COLLABORATION
TODD SNYDER AND JOHN DERIAN’S FLOWER POWER
FEBRUARY 9, 2021
WORDS
by JULIANNA MARIE
PHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESY
of TODD SNYDER
Renowned menswear designer Todd Snyder has joined forces with legendary decoupage artist John Derian to release a new line of wearable works of art for the spring season.
Snyder and Derian’s relationship dates back to when Snyder was employed as the head menswear designer at J.Crew. On his lunch breaks, Snyder would often make the trek to the Derian’s shop in the East Village to admire his work. Derian’s shop was expertly curated: filled with handmade home decor that was crafted in his signature decoupage style. Since his establishment in 1989, Derian has been blurring the lines between vintage and modern styles and, in turn, creating exquisite pieces suitable for any home. Working with a small team of artisans in his NYC studio, Derian has formerly collaborated with Astier de Villatte, Goldfinch, and Designers Guild on a variety of art and decor projects. And now, side-by-side with Snyder, Derian’s artwork has been taken off of the shelves and onto the racks.
Todd Snyder X
John Derian
Unlike Snyder’s recent sporty collaboration with The Brooklyn Circus, the pieces in this collection are softer with a vintage flair: think clouds, fruits, florals, playing cards, birds, and tropical landscapes sprawled onto lightweight boardshorts, button-down tops, sweatshirts, and even facemasks. There’s a refreshing air of whimsicality, mixed with a comforting sense of familiarity and nostalgia. The muted tones and vintage prints create a distinct look that dares us to dive head-first into Derian and Snyder’s world of blue skies and juicy fruit. It is a collection that not only is intriguing to the eye, but also inspires us to escape the mundane. Due to its twinge of femininity and romanticism, Derian and Snyder’s collection makes for a menswear capsule that is dynamic and unique (and great for the ladies, too!).
So while traveling to the beach may be out of the equation, at least we can close our eyes, lounge in a matching cloud-printed board-shorts-and-button-down-set, and thank Todd Snyder and John Derian for making Fifth Avenue feel a little more like Fiji.
John Derian
