Here is Part 2 of 4 of the mighty return of New Threads. In this installment, we have a NYC brand that is getting a ton of love all around the world-so much to the point that it was only right to create a long sleeve t-shirt dedicated to the countries that recognized the brand in 2013. The brand has balanced creating pieces that are dedicated to Hip-Hop, classic styles that have withstood the test of time, and new concepts that may one day be considered timeless by future generations. We’re speaking of no other brand than GIANI NYC. GIANI NYC has created collaborations with Pro.Era as well as the Tan Boy nation, while creating its own aesthetic. There’s no telling what the brand will think of next.
Watch the promo video for their “The World Is Mine” tee, premiering right here and featuring @PhreshyDuzIt & @RichFlyer, below. The tee is set to drop Monday in White and Burgundy (first wave of Black ones sold out in three days). And you can expect more Tanboys merch on the way soon after that. And if their first collab is any indication, you’re going to want to place your orders ASAP. You can actually peep both colors of the next piece in the GIANI NYC x Tan Boys collection at the end of the interview. Before we get to that, read our interview with the designer behind GIANI NYC, Waqas Ghani.
And for those unfamiliar, New Threads is a fresh column we’ll be executing to celebrate independent fashion companies and the minds behind them. A teenager in an American suburb with a dope idea and a few bucks should be given mad props, if they’re due, just like your favorite luxury brand. We’ll pick a creator that deserves your attention and ask him/her a few questions, including our Final Four questions we ask all of our creators for that month. What’s the requirements to be featured on New Threads? Originality and quality. And please, make something you’d wear proudly. You can check out yesterday’s column that we did on Sav Noir HERE. And since it’s been so long since New Threads has graced the website, we’ll be putting up two more brands this weekend. Gotta make up for lost time somehow.
Directed by: @PulpClub
You’ve mentioned that you interned for high end brands and are now trying to combine the urban/streetwear level with the high end level. How do you plan on doing that? How has it gone so far?
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of high end is quality, both in material and production. Street wear level is more of a streamlined process, where quality is sacrificed for speedier production. For my work, I am kind of in between. I’ve tested various shirt weights, printers, and embroiderers to ensure that I’m getting the high quality product I’ve envisioned, at an affordable price that can be mass-produced. The other thing that comes to mind when I think of high end is that it’s hands-on or tailored. I take into consideration the smaller details that go into my work. Even something as simple as how I package my products or sewing in Giani tags personally into each snapback I made.
Every piece has a meaning. What’s your favorite piece that you’ve made so far and what does it mean to you?
My favorite piece was the “Free Your Mind” t-shirt [pictured left]. It really was a turning point for my mindset and goals in the design business. I woke up one morning to e-mails from buyers who reached out to me from Japan. Never thought I’d see it but there are people rocking Giani NYC all the way out there. The “Free Your Mind” design was my response to the love I got from Japan.
You seem to be pretty tight with a lot of Hip-Hop artists (Underachievers, Tanboys, Flatbush Zombies, Pro.Era). How important is the brand’s relationship with Hip-Hop to you?
I’ve always had close ties with some musicians that are now in the industry, but before that happened, I was friends with some and I was doing it for us to wear. Back in the day, AK of the Underachievers had this dream of being a rapper and I wanted to be a designer. We pushed each other to make things happen. In fact, I remember his very first show in Bushwick; he performed with Juice of Flatbush Zombies before either one of them blew up. That was the same day he wore the first shirt I ever dropped, haha. The shirt had an illustration of a guy wearing a shirt that said: IMAGINE THAT ON A WHITE TEE. Anyway, it kind of went hand in hand; first show, first shirt. It’s good to see how far we’ve come. Giani NYC was not intended solely for the Hip-Hop audience, but that’s where it was born. A lot of my support comes from there so it definitely helped out a lot.
