Private Life Collection by Phsics.Private

Contextualizing Private Life’s design brief is like driving in reverse through a mountain pass. This was a complex collection from its inception. It was the result of the frustration I had working on Phsics.Private’s first collection back in 2012, and I must have penned it more than five times. Accompanying the Private Life brief was a figurative moodboard which captured the symbolism behind the idea of the Private Life. The overall design philosophy behind this capsule collection can be attributed to a Margiela, Coppens, or Simons (notice how they’re all Belgian), alright then we can add Touitou to that list. Of all the Phsics brands, Phsics.Private has to be the one I’m most careful about. Being a participant and a commentator at the same time can leave you exposed. When I set up Phsics.Private back in 2012, I wanted to establish a link between my magazine publication and my higher-order imagination. I wanted to feel what the designers I wrote about felt, and I wanted to see what they saw. It’s possible to achieve all of these from an editorial standpoint too, but my experience so far has taught me that playing on the field and watching on grandstands are concepts which are at extremes of each other. So then, what is Private Life? 

The Private Life is a state of completeness. It’s about being able to see beyond your imagination. What I’ve observed along the years is how the ‘culture of fashion’ evolved into the ‘fashionable culture’, where anyone who chooses to live it becomes content with the allure of ‘living in the moment’. The Private Life is a bold statement which says, ‘I don’t have to be part of this fashionable culture, but I still possess great taste and sensibility’. The intricacies behind this collection are what make it so fascinating. It’s more than a clothing capsule collection, there’s an underlying discourse within it. An eye opening dissertation which the Private Life collection introduces so effectively is that of the ‘quality of life’.  

Lastly, I really hate sounding like a capitalist, but these capsules are the fuel to the business. The magazines I put out, the documentary work I’ve done so far, music and photography clearances, a major part of what I’ve put out was supported by this brand extension. Many thanks to my incredible team comprised of Marco Oggian, my designer, and Nedret Eren, my manufacturer. My next collection will be for women, but until then, guys can pre-order the Private Life by emailing me at soulphsics07@gmail.com

Blessings

// Crewneck – USD35.00

// T-Shirt – USD25.00 

Photographer Marco Oggian

Model Paolo Rossi

Location Laveno, Italy

Creative Director Tebogo Mohlahlana 

Issue Three

PDF version is available free for download here

Private icon: Japanese selvage denim

Hiroki Nakamura & Diane Pernet

 Here's a preview article which focuses on the origins of Japanese selvage denim. Fashion icons such as Hiroki Nakamura, Nigo, Pharrell all subscribe to the true provenance of high quality denim. PhsicsMag's Private issue in the works. Thank you - Tebs

Japanese selvage denim

The Japanese city of Okayama, the capital city of Okayama Prefecture situated about 540 km south west of the country’s capital, is renowned for its mysterious 400 year old castle, which sits on the banks  of the Takahashi River. The fall of the Meiji government and the subsequent post World War II reconstruction meant that Japan’s cities saw rapid economic growth and exponential industrial expansion. Denim production only reached Japan in the 1950s. This was due to a decline in the demand for imported denim from the U.S and Europe, which led to the purchasing of traditional shuttle looms from American denim milling facilities by Japanese denim manufacturers. It’s fair to say that Japanese selvage denim actually originates from the States, well… the technology thereof. 

denim dying process

 A shuttle loom is a piece of machinery that is used in the weaving process of yarn. The first loom was patented by John Kay in 1733, which was known as the Flying Shuttle. Between the 1930s and 1950s, an increase in the demand for denim in America meant that milling facilities had to adapt their machinery to meet the growing demand. A lot of facilities chose to let go of the traditional shuttle looms, which are said to have been inefficient and cumbersome. Letting go of these shuttle looms paved the way for automated projectile looms, which produced in mass, and allowed for an effective economies of scale. Japanese milling facilities bought the shuttle looms at the time. 

shuttle loom

Today, selvage denim is perhaps the most desired denim fabric due to its superior texture and authentic feel. What’s the difference, you may ask? In the weaving process of a traditional shuttle loom, the horizontal edges of the thread loop continuously, without leaving any edges which would have to be stitched once the entire process is complete. This quality feature means that your denims last longer.  Selvedge denim doesn’t fray, nor shrink. The craft element is perhaps the most distinguishing factor behind authentic Japanese selvage denim, one which makes it a Private icon. People who appreciate fine craft understand that we are all connected; whether it’s a selvage denim weaving craftsperson in Okayama or a denim enthusiast in South Africa.