Meshing Around with Nicklas Kunz
When Danish designer Nicklas Kunz found out that American rapper Kendrick Lamar was wearing his clothes, his reaction was as down-to-earth and modest as only that of a Dane could have been. “It was pretty sweet,” he simply said, noting that Lamar is actually his favorite rapper. The pieces were from Kunz’s Autumn/Winter 2013 line—his first full collection.
Just a year ago, when the 31-year-old decided to start his own company, it was because he recognized a hole in the market that he thought he could fill. “I have something to ‘say’ about men’s fashion, which is the reason why I started the brand,” he said. The designer is wisely taking things slow, and the company still only consists of two full time employees, including himself.
Despite having no family members with a background in clothing, Kunz, originally from the outskirts of Copenhagen, always knew he wanted to work in fashion. Prior to studying for a Master’s in menswear at Kolding School of Design, Kunz received training with other Danish menswear specialists such as Henrik Vibskov and Soulland.
“Getting my MA in Kolding was the best because it was so intense; you could get into your own world and find your aesthetics,” he said. It was there he found a passion for clothes that makes men look like men. “Manhood, strength, personality, and sex,” are the keywords Kunz uses to describe his brand.
The collection is mash up of sportswear and classic tailoring: turtleneck sweatshirts with collarless leather jackets, hoodies with paneled bomber jackets and pants, classic dress shirts with cropped pants. Everything is made from leather, jersey, and wool, with mesh used in details throughout the collection; and it’s all available on Kunz’s website.
