Musicians using merch to help promote their albums is nothing new in 2021. In fact, it’s more shocking if it doesn’t happen these days. Some artists do it better than others (we’re looking at you Travis Scott). But the merch is always a bit more memorable when it feels authentic to a particular artist and not just an album cover slapped on a Gildan blank.
When Migos dropped their highly anticipated album Culture III in June, they did exactly that, by releasing a special capsule in collaboration with Gallery Dept., an up-and-coming luxury brand from Los Angeles that has become a staple in the wardrobe of the Migos and countless other rappers as of late.
Josué Thomas founded the brand in 2017 to fuse his passions for vintage clothing and art into one cohesive vision. Both were influences of his parents growing up. They each were artists and his father, Stefan Gilbert, even operated a womenswear label for a brief period of time. Thomas has said in past interviews that his penchant for vintage clothes came from liking the unique quality of the aged items in his parents’ closets. “I’ve always loved collecting and seeing the aged pieces of clothing my parents had,” he told MR PORTER in 2020. “You know, my dad’s old boots, Converse, and motorcycle jackets. Early on, I had an aesthetic for certain pieces and I loved something weathered or aged. It has a character, a personality to it.”
Comments