The release of the collaboration follows closely in the wake of Rubchinskiy’s AW18 show , held in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, in which he presented what he called ‘a uniform for the next generation’, who are united across the world by skating and style. Ahead of the capsule’s launch at Dover Street Market and select Carhartt WIP stores on the 24th January, we spoke to Rubchinskiy about PACCBET and Carhartt’s relationship, shooting the lookbook on the coast of the Black Sea, and the spirit of Russian skateboarding.

Styled in a lookbook shot on the Black Sea which reflects Rubchinskiy’s ongoing obsession with the youth of his homeland, the collection is all about the loose, boxy fits of 90s-era Carhartt. Think oversized t-shirts with WIP x PACCBET detailing to the chest, a washed-denim iteration of the brand’s signature Detroit jacket, and a unique interpretation of the classic Master Pant that features legs of contrasting colours.

Gosha Rubchinskiy and PACCBET co-founder (and pro-skater) Tolia Titaev have hijacked a Carhartt WIP collection, reinterpreting and reimagining 12 of the label’s classic garments. Rubchinskiy is no stranger to the art of collaboration – having worked with the likes of Fila, Kappa, Levi’s and Burberry over the course of the last few years.

How did the collaboration come about?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: We have been fans of Carhartt for a long time and we were dreaming about working with the brand. With Tolia being part of their Russian professional (skate) rider team, it made sense to go one step further. The collaboration felt logical and right for the brand.

How familiar with Carhartt WIP were you before you began working on the collab – and what kind of a rep does it have among Russian skaters?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: Carhartt for us is the main and the most important leader of skate and graffiti culture around the world. For us, Carhartt clothing and the Carhartt patch represents the uniform of the streets; a sort of identification mark of the kids who like streetwear and like to skate. The phenomenon is global – we can feel and see it in Russia as well.

What did you draw from Carhartt's archives?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: The starting point of our reflection was an iconic Carhartt advertisement from the late 80s/early 90s of a girl wearing an oversized jacket that was shot in black and white. We were inspired by the shape of the jacket and decided to base our collection on this oversized 90s skater style.

“We were inspired by that iconic Carhartt ad and how it represented the 90s in America, but we wanted to portray what its counterpoint was in Russia” – Gosha Rubchinskiy

How did you and Tolia work with Carhartt to create the collection?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: First, we were inspired by the image and then we looked into Carhartt archives from the early 90s. At the same time, we were collecting vintage pieces from second-hand stores during our travels, from flea markets in Paris, from Japan. We brought everything that we’d collected with us to the Carhartt studio in Switzerland and worked with their team to upgrade the pieces. We made the collection come to life all together, as a collective.

Tell us a little about the lookbook – what were you trying to portray?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: When we started thinking about the lookbook and how we wanted to shoot it, we looked back to what we had at the same period in Russia, and to the early 90s. Basically, we were inspired by that iconic Carhartt ad and how it represented the 90s in America, but we wanted to portray what its counterpoint was in Russia.

Tolia and started thinking about the late-80s images of skaters that were also shot in black and white in the cities that sit on the edge of the Black Sea. We thought it would be interesting to go there and shoot in a similar aesthetic, on black and white film. We wanted to transfer the spirit of Russian skateboarding in the late 80s to the open spaces on the coast of the Black Sea.

How has PACCBET evolved since you started it in 2016?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: We’re evolving step by step, in a very organic way, just as my own Gosha collections are. This collaboration is a step towards the future of our brand, a natural progression.

What's next for PACCBET?

Gosha Rubchinskiy: Next day, next trick.

The PACCBET x Carhartt WIP collection launches at Dover Street Market and Carhartt WIP on January 24.