Moving out is a natural part of our life: from our parents’ home, from our hometown, even from the country that saw us grow up. But it isn’t always voluntary; sometimes, we’re forced to do so. What feelings arouse from that? What do we call home? Is it a physical space or more like a spiritual refuge? What mark do we leave behind us in the places we’ve inhabited? All of these questions are partly what inspired Namesake’s latest Fall/Winter 2024 collection, titled Blueprint, recently presented in Paris. We feel backstage is our home, so we stayed there with photographer Iulia Matei and Crush Services.
Brothers Michael, Richard, and Steve Hsieh are behind the Taiwanese brand Namesake, which is no stranger to the Parisian audience. In their recent collection, the designers and creative directors touched upon an issue that’s close to their hearts: home, and more especially, moving out of it. The stress, the chaos, the mixed feelings, but also the sense of comfort when feeling in the right place are all present in the clothes. There is a strong sportswear component, and the collection features a lot of jersey t-shirts and tracksuits – very blokecore, I guess. But it goes beyond that: people find a sense of belonging in the sports team of their city (the famous rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, for example), which represents them and their values. So Namesake’s take on the megatrend merges the commercial with the philosophical beautifully.
Another take on comfort and a sense of belonging are pajamas. Yes, you’ve read that right. Stepping inside your house and changing the look you wore to the office, to a friend’s birthday, to run errands, or to a date and then put on your comfiest, cosiest clothes is such an exciting moment. And that’s when you know you’re home, feeling calm and content.
