Riot Hill x Tatras
“I want to prove to the industry why I deserve to be here”, Jordan Fresher said.
And what a better way to do so than with Riot Hill’s first runway show, in collaboration with Tatras, during Paris Men’s Fashion Week 2020 at the iconic Palais de Tokyo. This collaboration delivered an immersive approach to design by blending elements of craftsmanship and a strict artistic vision. This new collection symbolizes the place where Japanese and American design languages work together in unity. Merging two identities into a singular. Stimulating the amalgamation of the respective markets and styles to create a body of work that is encompassing of both brands demographic.
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According to Masanaka Sakao, creative director and founder of Tatras: “I always find solace in collaborating with younger designers” “I saw a lot of myself in Jordan when we first met and felt obligated to help present him with a platform I never had access to”. Two generations, two cultures meeting to create something very unique in the fashion universe, as proved by this new collection.
Created by Riot Hill’s young designer Jordan Fresher, this new collection featured an amalgamation of subversive culture with oversized silhouettes, selected accessories manufactured by Atomic Mission Gear and shoe soles supplied by Vibram. Fresher lends his artistic vision to Tatras’s technical innovation drawing design cues from Swiss military uniforms and modern Japanese architecture. Fresher created a functional collection of industrial and utilitarian inspired items including military uniforms, hiking and military boots, goose down jackets, US and Japanese Air Force vests, flight bomber jackets, raw Japanese denim sets used for traditional silhouettes, as well as Japanese Kamikaze pilots repurposed washed MA-1 Fabric. All these features represent the reformation of utilitarian garments into a contemporary context. After the show, Fresher took to Instagram to thank Riot Hill’s community - a “brotherhood” and highlighted once again his will for the inclusion of a younger generation.
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“This journey I’ve been on for the last 10 months has been one of the most challenging and fulfilling things I’ve ever done but it’s a lot more than just clothes going down a runway. I built Riot Hill at 14 as a means to express my personal experiences. A way to get my head out of the constricting isolation that comes from living in Perth. My goal has always been to build something where kids feel included. Where they feel a part of.”
Words by Alexa Bouhelier-Ruelle
Photos provided by designer
