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Two years after launching a limited ten day pop-up bodega store in the basement of Selfridges, A$AP Rocky and his creative agency AWGE today launched a permanent, standalone sale space set inside the iconic London department stores Men’s Designer Room.
Titled the ‘AWGE Store’, the new spaces’ interior design takes its inspiration from the vibe of New York City as a whole, as well as A$AP’s hometown neighbourhood of Harlem – complete with 3D miniature barber shops, record stores, traffic lights and yellow taxis alongside a Statue of Liberty figurine and memories, messages and locations important to the AWGE collective and Rocky himself.
Speaking exclusively to British Vogue in London today, October 3rd, the Fashion Killa rapper explained the reasoning behind his desire to transport his home city overseas to the British capital: “It’s like the ‘Praise the Lord’ video (his collaboration with British grime superstar Skepta) where we were taking London and America and displaying how they’re two parallel universes.”
“New York is a derivative of London – obviously the architecture, everything, was based off here, right? And I think, even now, the similarities in culture, music, attitude, style, are still the same. Most people in New York, where I’m from, they either don’t have much knowledge of London or they love it. They see similarities and I wanted to display that.”
Take a look inside the AWGE Store via @theyellowdrop‘s IG below:
“I do what the fuck I want. It’s just like ‘hey, you know? There are no boundaries.'” – A$AP Rocky
Today’s space opening also saw the launch of 40 brand new AWGE products, developed exclusively in conjunction with Selfridges, including long and short sleeve tees, hats, hoodies, shorts, shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags.
Covered in graphic prints, graffiti style art, slogans and dollar bills, the collection epitomises and highlights the best of what’s cool and current within the streetwear category this season. Oversized and relaxed in their fit, each subversive unisex garment is primed and ready to look good on anyone with the confidence and penchant to wear them.
Take a look at some of our favourite pieces from the A$AP ROCKY AWGE X SELFRIDGES collection below:
“A$AP Rocky has been a brilliant and longstanding collaborator and friend of Selfridges” Bosse Myhr, Selfridges Director of Menswear said in a press release ahead of the stores official opening.
“We are all so excited to be bringing the AWGE vision – both for product and environment – to the Designer Street Room as a major anchor to the space, and one that will inform how we think about physical retail in the future.”
As with anything A$AP Rocky does, there is an artistic merit and creative energy buzzing around the AWGE Store, for it is more than just a sale space simply intended to act as showcase for just ‘another’ customary clothing collection, it is a unique retail experience that gives it’s customer an idiosyncratic look into the mind of one of this generations most gifted and innovative talents.
The A$AP Rocky x AWGE Collection is available both online and in-store at Selfridges, London now!
Have you shopped the new A$AP ROCKY AWGE X SELFRIDGES collection yet? Are you planning on checking out the brands new standalone space in Selfridges? Let us know your thoughts over on Twitter @Fuzzable now!
