Art imitates life, life imitates art. The saying holds true for cult, celeb favorite brand Ksubi who is partnering with multifaceted artist Hidji during this NYFW, from Sept. 7-12. The pairing will launch a men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories collection, and host an interactive pop-up art gallery in Soho, at 35 Howard St. This is the second collaboration between the innovative brand Ksubi and artist Hidji—their debut was in 2019—and this time they are teaming up with DNTWATCHTV to create an in-person pop-up experience.

With unique denim and trendsetting pieces, Ksubi has become a celebrity magnet amongst A-list’s edgiest, from A$AP Rocky and Kylie Jenner to Ruby Rose and Playboi Carti. The forward-thinking streetwear brand pairs well with boundary-pushing artist Hidji World, who boasts an accolade of artistic abilities—painter, video director, clothing designer, and creative director. The inventive duo are collaborating for the second time on a 27 piece “Family and Friends” collection. With ready-to-wear clothes and accessories, the items are inspired by childhood innocence and life in the schoolyard. 

“I loved the nostalgic school yard messaging in this collab—reminding us of simpler times,” says Craig King, CEO of Ksubi. “Offering women’s in the collection has given the concept a greater energy this time around.”

Lively graphics and embroidery intertwine with signature Ksubi shapes to formulate a dynamic collection. The limited-edition Ksubi X Hidji capsule—with pieces ranging from $90-$390—is showcased at the pop-up gallery during NYFW and will be available for purchase at the Ksubi Greene St. Flagship store, Ksubi Los Angeles boutique, and online beginning Sept. 8.

“The streets loved the first collection, but we only played with hoodies and tees,” says the artist, Hidji. “This time I wanted to be able to explore more with garments after I saw the reaction everyone had to it. This go around my vision was to work all categories and with Ksubi do whatever we wanted to do. This 2nd release I wanted to make sure was more diverse and allowed me to use my art in different ways.”

In pairing up with the creative entity DNTWATCHTV—led by visual and performance artist Travis Rogers—Ksubi and Hidji have been able to expand their collaboration amongst the artistic community. DNTWATCHTV has a wide network of collaborators across the world, and works to bring together street art, hip-hop and urban cosmology. During this NYFW the Ksubi X Hidji X DNTWATCHTV pop-up gallery features live painting, workshops for local youth artists, and 10 original pieces from the top entrants of Ksubi’s international art showcase competition previously held in July.  

“This time around, bringing in Travis (DNTWATCHTV) and opening the emerging artists gallery was important to both us and Hidji,” says King. “We want to support young artists, now more than ever with all the challenges in the world. We can’t leave creativity behind so we’ll continue to work with the featured artists on upcoming projects.”