Foreword To Our Fall Winter 23 Campaign

We are at a point in our journey where our core solidifies (see our CORE collection from earlier this year) and new identities collide. Half a decade into curating the world of The Anthology, we are about to incorporate a new colour into the house codes - it is no surprise that one can quickly unravel black as the main narrative of the season simply through a glimpse of our teaser.

Black as a colour, historically, has always been ubiquitous amongst all kinds of dressers. Whether you are a patron of fashion or someone who never pays attention to colours and clothing, it is a colour you would have experienced. To many, black is a foolproof colour, whilst forward-thinkers and fashion houses perceive it as ‘chic’, ‘edgy’, ‘undisturbed’, ‘consistent’, but of all, an ‘attitude’.

But when we think of the colour black, as classic tailors and menswear designers, we certainly have a complex relationship with it as the preconceived notion of black in tailoring is fixated — it is the simulacrum of peak glamour and on the contrary, times when one feel the utter pain of funerals and misfortunes. Black is a colour for cool cats, but tailoring was scarcely about being cool until the Tommy Nutters came by. But tailoring in this day and age can be different.

"Growing up as a kid, I have always been experimental with colours, but for some odd reason black has been my mental barrier. I remember style icons from past to present have sold the idea that everyone should wear black. Fashion designers like Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens and Hedi Slimane who are widely popular up until today have long conquered the industry with black. A black t-shirt was marketed as something every cool cat should own. However, when I tried it during my younger days, I could never find the connection, and more surprisingly, it made me feel impossible to carry the colour. Perhaps it was the cut of the garment or my physique.

Years in the craft, the entire Anthology team and I have looked into ways to texturise black and rethink textures. We are shattering and subverting expectations with pieces endowed with the ideological power of the colour black. Rooted from a personal quest addressing my insecurity to creating the upcoming collection, we are pleased to reintroduce this familiar colour with new meanings that bring the colour black above sheer tailoring in the most traditional settings. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we redefined the story of black." — Buzz Tang, co-founder.

Our Fall Winter 2023 Lookbook will be out on October 19 at 12pm GMT. Behind-the-scenes shot on film by friend of the house, Alex Natt.

And yes, a black t-shirt will be coming along with the upcoming collection.