Suigeneric Releases Collection to Combat "Oppressive Social and Economic Conditions"

Suigeneric drops a new collection of T-shirts and ball caps.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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New York-based Suegeneric is back with a new collection just in time for summer. The brand, which is best-known for its watch straps, is diversifying its offerings with a selection of T-shirts and ball caps. The new collection, titled "Escape Into Reality," the includes 6-panel cotton caps and graphic tees made in response to "growing tensions between race, class, and sexual orientation," reads a Suegeneric press release. "We wanted to send out a positive and inclusive message to the world."

This season, the brand adds a bit of wit to its pieces through a apple and arrow embroidery inspired by folk hero William Tell — "we wanted to celebrate the defiant spirit shown in the story against the cruel ruler Gessler we thought the resistant spirit could resonate in today's oppressive social and economic conditions," founder Michael Moonwhan Park told Complex ​ — and a brain anatomy design with reversed hand-brain coordination prints.

"We got the [brain anatomy design] idea from the theory by Paul Broca that brain lateralization and handedness are reversely related (left handed people more likely to be right brained and vice versa)," Park explains. "Although his claims haven't proved to be 100 percent accurate, we thought it would be an interesting exercise to expand this theory by having 'left hand' and 'right hand' embroidery on right side and left side of the ball cap and the same placements for 'left brain' and 'right brain' on the T-shirt. 

Although Suegeneric doesn't consider itself a feel-good brand, after witnessing a series of events surrounding involving social and economic issues, Park wanted to use this collection to make a statement. So, he designed the "Beyond" and "Aren't We All" pieces to spread optimism. 

"We wanted to find the common denominator in people rather than differences and the phrase "Aren't We All" seemed perfect to us because it encourages and invites people to look for the common thread and is at the same time vague and open-enough that it can be applied to virtually everybody," Park said.

Even though Suegeneric didn't include it's coveted wriststraps in its latest collection, it will continue to release new models on the website year-round.

You can shop the summer styles now at select retailers and Suigeneric's webstore.





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