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Kerby Jean-Raymond’s Pyer Moss is of seminal importance in modern-day fashion. Truthful from its cultural impact and in conjunction with accolades that include the Pratt Fashion Institute Visionary Award and 2018’s CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund, Pyer Moss is effectively translating the richness of the black experience through design and intimately considered visual aids.
In this, Pyer Moss is working both singularly and in collaboration. The latter, with Reebok, is set to release its Collection 2 this month. And no different from the offerings prior, a crowning achievement in the collection is its footwear.
Collection 2 holistically reveals an honest and thoughtful interpretation of a black American love story. It’s one similar to the adoration felt in James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk, recently adapted for film by Barry Jenkins. Recalling the spirit of “love” and “strength” tethered to the black experience, Jean Raymond finds commonality with that feeling in the Reebok Mobius — an elder and underrated basketball sneaker that doubled as a turf shoe.
Affectionately titled the Pyer Moss x Reebok Mobius Experiment 3, the shoe highlights traces of the original Mobius design lifted by a cinematic transformation that finds a cozy home with Pyer Moss x Reebok Collection 2. Monochromatic exterior molding marks a thematic feeling seen in many of Jean-Raymond’s designs, yet the premium suede, leather, and nubuck bring it back to a place resonate in sneaker culture. An asymmetric zipping mechanism marches the design forward alongside stability pods that serve as an ode to the traditional Mobius.
In the supporting imagery for Collection 2, models with pristine skin and hair don long sequins and textured gowns, some with hallmark black figures draping the shoulder and side paneling. Men appear in all-over patterned shirts, extended smock neck tees, and tailored track pants with dual branding. Mobius Experiment 3s blend into the ready-to-wear looks with ease.
The color language stands as the supporting narrative to a primary theme that orbits illuminate staging. Seen in salons, churches, and on the street corner, each recalls historic meeting points for blacks where love is both seen and felt. These spaces mirror locations where love is, too, lost and often times rediscovered.
Releasing in tandem with Collection 2 apparel on April 12, expect a limited release of the Mobius Experiment 3 at PyerMoss.com, Reebok.com, and supporting retail partners such as Concrete, Smets, MR PORTER, END., and SSENSE.
