6397 is excited to present a series of customized, dip-dyed and hand-painted t-shirts - a collaboration between Matt Swope, artist and friend, and 6397.
The friendship between Matt and Stella Ishii, founder of 6397, spans 32 years. It all started back in the Spring of 1985, when Stella was working for the inimitable Comme des Garcons, and Matt, who at the time was working at the Comme boutique in San Francisco, crossed paths. As kindred spirits who share a penchant for all things unconventional, rebellious, and real, Stella and Matt continued to work together over the years. When Stella opened her first showroom in New York City in the early 90’s, Matt became part of this new company. Together they worked with several designers - Martin Margiela, Stephen Sprouse, and Vivienne Westwood were some of them. Although Matt parted ways with Stella to pursue his education and start his own design company in 2004, he has always been a part of the family. This collaboration is a celebration of a longstanding friendship and mutual admiration.
Born in Wray, Colorado and educated at Columbia University, Matt is a self-taught artist, often drawing inspiration from Eastern sources. A man of many talents, Matt not only creates customized t-shirts, but has also had success as a jewelry and handbag designer. Matt’s fascination with textiles, sewing, embroidery – as well as Japanese history and culture – is evident in his work. His designs have been sold at prestigious retailers such as Barneys, Dover Street Market, Maxfield and Ron Herman in Los Angeles, and Ikram in Chicago. His t-shirts have also been featured in magazines such as Italian Vogue, Nylon and Another. For this special collaboration, our 6397 t-shirts have been hand-dyed and hand-painted by Matt’s hand - each a one-of-a-kind piece that is a celebration of color and free form design.
