Parisian style has long been synonymous with an irreverent and effortless cool, and no brand has embodied this quite as well as the Rue Madame-based A.P.C., short for Atelier de Production et de Création. Launching in 1987, founder Jean Touitou created the brand’s signature pared-down aesthetic by taking his favorite clothing—tried and true tropes from army surplus jackets to breton shirts—and distilling them into clean lines and simple patterns to create minimalist, utilitarian clothing. Inspired by Scandinavian design, Touitou was able to establish a signature sleek, tailored silhouette with a level of quality that stood in stark contrast to the loose-fitting and cheaply manufactured styles of his contemporaries. With the introduction of their reasonably priced and slim fitting raw selvage denim, A.P.C. achieved cult status among denim enthusiasts and average consumers alike. Their Butler program, which was introduced in 2010 and resells customers reconditioned pre-worn denim, has pioneered a new category of pre-distressed clothing. In recent years, Touitou has breathed new life into the brand with repeated successful sold out collaborations with leaders of streetwear including Nike, Carhartt, Supreme, and Kanye West, as well as establishing both a recording studio (used by employees and artists alike) and even a private kindergarten (Ateliers de la Petite Enfance [A.P.E.]).

Tags: apc, surfaced