Telfar—Liberian Simplexity

I know. Everyone says it. I am a culture vulture at heart. I love ethno-fashion, and here is a label that really awakened the culture vulture within me. The following is a press release:

Telfar Clemens was born in 1985 to Native Liberian parents in Queens New York. Telfar Clemens at the age of five lived in Liberia with his mother and four siblings. After years of peace, a Civil War forced Telfar’s family to relocate to America and create a permanent residency in the United States.

In 2002, Telfar began to pursue modeling and by 2003 was already in the early stages of creating his own collection. By deconstructing and reconstructing vintage clothing, Telfar began selling his own designs in New York City’s hip Lower East Side and Soho boutiques.

Designing “Simplex”, simple yet complex, clothes for the urban species became Telfar’s inspiration and, in 2004, he launched his own fashion labe, appropriately entitled Telfar. Now a sought-after model and one of the faces of menswear label Cloak, Telfar began working at the menswear house where he had the opportunity to learn more about fashion design and the industry.

TELFAR.s collection, now in its 9th season, includes unisex designs based on the principles of comfortable sportswear and simplexity and has received press in Time Out, Vogue Homme International, Flaunt, NY Times, Paper, Anthem, Lurve, Soma, Gen Art, Metro Pop, and the list goes on.

In 2008, Telfar Clemens decided to create a diffusion line of his critically acclaimed TELFAR Label, which he named UN.DER T. UN.DER T is an Easy-to-Wear combination of his most successful designs from seasons past—all designed in their signature TELFAR “Simplex” style.

UN.DER T’s second season, known as UN.DER T 2010, features 15 limited addition pieces created by using the classic TELFAR-inspired designs which are constructed using American Apparel Basic Tee-Shirts. Each garment is composed of 100% Organic Cotton and comes in four original American Apparel colors which include: White, Neutral, Violet and Pomegranate.

Telfar Clemens’ two labels, TELFAR and UN.DER T, have a large fan base which extends from consumers, buyers, media, and top fashion press. He has been sponsored by many companies that include American Apparel Inc, Doc Marten, Fila, Jana Water and Converse.

Telfar’s 2010 spring/summer collection is now available at Temporary Showroom.



Text Courtesy of Temporary Showroom, Copyright Telfar.
Photos 2010 spring/summer collection Courtesy of Temporary Showroom, Copyright Telfar.