Artist and designer Jordi Labanda is bringing his contemporary sportswear collection to the U.S. for the first time.
Known mostly for his playful illustrations in ads for Dom Perignon and fashion magazines like Marie Claire and Vogue, the Barcelona native has interpreted his work into a contemporary line, launching in the U.S. for spring selling.
“I really felt that it was important to develop the collection and establish ourselves in Spain and Europe, where our roots are,” Labanda said. “We know that the U.S. market is one of the largest, but also one of the most difficult markets to penetrate. Certainly we are now at the point where the collection is ready, and we are committed to building our business in the U.S., in addition to broadening other international markets.”
For spring, Labanda’s line has an array of styles, from cotton and silk dresses to denim jeans and T-shirts. The collection also includes handbags, lingerie and swimwear. Labanda said that for spring, he was inspired by Sixties icons such as Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Sharon Tate. Labanda is known in the U.S. for his illustrations, but he stressed that he is set to prove that there’s more to him than that.
“I realize that the customer knows me as an illustrator, but I am interested in pushing the medium as an artist who designs great clothes,” he said. “I love to use my illustrations in my clothing designs in a more abstract, less literal way by using them in accessories — on a button or brooch — or lining details or by using big prints and deconstructing the images to be more abstract. I love that this medium allows me to experiment with my artwork and give it a new meaning.”
The Jordi Labanda collection, available at the IMEX showroom in New York, wholesales from $50 to $300. Labanda said he is aiming the line toward better specialty retailers. He expects to reach $500,000 to $750,000 in first-year wholesale volume in the U.S.