13 October 2023

Colmar X Joshua Vides collection celebrates 100 years of the Italian brand Colmar

To celebrate Colmar's 100th anniversary, the company has joined forces with American artist Joshua Vides. The California based visual artist gained worldwide fame by collaborating with various brands like Converse, Puma, New Balance or Fendi and his installation at the MCA Chicago where the Joshua Vides X MCA collection is part of the range of the museum's store (fast checked today on https://mcachicagostore.org/collections/joshua-vides). From 2009 to 2017 he ran his own brand CLSC before he decided to focus on art. He's known for his distinctive graphic style, reminiscent of a comic book, which he first showcased on a Nike Air Force 1 in 2017. In 2018, Joshua expanded his artistry into the field of visual arts, establishing 'Reality to Idea', a space where he transforms his graphic concepts into real-world creations.

The collaboration between Colmar and Joshua Vides began in early 2022, resulting in a collection that reinterprets Colmar's history with the artist's unique style. The collection features ten garments, including two jackets and a reversible down gilet, paying homage to Colmar's iconic '1249' down jacket with a graphic modification of its original logo from 1923. Another highlight is a jacquard cashmere and wool sweater inspired by a jacket designed for the Italian ski team in the 1970s.
The collection is completed by two hats with a trompe-l'oeil design of ski goggles, a scarf with a large Colmar logo, a fleece sweater, cotton trousers with brushed inside and a t-shirt. The t-shirt shows a plethora of gold medals around the neck and references a photo of former Croatian ski champion Ivica Kostelic.

Joshua Vides shared that his collaboration concept was influenced by the parallels between artists and athletes, particularly the constant challenge to find solutions and the joy of success after facing setbacks. He noted that he was inspired by Colmar's commitment to results and success, which sparked their collaboration. The collection can be viewed at https://joshuavides.com/collections/colmar-100.

Image: The image shows Joshua Vides creating artwork for the Colmar X Joshua Vides collaborative collection in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Colmar. Photo: © Colmar.