Salehe at a restaurant in LA. We hit it off immediately, and the rest is history.
There’s No Outfit Like a Salehe Bembury Outfit: A Collaboration with Mutsu
If you’re scrolling through Salehe Bembury’s Instagram, you’ll see a mix of footwear collaborations, photos with famous friends, and breathtaking hikes. But one thing that stands out is the designer’s personal style: bold, colorful, and never lacking in prints and patterns. And if you look closely, you’ll notice a particular hat that keeps popping up – a purple or navy blue one with a large skull embroidered on the crown and denticulations on the brim. This hat is from Mutsu, a Los Angeles-based brand known for their bespoke Japanese boro stitching and run by a collective of fashion-forward brothers. Bembury is a big fan of Mutsu, saying their one-of-a-kind pieces feel like wearable art rather than just clothing.
Now, Bembury is collaborating with Mutsu for a collection called “Absorb Til Death,” inspired by Spunge’s founding ethos of always absorbing and Mutsu’s signature skull embellishments. The collection features hero pieces like a puffer jacket with Spunge’s fingerprint graphic and a chest that cleverly incorporates Mutsu’s skull design. And of course, there are the skull-covered hats that Bembury loves. The collection also includes a cardigan, hooded sweatshirt, T-shirt, tote bag, and socks. And in the lookbook, you’ll spot Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park fame.
But how did this collaboration come about? According to Mutsu, it all started with a chance encounter with artist David Choe, who introduced them to Bembury. They hit it off immediately and the rest is history. In an interview, Bembury and the Mutsu team discuss their design process, staying true to themselves, and their shared love of basketball. Check out the stunning lookbook photos from Sandbox Studios below.
