W I T H C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S
After the four month-long competition,
Vogue.com has just announced that the minimalist design-focused, unisex clothing line
Telfar has been honored with the CFDA (a community which celebrates the excellence of a small group of fashion designers, and which Yves was honored to become a member of last year!)
Telfar's success is a major achievement in the evolution of unisex labeling in fashion and accessories—a category that Spinelli Kilcollin jewelry is also a part of. As Yves notes, “We started Spinelli Kilcollin as a unisex brand and saw our Galaxy Ring concept as timeless and egalitarian. I’ve always loved clothing that was non-gender specific. I’m happy to see more brands exploring this idea, and I️ am incredibly excited by the energy and vision that Telfar brings to the unisex community."
Unisex designs are a voice for, among other things, equality, subtlety, and the notion that beauty and excellence of design are deserved by all, regardless of biographical categorizations. Telfar's tagline is, "It's not for you—it's for everyone," a heartfelt message that, in its simplicity, is most welcome.
Founded by Telfar Clemens in 2005, Telfar describes his designs (according to Vogue.com) as being “horizontal, democratic, [and] universal." He makes clothing for those who are interested in clean design and social responsibility. What could sound better? The label was, notably, catalyzed within the same cultural-fashion community as
DIS Magazine—a phenomena and community that intervenes with the norm and exists across a
range of media and platforms, including internet art (a scene in which it is a key player) and site-specific museum and gallery exhibitions.
Acting upon his dedication to dynamic social responsibility, Telfar recently released a collaborative collection with White Castle—yes, the hamburger White Castle, which also happens to cater Telfar's events (he even threw one of his fashion week afterparties there). He notes that during his teenage years, he spent much of his time at White Castle—and as such, he is bringing the chain restaurant into the spotlight with him. He also agrees with the restaurant's code of ethical standards, noting that, "The average White Castle employee has been there for over [ten] years. A lot of the people we talk to at corporate started behind the counter. They have the best health care and benefits in the industry."
Now, all White Castle employees at four hundred locations wear the (much more aesthetically pleasing) uniforms, and
anyone can buy their own TELFAR X WHITE CASTLE uniform, with the knowledge that 100% of the proceeds go towards the
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights LIBERTY AND JUSTICE fund to post bail for minors who are being held at Reikers Island prison. The decision to donate to their effort of getting prisoners out of Reikers is especially important and notable because Reikers Island holds minors who are
accused of crimes until their court dates, which can sometimes mean a (perhaps unjust) several years in prison. Learn more about this in an excellent article by
The New Yorker here—and note that Netflix just released a miniseries called
Time: The Kalief Browder Story.
We extend our congratulations to the CFDA and to Telfar. Spinelli Kilcollin jewelry is, at our core, unisex, along with brands including 69 US, Gypsy Sport, and Eckhaus Latta. We admire the new energy and the voice that Telfar brings to the growing community of unisex fashion and design, and his dedication to social responsibility.
