Posted by Karmaloop. November 3rd, 2009.
Back in Black.
We look forward to the Triumvir line each season with near piss-ourselves excitement, and after getting the news that the III were going all-out cut & sew with their garments for the Fall and Holiday 2009 drop, anticipation was higher than coked-out astronauts.
Needless to say, we’re not disappointed. For the new jacks, when a brand goes official with it’s own cut & sew, for example, that means graphics are no longer printed on shitfit prefabricated tees, but rather manufactured to an original fit deemed perfect by the brand and it’s customer’s standards – same goes for hoodies, and to an even further extent when it comes down to denims, jackets, buttondowns and… well, damned near everything. The fits, unbelievably, stepped it up a notch and now more blatantly than ever present the true Triumvir vision for modern menswear – if you’re a loyal Triumvir rocker then you know that’s saying some shit. You also know by now that with every III line there is an epic behind it, and that every piece has it’s own story from it’s own source of inspiration, each more badass than the next.
The full collection is split between two different stories, Blind Faith and Hell is for Heroes, based the histories of Constantine the Great and Knights Hospitallers respectively, with inspiration provided by religion, politics, war, the BMW R75 motorcycle and the dystopian aesthetic of Mad Max and Japanese manga series Fist of the North Star. Typically the connection between all of the aforementioned would be met with a “what the fuck” screwface, but in the case of Triumvir it makes perfect sense. A continuation of the past few lines filled with historical references, the Fall and Holiday ‘09 hit elaborates on the connection between the direful plots of many post-apocalyptic and anime flicks where society, politics and religion (often the same monster) are rebuild through new technology, or in Triumvir’s case, fashion.
Follow the jump to check out some of the gear and learn more behind Blind Faith, Triumvir’s Fall line at Karmaloop, with words from Brand Director Brandon Cheng providing invaluable insight into each piece and the overall story.
Blind Faith – The Protagonist
The Constantine Jacket
“The [Roman] Civil War involving Constantine and his vision of Christ’s symbol happened circa 312 AD – the screen printed Roman numerals [in] army stencil type on the back (CCCXII) translates to 312 AD. I thought the ‘Blind Faith’ theme could be best translated onto a bomber-styled when I was researching World War II Air Force squadrons and saw a particular graphic on the side of a plane with [cartoon character Felix the Cat] holding a bomb on it – Felix also meaning “lucky” in Latin.
“The jacket is meant to be a fusion between a bomber jacket and a sportier baseball jacket with contrast sleeve ribbing details. The left chest patch, right shoulder patch and the screen print on the back are all very common placements seen on WWII tanker, deck, aviation-styled jackets in WWII worn by GI’s. Of course some were regulated government issued jackets and patches but not all – back in WWII it was very common for GI’s to find local tailors and /or artists to tailor, draw, paint or embroider special garments or graphics that are unique top their squads, camaraderie or needs.”
The Maltese Flannel Buttondown in Yellow, The Maltese Flannel Burttondown in Red, The Maltese Chambray Buttondown
“In my opinion, Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman Emperor who made the Christian religion tolerable throughout the Roman Empire is the perfect candidate for what I call Blind Faith. It is said and still disputed that during the Civil Wars, Constantine was visited by Christ in a dream and later adorned the symbol of Christ (Chi-Rho or Labarum) upon his soldiers’ shields, standards and later, his own helmet.
“There were many versions of this story but the main points are in the following; Constantine won the Civil War, made Christianity tolerable, and united the West and the East. There is a legend that still lingers today, saying that Constantine himself did not convert to Christianity until on his deathbed. This makes scholars question if Constantine’s purpose was solely a political move, because he needed to keep his empire stable since the underground religion of Christianity had grown in popularity and believers since it was founded 300 years prior to his reign. No one will ever know the truth, but what has gone down in history and legend is that he was present on the battlefield adorning the symbol of Christ, fighting as God’s general, reuniting the Western and Eastern Roman Empire and giving tolerance to a once persecuted religion that has changed the course of humanity since his time… and for the reason I based my story of the protagonist within the Blind Faith collection.”
The Madonna Tee (left), The Blind Faith Tee (right)
The Duchess Tee (left), The No Means Yes Tee (right)
The Castor Selvedge Wash Jean (left), The Castor Selvedge Raw Jean (right)
This is just a quick sample of Triumvir’s Fall goods now at Karmaloop – be sure to click the banner below to check out the rest, and stay tuned for the Hell is for Heroes Holiday ‘09 drop. Click here to check out the full look book and learn more about the line, the historical links and sneak peaks into what Triumvir has in store for all of us this winter.
