How many A$APs are there? No seriously—I cannot keep up with all the members of the crew! They’re known for their style and the industry has certainly embraced them, with A$AP Bari announcing some pretty major news just a few days ago. He will be taking his line Vlone to Men’s Fashion Week in Paris:
After the designer created his very own Vlone x Nike Air Force One—which has no confirmed release date yet—it seemed only a matter of time that Bari and his line would make a big move. During his June 23rd show in the 1st arrondissement, he will debut his initial collection of cut-and-sew designs, along with some pieces he is having made in both Italy and Japan—as reported by WWD.
“I might do a denim program,” Bari stated. “I might do some leather pieces. I’m not sure.” He may be keeping us on our toes, or legitimately still may be mulling it all over as showing in Paris is no small feat! And the burgeoning style star hasn’t confirmed whether or not he’ll add a shopping, pop-up element into the mix, as he’s known for staging those all over the globe. Two things he has made plain are that a smattering of Vlone aficionados will be invited to the show, as well as his casting of real people for the presentation.
Most designers would show in the City of Light if they could, but Bari’s goal is larger than that. Of the show’s purpose, he affirmed, “I’m trying to show kids that you can do anything.” He continued, “I’m not a kid that went to fashion school. I’m not a kid that went to college and studied fashion. I’m a kid that grew up in fashion and learned it from a life experience.”
And to be clear—this collection is for “the people” and for “the world” according to Bari. “If Barney’s wants to come and buy some clothes, they are going to have to buy the whole lifestyle of Vlone and let me shut down Barneys and bring in my own vision,” he exclaimed. “Other than that, they can’t have it. It’s for me. It’s not for someone to take my s–t and resell.” We feel him!
He also commented on the whole Gucci and Dapper Dan fiasco. “I feel like nobody should hate on what somebody gets inspired by,” Bari asserted. “But it’s sad that it takes 20 or 25 years for them to be inspired by Dapper Dan when he could have been a designer for Gucci. Why didn’t Louis Vuitton give him an opportunity to design for them?”
Thoughts on the news?
Spotted @ WWD