Combining traditional Italian tailoring and craftsmanship with technical elements, Milan-based imprint NemeN returns with a range of new offerings for Spring/Summer 2020. The collection continues to spotlight the brand’s tech-heavy garment dyeing expertise, retrofitting evolved dip-dyeing and tie-dyeing techniques on some of its most-prized silhouettes. To learn more about the current collection and future collaborations, Head of Communications Peter Dahlgren joins us for a chat.
HBX: Why did you name the brand NemeN? Is there any particular meaning behind it?
The name itself is abstract and has no literal meaning, but the palindrome is a reflection of a key part of our philosophy - to find a conflict between the past and the future, a contrast between an industrial production approach and a more artisanal one, finding something that lies in-between. Keeping an eye on the past as well as towards the future.
HBX: What are some of the new materials and fabrics used for SS20?
For SS20 we’ve reintroduced the 3 layer nylon on the Zephyr jacket, as well as bringing back our signature dip-dyeing technique.
HBX: Tie-Dyeing and graffiti are key elements of NemeN. What are some of the key pieces with these elements this season?
Yes, our utilization of Tie-Dyeing returns for the SS20 season. We use a triple Tie-dye technique to achieve the finish which you can see on the Twist Smock, Kase Nylon Crew, and Noc Nylon T-Shirt. Each garment is dyed by hand, making every piece singularly unique.
Also, our dip-dyed pieces return this season, which incorporates 3 different dyes that are all individually hand-dipped in a very precise way to get just the right gradient fade. This is related to graffiti where layering and coloring need to be executed in an equally precise manner to get the perfect result on a piece.
This season we also collaborated with the artist Domenico Romeo who has a strong influence in the street and graphic design scene.
HBX: NemeN has worked with various wide-ranging partners from Norse Projects to ACRONYM. How do you find collaborations?
Collaborations for us tend to come about in a very organic way - we meet and connect with people due to a shared creative outlook or approach that can then sometimes bloom into a collaborative effort. It’s important for us to not force them and that the end result needs to be something greater than just the sum of the parties involved.
HBX: Are there any brands NemeN would like to collaborate with in the near future?
We have some rather exciting collaborations in the works at the moment that will be revealed in the coming months.