100% of proceeds will be donated to War Child USA, a humanitarian organization providing life-changing resources to children living through conflict
True Religion, an iconic American apparel and accessories brand, has tapped Soldier, a London-based artist and skateboarder from Nigeria, for an exclusive capsule collection that is set to bring Soldier’s camouflage prints to life. The collection, featuring t-shirts, denim jackets and jeans, hoodies, cargo pants and hats, unites Soldier’s art with True Religion’s unique style, modernizing the ’90s and 2000s iconic camouflage hip-hop uniform and reflecting Soldier’s message of unity and peace throughout the streetwear community.
“While camouflage prints are part of True Religion’s DNA, today’s headlines have made us look at them differently. When we learned about Soldier’s story and how he uses camo as a message for peace, we knew this was the right partnership for us,” said Zihaad Wells, SVP, Creative Director for True Religion. “We’re proud to partner with a young, upcoming designer who is also passionate about giving back to those in need.”
Soldier, who was born Leonard Iheagwam, creates art that is a representation of his experiences in his motherland. As a kid in Lagos, Nigeria, Soldier gravitated towards the camouflage cargos he saw in the international hip-hop scene. He quickly adopted the look for himself, but the Nigerian military stopped him on the street and made him strip right where he stood. This experience would one day find its purpose when Soldier began to experiment with his art, painting camouflage prints on canvases inspiring unity and peace, not war and destruction.
“The aim of my paintings is to serve not only as a hiding place with its symbolism but also as a way to reveal a whole culture and create a new meaning,” Soldier said. “Taking the normal military theme that represents violence and creating a more beautiful meaning. Partnering with True Religion, a brand whose identity in the hip-hop scene is unmatched, was an important career milestone for me and a way I could give back to a community I grew up in.”
True Religion will donate 100% of the proceeds to War Child USA to help vulnerable children living through terrifying conflicts. War Child USA is a humanitarian organization that helps children and families who have been affected by conflict get back to school and create safe spaces where they can heal. 1 out of every 6 children are forced to live in a country affected by war, and every 4 seconds a child is driven from their home by conflict.
The collection is available on truereligion.com.
ABOUT WAR CHILD
Founded by Dr. Samantha Nutt, War Child USA is a humanitarian organization that utilizes a bold, community-driven approach to provide life-changing programs to children and families in Afghanistan, Iraq, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen. 93 cents of every dollar donated goes towards getting children back in school, helping families escape poverty, creating safe spaces for children to heal, protecting children’s and women’s rights, and establishing programs that provide fast-acting support when new challenges arise. Warchildusa.org
ABOUT TRUE RELIGION
True Religion is an iconic premium streetwear apparel brand founded in 2002. We were founded on the belief that denim is the common fabric of humanity, worn regardless of faith, class, ethnicity, or orientation.
Our level of attention to detail is influenced out of pure desire to stand out. We want our denim to have personality, and so we stripped a pair of jeans down to its rawest form and learned to amplify the most important details. We re-engineered standard sewing machines to execute the stitch techniques that are widely recognized today. After all these years, True Religion denim remains loud, authentic, and ear splitting—and we’re just getting started.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524005289/en/
Contacts
Media:
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Felicia Kane
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