Mollusk SS20: Collection Overview

With stores located in Venice Beach and Silver Lake, California, Mollusk is known as a ‘surfing institution’ that combines a love for craft, the ocean and vintage surf culture across apparel, accessories, homewares and hand shaped surfboard designs. As one of our go-to brands for casual summer wear at Always in Colour, we look to Mollusk each season to help bring a burst of sunshine to the UK. Offering pieces that easily become go-to’s for days spent hanging out by the coast, an ongoing focus on character, quality, comfort and fabric is what sets Mollusk apart from the rest and sits perfectly between fashion and outerwear. Through a dedication to creating authentic goods that reflect an easy-going, nature orientated lifestyle we always look forward to the next release and to see what the team has been up to over on the West Coast.

For SS20 the imagination of those dreaming of sun kissed islands, breaking waves, rich sunsets and days spent by the ocean will be sparked through a selection of new graphics created by both in-house designers and a couple of Mollusk’s favourite guest artists Nathaniel Russell and Jeff Canham. A long-time contributor to Mollusk’s art department, Russell has his creative fingers in many pies as a creator of humorous illustrations, that incorporate themes of nature and his own questions about space and life, as well as a musician and sculpture artist. Taking a more simplistic approach for spring and summer, Russell’s offering to this collection includes all over print designs for cactus garden and flower bud editions of the 100% cotton Aloha Shirt which has fold down collars and neat two tone button fastenings across the centre front - perfect for wearing to a BBQ or an occasion that requires a little smart without too much effort. As an artist, designer and sign painter, Jeff Canham is known for his colourful works which reflect a combination of traditional hand lettering and wood sculpting. Created especially for Mollusk, he has transferred his signature aesthetic across lightweight cotton apparel styles such as the Gentleman Shaka T-Shirt, which presents a more well-mannered take on the famous ‘hang loose’ surfer hand gesture, a friendly international symbol that originated in Hawaiian surf culture.

Adding to further character and vision for the brand and taking them one step further into being known for custom cut and sew designs as opposed to simply printed blanks, the choice of fabrics this season remain as comfortable as ever and the majority of t-shirts on offer have been designed and made in the USA using US grown cotton, which of course allows for better production monitoring and reduced carbon footprint for anyone interested in Mollusk’s sustainability stance. Reminiscent of surf club uniform tops from the ‘60s and ‘70s, the Body Surf Classic Long Sleeve T-Shirt is a perfect example of how Mollusk’s love for custom artwork can bring such character to an otherwise simple, everyday t-shirt with front and reverse screen printed artwork applied in a rich yellow tone against an indigo coloured fabric background. Perfect for layering with long sleeve shirting styles or a relaxed sweatshirt, you can’t go wrong with any of Mollusk’s tees, whether the sailing inspired Point Searcher T-Shirt has caught your eye or the simplistic fin imagery on the Surf Craft T-Shirt… it is just a case of choosing your favourite artwork.

In-keeping with a love for nature, it’s no surprise that natural fibres are favoured over synthetic ones and a focus on keeping you cool and comfortable during outdoor summer adventures is reflected through this collection's choices. Known for being three times as strong as cotton, super versatile and weather resistant, which helps to prevent UV damage and mold whilst travelling, the incorporation of hemp is becoming a more common edition to Mollusk designs and the benefits of the plant have been demonstrated by the Hemp Cactus Garden T-Shirt, which offers the same aesthetic as a conventional cotton tee but with a little extra character and longevity.

As far as shorts go, comfort is again key for the latest styles and includes the much loved Summer Shorts with fresh updates in tones of indigo, faded black and two Ikat styles that utilise a hand loomed fabric created by artisans in India. Waistbands are elasticated with adjustable drawstring fastenings to encourage movement and a customised fit and of course there are handy pockets available for carrying essentials. Having gained a new following in recent years during the materials revival which doesn’t appear to be ceasing any time soon, fine wale corduroy remains a firm favourite for adding a little extra weight and warmth to the short silhouette, without jeopardizing a casual, vintage-inspired look, and has resulted in the appropriately named Corduroy Shorts. Mollusk’s love for the fabric goes way back as expressed in the 2015 video feature Dos Hermanos through the narrative statement of ‘the waves were breaking to the left, like corduroy pants of a well dressed man’.

Founded in 2005 by art and surfing enthusiast John McCambridge and his wife, Mollusk is a reflection of the couples love for creativity, film, the ocean and anything else they find themselves drawn to. Originally a fun project launched out of McCambridge’s San Francisco base, their vision to bring more to surfing than what the larger, more commercial companies often promoted resulted in a variety of experimental projects and art shows with his friends who together created a new in-store experience that hadn’t been done for a while within the surfing industry. The brand has become known as an institute and collective that appreciates a variety of mediums that all intertwine with another with an often vintage inspired aesthetic that goes hand in hand with contemporary craftspeople and those who admire the golden days of surfing. Whether it’s on-location photoshoots, a quarantine fish and chips recipe or 10-minute surf film, Mollusk remain true to their independent vision and are more than happy to share it with the world in celebration of passions that encourage us to cross paths and collaborate with like-minded beings.

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