With SS27, Private Policy explores cultural identity through the language of basketball, bringing New York and Chinese influences into the same space. Sportswear references meet eccentric styling and refined silhouettes, proving that different cultures can coexist without losing their individuality.
Private Policy, a brand born and deeply rooted in downtown New York, uses its SS27 collection, Stitched, Not Blended, to remind us that there is no need to choose a single flag, a single language, or a single side. Different cultures can coexist without necessarily merging, conforming, or compromising: they can preserve their individual identities while still engaging in a meaningful dialogue.
Founded by Haoran Li, Private Policy is known for intertwining fashion and activism, treating clothing as a vehicle for conversation. Each collection goes beyond aesthetics, bringing contemporary social and cultural issues to the runway and turning fashion into a space for reflection.
This time, the focus is on cultural identity, explored through basketball, one of the defining elements of American culture and a sport deeply connected to New York. Yet, within the world imagined by the brand, most of the fans speak Mandarin. This seemingly unexpected juxtaposition highlights how two cultures originating on opposite sides of the world can meet and coexist, particularly through a generation that has grown up experiencing both perspectives and navigating between their languages, references, and traditions.
Basketball runs throughout the collection, both conceptually and visually. Several pieces openly reference classic basketball uniforms, while the balls carried under the models’ arms on the runway further reinforce the connection to the sport. These athletic elements are contrasted with a chic, at times deliberately eccentric attitude: bold color combinations, bright tights worn beneath skirts and short dresses, and striking wraparound sunglasses that conceal a significant portion of the face.
There are also more understated and sophisticated moments. Long satin dresses and suits appear alongside garments embellished with silver beads, creating a constant interplay between sportswear and glamour, eccentricity and restraint. It is precisely through these juxtapositions that the message behind Stitched, Not Blended comes into focus: different identities can be stitched together, share the same space, and enter into dialogue without losing what makes each of them distinct.
Private Policy SS27 show images
