TNF has set its sights on KAWS, a Brooklyn artist known the world over for seamlessly crossing boundaries, symbolised through his production of items littered with XX crosses.
KAWS is a painter and sculptor who has been making character motifs since the beginning of the 90’s. He has worked with a variety of materials, including fibreglass, aluminium, wood and bronze. Close to our neck of the woods (given the distance of Brooklyn, anyway), KAWS installed giant, wooden 10-foot sculptures into Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which embody his cartoonish angles while simultaneously presenting them as a hypnotic force.
KAWS acknowledges that he has “always admired The North Face iconic silhouettes”. Now, he’s been holla’d to imprint his own angles on them, which he greets with fresh enthusiasm. “The blocking, stitching, and details on their coats really lent themselves to the way I structure a painting, so I treated the garments in our collaborative collection like a blank canvas. And I enjoyed exploring their extensive colour and material archive as I would a new paint set.”
The North Face collection, dubbed “XX KAWS”, sees a colour-saturated take on the 1996 Retro Nuptse, and the entire Freeride range, including a stand out range of bibs, fleeces and jackets, all designed as high-performance outerwear suitable for the snow. Other items include smaller accessories and luggage.
KAWS’ touch elevates the Nupste to new heights, infusing layers of energy into a timeless piece. His eye-catching and abstract additions make for a wonderful contrast with the Freeride range’s snowy intentions and adds colour to The North Face’s Never Stop Exploring ethos.
The North Face XX KAWS collection will go on sale at The North Face stores on Feb 17th, as well as online.
