Over at Style.com, Shayne Oliver of Hood By Air debuted his Pre-Spring 2015 collection and explained the immediate future and evolution of the brand, from its overriding ethos to possible retail locations. Behind the mercurial growth of HBA and the prize-winning attention it's garnered—most notably a 100,000 Euro prize from LVMH—Oliver's vision has moved quickly. In upcoming seasons, Hood By Air will be divided into three lines: two for clothing, Hood By Air (apparel) and HBA (printed basics) respectively, and one for a new, yet to be named artisanal collection unveiling in Paris. That's a huge shift for a brand so young.
But the company has already broken ground on a space in the Lower East Side and thoroughly thought out its approach toward expansion. For instance, that LES location might stock certain items that others may not and act more as a place to interact with the brand directly more so than a traditional retail store allows, Oliver says. While the fashion community outpost VFILES acts as the de facto Hood By Air retail spot at the moment, the brand now has the recognition and finances to explore its options. That success echoes Oliver's desire to take Hood By Air from a mere "passion project" and build it into a successful business as to not let down the many supporters who have helped to get him to where he is now.
The Pre-Spring 2015 collection teases what we'll see come New York Fashion Week and doesn't stray much from the formula we've seen in the brand's short history: There's still a fair dose of big, blank blocks, fields of stripes, oddly placed zippers and bold lettering. But overall, it shirks the androgynous feel of previous collections in favor of a toned-down look that skews more masculine (remember that whole building a legitimate business thing?). If HBA can keep its feet under itself and continue growing through this adolescent period, we may just be witnessing the early days of a budding empire.
