One of the most influential and prominent independent brands in the country, THE Clothing, is stretching their reach 11,736km long (according to Google) to land at Los Angeles, California. With the amount of work they've put in, and the things they have done within the near decade they have been in action, going international is due to happen one way or another. The community of skaters, artists, creatives and followers they have formed is nothing short of extraordinary. This is also the reason why we think it's about time to share what they have been doing, around the world, or at least in one of the founding places of streetwear culture. We are proud to announce the inaugural LA collection of THE, Lost Again, their own version of the well-known abbreviation of Los Angeles. The collection boasts THE quality and aesthetic with their signature silhouettes; the t-shirt and hoodie, plus a striking coach jacket to introduce themselves to a new market in a high note. It will be an online exclusive release on June 18, 2016 at www.theclothing-twpm.com, mainly marketed in the U.S. You can also follow THE LA on Instagram to be updated. But to keep us better informed with the brand's move and story, THE worked with Chuck Garcia to communicate what they have in mind, which you can read below.
The brainchild of an ambitious set of minds, THE has come a long way since its guerilla days as it now has an opportunity to make a ripple in the global scene as they expand their territories to Los Angeles, California. Expansion was inevitable as they always dreamt big but never strayed from their roots of bettering the local culture and community; it happened in Manila, and now itís gonna happen in LA.
What started as a collaborative idea among street artists has now grown into sprawling community centered in Cubao Expo. Often labeled the Mecca of Philippine independent scene for street and art culture, Cubao has always been home to the boys of THE. In the early days of THE, Cubao was their center point for generally hanging out and brewing collaborations with the multitude of artists present, among other things. Chance came upon them one day as a vacant spot and a drunken meeting gave them the opportunity to open their store. Of course it was a no-brainer that THE would settle in Cubao due to their recognition from the community. Fast forward years later and you can find the boys doing the same things theyíve been doing, but with a much bigger family now. And despite the cult following they have acquired, THE remains a grounded and community centered name, unwavering in the face of the growth they have achieved.
Propelling them towards new boundaries is their new collection that is set to mark not only a release overseas, but also a small accomplishment towards creating a greater consciousness of the brand and what it represents. Featured in the collection are some essential designs that people of LA can relate to while holding down the distinctive style that THE exhibits. This was meant to send a message to the Los Angeles market: this is who we are, this is what we are capable of. One of the biggest talking points of the collection is a coach jacket donned with the iconic LA hand sign with a spin. LA is represented by THE as Lost Again; not only is it a little personal touch on the iconic image, but it is also the perfect phrase that exemplifies THEís devil-may-care attitude. As they narrated, the brand is always looking to push boundaries but getting there just raises the question, now what? And with a release set to debut in LA, the question remains the same, now what?
That being said, it begs the questions: why expand and why LA? THE has kept it their mission to push the culture and set the curve. Other local names have been growing but following a set path of, consignment or bazaars or pop-up shops and even a mall store. Going back to Lost Again, THE is about taking risks both before and after decisions are made, and holding down and owning the opportunity. THE knew this was the next step towards the advancement of the brand. And Los Angeles was an almost natural decision for their location of expansion. Never mind the practicality or the contacts or the competition present in LA, this was about gratitude with the Los Angeles culture being one of the inspirations of the brands conception.
View the lookbook below shot in Los Angeles, California by Elena Lirio, Randy Guba and Marlo Borabo, with skater, Maxx Scarlett donning the pieces.
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