A.P.C.’s Jean Touitou has been bitten by the collaboration bug. However, this wasn’t a recent development for him. Growing up when reading his mother’s cookbook, she always said at the end of every recipe “have someone taste it.” When his team designs, they achieve what they call “The Collection.”

Touitou has long felt the urge to ask people on the outside for their take on his work. The first person to have a taste and throw in his own spices is rapper Kid Cudi, who collaborated on the spring 2019 collection, called INTERACTION #1.

“When I met Scott (Kid Cudi’s real name), I immediately knew that we would work well together,” Touitou said. “I could tell by the respectful intensity in his eyes. I could also see it in the striking contrast between his simple, dignified allure and the surprising presence of pink tattoo on his right hand, which says “PINK” in capital letters.”

Touitou began to find inspiration when he heard the word’s “beautiful madness” from Kid Cudi’s song Fire. At that moment he thought to himself “Let’s do it: he’s part of the club.” At first Touitou actually thought the song was saying “beautiful manner,” which would have been fine with him, but still loved it when he realized it was “beautiful madness.”

Kid Cudi certainly brought his own spin on things giving A.P.C. an aesthetic like they’ve never had before. INTERACTION #1 includes a red leather jacket with drawing conjuring up a vision of hell inspired by William Blake, a pair of red sneakers, and the use of projected color stains on jeans and T-shirts to add what Touitou described as an “energy and joie de vivre” to the entire collection.

As he puts it, DREAM ON! What a recipe these two have been able to make together.