Pyrex Vision seemingly came out of nowhere and became one of the hottest streetwear brands out now. Even with prices reaching $400-plus for flannel shirts, the first collection sold out instantly. Designer Virgil Abloh has been behind the scenes for years building the Kanye brand, but today, you can’t visit a blog without seeing him and his #been #trill crew. Now thrust into the limelight, he’s found himself in a conversation as one of the most powerful people in streetwear today. i-D Magazine caught up with the designer at Paris boutique Colette and asked him a couple questions about Pyrex Vision, where the visuals come from, and what’s in store for the future. Check the interview below and visit the i-D magazine website for the full article.

i-D: How did Pyrex Vision the blog, evolve into a clothing line?

Virgil Abloh: It is a representation of the importance of youth culture. The now. It’s basically my manifesto on my upbringing. Putting my idea in a unique way so that kids can participate. I just wanna start a brand that inspires and is geared towards youth. The internet generation, these kids that you see here today. It is all for them. Growing up at high school we all used to wear Champion garments which in America are standard issue gym uniforms. I based the majority of the pieces on that uniform, but an important factor for me was putting numbers on the back so everyone who wears it feels like part of the team.

So tell me about the visuals? A lot of the visuals are by an art director called Jim Joe AKA Young Man, it was just a conversation on email. We just kept going back and forth exchanging ideas and I like the idea of working with an artist I respect and manifesting that into something real.

What’s the next step for Pyrex Vision? Pyrex Vision’s first season was for me an expression of myself as an artist first, designer second. There is a seasonal component, but it’s not going to be based on a traditional fashion schedule but I’m not gonna say anything before it comes out. I got ideas so hopefully you will be seeing something else soon.

[via i-D Online]

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