The array of new silhouettes are both diligently designed and sustainable and made right in Downtown LA with an intricacy and chic eye that compliments the brand's core irreverence and cheekiness. I chatted with the designers Lauren Schiller and Angela Ruis to hear their take on the new collection, and the coming of age process that both inspired and motivated it.
This whole collection is kind of like a coming of age collection for us. It's like our bat mitzvah. OGBFF's identity is still very much ironic post-internet humor and our strength is relatable t-shirts, but we didn't want to deny ourselves from creating other silhouettes and getting a little more technical. One piece we're particularly excited about with this collection is the ribbed garter tank, which doesn't have text on it - it's the first of its kind for OGBFF.
We really didn't know what we were getting into when we decided to make a whole cut & sew collection, but that has never stopped us from doing anything before, we have a very strong "learn along the way" philosophy. During summer, we developed these new styles that excited us, and we know a woman downtown that told us she could make it happen, at her warehouse downtown, so we just went for it...and it worked! Ale was a very obvious choice to photograph the collection. Her work is clever and gorgeous, which are like the two main adjectives that describe us ;) And she's really cool - if you can count on us to do one thing, it's gonna be working with cool girls, and we're so lucky to be able to do that all the time.
This collection is VERY small batch because we couldn't afford to make higher quantities, so this collection is going to be for the real heads, but we'd like these pieces to be around for a while, so if you don't get it the first time around, try and try again.
Delivered in three acts, “The Engine Room” introduces the audience to Jeffrey's mythical world of Ajuka and the inhabitants that keep the city afloat - the Workers, Posers and Snakes. First we meet the Workers. Bedecked in warm layers, protective gear and reworked staples, their outfits reflect the arduous conditions they endure. Unexpected embellishments recall the trinkets made by magpie-eyed mudlarkers, highlighting the Workers’ ingenuity in the face of adversity. Part two introduces us to the Posers, former workers who now set the sartorial agenda in Ajuka, populating the city’s many luxury boutiques. Sleek tailoring, oversized ruffles and ornate prints characterise their clothing, alongside fearsome, claw-footed footwear. Finally, we meet the Snakes, Ajuka’s arch gossip merchants who disseminate the city’s news. Their uniform is heavily influenced by the tools of their trade and their medium of choice – the newspaper.
No matter who wears Givenchy, Williams wants them to feel authentic. While he makes pieces for all types of people who do all types of things, Williams wants wearers to feel comfortable, confident and like their true selves in a Givenchy piece.
"There's a deep connection between Givenchy and the actors, musicians and athletes who wear its clothes, and I immediately felt that kind of connection with Alkaline," Williams says. "When something's right, you can just feel it. He inspires me both as an artist and as a human being, so for this campaign I wanted to keep the focus on who he is and the very natural, authentic way he wears clothing, which is exactly my intention as a designer."
