Shayne Oliver Exits Hood By Air — Here's What's Next For the Designer
Shayne Oliver is exiting Hood By Air, the label he founded in 2006, to focus on a series of new projects spanning fashion and art.
The news, first reported by Business of Fashion, follows a string of hiccups for the brand. Widely credited with pioneering luxury streetwear, Hood By Air took fashion by storm with its mash-up of high-fashion, hip hop and queer culture. But after abruptly canceling its Fall/Winter 2017 runway show, the label went on hiatus due to personal and business conflicts. During the pause, Oliver designed a capsule collection for Helmut Lang.
In 2020, Hood By Air relaunched under Oliver and his new business partner, Edison Chen. But the founder grew dissatisfied with the label's new emphasis on streetwear staples. "Focusing solely on T-shirts was not in line with my vision," Oliver told BoF. "I appreciate things that are highly accessible, but I also value high-end concepts."
Oliver will remain a shareholder in Hood By Air. Last fall, he relocated to Berlin to focus on developing the Shayne Oliver Group, comprised of 10 team members based in Berlin, Paris, and Miami. Currently, the Group houses a cluster of projects including Anonymous Club, a multidisciplinary creative studio and clothing label that Oliver launched in 2021; As Seen by Shayne Oliver (A.S.S.O), a collection of elevated basics set to release this fall; and Shayne Oliver, a high-end ready-to-wear line that will launch in early 2024.
A first glimpse at the workings of the Shayne Oliver Group is coming soon. This summer, Anonymous Club will release a new collection and campaign featuring Telfar Clemens, Patia Borja, and former Yves Saint Laurent creative director Stefano Pilati (who, coincidentally, walked Pharrell's debut Louis Vuitton show earlier this week).
In August, Shayne Oliver Group will take to Berlin's Schinkel Pavillon with "Mall of Anonymous," an exhibition showcasing Oliver's designs alongside artwork created by the designer and others.
Oliver's exit from Hood By Air is the second sartorial shakeup this week. On Wednesday, news broke that Christopher Kane is exploring a sale and preparing to shutter his namesake brand.
