There are new brands sprouting up everyday in the current menswear scene. But the truth is, when you ask some of these new companies what they are really about, they couldn’t tell you. Either they are are trying to make a quick buck or they truly haven’t deciphered their own DNA. Delikt is nothing like that – they know exactly what they are trying to accomplish with their creations. The founders Daniel Thies and Eva Napp started it in Hamburg, Germany in 2013. Then they decided to move to Los Angeles and take their conception to the next level. With a focus on quality streetwear and a strong penchant for premium handcrafted goods, we believe this is one menswear name that will be around for a while. See our interview below …
“We are no criminals, but we ain’t no saints either …”
Can you tell us a little bit about the meaning behind the name Delikt?
de·lict noun [ \di-’likt, dē-\] Law. a misdemeanor; offense. from Latin
dēlictum a fault, crime, from dēlinquere to offend; see delinquent,
delinquency
Well that’s the official meaning. In German, Delikt is meant as something even less then a misdemeanor. We are no criminals, but we ain’t no saints either. We just like the association with that side of reality. We are the gentle rebels. Crossing the line a little bit here and there but mean no harm.
When was the brand founded and can you share the philosophy/story behind the brand?
The brand was founded 2013 in Hamburg, Germany. It all started out of my desire to create clothes with a certain style and quality that I felt couldn’t be found anywhere. We started making high-end quality products that were all made within close periphery to us. At that time this close periphery was Hamburg. Localism and craftsmanship have been the cornerstones of our philosophy ever since. We started selling our first styles and when the decision to move to LA was made. It was our chance to do what we love on a bigger scale.
What is the German connection with Delikt, and where are the clothes made?
Our roots are based in Germany. Eva and me just moved to L.A. 2 years ago and have never looked back since. Nonetheless our philosophy is based around localism and so all our products and much of the trims that are part of it are made right here in Los Angeles. We try to keep everything as close to us as possible.
How would you describe the Delikt man – what kind of music and sub-cultures is he into?
The Delikt man…
Well I think the Delikt man is someone who appreciates the quality of handmade products that will last a lifetime rather than just last until the next season or the next wave of trends.
He’s cultural, appreciates art whether it be street art or fine art. He enjoys good movies just as much as live music gigs. Friendship and camaraderie are very important to him. He’s got an open mind and is always on the look out to live and learn. He is well travelled.
In terms of what kind of music he likes… I imagine him to be heavily influenced by what I like to call “guitar-music” meaning everything from Stoner Metal to Classic Rock. At the same time I take him for a guy who also has an appreciation for Hip Hop and Electronic music like Drum and Bass.
What are the inspirations and influences for your current collection and the upcoming F/W season?
I think the biggest inspirations for our next collection and the general vibe to Delikt are the underground subcultures of the early 20th century. Think of hooligans, night muggers, street gangs etc. but take this to a contemporary context and a Rick Owens-esque style. Especially Les Apaches, a Parisian street gang from the belle epoche and the German Ringvereine were a huge influence. They were the gentlemen of gangsters. Very sleek and well dressed on the outside, but very dark and tough on the inside. I like the idea of secret societies and taking matters into their own hands while following a strict codex to only do good.
We are going to see a lot of layering, secret hidden pockets, hoods etc. But I don’t want to spoil too much. You’ll see.
What has been your bestselling Delikt item to date?
Our bestselling item right from the beginning has always been our varsity jacket. It’s what made us start all of this. But it looks like our new signature piece will be the bomber jacket that we will have in different variations like silky cupro to super soft suede. It’s our high fashion take on the classic bomber and everyone we have shown so far has fallen in love with it.
What plans do you have for the growth and expansion of the brand?
We just recently launched a month ago so our main focus right now is to really reach our consumers and get our pieces into the stores and show the world our beautiful products. Nonetheless at the same time, we are already striving to work on new stuff at the same time and currently have a women’s line in the works that we are planning to launch next year.
Where can our readers in NYC find Delikt clothing to buy?
For now our clothing is exclusively available through our website www.delikt-clothing.com.
We are hitting the tradeshows this summer so we should have it in the stores this fall.
What direction do you see men’s streetwear going in the next few years?
I very much hope that men’s streetwear will move more towards longevity of products. Even though fashion is our industry and it is our job to create desires, I love it if we’d move away from products that will only last us a couple of months because of the manufacturers low quality standards and that we will embrace quality. It is amazing how spending a couple more dollars in production can really increase your quality.
Lastly, the men’s fashion scene is booming right now – what do you think are the best and worst things about the current state of men’s style?
This is a hard one. What makes it so difficult to answer is that what I love and hate about men’s style right now is almost the same thing. Almost anything is possible.
Through the availability of information we are flooded with inspiration. With the globalization of the world the possibilities in terms of producing your own ideas are nearly endless. It has become very easy to find a small private label factory somewhere in the world who is willing to turn your ideas into a line for very little money.
This phenomenon on the one hand is amazing and gives every talented person the opportunity to create his or her vision. There is a great equality nowadays in being able to produce work and getting it out there without needing a big company behind you.
At the same time this can go horribly wrong. Because of everything being so readily available people are buying more and more into cheap fashion that’s ephemeral rather than into quality. So much gets produced every day and the market is flooded with products that have a very short shelf live.
We are made to believe that we need to follow fast paced trends and to be able to do this there is a need for cheap fashion. It’s not so much about the product itself and its quality. Especially at this moment in time the most important element of a brand or designer is its perceived image. Through apps like Instagram everyone can build his or her own “brand”. Many consumers these days don’t really care anymore if a piece of clothing is well made but rather care how many followers that brand has and therefore how popular it is. This is understandable because it makes you feel like being part of it that image.
It’s not so much more about the product, it is much more important to most brands/designers what their image is perceived as.
I read a good quote recently. “The downside of an IT-item is that people know exactly when (in time) it’s from. That it is this instantly identifiable has an impact on its longevity.” We at DELIKT try to avoid exactly this. By making high quality timeless pieces, we want our customers have something that they can wear for a long time and that soak up their life’s tales.
For more information, visit the Delikt website
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