A closer look at fall’s first (and most extravagant) designer collaboration. Unvealing The New Collab TOGA ARCHIVES x H&M.
The wait is over. Only weeks left until TOGA ARCHIVES x H&M is out. And what should you expect? Think of your typical everyday outfit. Then add an unexpected mix of materials, bedazzling beads somewhere they “shouldn’t” be, and cutout holes where you want to show your skin. It might sound extreme, but it’s certainly thrilling. When you discover how each garment has the power to adapt to specific situations, you will notice how conscious the design is.
How were the pieces selected for the H&M collaboration?
“I focused on pieces that are based on widely adapted everyday clothes, like the suit. Classic pieces that I tried to create a new perspective for. New angles to look at those everyday items.”
The capsule with Yasuko Furuta’s Tokyo-based independent label will launch in selected stores globally and at hm.com and the campaign was styled by Jane How and photographed by Johnny Dufort “against the raw, brutalist architectural backdrop of London’s Barbican Estate”.
The collection itself features a number of Toga favourites such as “hybridised trench coats, deconstructed shirts, plissé skirts, exacting tailoring and exuberant accessories”.
For men, we find classic staples like a V-neck jumper (but transparent), a sweatshirt (with a cutout hole), a bomber jacket featuring a vintage scarf print (plus a technical olive fabric that folds up into a carry-anywhere bag) and brogue boots (with holes). Remarkable details that can’t go unnoticed.
“I had been interested in the process of puncturing basic items of clothing, but with a very different approach than punk. The idea behind the TOGA pieces is that the wearer can control the level of bodily exposure. They can choose to have bare skin underneath a hole in their skirt or wear pants underneath.”
Menswear is included with items such as a blue striped shirt and transparent V-neck jumper, “reworked in clever cuts and iridescent colourways respectively, easily paired with a chain-link necklace or a reversible bomber jacket with a vintage scarf lining”.
˝Deciding how much of their body to show, not because of expectations, but instead what they feel comfortable with.˝
Yasuko Furuta, founder and designer of TOGA
Which piece from the collection is your favorite?
“The black and white checked skirt with the hole! It is a motif I’ve been working on for years, and if it can be adopted more globally by a wider audience, that would be incredible. I’m interested in the notion of giving women the choice of how much of their skin they expose. The hole in the skirt is a part of this idea, to give women agency over this. Deciding how much of their body to show, not because of expectations, but what they feel comfortable with.”
It is essential for TOGA to create clothes that will be enduring and long-lasting — this applies to everything from designs to choice of material. The unique looks are made with Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), recycled polyester and Naia™ Renew acetate (a fabric made from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% certified recycled plastics). Plus, the brooches and earrings are made from recycled zinc.
What are your thoughts on more sustainable fashion?
“I think that the most important thing I can do at TOGA is to create clothes that will be enduring and long-lasting, that people will love for more than just one season. Outside the TOGA shop, we also sell vintage clothing. I imagine that TOGA garments will be the vintage fashion of the future. That people will feel it’s something unique and ask, ‘Why did they make it like this?'”
The TOGA ARCHIVES x H&M collection will be available worldwide in select stores and at hm.com on September 2. Share your look with #TOGA_ARCHIVESxHM on Instagram and Twitter for a chance to be featured.
Images via @hm_man
