Collaboration is a crucial part of Brain Dead's DNA. Founders Kyle Ng and Ed Davis work across categories with brands like The North Face but also L.A. vegan food chain Burgerlords to create experiences and tell stories. The practice stems from Ng's background in film school and as a director.
"If it's The North Face," he told GP in 2021, "I think about its rich heritage, I think about climbing, what's missing in climbing, I think about interesting stories that we take, and I think about the actors—the characters—that could be in it... When you make a movie, you have to think about [a character’s] subtext, you think about their background." (TNF, like Dickies, is owned by VF Corp.)
With Dickies, a workwear brand three quarters of the way through its 100th-anniversary year, Ng saw community and connectivity—and a platform for creativity.
"Dickies was always an inspiration for us because of its universality. Any kid from any age could pick up a pair of Dickies and apply it to their culture whether it’s skating, music, or even art," Ng says. "It’s not just a product; it’s a canvas that cultures in many countries use in a different way. For us, it’s the perfect way to communicate our creativity to our fans."
But this isn't the beginning of their story. Fans of either Brain Dead or Dickies might recall 2021's Brain Dead Fabrications, a hardware store-like concept shop for Dickies and Brain Dead merch. This collection borrows the same iconography, as well as the name, but deviates from plain old graphic tees and sweatshirts. Instead, you'll find bleached and paint-splattered jackets and pants, hats of a similar design, lots of colorful matching sets, and ringer shirts with DIY- (and alien-) inspired art.
"Brain Dead is a community of creatives and Dickies is a brand that celebrates and embraces the community of makers and those shaping their own path," Sarah Crockett, Dickies' global chief marketing officer, says. "This collection represents our mutual spirit and respect for creativity and community and those who prioritize 'us' over 'me.'"
Dickies x Brain Dead Paint Splatter Canvas Jacket
Dickies x Brain Dead Bleached Denim Painter's Cap
Dickies x Brain Dead Bleached Jeans
Dickies x Brain Dead Paint Splatter Canvas Painter's Cap
Dickies x Brain Dead Paint Splatter Canvas Pants
Dickies x Brain Dead Embroidered T-Shirt
Dickies x Brain Dead Dyed Eisenhower Jacket
Dickies x Brain Dead Dyed 874 Work Pants
From: Gear Patrol US
