Retailers News South Africa

Fashion-forward men's clothing store opens in Cape Town

Officially opening on Thursday 24 March 2011 in Kloof Street in Cape Town, Unknown Union (UU) is more than a clothing shop. With interiors designed by globally recognised, New York-based architectural designer, Rafael de Cardenas and curated by a dynamic team of international music, design and fashion players, it represents a collective of global creativity that is set to make itself a fresh and important part of Cape Town's urban, cultural scene.
Credit: Inge Prins
Credit: Inge Prins

The boutique features an international roster of fashion collections, exclusively available in Africa at UU. The selection ranges from 100 year old heritage work wear brands such as Pendleton to young designers like RxMance and Naked & Famous. These and many others are available alongside UU's collection, designed by Daniel Jackson, US founder of Surface To Air and BBlessing.

In 2006, two of its partner's Sean Shuter and Jackson launched BBlessing, a boutique and clothing line based in New York City. Within its first year of existence, it was acclaimed as one of the 50 most influential boutiques in America by Women's Wear Daily, one of the top 100 boutiques in the world by GQ (for 4 years running) and the best menswear boutique in New York by Citysearch. Starting with t-shirts and sweatshirts, it grew into a full 250 piece menswear collection by 2009 and was sold in many of the top boutiques in the world, including Barneys New York, Odin, Ron Herman, Fred Segal, Lane Crawford, Isetan and Collette.

The in-house brand will be manufactured in Africa and available exclusively at the Cape Town boutique. Seeking to become a responsible member of the community, a portion of all sales of its branded product will go to benefit local charities such as Ambassadors For Change.

The second floor of the boutique will function as home to an ever-changing environment featuring both artist and designer installations and pop-up boutiques: a project and ideas space for both international and local creators.

For its official launch it will offer a limited edition series of t-shirts specifically created for the event. Artists include Rafael De Cardenas/Architecture At Large, Gazelle, Surface To Air, Milkbeard, Cornrow Rider and THECAST.

For more information, go to www.unknownunion.co.za

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