Style is all about self-expression. After all, the way we dress speaks volumes of who we are, where we come from and who we choose to be. In order to stand out in a sea of sameness, Dutch menswear label Daily Paper embraces its own uniqueness.
Prominently influenced by their African heritage, Abderrahmane Trabsini, Jefferon Osei and Hussein Suleiman founded Daily Paper in 2008. The trio proudly designs and tailors rugged, street-couture staples –from printed shirts and snap back caps to varsity jackets and jerseys– at their atelier in Amsterdam. Inspired by Mali mud cloth and the Kenyan Maasai tribe, the label’s latest collection (Fall/Winter 2013) showcases a range of bold, menswear pieces, celebrating a myriad of African cultures through contemporary design and vivid aesthetics.
Daily Paper co-founder, Abderrahmane Trabsini tells us more:
As a contemporary menswear label, Daily Paper blends African culture with street-couture. What made you decide to start your own brand?
We all had the same interest in traditional clothing, but we wanted to find a way to use these traditional fabrics and prints and translate them into modern street-wear.
Why did you choose African heritage as your source of inspiration?
All 3 co-founders have an African background. Jefferon Osei is from Ghana, Hussein Suleiman is from Somalia and I’m from Morocco. With Daily Paper we are trying to use our own African heritage as our inspiration.
What do you find most rewarding in running your own business?
Doing design research on African prints, traveling and meeting new people.
Daily Paper has collaborated with designers, hip-hop artists, music festivals and retailers. How important are these partnerships to your brand?
Collaboration is important because we like to work with people who share the same interests. Everyone has a different perspective on things, which can be really interesting for a collaborative project. Collaboration also means introducing our brand to the other side, to people who aren’t aware of us.
What’s next for Daily Paper?
We are currently preparing our 2014 Spring-Summer Collection that is soon to be released and some new collaborations are also scheduled for next year.
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