Initially conceived as a movie, the clothing line has been seven years in the making.
Kid Cudi has launched Members of the Rage (MOTR), his first-ever clothing brand, at London's luxury department store Selfridges. The apparel collection forms a six-week pop-up inside the London Designer Street Room.
Displayed in a space that takes inspiration from the rapper's LA dressing room, visitors will be engulfed by pink checkerboard-patterned walls, astroturf underfoot, and vibrant neon signage resulting in a psychedelic tableau. A 10-foot statue of Cudi (real name Scott Mescudi) draws inspiration from the late Virgil Abloh, who adorned Louis Vuitton boutiques with monumental mannequins during his tenure as creative director for the fashion brand.
The immersive pop-up showcases Members of the Rage's inaugural Fall/Winter 2023-24 collection and features camouflage puffer jackets, tracksuit bottoms, biker pants, t-shirts, hoodies, bomber jackets and a replica of Kurt Cobain's famous striped sweater. Crafted in Italy, the collection showcases a daring and insurgent re-imagination of streetwear, drawing inspiration from the gritty aesthetics of 90s grunge and the rhythmic pulse of hip-hop culture. The logo, designed in collaboration with BAPE Founder Nigo, features a cartoonish UFO.
"Ever since my first time in London, Selfridges has been one of my main destinations in town to shop," said Mescudi. "I remember coming into Selfridges several years ago and seeing Virgil's Off White, around the time it was getting started thinking how cool it would be to have my own brand in Selfridges one day. This is truly an honour and dream come true and I hope l the presence of Members of the Rage brings a level of freshness that has never been seen in the store before."
"Members of the Rage started off as this idea for a movie that I want to write, and I'm probably still going to write it at some point. It's about a band of survivors that get together to stop an alien invasion. The survivors are like rebels- they're all outcasts from society," said Mescudi.
While Mescudi's intentions for the line were put on hold following disappointing initial samples, he eventually circled back to it while undergoing a two-week quarantine in Australia due to the covid-19 pandemic. Resurrecting the dormant project, the 39-year-old artist engaged in conversations with Virgil Abloh, seeking his insights for the brand. Members of the Rage was then assembled in just three days, with the resulting collection materialising over 12 months.
"We are thrilled that Scott chose Selfridges as the retail launch partner for Members of the Rage, a brand that captures the spirit of the outsider, intersecting fashion, music and subculture. The ethos of self-expression and dress up makes for a distinct addition to our offer," said Bosse Myhr, Selfridges director for Menswear & Womenswear.
The collection is also available at Selfridges in Manchester and Birmingham.
GO: Visit www.selfridges.com for more information.
Images: Selfridges