VNGRD reveals the story behind the tentacle sweatshirt

VNGRD is a brand born in 2005 which marked the beginning of a new chapter for all steetwear enthusiasts, as well as the natural creative expression of a group of designers and artists who had lived in their hearts for years of milanese underground. Led by the creative direction of Giorgio Di Salvo through a naïve approach to design and the refusal to obey the commercial customs of those years, VNGRD quickly acquired a cult status, accumulating collaborations with brands such as Stüssy, SUPER, FUCT and Slam Jam, receiving the recognition - among others - of Kanye West and sowing the seeds that would have given birth to the Octopus brand. The motif with the tentacles was in fact born as a graphic by VNGRD in 2006, which then became a brand in itself in 2012 with the aim of spreading the tentacle motif everywhere. To celebrate the special relationship with the brand, Octopus has created an extremely limited production of original Octopus VNGRD garments, faithful to the first 2006 release till the smallest details, and a coffee table book published by Rizzoli New York, entitled VNGRD, which narrates the deep bond between the two realities.

With the writings of Marcelo Burlon (founder of County of Milan), Virgil Abloh (founder of OFF-WHITE), Erik Brunetti (founder of FUCT), Massimo Torrigiani (founder of Boiler and Fantom), Alessio Ascari (founder of Kaleidoscope ), Federico Sarica (in charge of the editorial contents of GQ Italia and editor-in-chief of Rivista Studio) and many others and the photographic services of Francesco Nazardo and Jim C. Nedd, VNGRD. tells the background of the Milanese streetwear scene, from its origins to today, using the complete archive of the brand's graphic and stylistic production, including unseen items and exclusive behind the scenes. Rizzoli, one of the giants of Italian publishing, who recently also collaborated with Burlon for the publication of Marcelo Burlon: County of Milan Confidential, is establishing himself in fashion through publishing Coffee tables, often commissioned by the brand itself, a format that enhances the iconicity of the product, but which massively limits the story to be told in favor of the images, also excluding that slice of readers - often young - who do not want or can spend 60 euros on glossy or laminated paper. The collaboration with VNGRD will serve as the first step in a new line of premium garments, reproduced for the first time since 2009 with original production techniques and materials in limited editions.

The book will be available from November 30 in Italy on the Rizzoli website and from February 22 through the worldwide distribution network Rizzoli New York, both the capsule collection and the book will be available at the preview event on December 1 at Slam Jam (Lanza 1 , Milan) together with the remake of the Octopus sweatshirt, in gray and purple, released for the AW 2006 collection, and the first Octopus t-shirt, released for the SS 2007 collection featuring the VNGRD brand, characterized by original details made using the non-industrial screen printing technique.