CDLP is embarking on its second collaboration.
The Stockholm-based men’s underwear brand, which was founded in 2016 by Christian Larson and Andreas Palm, is working with the Tom of Finland Foundation on a capsule collection of underwear inspired by Touko Laaksonen, the artist, whose pseudonym is Tom of Finland, who created some of the most memorable imagery of gay contemporary culture. CDLP previously worked with Swedish film director Jonas Åkerlund.
“On our side there was a strong respect for Tom of Finland and the Foundation from way before we even started CDLP. The honesty in Tom’s work has a deep story to be connected to,” said Palm, the chief executive officer at CDLP. “A story of pure talent, but also the impact that Tom’s work has had on gay culture, equality, and freedom in general. That’s something that’s important to CDLP. Tom impacted a shift during his generation and is moving the needle still to this day.”
Palm said they designed underwear based on pieces that Laaksonen designed in his work that were never produced. They’ve produced the underwear, which will retail from $60 to $85, with lyocell, a biodegradable fiber. The collection, which will be out in late September, will be packaged in collector’s boxes featuring limited edition art prints from Laaksonen.
CDLP is sold at retailers including Mr Porter, Lane Crawford and Bergdorf Goodman. Palm said they started the line to create a perfect base layer for men and break old standards within the men’s market. That comes through in the product, but also the marketing.
“These collaborations are superimportant for CDLP as we have a mission to present an alternative, yet current and relevant, view of masculinity from what is normally seen in men’s underwear,” said Palm. “It has traditionally been dominated by a very generic, cliché image of what masculinity should be.”