Even though the snow is still melting, Cassette Playa was already presenting her Fall/Winter 2011 menswear collection this past week in London. It’s no surprise that neons, hieroglyphics, and gender-bending pieces are once again at the forefront of CP (though no augmented T-shirts this time around), but in addition to making cool kids worldwide drool, Cassette Playa has also revealed a new partnership with Barbie’s boyfriend Ken.In honor of the doll’s 50th birthday, Cassette Playa will release a limited-edition Cassette Playa x Ken capsule collection available exclusively at Colette starting March 7th. We think that Ken’s chiseled plastic features may have served as inspiration for her “carni-cannibal-palace” themed collection… we’re interpreting the gold-painted models as a celebration of Ken’s tan sculpted body and perfectly coiffed hair.Cassette Playa says: “Ken is the ultimate boyfriend—my ultimate boyfriend is fearless and intelligent, and has individual style; a warrior! I wanted to celebrate Ken’s history, while showing another side to him that maybe hasn’t been seen before. Every girl loves a bad boy—even Barbie!”The collection as a whole features a royal palette of black, purple, and gold, and strong outerwear pieces including painted leather motorcycle jackets, Lavenham quilted bombers, and twists on the classic varsity jacket: clothing fit for athletes of the street. Some ’70s-inspired, digitally printed shirts and pantsuits also made appearances. See below for our top 5 trends from the collection.Ken shows his ‘Mr. Hyde’ side.Think knee socks paired with footballer thighs, for both genders.A tongue-in-cheek twist on the iconic preppy emblem.Travel gear for the loud and clear.Borrowing from your significant other’s closet (get this garb from Colette).Carri Mundane aka Cassette Playa.Backstage images courtesy of Colette Paris; runway shots courtesy of the designer.
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