As anyone who recognizes the aesthetic as more than just a viral quarter-zip sweater TikTok trend could probably tell you, the origins (and golden age) of prep can be traced back to Ivy League campuses during the mid-20th century.
For his latest project, Chris Echevarria, founder of beloved loafer label Blackstock & Weber, is clearly trying to channel this collegiate vibe. To celebrate a new partnership with legendary Japanese prep purveyors Beams Plus, Blackstock & Weber’s apparel-focused sub-label ACADEMY is releasing an exclusive, collaborative apparel capsule, featuring made-in-Japan staples designed to blend American prep with Echevarria’s irreverent take on uniform dressing.
Shot at Princeton and centering collegiate-coded styling and heritage fabrics, the Academy by Blackstock & Weber x Beams Plus “Orientiation” collection offers a distinctive look at the classic preppy uniform, with new apparel that blends both the academic and athletic facets of Ivy style into a capsule that introduces brand-new fits and fabrics — inspired Echevarria’s favorite 1950s vintage pieces — to the Beams Plus lineup.
The standout of the collection is undoubtably The Homecoming Balmacaan ($1,215), a classic Ivy outerwear staple and signature Beams Plus offering that’s been reworked in a handsome quad-patchwork Harris Tweed fabric and now includes a breathable, 100% cotton Saitos inner lining for improved comfort and warm. The Club Room Blazer ($995), a three-button sports coat that features the same tartan patchwork from Harris Tweed, similarly leans into the classic prep ethos, with a crested chest patch and metal buttons that evoke traditional prep school uniforms.
Inspired by vintage reverse weave sweatsuits, the new Campus Hoodie ($220) and Phys. Ed Sweat Pants ($230) combine classic designs — 100% Japanese cotton and zigzag embroidery — with a fine-tuned silhouette reminicent of sports warms-ups. The pair is available in three versatile colors: Ash Grey, Heather Grey and Navy. Rounding out the capsule is the Ringer Band Tee ($88), woven from 100% Japanese heavyweight cotton and finished with a cracking-style graphic bulldog print inspired by an “imaginary club team.”
The “Orientation” collection ranges from $88 to $1,215 and is available for purchase now, at both Blackstock & Weber’s online store and their NYC flagship store at 242 Mulberry Street in New York, which is currently hosting a Beams Plus pop-up featuring hand-selected Beams styles. (The pop-up runs through January.) You can shop the collection below, or check out B&W’s webstore here.
Shop Academy by Blackstock & Weber x Beams Plus
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