Beauty of Freedom–Greenpoint, Brooklyn: We all sit around a wooden table, their music studio before me separated by a thick curtain, and their drafting table behind with the latest clothing and accessories line hanging by the corner. In this single room, Indie rock band We Barbarians not only design and craft musical notes and printed tees, but redefine success and creativity.
Starting with the release of their latest EP, Mexico, NY, the band began designing capsule collections to accompany each single they produce. Spending an early evening with the group, The Fashionisto was able chat with We Barbarians, made of David Quon, Nathan Warkentin, and Derek VanHeule, about their collection and why they chose fashion.
We Barbarians – Mexico, NY
It started with a spark – a moment of realization. “The fashion world and the music world have exhausted their ways of doing things,” band member Nathan Warkentin observes. “We’re trying to set up a new model.” It wasn’t about getting signed by the biggest music label, or selling to the top clothing retailer. The creation of these capsule collections was about turning away from the industry’s vehicles of commercial success, and in turn, expanding horizons and expressing their voice. “No one ever understands what we want to do, so why not do it ourselves? We’re weird,” adds member David. “In this day and age, it’s extremely hard for an artist or musician… we think this could be a viable thing that could work our ways into both worlds… So we’re not just stuck in one frame of mind.”
Staying within a singular art form became a trap. In regards to potentially working with their music label on the collection, Derek says, “The conversation was just: We don’t know what we would do for you if you guys did this,” revealing the often stagnant and one-dimensional nature of the industry. He adds after, “Whatever little weird empire we have, we could do whatever we want… Feels a lot more pure.” Stepping away from the traditional routes of the industry, We Barbarians took control over their music, their designs, their integrity.
Having dipped in the fashion industry in their past lives, the trio’s history ranged from menswear design and making aprons to visual merchandising and sewing leather. So unlike the celebrity who hires a designer, the band embraces “hands-on,” from conceptualizing their next line to hand-stamping their tees and shipping it to the customer. This approach expands to their music as well, having shot the Mexico, NY music video in their Brooklyn studio with an iPhone. “Our story is that we’ve been a band for ten years and we traveled all over the place. We’ll literally write a song and go pick fabric. It’s a fully integrated way and we want to be the foreigner to do this,” tells Nathan. In a society saturated with musicians and artist who rely too heavily on formulas and tricks, it was refreshing to witness a new kind of creativity. For We Barbarians, it made sense for their music to go hand in hand with their designs and collections, facilitating a new, active dialogue and pioneering a fresh genre. Speaking to the rather close relationship between these two worlds, David explains that, “…so many bands out there haven’t necessarily recognized that. I think my main point is that the fashion world gets music more than the music world gets music.”
“No one ever understands what we want to do, so why not do it ourselves? We’re weird.”
The guys aren’t in any rush for the fame and attention, in fact, they cherish the quiet. Derek shares, “It’s a luxury that we’re kept under the radar – it’s given us time to think about things and dissect ourselves. I feel like if you’re a band and you get big with one song you get preoccupied with that song.” It’s easy to give up your integrity, especially if it’s traded for a handsome check and a crowd full of groupies. The lack of pressure became a blessing for the band. “We have the ability to do whatever we want. That’s such a special time,” Nathan says, “There’s something really beautiful about building who you are. What are the things we can do if we’re not Marc Jacobs or U2?” Looking towards a completely new direction, We Barbarians hope to shake up the music and fashion worlds, one record and collection at a time.
We Barbarians – The Line
The band defines the collection as elevated band merchandise, reinterpreting the subculture’s staples with a clean, minimalist aesthetic and a contemporary feel. The limited edition pieces are available on their website here.
