Once an international model, Pierre Bassene waged a vendetta against uncomfortable clothing. Look after look. Uncomfortable outfit after uncomfortable outfit. He began to notice the way that models are often “treated purely instrumentally”.
This, paired with his frustration at constantly scrolling through outfits he couldn’t afford, led him to his grandma’s sewing machine. Where he decided to dabble in “the only way to be truly unique.” Making and customising his own pieces.
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From a small town in Eastern France, he moved to Paris, to live out his young, stylish life, all while building up an Instagram following for his style and youthful abandon
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Followers began noticing his pieces. “But then people started hitting me up,” he said, “like, yo, that shit’s fire.” And just like that, Pierre himself became a brand — today known as PIERRE BASSENE WORLD.
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He later moved to Toronto where he met with old friend Spencer Badu, who gave him free rein in his studio. The pieces started out simple — hoodies, t-shirts, and jeans among them. Finally, in control of his own comfort, he made sure that the pieces included wearer-friendly features, such as layers under the armpits, vents, and breathable fabrics.
Since its release, the brand has become synonymous with the iconic fingerprint jeans, complete with embossed buttons, and contrast stitching.
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Equally synonymous with the brand is their lack of models. Breathing, living models that is. The brand embraces digital imagery, deploying 3D rendered mannequins crafted by the exceptional 2000digital.
Source: Sabukaru
This helps the brand feel both technologically relevant, and almost refreshingly anonymous. “I don’t want to specify an audience,” Bassene said in an interview,“as the clothes are for anyone. If you like it, it’s you. I want the audience to define themselves.”