Easy Money

January 08, 2019

It's the second day of London Fashion Week Men's and office is sitting backstage with designers Siying Qu and Haoran Li. In just a few moments, they'll be sending their latest collection for their brand Private Policy down the runway.

Though they're New York-based label, Private Policy has shown their last two collections in London, as part of GQ's showcase, GQ Presents. Behind the scenes, the designers were calm, even amid the backstage tornado of stylists, hair stylists, models and clothes.

As part of their creative process, the duo always focuses on a social issue as part of the driving creative force behind their collections—past seasons have seen them channeling globalism, classism, diversity and war. This season, however, the brand focused on money, about the complexities of currency in our modern world.

Photos and interview by Charles Caesar

Read the interview and view some of our favorite pieces from the collection, below.

What made you want to address the theme of money in your latest collection?

All of this actually started when we were here last season with GQ Presents. After the show we were like, ‘We have to go see the British Museum,’ and while we were there, we saw this money exhibition. It was really cool because we’ve never thought about money in depth, but the exhibition showed how it all started—how we as humans started with trade, then we went on to using seashells as currency, and then coins, followed by paper money, credit cards, Bitcoin, and scanning QR codes for payment. We realized that money is really a part of human history. Then we looked at the moden day—how money is such a part of our lives and can drive us crazy—this obsession with money really got into our heads. Each season, Private Policy talks about social and political issues that we think are worth it for the youth to start a conversation. So, this time we thought, ‘Why not money?’ and really approached it from different angles and built a story around it.

It’s a perfectly universal theme—I often wish we could ignore money completely.

Yes! And it’s so much more intense these days with all of the international trade, pop politics, and economics. It’s all so intense in our political environment, so we thought it was quite important to talk about.

What kind of currency will we see on the runway today?

You’ll see a lot of American dollars shredded, and also we have these Chinese coin details that we made with inspiration from Qing Dynasty coins. The coins are engraved with letters that originally translated to ‘More Money,’ so we thought was a perfect example of humanity’s obsession with money—always like, ‘We want more!’

We also thought it was amazing to have our heritage incorporated into the season, and it’s a continuation of our last collection where we did a full Asian casting, and talked about the diversity of Asians, and how the youth has really evolved to more than a stereotype. All of that is something we really want to continue playing with.

Do you think humans are ever going to evolve beyond money?

Who knows? We feel like it’s really part of human history and also part of human nature, with greed and ambition, depending how you look at things. We were also really inspired by a New York City street artist [named Acool55] who did this artwork that says, ‘In Nature We Trust.' We were in contact with him about his concepts, and he was talking about how we are humans, and a lot of the decisions we make globally, politically and socially are based on money; but they actually affect our environment and other animals on the planet which, ironically, don’t give a shit about money. That made us think, ‘This is something we really need to be conscious about’—let alone the stress that is gives us sometimes.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever spent money on? Or the silliest?

Siying Qu: The best for me is experiences. I think that’s really something that will live on in your memory. The silliest thing? That happens all the time.

Haoran Li: [I spend on] silly things all the time. But I think the best thing for me is donations. Even a one dollar donation at CVS—I do that all the time and feel good about it. It’s small, but every time you do it, it will help.

I appreciated the sentiment in your press release where you said money is not always a bad thing—money can be used to help people, as well.

Definitely. We’re really thinking about it as part of our design process and to open a discussion—we don’t want to label anything as good or bad. It’s a complex topic—we just think it’s worth talking about.

Your previous collections have addressed issues like diversity, classicism, globalization... Is there anything floating on your radar right now that you’d like to address in the future?

There a lot of things going on and we always stay conscious of things in the news and on social media. We’re staying as aware as possible. I think that's how we’re able to make each collection so on point for the current time. Like when we talked about globalization, it was due to all of the global tensions surrounding the separation or conjoining of countries, and when we talked about war, it was around a time when a lot of tension with North Korea was happening. So, with money, there’s a lot of tension with the government shutdown going on in America right now, and all this money talk that’s affecting taxpayers globally. We just have to keep up, and stay aware.

See our favorite looks from backstage at the show, below.

Fashion

Timberland and Veneda Carter Reimagine Classics with Bold Metallics

November 23, 2024

Veneda Carter teams up with Timberland once again, bringing a fresh edge to archival designs in their latest capsule collection. Highlight pieces include towering lace-up boots in electric blue and silver, alongside a sleek reinvention of Timberland’s iconic 6-Inch boot, both crafted with patent leather and recycled materials.

The collection also introduces rugged, versatile outerwear like oversized parkas, utility vests, and a statement boiler suit, all built for layering and durability. Inspired by industrial design and early 2000s fashion, Carter infuses each piece with a contemporary energy that feels both striking and wearable.

The collection is now available and can be found at flagship Timberland stores, online, and select retailers worldwide..

By Enzo Holdt
Photography courtesy of Timberland

Fashion

ECCO.kollektive collaborates with Louis-Gabriel Nouchi

November 21, 2024

ECCO.kollektive has teamed up with Paris-based designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi for a bold and innovative Spring/Summer 2025 collection. Known for his thoughtful exploration of masculinity and storytelling in fashion, Nouchi brings his unique perspective to this collaboration, blending his modern aesthetic with ECCO’s skill in craftsmanship and material innovation.

The collection features a range of footwear, clothing, and accessories, each designed with attention to detail. The collection uses a mix of black, deep red, and pearl white. Sensual touches, like Nouchi’s signature slits, combine with structured tailoring and flowing shapes, showing how the designer blends bold and refined styles.

We spoke with Louis-Gabriel Nouchi about the collection and his inspiration. From the textures of the human body to his love for stretch leather, Nouchi shared how the collaboration allowed to experiment with new ideas.

By Enzo Holdt
Photography by courtesy of ECCO.kollektive x LGN

The collection debuted at Paris Fashion Week and draws inspiration from the textures of the human body. “The idea came from the textures of skin,” Nouchi explains. “I wanted to create something sensual and fluid, using leather in a way that felt both strong and soft. Leather has this amazing quality—it can feel like armor, but also like a second skin.”

Nouchi worked closely with ECCO to develop designs that showcase the versatility of their materials. High-shine biker nappa leather with a waxy finish appears in tailored separates like a single-breasted blazer, trousers, and long-line shorts. For a more experimental edge, he created a column dress and a pencil skirt using strips of leather embroidered onto stretchy tulle—a design he says was inspired by his younger self. “When I was young, I was obsessed with stretch leather because of designers like Jean-Claude Jitrois. It’s something I wanted to explore and bring into this collection, almost like fulfilling a dream for my past self.”

Footwear is another major highlight, featuring Derby shoes, Helsinki loafers, and the standout Truck Lace loafer with a bold platform. The shoe’s futuristic design draws from Nouchi’s fascination with brutalism and technology. “It might be a bit controversial,” he says, laughing, “but I really like the Tesla Cybertruck. The sharp, angular lines and futuristic look combined with that raw, brutalist vibe—it’s something that resonates with me. The platform on the Truck Lace loafer feels like a nod to that kind of design.”

Another unique detail is the inclusion of removable coins on some of the shoes, adding a playful yet personal touch. “You can take the coins off—it becomes almost like a lucky charm,” Nouchi says. “It’s one of those small details that make the pieces feel more connected to the wearer.”

Louis-Gabriel Nouchi’s signature slit motif, which adds subtle hints of reveal and concealment, runs throughout the collection. “The slit is about teasing the eye,” he explains. “It’s never about revealing too much—it’s about creating tension, a little mystery.” This motif appears on everything from loafers to hems, blending seamlessly with the collection's sensual yet structured aesthetic.

When asked about the versatility of his designs, Nouchi emphasizes their adaptability to different occasions. “You can wear these pieces in super casual situations on the street, looking super chic at night—super sexy,” he says. “From one garment, you can style it in so many ways during the day. For example, the tank top—you can wear it with pants, or without. It’s super hot, super cool, and it works for so many moments.”

For Nouchi, the collaboration with ECCO was as much about innovation as it was about creative freedom. “There are no limits with ECCO,” he says. “As a designer obsessed with materials, having the freedom to push development this far was an amazing opportunity. Fashion, for me, is like a laboratory. It’s about testing ideas and seeing how far we can take them.”

The ECCO.kollektive x Louis-Gabriel Nouchi collection is available now, combining high-quality craftsmanship with bold, modern design that showcases Nouchi’s vision and ECCO’s craftsmanship.