This time, it was 4:49pm when I walked through the doors of Industria Studios. The crowd still intense, we’re all on a time schedule, and this presentation is still only an hour, and a half. What’s one to do?
I followed the same route as I always do, starting at the bottom, and working my way up. For the past two seasons that I’ve been aware of Krammer & Stoudt; they’ve been a must see. Once I saw their names on the line up again this year; it was a no brainer to make sure I stepped inside their space at Industria. Krammer & Stoudt’s collection wasn’t just one set tone. At the presentation you saw high-waisted pleated pants and striped guayaberas which touched heavily on a Latin influence. On another note there were palm-tree printed shirts, Mexican blanket bomber jackets, with matching shorts mixed in somewhere throughout. 
Although I am not one, I definitely spotted a surfer reference in there. Wait! There’s more, Krammer & Stoudt known for their Americana flare, also presented baseball shirts, and workwear garments. Rideau was my next stop, and I can only recall 8 looks being presented that day; perhaps that is all Dylan Granger wanted to reveal to the world? Looking at the looks from that day, I spotted in my mind another West Coast influence. The way it’s styled, the way it looks; it just screams I’m from California, and I skateboard. Perhaps a more cleaned up version of a skateboarder, I don’t think any of these guys would want to fall all over the place with these special garments on, especially the models in the suits? Are they from Malibu or Venice? Who’s skating boarding in suede or who says they skateboard at all? Maybe they’re just searching for a sunset in Sunny California. Ouch, am I stereotyping the people of Cali? Sorry guys, I actually admire the Cali, and Skater look. Private Policy designers, Siying Qu and Haoran Li, Spring 2017 collection, featured a range of sportswear meets streetwear pieces. 
Silk bombers, cropped pants, plaid tops, plastic aprons were described as being inspired by the recent Associated Press expose on slave labor in the food industry titled “Are Slaves Catching the Fish You Buy”
From the official show press release:
“Are Slaves catching the fish you buy?”, a news article by Associated Press in 2015 sparked the topic on slave labor in the South Asia fishing industry- where fishers are forced to work restlessly on the ocean with fear created through violent punishment and even murder. Rarely able to escape, some even stay on a boat for 4 to 5 years at sea. Touched by the tragic stories of the Asian fisherman, Private Policy’s SS2017 collection explores the horror of modern slavery through artistic interpretations. Using symbols of imprisonment, restriction, and pain, the collection becomes emotional with striped pieces to resemble imprisonment, harnesses for constriction, and unique fits. With a garment vocabulary of color, texture, pattern, and silhouette, Private Policy continues to push the boundaries between high-end luxury and youth wear.“
I remember the first time I was introduced to this brand, I had stopped by the Agentry PR showroom for an appointment I had to view all the collections they were currently representing in person, this was hmmm earlier this year, I can’t seem to put a date on it, but I remember stopping by. Moving on, it was there that I was told that the Designers of Private Policy were students from Parsons! Talk about a school that produces talent. At that moment I knew this brand was going to catch on, and continue. Seeing their brand being presented at New York Fashion Week Men’s has to be an amazing feeling. I’m happy for them as if I was apart of the process. Private Policy will soon find itself being sold in Opening Ceremony, that’s not an official statement from anyone, but a gut feeling I have myself. I said on an Instagram post that I wanted to be this cool. The hype beast, and kids of Soho are going to eat this brand up.
MaleCritique 