Prep Curry has reached a major career milestone.
The Memphis-born, Los Angeles-based designer has teamed up with Banana Republic on a range of forward-thinking streetwear. The dual-gender capsule is a solid reflection of Curry’s signature bold style, as it offers seasonal wardrobe staples presented in head-turning colors and prints.
“Florals are important to me because I want to show people the difference of masculinity as well as the softness of prints,” Curry said during a Q&A with Gap Inc. “You can have the best of both worlds, and they can collide. Before I came on the scene, when I was seeing prints, a lot of people were really against it because they said you couldn’t really wear it [in a] masculine way. For me, I always want to show people that you can be very masculine and have bold prints. I’ve always wanted to do something different and have something that makes people say, ‘Oh well, hey, wow.’ Everything that I make is somewhat unisex.”
The collaboration is part of Banana Republic’s ongoing efforts to highlight and celebrate up-and-coming designers. Curry, who describes himself as a “self-taught designer,” praised the retailer for their commitment to showcasing rising talent, specifically Black creatives.
“Black culture has a lot of influence on fashion, on music, on everything,” he said. “What will help is more collaborations and more companies willing to put Black designers at the forefront and not just take their designs anymore. Corporations need to put more Black businesses in the forefront and not just when it’s [a] Black Lives Matters movement.”
The Prep Curry x Banana Republic collection delivers 16 signature pieces, including co-branded graphic tees, hoodies, sweatpants, jeans, face masks, and a couple of bags. You can check out some of the key items in the images below and shop the collection now at Banana Republic’s website.
