Daks to launch collab with illustrator Mr Slowboy

British heritage brand Daks has linked up with fashion illustrator Fei Wang, aka Mr Slowboy, for an exclusive anniversary capsule collection that launches next month.

And what an anniversary it is with the label having been around for 130 years this year.

Daks was launched in 1894 by Simeon Simpson and has long been known for its love of illustration in its ad campaigns, even after much of the fashion sector turned to photography for its marketing.

To pay homage to the campaigns it launched with master illustrators Max Hoff and Eric Stemp from the 1930s to the late 1970s, while also adding a touch of the modern, it has commissioned Slowboy to create six unique designs.

His “unique aesthetic and artistic style has gained global recognition from the menswear fashion and lifestyle-related industries,” the company said. “His Slowboy nom de plume draws inspiration from sources including Japanese Ukiyo-e and Indian miniature painting, and his often-witty portraits are iconic and instantly recognisable”.

The six designs feature Max, the Daks dachshund, who’s part of the brand’s history and who’s been brought to life wearing classic House Check and “celebrating British life, including playing tennis, walking in the rain and celebrating with champagne and bunting”. 

As well as the campaign imagery, the artworks feature across a small capsule collection comprising T-shirts, knitwear and accessories, all made in Italy. The ready-to- wear pieces are all gender-neutral and come in sizes XXS-XL. 

The Daks x Slowboy T-shirt is made in a super-fine, long-staple, 100% cotton jersey with each design digitally printed in an eco-friendly process, minimising the use of water, chemicals and wastage. 

Meanwhile the knitwear is made in a 16 gauge, super-fine Italian merino wool. This piece is finished by hand with the Slowboy motif added in intarsia and jacquard stitch techniques.

And the small tote bag comes in a PU and linen Italian Olmetex fabric with a 100% leather trim. The Slowboy embellishment is once again digitally printed on the piece and is also made in Italy.