Much like Ian Curtis' vocals in a Joy Division song of the same name, British brand Komakino has a dark, haunting presence. "The name sounded just right for us," designer Federico Capalbo explained in an inteview this week. "Our collections are always very much inspired by outsiders."
This season, Komakino's military meets punk aesthetic has a revolutionary edge, with anarchist symbology sprinkled on T-shirts and hoodies. At first glance, some of the graphics could almost be mistaken for more conventional branded logos, which Federico has avoided in the past. But on further inspection, phrases like "ANTI KOMAKINO" and "Spring/Summer 1922" throw confusion and tongue-in-cheek mockery into the otherwise clean-lined and straightforward collection. "This is our first season where we use the brand's name on the pieces, and I wanted it to almost poke fun at the collection," he said.
Part of the inspiration for "Spring/Summer 1922" was the logo of a socialist group that was revived in 1922, the International Workingmen's Association (IWA). But the reference was more of a commentary on fashion than politics, Federico said. "Some brands will put the season on their clothes, so I did that but I wanted to choose a year far back enough that it wasn't obvious."
Still, I couldn't help but wonder: are Komakino's references to radical politics purely aesthetic? Or does Federico feel an affinity to anarchist groups? "In a way, yes," he said. "In a system like fashion, it is almost impossible to voice yourself if you are outside of it. I believe that fashion can be socially addressed, but what we do has more to do with identity. It’s about the feeling of an inner revolt maybe; it’s connected to subculture, defined by outsiders." And although it seems counter-intuitive, maybe it's the static simplicity of the garments that makes Komakino so seditious.
Shop all Komakino here.
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Photo courtesy of Komakino
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back patch ma-1 jacket in black
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short-sleeve extension shirt in navy
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sleeveless extension shirt in black/red
![]()
printed hoodie in black
![]()
half patch hoodie in green
![]()
oversized printed t-shirt in white
![]()
oversized patch t-shirt in blac
This season, Komakino's military meets punk aesthetic has a revolutionary edge, with anarchist symbology sprinkled on T-shirts and hoodies. At first glance, some of the graphics could almost be mistaken for more conventional branded logos, which Federico has avoided in the past. But on further inspection, phrases like "ANTI KOMAKINO" and "Spring/Summer 1922" throw confusion and tongue-in-cheek mockery into the otherwise clean-lined and straightforward collection. "This is our first season where we use the brand's name on the pieces, and I wanted it to almost poke fun at the collection," he said.
Part of the inspiration for "Spring/Summer 1922" was the logo of a socialist group that was revived in 1922, the International Workingmen's Association (IWA). But the reference was more of a commentary on fashion than politics, Federico said. "Some brands will put the season on their clothes, so I did that but I wanted to choose a year far back enough that it wasn't obvious."
Still, I couldn't help but wonder: are Komakino's references to radical politics purely aesthetic? Or does Federico feel an affinity to anarchist groups? "In a way, yes," he said. "In a system like fashion, it is almost impossible to voice yourself if you are outside of it. I believe that fashion can be socially addressed, but what we do has more to do with identity. It’s about the feeling of an inner revolt maybe; it’s connected to subculture, defined by outsiders." And although it seems counter-intuitive, maybe it's the static simplicity of the garments that makes Komakino so seditious.
Shop all Komakino here.
Photo courtesy of Komakino
back patch ma-1 jacket in black
short-sleeve extension shirt in navy
sleeveless extension shirt in black/red
printed hoodie in black
half patch hoodie in green
oversized printed t-shirt in white
oversized patch t-shirt in blac