Swedish fashion brand Axel Arigato expands its U.S. presence through a capsule collection with Brooklyn-based artist Alvin Armstrong. The collaboration introduces a bold range of colorful ready-to-wear pieces inspired by Armstrong’s expressive art — and unveils a new sculptural sneaker, the Squish.
Creative director Jens Werner said he has long admired Armstrong’s vibrant palette, particularly in “The Listening Skies,” the artwork that inspired the collaboration.
“What struck me most,” Werner shared, “is that Alvin is self-taught, like me. We both share the same curiosity to explore, learn, and create without boundaries.”
From Canvas to Clothing
Werner noted that the project symbolizes Axel Arigato’s evolving relationship with the art world beyond music. Armstrong, whose works often portray Black subjects in motion, draws from his diverse upbringing in California, Japan, and Hawaii. His paintings celebrate movement, grace, and identity through color and energy.
For Armstrong, the transition to fashion felt natural. “Each day in the studio, I create based on what I see and feel,” he said. “That emotion shaped how this collection came together — intuitive, colorful, and expressive.”
Inside the Capsule
The collection marks Armstrong’s first foray into fashion. He studied Axel Arigato’s previous collections and menswear archives to craft garments that balance structure and comfort.
“I wanted everything to feel plush and oversized,” he explained. “Limiting the color palette was a challenge — my art is all about vibrancy.”
A standout piece is the inside-out striped crew sweatshirt, designed to showcase texture by flipping the jersey material typically hidden inside.
The Squish Sneaker
The collaboration also debuts the Squish, a new oversized sneaker silhouette. Armstrong described it as “chunkier than the minimalist styles dominating the market.”
Werner explained that the design idea came from merging a leather upper with a thick rubber outsole — “as if the shoe were literally squished together.”
He added, “Squish is not a classic Axel Arigato silhouette but a bold evolution. Alvin’s focus on proportion, shape, and color perfectly matched what we wanted for this launch.”
Following its U.S. retail debut last fall with a flagship store in SoHo, New York, this collaboration further cements Axel Arigato’s artistic direction and American expansion.
