Years of Tears dropped another capsule yesterday and unsurprisingly it’s another work of art. With football x fashion culture being hot right now, Syd tapped into football hooligan culture citing that Green Street was a film that really inspired the campaign after watching it multiple times. I feel like Syd was also influenced by the overall Sportlife Culture he has in his circle. Having previewed the polos on his spam account last month, the England shirt was the first to drop yesterday. Further teams include Jamaica, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, West Ham and more.
I think in terms of what a brand should be, Years of Tears is one that does it the best. Syd really gets it, possessing a good eye with great attention to detail and quality. Every drop and campaign, from the models, to set design, to photography to minor things like hair and make-up, Syd brings all of the different elements together cohesively which go on to align not only with the brand but also the concept of the drop. This is not to say Syd does it all himself, we gotta give credit where it's due. Syd has the ability to scout great talent in whatever he's doing and understands the value of having a team, a great one in fact. Each person he works with always brings their own skill to the table and metaphorically does their part of the group project. The Syd + Moi duo is currently like no other in this scene. You can tell they understand each other well and know how to communicate their ideas concisely. Big shoutout to @moi.digital for the work on set design, photography and editing. @joshrossiter_ @yloggggg and @jameshorderr also did their thing on set. The whole collective shows how great talent yields great results.
Aspects that encapsulated the gritty British aesthetic well:
Makeup, messy room, models & their poses, styling, photo editing plus props such as bottles, cigs, brickphones, newspapers and the custom flag.
When I researched deeper into Syd's creative process, he mentioned calling it the "Psychosis Bag" in an interview with Guap Mag. He explained his indifferent and obsessive personality enabling him to fully immerse himself into a certain aesthetic/culture. It allows him to ignore the world around him to focus and zone in on whatever his current focus is whether that be designing or videography.
If you were to ask me what brand designers should look at when it comes to brand presentation and the art of branding, Years of Tears is the first brand I’d recommend.