R13 Pre-Fall 2022 Collection

There is very little that’s proper about R13, but the brand does deal in classics. For pre-fall, founder Chris Leba went to the source for classic subversions of propriety: Malcolm McLaren and the Brit punk era. A photo of McLaren in a rowing blazer was the official starting point, leading Leba and company to explore country club blazers, twisted tartans, and schoolgirl details like ties and sweet cardigans. The R13 spin on these prep-to-punk essentials comes in the proportions. Oversize has always been a part of the vernacular, and while shapes are definitely large, they also drip and dangle off the body in strange new ways. “It’s taking something conservative and turning it upside down,” said Leba.

Visually, the collection is one of the brand’s best of late, pushing a wide range of new ideas and codes. It’s not just grungy or peppered with a fuck-you sassiness—these look like clothes for a new world order with their ballooning shoulders, trailing hems, and exaggerated swagger. Functionally, R13’s venture into something a little less obviously palatable and a little more bizarre definitely mirrors how Gen Z is dressing. Leba admits he’s addicted to TikTok—who isn’t?—and finds nuggets of inspiration in the new gen’s approach to style. But it also comes with a certain level of wariness: Who among the cyberpunks is a true believer and who is a poser? That distinction is becoming harder and harder to suss out on social media—and it’s likely to only become harder in the metaverse, where avatars can change allegiances to aesthetic movements by the hour. Maybe it doesn’t matter much? A great pair of jeans will prove to be an essential IRL and URL, and few are rethinking the American classics with the madcap intensity of R13.