CALIFORNIA DREAMING: The British may be buckling down for a dark and chilly fall, but the surf’s up in Boy Kloves’ new collection, a tidal wave of energetic prints and cool, slouchy shapes.
A quintessential Californian, Kloves describes the Golden State’s beach culture as part of his heritage.
“Surf culture has always been such a big part of my life, in and out of design. Growing up by the beach, this aesthetic of surf culture has been integral to the way I view clothing and the idea of dressing up,” he said.
A distinct sense of California bohemia comes through in the collection, which the designer described as an interpretation of ’70s California surf culture through a contemporary lens.
For inspiration, he flipped through his archive of ‘70s Surfer Magazines, took trips to the California Surf Museum and met with local board-makers.
The result was a lineup of button-down shirts made from upcycled vintage tops patchworked together with deadstock prints; color-blocked sweaters, and halters made from recycled surfboards donated by the surf board-makers.
The tops feature phrases such as, “If I swim out far enough and look back at the shore will you be the person I remember.”
Addressing waste in the surfing industry, Kloves partnered with local board-makers to recycle surfboards that were damaged beyond repair.
Courtesy of Boy Kloves
The designer said that studying at Central Saint Martins in London only increased his love of California’s distinctive style.
After a decade away, he returned to Los Angeles and said it was “incredibly inspiring being able to reintroduce myself to the city. It felt natural that surfing, something that I hold so closely to my idea of home, would be the jumping off point for the collection,” Kloves said.
Sustainability is a pillar of the brand, silk shirts made from a mix of silk and upcycled fabric.
Courtesy of Boy Kloves
Having paged through many magazines, Kloves the “laidback ease of the beach” resonated with him, especially with formalwear. “Hawaiian shirts and tank tops were worn under baggy suits, some [models] went shirtless, or wore just a flower lei,” he said.
“That is really something that I sought to do here: juxtapose mens‘ shirting with the ease of something that you would just throw on after being at the beach, using luxurious silks contrasted with Hawaiian prints and terry cloth,” the designer added.