Interview: clothsurgeon’s Rav Matharu Breaks Down Absolut Collabotation
Written by SOURCE on December 17, 2020
Premium vodka brand Absolut have linked up with London-based luxury upcycle experts clothsurgeon for a new collaboration that weaves cultures together in one iconic t-shirt.
Run by Creative Director Rav Matharu, clothsurgeon has gone from strength to strength in recent years as one of the most unique upcycling brands in the UK. After starting his career as a footballer at Leeds United, Rav turned his attention to detail on to clothing, with his design output and love for sportswear forming the “basis of (his) design, fused with the love of Savile Row craftsmanship.”
The brand has enjoyed another great year in 2020, kicking off the proceedings by kitting out several British icons in the form of Dave, Kano and Riz Ahmed – all national treasures in their own lanes – at the Brits, as well as collaborating with Coca-Cola, Nike and Selfridges.
Constantly on the pursuit of perfection, clothsurgeon has levelled up through this drive and passion for clothing and garments – Matharu sees this link up with Absolut as a natural fit for clothsurgeon. Speaking to COMPLEX over email, he said:
“I’ve been speaking with Absolut for he last few years. Then, this project came about and they asked if I would be keen to kick start our relationship working on the iconic white t-shirt. No hesitation, I said yes, not only do they have an incredible list of collaborators such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, their values completely align with me as a human being and brand. We are pushing for unity and togetherness all around the world. 2020 we have unfortunately seen so much divide.”
Taking the white t-shirt as inspiration, a piece of clothing historically embraced as a vehicle for activism and change, clothsurgeon reinterprets the garment with Matharu’s signature attention to detail, upcycling ethos and expert craftsmanship at the forefront.
Dropping exclusively today, Absolut and Clothsurgeon’s collaboration – titled the ‘Absolut T Project’ – features 79 completely unique, limited-edition T-shirts that signify the coming together of different backgrounds, cultures and ideas encapsulated within one product.
Each piece is carefully constructed from organic, sustainably sourced fabrics from across the world from places most meaningful to the Creative Director. From technical jersey from Japan, slub from India, heavy jersey from the USA, mercerized cotton from Italy and cotton collar ribbing from England, the materials combine seamlessly to create the silhouette. In its simplicity, the collaboration is intrinsically designed to weave cultures together, applying Rav’s vision for innovation, quality and equality.
Get a closer look at the ‘Absolut T Project’ pieces in the lookbook below and cop the tee now from the clothsurgeon website.
