In a world where everyone’s fighting to stand out, you have to be more than just unique. “You have to be more than one of one. You have to be one of none,” streetwear icon and multi-faceted designer Jeff Staple tells us.
And being “one of none” is the concept behind Staple’s latest limited-edition collection in partnership with Miller Genuine Draft and the company’s Design Lab. “It’s an expression of how hard you have to work and how much you have to hustle to succeed out there,” which is truly a testament to how Staple got his start.
While attending Parsons, Staple began silkscreening his own shirts as a hobby and never dreamt that it could become a career.
“That a minority, a person of colour, son of an immigrant family, could own a fashion brand in America, that was way beyond comprehension for me,” Staple says.
But after walking into a boutique in New York City, he realized he could turn his passions into something big. “The manager walked up to me and said, “That’s a dope shirt. Where’d you get that?” After telling him he made it, the manager told him to “make 12 of them and put them in the shop.” When they sold out, Staple came back with 24 more shirts. And then 36. “That moment changed my life forever.”
Now in collaboration with the beer of urban nightlife, Miller Genuine Draft, Staple has the opportunity to give other creatives the platform to push their work into the spotlight and prove that they’re one of none.
Staple worked on the global Miller Design Lab collection first, alongside four different artists from a cross-section of crafts: graffiti, fashion, photography, and tattoo. Each artist created a different black and gold jacket that, with the thoughtful curation of Staple, evolved into a cohesive collection.
Following the success of the first collection, which featured Toronto photographer Elie Kimbembe, is the MGD Design Lab “One of None” capsule collection, available exclusively for Canadians.
Using the same black and gold colourway — which are also the colours of the premium MGD bottle — the limited-edition streetwear collection is made up of seven pieces: an anorak jacket ($250), crewneck ($100), hoodie ($125), long sleeve ($40), sweatpant ($130), bandana ($35), and a gold Pigeon bottle opener ($15).
Married with the MGD logo, the Pigeon branding is a nod to the design level that Staple is known for, and is stamped on each piece. The entire capsule collection was designed with versatility in mind, with the ability to dress the collection up or down in the daytime or for nightlife.
With collaborations coming at us left, right, and centre, the limited-edition MGD x Staple collection is a reminder of how two worlds can collide harmoniously.
“Essentially, it’s a testament to street culture, and for me, it allows me to take what I’ve learned to do over the past two decades and say the same thing but on a bigger stage,” Staple says.
Launching today, June 20, you can grab the entire limited-edition MGD x Staple streetwear collection exclusively at Exclucity stores in Toronto or Montreal, or shop the collection online.
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