In a world where clothing collaborations are king, pumping shoppers and fashion fanatics with feelings of excitement to get their hands on the latest and greatest must-have items, Canadian brand Roots has taken this formula and once again teamed up with noted author, designer and visual artist Douglas Coupland to release its second ROOTS X DOUGLAS COUPLAND collection.
The new ROOTS X DOUGLAS COUPLAND collection debuted exclusively on the company’s first-ever pop-up shop on Twitter and will be available for purchase in stores across Canada and online at Roots.com on May 30, 2014. It consists of a range of tops for men and women, as well as accessories such as a scarf and a leather wallet. Standout pieces from the collection includes the Pop head t-shirt, which features the image of a male silhouette covered in multi-coloured paint, and a several slogan t-shirts.
The inspiration behind the collection coincides with Coupland’s upcoming exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery (taking place from May 31st to September 1st) titled Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything. It explores the artist’s relationship with place, cultural identity and the modern-day ability to instantly access information and technology.
On this latest clothing collaboration Coupland says “This new collection with Roots feels natural and wonderful, like working with family” and adds that “The pieces reflect decades of artistic experiments, and belong in that charged territory between art and design.”
Coupland is best known for his first novel released in 1991 titled Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, which was an international bestseller and popularized terms you may have heard of, such as “Generation X” and “McJob.” Since then he has gone on to publish an additional 13 novels, a collection of short stories, nonfiction works and several screenplays for film and television. His latest novel Worst. Person. Ever. was released earlier this year and touted by the Washington Post as “scabrously hilarious work of fiction.”
His work as a visual artist is recognizable for its colourful and often quirky commentary on pop culture and how technology, especially the Web, has altered people’s perception of their surroundings and everyday life.
Roots and Coupland first came together back in 2010, allowing him make his first foray into the world of fashion; creating clothing, art installations, sculpture and custom designed furniture which was well received in Canada and also sold by acclaimed retailer Colette in Paris, France.
