THE WORD FASHION: Black beauty

Friday, March 11, 2011

Black beauty

Working exclusively with French tanneries and the best skins available, Noir Basic‘s exquisite outerwear pieces reconcile craftsmanship with the world of streetwear.

Motorcycle III "Dirty North" Black, €2.550

Writer Philippe Pourhashemi

Inspired by American culture and the refinement of Parisian ateliers, Anthony Lellouche, Romain Bernardini and Marc Leblond set up the brand in 2008, appealing to leather aficionados around the globe with their sleek designs. “We come from very different backgrounds, such as professional poker and alternative cultures, but knew we had a lot in common,” notes Leblond, the creative director. “We’re very much inspired by the US and our collections span every decade of the 20th century, except maybe the 70s. We like details that demand a second take.” Using printed silk linings from Lyon, cotton denim from Okayama and 925 sterling silver zippers, the clothes are luxurious and timeless, from reworked bomber and biker shapes to suede Varsity jackets and butter soft lambskin hoodies. Rappers such as Lil Wayne and Booba are drawn to the brand and Leblond works closely with Cash Money Records in LA. Noir Basic will unveil its first womenswear line in March and is gradually expanding its international distribution. “Oki-ni.com stocks us and the Japanese were amongst the first to buy our brand. Asia really understands what we do.” Establishing a direct reference to black was an obvious choice for Leblond. “Black is my favourite colour and its eclecticism appeals to us. It also stands for the darkness of Paris, Charles Baudelaire‘s poetry and spleen. I’ve got an extensive collection of black t-shirts, which I’ve stopped counting. Vampires look great in black, too.”