EASTLOGUE x New Balance 'Rigger Made'
EASTLOGUE and New Balance once again join forces to bring us a military-inspired collaboration dubbed ‘Rigger Made’.
A step-up from their previous ‘SYSTEMA’ collection, ‘Rigger Made’ borrows its name from the uniforms worn by US Army soldiers, specifically Airborne Corps during WW2. The collection is very utilitarian with an overriding theme of utility over design, which is tightly linked to the story behind the term, ‘Rigger Made’. The paratroopers stored their rifle and pistol ammunition in standard-issue pouches, but, due to the isolated conditions they fought in, they had to be resourceful and optimise the storage capacity of said pouches to carry more; this was done so by the unit’s parachute riggers, hence the name. The collaborative lineup consists of seven products, ranging from GEAR 1 to GEAR 7, which includes fleece jackets, heavy parkas and utility vests; some of which utilise GORE-TEX and Polartec technology to maximise heat-retention and waterproofing. Each piece of kit is packed with detail, from three-dimensional pockets to 3M detailing and stowable hoods!
We caught up with the designer for a few quick questions as they gear up for the upcoming release.
What is the inspiration behind this collection?
A US military idiom called ‘Rigger Made’; the riggers would adapt normal military surplus gear to make it more useful to store their arms and ammunition. We were very interested in that and it became pivotal to the apparel we designed.
How did you begin working with New Balance?
Thankfully, New Balance Korea contacted us last year and we later launched the first collaboration, titled ‘SYSTEMA’.
A lot of your work is heavily military-inspired, what is it about this uniform that inspires your design?
We think that military uniform is one of the few suits that combine usefulness with beauty - the underlying theme of EASTLOGUE - so it is an endless source of inspiration for us.
This collaboration is exclusive to Korea and will be available online on Friday, 27th of September.
