At first glance, there might not be an obvious connection between Kano, a pioneer of grime culture, and an Italian sportswear brand founded in 1971, over a decade before he was born. Look a little closer, though, and similarities between the musician and C.P. Company start to emerge – a laser focus on the creative process and a binding relationship to the places where they were born. It’s these similarities that form the basis of a new collaboration that sees Kano reinvent the label’s Metropolis Series Field Jacket, a staple in its cult high-performance line of the same name.
Born in London’s East Ham, Kano made his name as a pivotal figure during the early days of grime, breaking through from the underground to earn a Mercury Prize nomination and MOBO Award for his 2016 album Made in the Manor. On screen, meanwhile, he’s best known for his role in Top Boy, a show that saw him tap into his own life experiences to portray the troubled Sully.
C.P. Company, on the other hand, is the Italian brainchild of Massimo Osti. Since the early 1970s, its designs have blended boundary-pushing style and strong functionality, ranging from motor-racing-inspired coats, to distinctive goggle jackets.
Kano took direct inspiration from the brand’s detailed construction and technical innovation when working on the new jacket, he says, and found that it mirrored elements of his own process: “Finding synergy between these cutting-edge processes of the Metropolis Series and the music mixing process where the individually refined parts balance together as one harmonious noise.”
Courtesy of FLANNELS
To bring this concept to life, handwritten board tapes from his Hoodies All Summer studio sessions have been developed into the bias binding inside the slick black Field Jacket, “giving you a window into the meticulous detail it takes to produce an iconic piece,” says Kano
The collaborative element of the design process is drawn out even further in an accompanying campaign, which is set against the dual backdrops of London and Milan. Following Kano from Newham to C.P. Company’s studio, the film documents conversations, musical production, and moments of inspiration amid the metropolis that all inform the reimagining of the Field Jacket.
C.P. Company KANO Metropolis Field Jacket
£1,000.00
Born from the synergy between the brand’s innovative techniques and the music mixing process, the result is a black Series Field Jacket designed by KANO. The detail lies inside: a unique bias binding developed from the board tapes of his original studio sessions.
And the collaboration doesn’t end there. Exclusive to the FLANNELS, the design’s launch will see the luxury retailer host a night of musical acts and DJ sets curated by Kano himself. Expect to see a line-up of iconic artists whose work has shaped London’s sound as we know it today, alongside a roster of all-female DJs.
The C.P. Company x Kano FLANNELS exclusive will be available in a limited run to pre-order via the FLANNELS website above. Watch the campaign video below, and take a closer look at the collaboration in the gallery above.
