Hypebeast Community Center: Lore

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Give me your elevator pitch.

Lore is a high-end label that builds stories around an imaginary realm. Each collection offers a peek into this fantasy land focusing on a particular region and job type. Viewed from the lens of otherworldly workwear, Lore’s offerings encompass apparel and accessories. The brand develops its unique aesthetic by blending physical and digital techniques. These methods involve traditional tailoring for garment production, creative writing to establish the world and its characters, and visual art created through photography, digital painting, and image editing – both actual and digitally generated images.

 

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The Five Ws

Who is wearing Lore?

These items are artfully crafted high-end pieces, appealing to individuals who value both style and fashion, as well as those captivated by the rich history and narrative they represent. Our collections encompass both men’s and women’s clothing, blending practicality with desirability to create garments that exude luxury yet offer comfort.

What is Lore’s main message?

Lore focuses on a harmonious blend of fantasy, practicality, aesthetics, and universe construction. Our goal is to produce items that can immerse people into this world, either through a single piece or an entire Lore ensemble. We strive to develop styles that imbue their essence without demanding full comprehension of the universe first.

“We created Lore because we wanted to magnify the fashion world’s sense of fantasy.”

When did you launch Lore?

In March of 2025, we unveiled a preliminary release at WSA during New York Fashion Week. This debut event showcased our initial collection, “Undergate: The Silver Plains,” along with an engaging experience that highlighted the region associated with the collection.

Where are people wearing Lore?

1) At present, our capsules aren’t tied to specific seasons, yet they suggest a traditional Ready-To-Wear collection. Our capsule wardrobes are meant to build upon each other over time. Despite the storytelling element behind each ensemble, this concept is subtly conveyed through fictional functional details without compromising fit, comfort, or contemporary style.

Why was Lore created?

As a passionate gamer, I embarked on a journey to design Lore, a unique fashion collection. My goal was to amplify the enchanting allure that the world of high-end fashion holds, especially its magical and fantastical elements. I felt an emotional connection to this realm, yet found it lacking in the luxury market.

Lore offers a captivating experience, one where you are drawn to collect it for sentimental reasons that are hard to put into words. As creators, our responsibility is to make each piece desirable and thrilling, appealing to an array of individuals who share our love for the narratives we aim to unfold.



About The Brand

What was the spark that catalyzed the creation of Lore?

At the outset of my career as a shoe designer, I began adding whimsical features to my creations. I came to understand that the pinnacle of functional footwear innovations was often far surpassed by the tales associated with those functions. Designing shoes offered an incredible opportunity for playfulness in the space between a practical brief and a design that boldly announced the problem it addressed. Thus, I used my designs to narrate these solutions.

The statements were more than they seemed; they originated from practical components. The concept of employing functionality as a design blueprint for exploration and play was the heart of Lore, and it soon became clear that I needed to enlarge my creative space into apparel and broaden my resources into a team dedicated to this endeavor.

When did fashion design become a passion for you, and on top of that, an intended career path?

For me, storytelling has always been a fundamental part of my creative journey. Since childhood, I’ve been captivated by the realm of fantasy and eager to bring my own characters, beasts, and realms to life through drawing and writing. As time progressed, I felt that the career of an illustrator was too detached from my personal experiences, so I opted for product design during college instead, which also seemed disconnected from the world of fantasy. It was then that fashion emerged in my life, primarily through friends and peers at school. Fashion appeared to be a harmonious blend – it was otherworldly yet rooted in reality. By the final year of my education, it became evident that I had discovered my calling, which ultimately led me to Lore.

“Things feel intuitive at the moment, and we are embracing that in our infancy.”

How would you define Lore’s style in your own words?

Lore’s distinctive style is hard to put a precise figure on, but it seems intuitive at this early stage and we’re going with the flow. Its design philosophy revolves around fictional functionalism – essentially, practicality fuels the creation of decorative elements that shape unique aesthetic styles. Each piece exhibits a craftsmanship that carries an analog feel, a softer side of technology emphasizing refined techniques.

As a dedicated enthusiast, I find myself captivated by pieces that subtly echo the elegance of jewelry – unique custom buttons for each collection being one example. The intricate integration of chains within the garments adds an extra layer of sophistication. However, what truly sets these designs apart is their intent to distort the human form into the most exaggerated manifestation of each style’s essence.

Slipping on a bomber jacket from the Metal Former collection, I feel the enhanced bulk around my shoulders and notice vents that flare dramatically along the arms. The front features an apron structure for added protection – all these details transforming the garment into something akin to armor. Wearing such contemporary luxury fashion feels like stepping into a role, offering a thrilling sense of immersion as I embody the style’s persona. It’s a powerful and empowering experience.




What do you think makes Lore stand out in today’s sea of emerging fashion brands?

As a game developer, what truly sets us apart is the immersive world we’re crafting, complete with unique geography, climate, economy, history, and politics. This isn’t just a sandbox for us to play in; it’s a platform that fuels our creativity. I can’t wait to see how far we push boundaries, steering clear of the mainstream trends and aesthetics. Our place among luxury brands will be earned through quality craftsmanship, premium materials, and silhouettes that resonate with the times. Each piece we create is designed to evoke a sense of preciousness, and every detail – from the seams to the pockets – is meticulously developed. Right now, each collection is still small, but don’t be fooled; we’re all about ‘less is more’, offering a minimalist aesthetic that packs a punch.

I’m still figuring out the unique guidelines for fashion, but my plan is to challenge those rules as soon as I understand them.

I find the slow craftsmanship of historical clothing intriguing, yet we’ve managed to incorporate that essence into a modern, technically advanced bomber jacket adorned with graphic shank buttons embedded with gems. We meticulously designed and 3D-printed these components multiple times until we perfected them. I’m captivated by our intricate patternmaking and construction techniques that not only echo the historical feel but also present a fresh, innovative aesthetic.

In the latest lineup, you’ll find these generous, outward-facing flaps on the pants designed for clearing metal debris from the Metal Fuser’s hands. These may not be used as intended, but their stylish design is sure to catch your eye. I admire the audacity of footwear manufacturers in their pursuit of intricate details and challenging execution, which has enabled me to explore the boundaries of my designs throughout my career. The fashion world presents a unique set of guidelines, and I’m eager to defy them as soon as I grasp them.

As a devoted admirer, I’m curious about how Lore is establishing such a compelling visual personality. Could you elaborate on the significance of campaigns and the intricate visual stories that are woven around their apparel in reinforcing the brand’s essence?

In simpler terms, campaigns and visual elements serve as the entrance to this universe. To me, they sometimes seem more significant than the product itself. In fashion, images are your sales pitch. If an image has a specific style, the brand will be sold in certain stores and sit next to similar labels on the shelf. Instead, we’re concentrating so much on generating primary, secondary, and tertiary images that can keep enriching our story database and presenting this world to our audience.

As a passionate enthusiast, I’m deeply invested in crafting and responding to prompts that bring this world to life more vividly. My vision is for our campaigns and visual narratives to transport people into the heart of each collection’s lore and lifestyle. Throughout my journey, I’ve discovered endless inspiration and happiness through portals such as these. It’s all too easy to overlook the fact that when we started creating as children, it was nothing short of magic. My goal is to evoke that enchanting feeling and share it with others.




What style codes or eras do you draw inspiration from?

As a devoted admirer, I’m excited to share that we’ve got multiple dimensions to our current and upcoming collections. Each collection revolves around a profession, which influences the initial and structural elements of our designs, such as workwear and uniform attire. We draw significant inspiration from past design eras, which at times might seem distant from our modern world, but they play a crucial role in shaping the intricate aesthetics that define Lore. Ornamentation is a key element in this historical-inspired design language.

I have a fondness for the playful vibe of the Y2K era from my youth, which seems quite “dress-up” and enjoyable to me. It’s a theme that runs throughout our inspirations, and it’s effortless to link it with fantasy. Often, fantasy clothing can be campy or flashy. However, we strive to demonstrate that fantasy can also be opulent and sophisticated and seamlessly blend into everyday life without appearing costume-like or incongruous.

What was the biggest challenge you faced when building Lore?

Balancing our ambitions can be tough, as we strive to satisfy our customers at an appropriate speed. Drawing the line between what requires immediate quantification and what calls for further investigation is tricky. We’re consistently sorting through a multitude of ideas, ensuring we select those that are feasible at the perfect moment. It’s a challenge that I relish, as there’s an endless quality to it. However, no matter how much we achieve, it will never be sufficient. We have crafted something both formidable and exhilarating.

What’s next for Lore?

Starting in March 2025, we launched our debut collection, named “Undergate: The Silver Plains,” focusing on metal craftsmen from Undergate’s locale. In September 2025, during New York Fashion Week, we will unveil our second collection, drawing inspiration from metalworkers hailing from another region. Sales for our inaugural collection will commence in September, with various items becoming available for purchase over the following months.

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2025-06-02 18:26