Reese Cooper Spring/Summer 2020: “How a Letter Travels”

A few months ago, Reese Cooper started inviting friends to his Los Angeles factory for impromptu “Arts and Crafts Days”where they could gather and experiment with screen printing and garment dyeing on old clothes and samples. It became a recurring weekend event, offering Cooper the opportunity to connect and collaborate on garment development with a diverse and growing network of Los Angeles based creatives, as well as give discarded clothing and materials a second life.

Adam Tschorn from the LA Times found his way to one of these “Arts and Crafts Days” and afterwards, wrote that “given the label’s early successes, not to mention his considerable skill as a designer and storyteller, imagining Reese Cooper as a heritage brand circa 2069 isn’t the least bit unlikely.”

In that spirit of skillful design and storytelling, Reese Cooper continues to expand on his narrative of traveling across America, exploring the small towns and communities tucked into the most scenic and majestic natural landscapes, with his Spring/Summer 2020 menswear collection titled “How a Letter Travels.” The collection references the United States Postal Service – a metaphor for this journey and posing the question of how far one is willing to go to get their message delivered.

There’s a renewed emphasis on technical fabrics this season – fabrics designed and developed for travelers who find themselves in various climates like versatile, lightweight nylon jackets, trousers, and shorts, as well as pieces created from a custom fabric printed from a camo design that Cooper painted himself. These pieces feature utilitarian details like cargo pockets and hidden pouches, as well as the brand’s signature hook clasps and fabric care straps.

Similar to how Cooper’s “Arts and Crafts Days” found new ways to reuse garments and fabrics, “How a Letter Travels” includes knitwear made from recycled paper and cotton featuring an architectural drawing of the Ojai California Post Office as the graphic. Other key items include patched denim jeans and jackets and outerwear featuring embroidered postage stamps.