Slam Jam, Our Legacy Work Shop Bring Edge and Energy to Milan Fashion Week
MILAN — Cult streetwear retailer Slam Jam and Our Legacy Work Shop, the retail/experimental project of the namesake Swedish brand, are marking Milan Fashion Week with “Dream Market,” a two-day festival of all things crafty, upcycled, niche — and local.
The two will unveil a full schedule of events and workshops on Saturday and Sunday at Slam Jam’s Milan home, Spazio Maiocchi, inviting industry members and consumers to discover under-the-radar companies together with stalwarts such as Nike and Stüssy, each contributing a project aimed at exalting craftsmanship and know-how.
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“We’ve had a cooperation and a beautiful dialogue for several years and we’re trying to do some physical activation — that’s been hard to do during COVID-19 — to activate Milan and to provide a space where there will be unexpected cross-pollination between all the companies and the communities,” said Our Legacy founder Jockum Hallin in an exclusive joint interview with Slam Jam’s Luca Benini.
He described the gathering as a music festival, each company bringing its own “music” to “create a beautiful sound.” Touting Italy’s know-how in different fields, which has always fascinated him, Hallin said the concept highlights local excellences while bringing an international vibe, courtesy of the two organizers.
The two-day event, a first in town, reflects Milan’s bustling energy, after design week wrapped up on June 12, and as it gears up for men’s fashion week, which has attracted marquee international names, including last season when brands such as 1017 Alyx 9SM and JW Anderson showed in the Italian city.
“This is great and it proves that showing in Milan is not only for the big brands,” Benini said. “I think Milan has a real chance to become more and more relevant on the European scene,” he said.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for us to be part of Milan’s ‘rebuilding’,” echoed Hallin.
In tune with Our Legacy Work Shop’s sustainable bent, the Dream Market agenda includes projects highlighting eco-minded techniques and processes. For example, Modena-based industrial washing and dyeing firm Tintoria Emiliano will showcase its most advanced dyeing techniques. Naples-based store Pezzi sourced white-only vintage clothes from the 1960s onward and will arrange them as a tower asking artists to apply their techniques and create a shared artwork, while Morbido Vero will share the secrets of carpet design and manufacturing.
According to Benini, the green ethos of the project reflects a contemporary penchant for responsible consumption.
“I think that the young generations are much more into that. In some ways I feel that the industry uses the word sustainability too much.…It’s better to say less and do more,” he noted. “It was really different for my generation, we didn’t know much about sustainability.”
There will be room for other creative media, too. Blumservice for instance will offer workshops on how to create floral composition using only flowers found in nature, Spacedelicious will gather baked goods, wine and other food and beverage products sourced from local bodegas, while Paris-based running gear company Satisfy Running will organize a morning and evening run for all attendees eager to challenge the sun-soaked Milan streets.
“It’s about being able to draw a connection, to connect the dots between companies that are very different, but that together create what we see as a beautiful way of life,” said Hallin.
As part of the event, Our Legacy Work Shop will mount a pop-up at Spazio Maiocchi selling small capsule collections developed in tandem with participating companies.
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