Crooks & Castles Summer 2013
Inspired by L.A. gang culture in the latter decades of the 20th century, Crooks & Castles have always endorsed a casual yet tough aesthetic – and such a look is clearly evoked in their latest summer 2013 collection, which doubles up as the American brand’s most comprehensive range to date. By utilising a variety of interesting graphic prints and a broad colour palette, the collection provides a diverse selection of tops, board shorts and bucket and 5-panel hats. While the gang land theme is prominent throughout – epitomised by the ‘Ganja Vest’, which sports a green marijuana leaf – the summer selection also sees other sub-cultural influences from the USA engrained within the aesthetic. For example, the graphics seen on the purple stripe vest are reminiscent of the hippy culture of the 1960s, when interest in Indian culture brought such patterns to the west. The most popular pieces within the collection look likely to be the baseball t-shirts; contrast sleeves were recently outlined as a current detailing trend and a simple yet effective way of adding character and a modern twist to any outfit. Although the collection maintains a simplistic guise due to basic summer silhouettes, the use of fade and weave patterning demonstrates how the brand’s manufacturing process has progressed in recent years. It can also be seen as evidence of the brand looking to reposition itself as a premium streetwear label. Nevertheless, Crooks & Castles will always remain true to their roots, which lie in the West Coast gang scene – therefore the SS13 collection, like all from the label, expresses a masculine gritty and down-to-earth demeanour.
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Crooks & Castles Summer 2013
