Youth of Today. August 22nd, 1987. IIdiko's, Toronto.
Our Legacy
Our legacy co-founder, Jockum Hallin was born in 1980 in Sweden, and grew up in the early 90’s on DIY culture...
skateboarding, playing in hardcore bands, releasing records, touring, sleeping on floors and romanticizing
about the American west coast - the origin of many of the subcultures he loved and lived.
This footwear
and apparel collection is based on our legacy’s interpretation of the California skate, surf and hardcore
punk scenes, with symbolic odes within the collection that serve as nostalgic touch points from this time
period and sub-culture: positive mental attitude (pma), use your head, all ages and Orange County.
What this collection also presents us with is a contrasting view of high and low – a dichotomy between street
culture and high quality design.
Only Available at Select Vault Dealers
Interview with by Our Legacy co--founder, Jockum Hallin
For those that aren’t familiar, what do you want folks to know about your men’s brand, Our Legacy?
Christopher Nying and I are childhood friends and founded Our Legacy in 2005. We make part-timeless, part-progressive collections out of Stockholm, Sweden. We are deep into fabrics, colors and dyeing techniques. We try not to over design, but to let beautiful fabrics and silhouettes do the talking. We had an early international focus, and have been distributed in the best stores around the world since day one.
How did this collaboration with vans happen and come into fruition?
Vans approached us and asked if we wanted to collaborate on a shoe and a backpack. We came back to the table with an idea of a more robust footwear and clothing collection – and all made in the USA. We were first told it could be challenging, but after some diplomacy, we managed to land an apparel range made in Los Angeles, and a dozen footwear styles made in the very best Vans footwear quality available.
Can you talk to us a little about the design inspiration behind the collection?
We imagined someone’s wardrobe. The wardrobe of someone that might surf in the morning, then head straight to work. Someone that might skate in the afternoon, go on a date on a Saturday night then wake up to go to a hardcore matinee show. We tried not to be too nostalgic, only to make the perfect t-shirt, long sleeve, hoodie and coaches jacket for our time. When it comes to the footwear, all of our favorite styles are there - the Old Skool, the Authentic, the Half Cab, and of course - we felt we had to bring the Sk8-Mid back. The sole is a little thicker with 90's esque raised foxing, the silhouette slightly pinched in by the arch, some padding stripped, monochrome with labels overdyed. We used a high quality army nylon and a hairy suede, combined with Swedish natural leather. No funny patterns. All looks real, genuine.
Why was it important to make / produce all apparel in the U.S.A (LA specifically)?
Apparel made in the USA is made pretty much made in the same way now, as it was twenty or thirty years ago. When I was thirteen
and bought a t-shirt or a pair of jeans made in the USA, I didn’t necessarily consider where product was
manufactured. What I did acknowledge was how thick the t-shirt felt and how it managed to maintain its
quality and not wear out, regardless of how often it was washed. That is the exact same feeling we tried
to accomplish here.
In the 90's, when the American apparel industry shifted from
producing almost everything within the US to almost nothing, it meant that rather investing in new machines,
that funding went towards building new production facilities outside the US.
The production machinery
from the 70's, 80 ́s and 90's that remained in the states, were well taken care of – maintained and serviced,
with the ability to function just as they always did. What we wanted to execute here was classic street
wear, done in the absolute best and original way possible.
Can you talk to us about the image of Ray Cappo of youth of today? Why that band is important to Our Legacy and this collection?
Youth of Today is the ultimate positive hardcore band. The band, the lyrics and the culture they helped
give birth to, shaped me a lot as a teen and is carried with me today. I was fortunate to spend a few weeks
in a tour van with Ray and Porcell, when I was in my late teens. They brought me along for their US your
dates – back then, their band was Shelter.
As a Swedish kid, getting to travel and see the United
States with these guys and listening to their stories and experiences...Not bad. Porcell later released
a record with my band on his label. These guys are icons, but very humble with great minds and hearts.
Why is that image significant?
When you look at old footage of Youth of Today from the 80's and early 90's, you see bleached hair, hoodies and Vans - it pretty much sums the collection up.
DEALER LIST
Please contact stores for actual availability.
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The Darkside Initiative
1827 Powell St
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-837-1909
thedarksideinitiative.com
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The Webster
Bal Harbour Shops / Space 204
9700 Collins Ave
Miami, FL 33154
305-868-6544
thewebster.us
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The Webster
Bal Harbour Shops / Space 204
5045 Westheimer Rd
Houston, TX 77056
713-840-1477
thewebster.us