HOME > New Collections >

JOSEPH MENSWEAR SPRING/SUMMER 2015

A COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE ‘BROOKLYN GANG’ BOOK PHOTOGAPHER, BRUCE DAVIDSON

Written by in New Collections on the

Joseph Menswear Spring/Summer 2015

This SS15 Menswear Collection from JOSEPH takes inspiration from the book ‘Brooklyn Gang’ by photographer Bruce Davidson. We love the feeling of the series, which follows a close-knit gang of boys in the summer of 1959. Their freedom and youthful spirit provides a natural link to the JOSEPH aesthetic, wherein 50s Americana takes on a new lease of life in the form of sports jackets, the new classic white tee, and 50s wallpaper-inspired prints.

Glove leather t-shirts are combined with knitted shorts; Rayon silk Harrington’s — the classic 50s American sports jacket — styled with voluminous double-pleat pants; kimono-sleeved shirts layered over the new classic white tee; and knits upon knits.

The colour palette combines ecru knitwear, navy cottons and silks, along with military gabardines, glove leather and coral rayon inspired by bomber jacket linings. All over prints have been developed delivered from elements of Davidson’s images giving the collection added spirit. 

“It was during the summer of 1959 that Bruce Davidson captured on camera a gang of teenagers in Brooklyn, New York. Shot in various locations…a tattoo parlor, lazy days in Coney Island and late-night basement dance parties, although the locations may vary the sense of style remains the same. It’s the timeless cool sensuality of young teenagers; the everlasting appeal of belonging within a gang. It is these intimate photographs that inspire this season’s collection, with a nod to the late 50's and 60's. To all rebels with or without a cause. To the girls and the guys, teddies or rockers, this collection captures the mood of gangland youth.” - Louise Trotter, Creative Director.

“We wanted to present the collection as a story, and the walking theme seemed like the most natural way to do this. SS15 is inspired by Bruce Davidson’s Brooklyn Gangs books, and merging the man together in his various looks gives this feeling of multiple characters. The video is in fact a collage filmed between London and Brooklyn. They were put together in the editing. Brooklyn Gangs!!” - Mark Thomas, Head of Menswear.

“Composed by Tristan Bechet @ Cadence NYC, the video’s music was inspired by Mark Thomas’ reference to Badbadnotgood, an orchestral jazz-influenced band, with strong percussion feel. Tristan treated the sound with a slight nod to The Cure’s late 80’s sound. It has a dreamy component to it that relates to how the boy in the video is strangely transported from his garage to the streets of Brooklyn.” - Photographer Raf Stahelin.

previous post
next post