SAMUEL KROSTCOMBINES FASHION, COMMUNITY,AND ACTIVISM IN HIS NEW LABELArticle By Nicky Campbell | Image By Scott CamaranThe 1960s was an era of defiance, characterized by riots and protestsby a young generation that desired change – for women’s rights,military intervention, and civil rights. This youth-led activism servesas the inspiration behind KROST, a luxury streetwear label that putscommunity first.Designed and produced in Los Angeles, KROST just made its New Yorkdebut with the launch of a SoHo concept store at 357 Canal Street.Spearheaded by founder Samuel Krost with the help of designer ScottCamaran, the young entrepreneur is using his background in fashionto make his mark on the industry.With a capsule collection composed of lux hoodies and leather goods,Krost aims to be a “vehicle for building a sense of community.”He’s doing this by partnering with the organization March for OurLives, demonstrating, in his way, how fashion has a responsibility togive back.“March for Our Lives was born out of the devastation brought by theshooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School and is the primeexample, and the brand’s biggest inspiration, of youth coming togetherto support one another for a greater purpose – to propel a safertomorrow,” Krost said.“We’re proud to be one of the first partnerships with the organizationwithin another industry, with the goal of supporting them in afinancial capacity through small capsule collections while alsobringing additional awareness to their cause through all social anddigital marketing initiatives.”Expect more such partnerships in the label’s future. In line with thebrand’s motto “Support Your Friends,” Krost hopes to mobilize a newgeneration of young creatives far and wide to take the brand to newheights. He has a high-profile network behind him – think Gigi Hadidand @fuckjerry – and aims to utilize this to generate real change.As Krost put it, “We’re here to partner and collaborate with as manycreatives, artists, photographers, videographers, and other brandsin the world that can help create additional vehicles to propel thismessage and build our community.”it is genuine and personal. “Often people ask meabout getting involved in service and philanthropy,and my first advice is: Make sure it’s real and it’stransparent,” he told Gabriela Hearst, herself anactivist for Planned Parenthood and champion forsustainability, in an interview for Vogue. “People arevery smart today.”And he’s not wrong. Many consumers criticize thefashion industry for its lack of social conscience,or remain skeptical when it appears. Case in point:Chanel’s SS15 preview of the Women’s March onWashington was seen both as the most politicalfashion show in recent memory and as a commercialcaricature of a social movement. Yet while many arguethe fashion industry is too exclusive to championsocial issues, they forget clothes have long been acatalyst for change. After Paul Poiret condemnedthe corset, Chanel popularized the suit and loosersilhouettes for women. And even before screenprintingmade it possible to declare oneself a feminist,Mary Quant was an inadvertent representative ofwomen’s liberation. The first to put the miniskirt inthe mainstream, Quant helped normalize sexualityand the hiked hemlines that came with it.Nevertheless, most of the industry spent years beingsilent on political issues while causing controversyof its own, begging critics to question why now andif the messages are genuine, or if brands are merelyafter socially conscious consumers. Speaking up isgreat, but many question if the occasional slogantee is enough; actions speak louder than words,even if those words are worn. But despite being arepeated antagonist of diversity, body positivity,and politically correct appropriation, the industryhas significant leverage as an agent for change andwho are we to silence designers now that they’rewielding it. Fashion has been and continues tobe an industry of creatives of every race, religion,sexuality, and gender whose rights are now inquestion, so the issues they’re advocating for areviscerally felt. Whether their collections are judgedas a publicity stunt or political statement, designersand consumers alike can’t deny that silence in thissociopolitical climate is deadly.8FASHION & ACTIVISM
DESIGNERS &CONSUMERS ALIKECAN’T DENY THAT SILENCEIN THIS SOCIOPOLITICALCLIMATE IS DEADLYImage By David SimsFASHION & ACTIVISM 9
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