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In Frame's first menswear collaboration, Marcus Allen brings to life the nostalgia for 90s and 2000s American prep. FRAME/Cobey Armer “This collection absolutely invokes nostalgia for simpler times,” Marcus Allen tells me in an email. We’re connecting over the menswear collaboration he just launched with Frame, the first for the brand which became famous for its denim. In the messages, I bring up a recent New York Times article on Allen and his Society Archive to him in which stylist Jon Teitz muses on consumer fatigue towards high fashion; the main takeaway being that Allen’s point of view on vintage fashion is, in essence, an antidote for the now which comes through his loving resurrection of the past. “Whether a really simple pleated pant, or a classic rugby, or a cashmere crewneck with subtle details, the collection is about going back to the basics that have defined American prep–less hype, more cool simplicity,” he says. Allen is known for The Society Archive, his appointment-only archive dedicated to the collection of American retail heritage between the 1960s and early 2000s. Its website is rich but mysterious, and there is nothing for sale on it other than two baseball caps–well-distressed, of course–emblazoned with the company name. But behind closed doors, The Society Archive has become a place for the “in the know.” It’s a deep resource for designers, stylists, brands, publications, costume departments, and enthusiastic customers of the era. It’s the Gap. It’s Abercrombie. It’s Polo, or, “heritage mall brands”, as Allen has described it. In this collaboration with Frame, he shines the lens of nostalgia over the 20-piece collection which Frame calls a celebration of style as a form of storytelling. It’s a combination of classic American codes of the time–think collegiate stripes and well-worn oxford shirts–and Frame’s high-end take on on everyday wear. The collection reimagines 90s and 2000s style through rich fabrics and imagery that harkens the era. FRAME/Cobey Armer “Many of the references for this collection were items that I myself bought while in high school, so by taking those garments and transforming them into elevated versions, updated and refreshed for today’s consumer, we’re tapping into a story about vintage Americana and appealing to that sense of longing for a simpler, more carefree time in culture,” Allen says. Unsurprisingly, the collection is inspired by the 90s and 2000s, the period for which Society Archive is known, and uplevels the design and aesthetic of the era via lush iterations. Imagine a rugby polo sweater brought to life in sumptuous cashmere and workwear pants are reimagined in soft, lamb suede. “I’m proud not only of the end product, but of how the collection makes people feel,” he says. The collaboration went into pre-sale today on the Frame website. Although, by the looks of it, customers are hungry for what Allen has to offer because almost all the items are already sold out. A tuxedo look from the Frame x Society Archive is styled with the feeling of the "more carefree time in culture" that Allen describes. FRAME/Cobey Armer Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
