Anyone who knows me knows that I love silly boxers with irreverent phrases or smiley faces on them, leaving me with only one brand to turn to: Joe Boxer. Famous for underwear with Looney Toons Characters, with the phrase “Change Daily” printed on the label, the company was eventually bought out by Iconix Brand Group (which also owns Ed Hardy and Rocawear, among other things), leaving Joe Boxer founder Nick Graham to go in search of productivity. In the end, the original Joe Boxer decided to found his own men’s line, which now offers “post-prep” clothing and 3D printed accessories produced by Shapeways.
The accessories are the result of a collaboration between Graham and Shapeways community member Kostika Spaho. Graham’s store offers anything the contemporary man wishing to exude an “edgy” persona needs, including cufflinks, belt buckles and bracelets. Of course, all products are emblazoned with Nick Graham’s sense of rugged individuality. he Rich Daddy Money Clip has the Graham brand logo, a dog and crossbones, cut out of it. The Twisted Brit cufflinks and buckles riotously spin the Union Jack to demonstrate a contempt for national symbols. More than one item reads with the company tagline, “Because He Can”. The phrase, according to an interview with Robin Lewis, is meant to symbolize the modern man’s ability to dress himself without the help of a lady, but it more creepily represents the entitlement with which men are permitted to actually behave in the world.
The whole 3D printed accessory thing is part of what Graham calls “post-prep” and, also, “digital menswear.” He explains the brand’s approach thusly:
If Prep is emailing, Post-Prep is Blogging. Prep is Prius, Post-Prep is Tesla. It’s the Darwinian evolution that we, as men, are going through — and how we want to represent ourselves as our own personal brand.
Look at the modern world we live in: the technology shaping social systems; the world that is being mapped and photographed on every street — and now in the ocean; crowd funding of new ideas that would never before have seen the light of day; space tourism coming online in 2014; 3D printing poised to print a material revolution.
Finally, Graham ends his post-prep schpiel asking the question on all of our minds: “How are we going to dress while our world goes through one of the most disruptive periods in history?” The answer? An anational pocket square with a dog, QR code, and url on it. Graham also believes that 3D printing, as a technology, is more economically efficient:
I want to explore new production processes, such as 3D printing, that are on the cusp of revolutionizing design, fashion and pretty much everything else we know. Plus it’s the most economically efficient production process in the world, because you never carry inventory, and can deliver within 3 to 4 days.
What’s the price for Graham’s brand of economically efficient individuality? Well, it ranges from $50 for a steel tie clip up to $275 for a steel belt buckle. Why is Graham charging so much to spur the menswear revolution? Well, because he can.
Source: Shapeways
