Clashing Worlds

Paul&Shark’s innovative fabrics collide with Greg Lauren’s bohemian aesthetics in a compelling capsule collection.

- Wilson Lim

Its ubiquitous shark logo has cemented Paul&Shark’s status as the go-to luxury outfit for sailing and adventure, but the Italian lifestyle brand is poised to have its place in fashion too. Following collaborations with style maven Nick Wooster and print design atelier LQQK studio, Paul&Shark roped in American designer Greg Lauren for its latest capsule collection. Other than sharing the same last name as his relatively more famous uncle, Ralph Lauren, Lauren has come into his own with his unique take on a style that can be described as a utilitarian-bohemian hybrid.

Do not be too quick to disregard the Paul&Shark by Greg Lauren capsule collection as an attempt to feed the insatiable appetite of the fashion consumer market. In fact, it could be said to be a natural fit. Other than a striking aesthetic, Lauren’s point of view includes an obsession with fabrics and how they could be handled to create his collections. This gives rise to the limited quantity in each of his collection, which is crafted from his studio in Los Angeles.

Look deep into Paul&Shark’s history, and one will discover that the brand started as a mill factory in 1921, producing high-quality yarn and fabrics for various fashion houses. Armed with this rich history, production expertise, and factory capabilities, it has devoted many resources to innovative technologies. One such example is the Typhoon 20000, a completely waterproof and windproof fabric. Not to be confused with the terminologies, water-resistant and wind-resistant (where water and wind are still able to penetrate through the fabric), every single square centimetre of the Typhoon 20000 has been created with revolutionary manufacturing processes to withstand a 20m column of water and gale force gusts of wind.