collection at all, under those circumstances, is simply amazing to me. Indeed SS 21 was meant to be influenced by ethnic and native patterns from all over the world.
For this season I count over a dozen custom made fabrics, so hopefully that will keep people interested. I know, I for one as much as I love ripstop, I don't need anymore in my wardrobe

I, too, have far too much ripstop.

 

[BlakeRVA]

I can understand why, but asking Daiki, a Japanese American immigrant, to offer an authentic representation of Africa in his collections strikes me as a paradox. The ethos behind the brand is based on Daiki's romanticized view of Americana from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, which he was exposed to growing up and fell in love with as a young adulthood.

It seems insane in today's globalized world that his primary inspiration for an African Safari collection would be.... 1980s Banana Republic?? But if you remember the whole point is idolized Americana, it makes sense.

There are a few designers specifically focused on expressing an authentic African perspective (Post Imperial the most apparent). Why not support those brands directly rather than request your favorite designer tries to represent their voice?

 

[Beedub]

I, too, have far too much ripstop.

I don’t think this is possible.