Back to School Very Verdy
Fashion designer Chuks Collins is taking on the role of designer in residence at Berkeley College in a very public way.
Through a new partnership with the New York school, Collins will be opening a studio on campus later this month. The yearlong alliance is designed to educate and inform students beyond classroom learning.
“Funnily enough,” Collins said he did not graduate from Berkeley College, but studied at the Art Institute of New York. After working for Ralph Lauren and Nanette Lepore, he started his namesake company in 2018. That assortment is sold primarily online, but Collins is speaking with specialty stores and department stores about distribution.
Mentorship is being extended to not only students enrolled in the school's fashion design program, but in other areas too. Founded in
1931, Berkeley College is a career-focused accredited institution that offers master's, bachelor's and associate's degrees and certificate programs in 20plus fields.
The partnership stemmed from Collins attending a Berkeley event and meeting the school's chief operating officer Linda Mauro. He also participated in a panel discussion at the school at a later date. Committed to sharing “real- life skills” with students, the designer said he has enlisted some of them — including students in visual merchandising, marketing and public relations — to help with a new campaign that will highlight the new studio.
Collins also created the “Reflection” capsule collection that was inspired by the cycles of life and the vivid cultural tapestries throughout Africa with the help of some students. There are repurposed styles as a nod to the designer's interest in sustainability and use of recycled and organic materials. His designs blend African and Western fashion and the company advocates for social responsibility.
Collins has dressed such notables as the actress Kerry Washington, the comedian Jimmy Fallon and the Jonas Brothers, but students are his compass at the moment.
In an interview Tuesday, Collins said that more than anything he wants
“to amplify the learning experience for students” by having them work with him on ideas and handson projects. Collins said of his interest in this new project: “I'm a student at heart. One of the most important things for me to do is to have impact. I also want to be able to pass forward what I know. If I am able to do that for students and prepare them for a future in the fashion world and protect the planet, I consider that a success.”
— ROSEMARY FEITELBERG
Japanese graphic artist Verdy, the mastermind behind Blackpink's "Born
Pink World" tour, has been named artistic director of the first edition of ComplexCon Hong Kong, scheduled for March 22 to 24.
It will mark the second time that Verdy, who has been attending ComplexCon since 2017, has helped ComplexCon shape its event lineup. In 2022, he was the artistic director of ComplexCon Long Beach.
"For this year's ComplexCon Hong Kong, I want to bring the Asian community together through new and exciting energy and I want to serve as the bridge between the old and new generations," Verdy told WWD.
The artist called Hong Kong a very special place.
"My grandma first took me there when I was in elementary school. I also remember during high school, I would always see Nigo and Jun Takah [ Takahashi] going to Hong Kong, so it is a place that I always wanted to do something in. I got the opportunity five years ago when I did my first art * show. Luckily, I got to know the creative scene there through my good friends Kevin Poon and Jerry
Haha," added Verdy.
Having recently collaborated with Kenzo creative director Nigo on a pop- up store at 66 Avenue des Champs- Élysées during the holiday season, the Osaka- born, Tokyo- based creative's other notable projects include Girls Don't Cry, Wasted Youth, his panda rabbit character Vick and, most recently, Visty.
Verdy has also worked with famous names such as Nike, Levi's, Instagram, Coachella, Dover Street Market and McDonald's China on a project titled the "Best Friends Forever" campaign that included a capsule collection, exhibition and large- scale sculptures across a network of more than 5,000 stores around China.
"There will be a lot of good energy because there will be different people from all industries coming together in one place. I'm going to bring my world. You can expect my projects, Girls Don't Cry and Wasted Youth, and my characters Vick and Visty to be there," the graphic artist said.
Late March is traditionally a busy period for events in China. ComplexCon Hong Kong will coincide with
Dior's men's pre-fall 2024 runway show on March 23. Shanghai Fashion Week is set to kick off on March 25, while the Art Basel Hong Kong fair is scheduled from March 28 to 30.
The previous edition of Art Basel Hong Kong attracted several high-profile figures in the fashion and pop culture worlds, including Louis Vuitton men's creative director Pharrell Williams, who hosted the first physical event outside of the U.S. for Joopiter, the digital-first auction platform founded by Williams, with American jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz.
Verdy, who moves in the same circle as the likes of Williams, Dior men's creative director Kim Jones, and Kenzo's Nigo, revealed that he will "definitely bring some of my friends, but you will have to attend to see."
At the same time, McDonald's Hong Kong has been named the official taste partner of the fair. The sponsorship will include a pop- up with limited-time offers of food items featuring special packaging, a fashion capsule and a concertviewing platform.
Randy Lai, chief executive officer of McDonald's Hong Kong, said: "We continue to challenge ourselves by shaping the cultural conversation and building genuine and enduring connections with our customers. Coming in as the official taste partner for ComplexCon Hong Kong is taking another step to push our creative boundaries and cultivate the cultural landscape.”
As the first Complex in- person event to be held outside of North America, the global luxury streetwear and pop culture fair, supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund of the Government of Hong Kong SAR, will occupy the 430,556- square-foot AsiaWorld- Expo venue, located next to the Hong Kong International Airport.
More headliners and brand partners will be revealed throughout the lead- up to the festival. Tickets for the event will go on sale later this month.
Guests will be able to indulge in an immersive pop culture experience, shop hundreds of exclusive releases from music, fashion, art, food, and sports brands, and attend talks from leading figures in pop culture.
Complex China has been the exclusive operator of the Complex brand in the Greater China region since 2021. It is a subsidiary of the Hong Kong- listed SV Vision Ltd., formerly known as Icicle Group.
With offices in Hong
Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Los Angeles, SV Vision Ltd.'s other businesses include the content and programming arm Studio SV, the marketing production team Icicle and Kicks Crew, a global e- commerce platform for athletic footwear and apparel.