Collaborations should function as an amplification of both brands’ voices, but far too often, they actually do the opposite. Personalities get lost, and you’re left with a combination of carcasses with subtle branding and boring colours – too often we see collaborations that are far too safe. This collaboration, however, between KARDO and Monitaly, is most certainly not that.
The duo have teamed up to create a capsule that actually says something, and says it loudly by drawing on the raw personal symbolism of tattoo culture and stitching it into garments that already carry their own cult pedigree.
The man under the ink is DJ Jacob Wilder, an artist whose tattoos aren’t just decoration, but markers of identity. Highly stylised characters and iconography adorn his skin in a variety of bright colours. KARDO and Monitaly haven’t simply been inspired by these tattoos either; they’ve lifted the designs straight from his skin, giving the clothes an unbelievable wealth of character.
Monitaly’s unmistakable 50s Milano Shirt, a Flight Jacket, and Fatigue Shorts have all been adorned with Jacob’s unmistakable tattoos.
Screen-printed black outlines have been paired with hand-done chain stitch embroidery, bringing every image to life with texture and tactility. It’s obsessive attention to detail – the kind that nods to how tattooing, like good garment-making, is all about precision and patience.
As always, KARDO have been responsible for manufacturing the collection in India. Known for working with skilled craftspeople and heritage techniques, they’ve taken Monitaly’s vision and Jacob’s ink and translated it into something genuinely wearable and totally unrepeatable. The fabrics are rich, the embroidery dense, the fit just right.
The collaboration, as it should be, isn’t for the quiet. It’s not existing just because, it’s serving a purpose and doing it in a way that brings out the best of both brands. Hats off to the pair of them.
KARDOx Monitaly is now available to purchase from Kardo
