Brand Spotlight: A-COLD-WALL*
A-COLD-WALL* has been a brand that has intrigued me from the very first time I came across one of their garments. The modernistic design of the garments with elements of brutalist design language drew me in and made me a fan. It feels like Samuel Ross is designing the clothes we all will be wearing in the future. He has merged the minimalist design sensibilities with the fabrications often associated with techwear to produce truly anomalous collections.
Samuel Ross has been able to take his own path to success. After graduating from De Montfort University with degrees in graphic design and illustration, he went on to work as a graphic product designer for industrial brands. This work wasn't fulfilling for Ross, who had become engrossed in branded product design. After sending numerous emails, he was eventually able to secure an internship with the then-emerging designer, Virgil Abloh. This was the catalyst needed to propel Ross’s career and allow his talents to be seen. This proved to be a transformative experience for the designer and he was able to gain insights as well as perfect his craft. A man of many ideas, Samuel Ross realized he needed to build something that can be the home to all of his artistic pursuits.
A-COLD-WALL* was founded in 2015, by London-based designer Samuel Ross as an art project, but quickly turned into the clothing brand we’re familiar with today. He has been able to create luxury clothing using unique technical fabrics, materials, and hardware while making a statement about society. Samuel Ross has been able to share his thoughts and concerns on modern life through his collections and show a different perspective on menswear. The brand is continually innovating its minimalist design processes in pursuit of producing increasingly sophisticated garments and reducing overproduction. The brand pulls from Ross’s varied artistic muses, such as architecture and industrial design, to push the boundaries of current men’s fashion. The brand is rooted in British working-class clothing that Ross was surrounded by growing up as well as youth culture. Samuel is exceptional at taking classic menswear staples and transforming them into futuristic pieces by using cutting-edge fabrics. His team prioritizes craftsmanship and the utilization of premium textiles in the construction of each piece. A-COLD-WALL* has been able to achieve both commercial and critical success, which has allowed them to get major investment from Tomorrow London Holdings to expand the business.
The Autumn/Winter 2020 show in Milan was a shift for the brand and signaled a change in course for the brand. In ACW*’s Autumn/Winter 2020 collection, Ross’s use of system-based design provides a high level of intention behind every stitch. The collection was the brand’s most mature and sophisticated so far, primarily consisting of menswear classics. The collection delivered contemporary takes on many traditional pieces, such as double-breasted blazers, shirts, rain macs, overcoats, and leather jackets. Many of the pieces in the show felt like a much needed fresh interpretation of classic staple.
Samuel Ross is a creative in the truest sense. The designer has been able to work on a multitude of projects over the last few years within and outside the fashion industry. ACW* has done apparel and footwear collaborations with Nike, including the well-known rendition on the Nike Vomero 5 silhouette. The brand recently partnered with RETROSUPERFUTURE for an eyewear capsule that sports frames that resemble Carrara and granite with blue acetate tinted lenses on RSF’s Caro sunglasses. ACW* focuses on continuously undertaking new design projects to further challenge the modern notions of luxury menswear.
In January of 2020, A-COLD-WALL started a new art exhibition called Service Point 1. SP-1 is one of the several ways the brand is attempting to reexamine the way luxury brands interact with consumers. SP-1 gives the brand its consumers the chance to explore the design of the iconic M-65 military jacket through a shared interest in ideation and constructing garments. The jackets featured in the exhibition were then given away to the attendees to reward them for their support and time spent at the exhibition. A-COLD-WALL* will also make an effort to interact more with consumers and give them the chance to create with utilizing similar design ethos. ACW* has launched the “Discourse” series, which gives a more detailed look into the brand’s philosophy and references on Medium. Samuel Ross has instituted an initiative titled “Open Source” that gives creatives the opportunity to purchase the brand’s hardware to create with. ACW* is taking real strides to update the relationship between luxury brands and their consumers to fit a modern context.
Being awarded the Hublot Design Prize and being shortlisted for the Woolmark Prize, have shown that A-COLD-WALL has gained the attention of the fashion industry with its progressive concepts and masterful tailoring. I hope that A-COLD-WALL* is able to continue to push the envelope for men’s fashion going forward with its extreme radical design ideas. It’s been a pleasure to see Samual Ross’s design prowess and vision for the brand develop into its now more mature aesthetic and I think it’s setting the brand up for a bright future.