Pretty Green dropped their latest batch of SS17 wares, I'm guessing where we are in the year this will likely wrap up the season ahead of the end of season Sale.
By my dodgy arithmetic this will be Green Label's collection 5 for SS17, we've had Acid House, One Love, Caversham and Palatine before this one, which I guess we'll call Festival.
Actually not a bad idea this, to close off your Spring/Summer ranges with a dedicated Festival line.
It's a range of good and some not so good for me, and as always with the vivid patterns it's brought out the divisive comments.
For me one of the things I like about PG is they produce ranges of two halves. We get the Classics served up for the more restrained, and then we get the pattern driven seasonal half for those that like some edge and madness.
Every year it's the same when the latest edgy pattern appears, howls of pain from social media. Always some good comments tucked away in there about a dislike for the pattern, colour or just the design, which must be helpful for PG in terms of feedback.
Good to see so many people still care about the brand and the interest in it remains very high.
Right, on to the gear, to be balanced I'll start with the piece I don't like. For the range PG have developed a new digi pattern which is claimed to be based on a paisley design. It must be one out of focus fucked up paisley viewed through a chemical induced hangover, as it's unlike any paisley I've ever seen. Not saying I don't like the pattern, I just can't see the paisley is all. It looks like an oil lamp pattern to me, very 60's and 70's in influence.
So, the Digi Paisley t-shirt, not for me this one, but happy to be constructive about why. The pattern is nice, it's just the big logo planted on top of it I don't like. The AOP Paisley t-shirts have always been popular, not too sure I see why PG have felt the need to place some over-sized branding on the style this time. But that's just me, I'm sure others love it.
At the end of the day, it is just a t-shirt, nothing to fret about it.
Next on the WTF list is the new Cape/Poncho. When the Storm Poncho came out I remember posting (several times) that it would make the ideal Festival Poncho if PG made it from a lightweight waterproof material. This is quite close to that idea, I'm sure PG will credit me ;-)
It uses the new Digi Paisley pattern in a larger scale design. Like the t-shirt this design has been divisive, I'm not sure if that's the design or just the pattern that folks don't like. When I first saw this pattern I wasn't keen on it atall, but over time it has grown on me, but hey...we're allowed to change our minds.
As nice as I think this is, one problem it is going to have to deal with is the fact that we know this is based on a style as worn by LG himself, to the YSL show and also to the Supersonic premiere's. The one worn by LG is in all fairness quite a few steps of cool above this one. It would be a real shame if the original piece didn't make it out on to the rails, it's what got people hooked. I hope it's PG's plans, it'd be quite an own goal not to get that out.
But regardless, I do like this. Sometimes it's good to be different, sometimes you have to ignore the moans and groans, tread your own path and step away from the mainstream.
Were it not for Mrs Wife stating 'not another fucking jacket' I'll be honest, I'd have bought this. Each to their own.
PG have brought their dip dye style back into play within the range. They used it on a number of pieces back in the SS13 collection. It's a fairly standard Summer style, used a lot over the years by the likes of Lacoste and Ralph Lauren among many. I think it works best on the Polo-Shirt and Shirt styles, I'm not totally convinced by the across the shoulder style of the t-shirts. Just a nice take using a pair of decent colours on a style that's been used for a lot of years.
While they've used a number of colour pairings across the pieces, I can't help think it looks best paired simply with white. The Shirt is on the Wish List.
Wouldn't be a PG collection without some t-shirts with crazy prints, again we've not been let down. Not bad styles, although I'd like to see the Peace Dove design from the promo film, that looks like it could be decent.
Despite the claims of an incoming Summer it's always good to have a light jacket option tucked away. PG have slightly tweaked their Felton/Danbury design into the new Maple design. Okay, it's just a twist to the original designs we've seen, but every Summer folks will be on the lookout for a short Summer Jacket style, and this is a decent option.
And once we get to the end of the Summer it'll be perfect for the terrace with it's clear italian influence.
I guess most folks would likely head for the Navy version, but it's the orange one I'd pick out myself.
It wouldn't be a Festival range without a bucket hat now would it, so PG have slapped the Digi Paisley on to one. But for those that aren't quite up to the pattern it's reversible to allow you to maintain your restraint.
So not too bad a range, as I said up the top, I think this would be a great annual tradition for PG to kick-off. Many of us go to Festivals and each year we're on the lookout for something to wear that's cool but also kinda practical. Whether it's days stood in a muddy field or a long day in a Stadium with yer mates, you'll need some decent kit.
Yeah, vivid patterned pieces will always divide opinions, but man it would be boring as shit if we all liked the same thing. Is there such a thing as a pattern that everyone loves, paisley, polka dots..? Nope, no such thing.
And anyways, it's Summer and time for some Sunsheeeeeiiiinnnnnnaaaah, who wants to stand about in black and grey and brown, get some colour about ya soul.
As Festivals ranges go, it ain't bad, but it's not quite perfect. I think there are some improvements that could be made, but that's for another article...
But hey, that's just my opinion, and I know on this occasion it differs to many, but always happy to debate it.
Peace&Love&Mercy, theSub