The Champion x Beams SS17 Collection merges American athletics with Japanese aesthetics

The CHAMPION X BEAMS SS17 COLLECTION is a premium Japanese take on classic American sporting heritage, and it’s available now with MATCHESFASHION.COM.

The best collaborations are those where the strengths of both partners are combined to produce something that neither brand could have created alone. But all too often this aim gets lost amongst over-complicated concepts and a desperate quest for co-sign hype, which is why the latest Champion x Beams collection makes such a refreshing change. Champion is a storied American brand that specialises in high-quality classic sportswear. Beams is a Japanese label and retail empire that specialises in putting a new spin on America’s clothing traditions. Put the two together and you get a strong range of hard-wearing athletic apparel, flipped with the Japanese flair for unexpected details to produce garments that manage to feel both familiar and surprising at the same time. It’s beautifully simple, and it’s beautifully executed.

Champion’s famous heavyweight Reverse Weave jersey forms the basis of a range of hoodies, crew neck sweats, tees, tank tops, sweatpants, shorts, caps and socks, all of which come in the classic athletic colours of black, grey, navy and white. Beams have taken the sportswear baton and run with it for this collection, embellishing the garments with an exaggerated, primary-coloured take on traditional American collegiate prints and logos. The brand name is spelled out on tops and pants in bold red, white and blue lettering, while a matching ‘B’ logo complements the iconic Champion ‘C’ branding. Elsewhere, Japanese characters put an eastern spin on American football shirts, and even the socks get the multicoloured logo treatment. The graphics and branding pop up in unexpected places: at the back hem of tank tops, on the collar of high-neck sweatshirts, and even across the rear of shorts. And to complement the visual interest, there’s a whole raft of subtle construction details at work here including hidden pockets on t-shirts and elongated ankle zips on pants.

The CHAMPION X BEAMS SS17 COLLECTION is AVAILABLE NOW with MATCHESFASHION.COM. Take a closer look at our highlights below, and shop the full range by clicking on the banner.