YOUNG WAR The Process Gives Insight Into Our Fashion Design Inspiration. Ever Since I Was Young, I Always, What I Call, “Edited” My Clothes. If I Got Denim Jeans, I Ripped Them Up; T-Shirts, I Cut The Neck; Took Out The Sewing Machine, Altered The Fit; Dyed Sweat Shirts, Bleached Denim Jackets, And Knit My Own Beanies. I Hated Having The Same Clothes As Others. I Always Had To Make Them Unique Or “Edit” Them. I Never Did It To Stand Out, But Just To Ensure I Didn’t ‘Fit In’.
I Was Always Fascinated By Monks’ Robes. A Calmness And Discernment Exuded From A Garment. The Mystery Behind The Hood, Deep And Dark. The Depth Placing Shadows Over The Face, That Enhanced The Facial Features Of A Person.
I Had Been Searching For A Hoodie That Had These Characteristics. I Searched Every Fashion Outlet, Luxury Store, High End Boutique From Tokyo, London And Los Angeles To Dublin, Paris And Stockholm. Every Hoodie, Regardless Of Its Price, From A $50 Hoodie To A $700 Hoodie, Fell Short.
It’s A Story Where Searching For Fashion Turned Into A Creative Passion. I Started Out The Design Process Building From The Bottom Up. The Cotton Could Not Be Cheap Terry-Cotton. It Had To Be Luxurious, Heavy Enough To Maintain Its Shape, And Strong Enough To House A Reconditioned Canvas Hood. Over A Number Of Months I Edited The Design Continuously. From The Side Vents To Expose Layering In A Non-Restrictive Way, To The Size Of The Kangaroo Pocket And Rear Centre Stitching, To Ensure It Maintained Its Shape Over Its Lifespan. Although Our Young War Brand Is Considered A Streetwear Brand, I Wanted My Hoodie To Bear Similar Characteristics To That Of Other Luxury Apparel Brands In The Market. I Was Still Tackling The Issue Of The Hood Shape. I Knew What I Wanted, I Just Needed To Translate The Idea In My Head Into The Physical Garment.
I Was Attending A Wedding On The Amalfi Coast And Also Spent A Couple Days Is Rome. A Great City And Home To A Number Of High End Fashion Houses And Brands. One Evening, I Was Walking Through Campo De’ Fiori, A Smaller Piazza South Of Piazza Navona. A Dark Yet Vibrant Place, Illuminated By The Surroundings Of Small Wine Bars And Restaurants, With The Aroma Of Food Permeating The Air. In The Distance Stood A Dominating Statue, Holding Court Over The Surrounding Piazza. It Was The Statue Of Giordano Bruno, Created By Ettore Ferrari, Which Was Erected At Campo De’ Fiori In Rome, Italy In 1889. Although My Design Was Very Much Passed The Initial Sampling Stage, I Found The Statue To Be An Excellent Physical Reference For My Hood. The Height, Depth, Darkness, How It Draped, Shadowing And Facial Coverage, So Many Resemblances To My Design. Fashion Goes In Circles, Trends Leave Us And Come Back. One Might Say, 1869 Was A Long Time Coming Back Around.
I Was Excited To Get Back To The Factory After This Trip. I Took About 100 Different Pictures Of The Statue From Various Angles. Gathering References For My Return.
I Want My Hoodies To Be Stand Out Pieces From Their Luxury Counterparts. A Hoodie Can Be Just A Hoodie, Just A A Piece Of Fashion In Your Wardrobe, Or It Can Be A Piece Of Craftsmanship, Dedication, Research, Commitment To Creating A Design That Is Not Only Fashionable And Luxurious But That Has Benefitted From Great Attention And Care. I Think We Have Achieved This With The YOUNG WAR “Fiori” Hoodie. People Ask Why I Named The Hoodie After This Place And Not The Statue? Our Entire Collection Is Named After Places Of Importance (With The Exception Of Our Bomber Jacket). These Are Places Where I Found Answers To Many Fashion Questions, Where I Saw Luxury, Beauty, Creativity And Passion. Rome Is One Of My Favourite Cities. I Love The Style And Fashion, The Architecture, And The People. It Always Provides Me With Inspiring Ideas And I Look Forward To My Next Visit.
