TONS To Look Forward To

Noticing that Pittsburgh’s overall big city presence was on the rise, owner Diana Kucenic decided it was time to draw on her love of fashion and expand her entrepreneurial endeavours into retail, complimenting her success in the hospitality industry. Kucenic’s experience of buying started with her work for her mother’s fashion stores in the late 2000’s and so she was well versed when the time came to open her own store. Those regular trips to Milan and Paris meant not only had she developed vital experience and impeccable taste, but she had established important relationships with renowned contemporary designers.

The store’s beauty extends far beyond the fashion and lifestyle products that TONS stock. Having tapped NWDS, an international collective of architects to conceptualize the store’s minimalist interior, the two-story mansion and former atelier is certainly worth a visit regardless of whether or not your wardrobe is in need of some new additions. The spacious venue is bathed in natural light and whatever embellishments are used to decorate the space are thoughtfully considered. The opulent ground floor is home to Italian fixtures and furniture while the alterable upstairs can quickly become an event space, and even features a photo studio adjacent to the further rails of high fashion pieces. If you didn’t notice them upon entry, this is certainly the floor to admire the large-scale artworks by Alexander Brodsky that drape from the ceiling.

Setting their sights beyond fashion, the reatil space is becoming somewhat of an oasis for creatives and likeminded individuals to come together. The store hopes to reciprocate this by supporting and amplifying these young creatives and will soon open their doors to Carnegie Mellon students for a 3 day pop-up as a part of CMU’s Lunar Gala show.

Inspired by retailers of old like Colette, TONS strives to bring an elevated commercial experience and cater to the diversity of Pittsburgh, “You can walk into TONS and purchase a great quality t-shirt for $50 as well as a Marni bag.” As the only home to Aesop beauty products in Pittsburgh and one of only ten stores in North America to stock OAMC, TONS is certainly blessing locals with labels that would’ve previously required a flight to New York or Los Angeles to see.

This hasn’t gone unnoticed and the support from their local community has been a justified acknowledgment of the store’s efforts be at the forefront of the movement to push fashion in the area.

To accompany the likes of Raf Simons, Maison Margiela, and Vetements, TONS has developed their own in-line products featuring branded fleeces and will soon collaborate with artist Samuel Fish on a City of Bridges capsule that will no doubt be a hit amongst locals.

You can check out what they have to offer online, while those in Pittsburgh can visit the store seven days a week.

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.