What wine, so intoxicating as possibility. Perhaps it is a bit unusual to start a story about a fashion retailer by referencing a Danish philosopher, but as we interviewed one of the masterminds behind Unknown Union, Sean Shuter, that quote immediately sprung to mind.
Shuter, a former New Yorker and creative intelligentsia, transplanted himself to Cape Town to launch the venture this past March 2011. He and his business partners saw opportunity in the dichotomy apparent in Cape Town; it is a city with a prevalent sophistication of taste yet limited availability of international brands and designers – the next retail frontier for someone who has already established retail outposts in fashion mecca’s Tokyo and New York.
Unknown Union is a celebration of possibility not only in name but in also in terms of intention, realisation and ultimately in creativity. From the boutique’s counter gentleman’s club-inspired interior designed by the ever so fashionable New York-based interior architect Raphael de Cárdenas, to their in-house and fair-trade label designed by another renown New Yorker, Daniel Jackson, founder of Surface to Air and BBlessing. The more we learn about this project what resounds is the wonderful curation of collaborations and affiliations. We’ve discovered new talents from the likes of South African photographer Inge Prins who captured the interior shots to the introduction of South African fashion labels like Darkie to name a few. Fashion is fun when it manages to surprise and Unknown Union is full of pleasant surprises…
Fluorescent tube lighting arranging like an installation that strikes somewhere between a Japanese deco truck and a Dan Flavin installation.
Who is Unknown Union?
Sean Shuter: Unknown Union is an ever changing and growing group of individuals operating in a variety of creative and business disciplines. UU very much celebrates the power of a collective and in fact, this was the inspiration for both the project and the name. Rather than focusing on one individual or designer as the focal point for the brand, it’s more about collaboration and teamwork. Founding members include myself, Daniel Jackson who I have collaborated with on many projects including BBlessing and BBS Tokyo, Jason Storey a New York based attorney and visionary and Sean Hanratty who programs the talent at Santos Party House in New York and curates musical playlists for the New York Times Style section. Recent but key members include Yannick Ilunga who performs music as both PopSkarr and Petite Noir.
Sean Shuter (L) & Daniel Jackson (R). Photo | Thomas Lohr.
So after New York and Tokyo, did Cape Town seem like the next logical step?
SS: I am always eager for a new challenge, especially one that involves travel and exploring a new part of the world. When Daniel and I left BBlessing in late 2010 I was looking for new projects and began speaking with Jason Storey about his dream of opening a retail shop in Cape Town. Jason and his family have long standing ties to CT and South Africa and he felt there was a real need for something different in the retail mix here. I brought enthusiasm and experience to the table for creating brands and boutiques from the ground up. We instantly connected on the idea of creating a signature brand that would use African manufacturers engaged in humane, sustainable and ethical production. We also agreed on the importance of giving a portion of proceeds from the sales of our brand back to community based organizations and charities working in Africa. What began as an exploratory conversation quickly grew into a partnership. I initially traveled to Cape Town during the World Cup to try to find a suitable location and building for the boutique. I fell in love with the city, its people and the potential. Shortly after I returned I committed to come here indefinitely to oversee both the build out of the boutique and the production of the UU label.
Both of those metropolitan cities really offer so much retail therapy options for the mens market, do you see creative abandon on the streets of Cape Town in terms of fashion trends?
SS: Very few cities compare to New York and Tokyo when it comes to retail and Cape Town is no exception. It is a much smaller city, but both here and in Johannesburg there is a great interest in fashion. But there are many barriers to entry in this market. Not the least of which being the extremely high duties on imported clothing. Nevertheless, there is a hunger for creative, independent brands here – both imported and locally produced. That is a desire we are hoping to help fulfill.
What is the retail landscape like in Cape town, are you carving out your own niche?
SS: There are some great shops here. A-Store being one of them, but I think we are offering something completely unique in terms of both the retail experience and the product offering.
How would you describe the unknown union man?
SS: The Unknown Union man tends have a creative, entrepreneurial background and mindset. He prizes individuality and understands the value of having a unique piece for his wardrobe that no one else will have.
Yannick Ilunga wearing UU. Photo | Charli Ljung
We love the esprit of the interior. How did you end up selecting NY-based designer Rafael de Cárdenas from Architecture-at-Large for the interior?
SS: I had long been an admirer of Rafael’s work, particularly the aNYthing store which he made look great on a shoestring budget and the Ubiq store in Philadelphia. He’s a close friend of Sean Hanratty’s and as soon as we took over creative direction of the UU project, there was really no question as to who we wanted to design the shop. Rafael was excited to do a project in Africa, and I know he is extremely proud of the results.
As we understand it, the graphic installation of fluorescent ceiling lights is a trademark of de Cárdenas?
SS: As far as I know, the UU boutique is the first of his designs to utilize fluorescent lights in this way, but certainly using low cost industrial lighting materials such as electrical conduit and bare bulbs as a design feature is a de Cardenas trademark.
Mexican Modernist Architect Luis Barragán colour palette inspired de Cárdenas's colour choices
How would you describe the colour palette choice?
SS: The main direction we gave to Rafael was to create an antidote to the mahogany and taxidermy gentlemen’s club design vocabulary that had become so prevalent. I believe we may have actually asked him to create the anti-BBlessing, a men’s shop that would give Ralph Lauren nightmares.
What kind of impressions do you hope your clientele experience from first glance of the 18th century historic building that houses the store, to entering into the a delectable pop-environment that makes us think of high gloss hard candy, not your typical fare for a menswear store?
SS: It was all about creating something exciting and new. Subverting the prevailing aesthetic to make something unique, almost shocking and above all fun. We had all been to the gentlemen’s club and the barber shop and decided to leave it for J. Crew and the rest. As we are in a landmark building we intentionally left a lot of the original features intact and even restored some. The floor, in particular, is a very beat up, dirty almost Mexican style terracotta tile. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to tear it up or cover it in wood. Instead we left it – it’s almost as if the larger than life, fluorescent fixtures that Rafael created are alien structures occupying the original space.
The perfect fade through the ombré finished MDF display cases created in collaboration with a Cape Town airbrush artist.
What kind of clientele visit the store, all age demographics, tourists, locals?
SS: A very broad range in terms of age. We opened during winter, so thus far it has been mostly locals, but I’m sure the summer season will bring in the tourists.
Are most of the brands that you currently stock, American? Is that part of the concept?
SS: Initially, most of the brands have been American or European and certainly providing access to both new designers such as Warriors of Radness and heritage brands like Pendleton which have never been available in Africa is part of our mission. But more and more we are working with local designers as well as fleshing out our own collection. Themba Mngomezulu just moved into our second floor project space so as well stocking his Darkie Clothing label, we will be working on many other projects and collaborations going forward.
Pendleton denim jacket, Unknown Union t-shirt, Warriors of Radness shorts, Super shades
Are you doing wholesale rep’ing for US brands that you stock?
SS: We are in the process of building out our showroom and will be repping selected brands for wholesale in Africa.
Can you tell us about your in-house brand, Unknown Union?
SS: The UU brand started small, with graphic t-shirts designed by Daniel Jackson. The SS12 collection we just finished showing expanded into sweats, henleys, polos etc. and will be available at retailers in North America, Europe and Australia in addition to the UU boutique in Cape Town. The collection it entirely produced in Africa and will gradually expand into a full menswear collection complimented by a small womenswear selection. Starting small and gradually expanding is something both Daniel and I are familiar with from both BBlessing and Surface To Air amongst other projects. I for one can’t wait to see how UU evolves.
The second floor of the shop is an ephemeral space, what kind of things do you currently have planned for it?
SS: We have big plans for the upstairs space and are currently in discussions with several brands and artists for various projects. It will be a true project space – gallery one month, pop-up shop the next. It’s currently a blank canvas and I can’t wait to start coloring it in.
What is in store for 2012?
SS: Launching our taco truck, EndlessS in the front of the boutique. Expanding the UU collection. Turning other brands on to the idea of manufacturing in Africa. Launching the project space upstairs with a bang.
Any expansion plans to have stores in Tokyo and New York?
SS: We have ambitions to launch UU boutiques in other cities particularly NY, Tokyo and London, both as a home for the UU brand and to introduce the world outside of Africa to some of the amazing and unrecognised designers and artisans that exist on this continent.
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Unknown Union
24 Kloof Street, Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 71 458 1662
Unknown Union shop photos by Inge Prins.
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