M...The Movement: An Artisanal Approach to Street Fashion
Designer Michael Herrera mined his heritage and lifestyle to create Mhellip;The Movement and MVMT, two new contemporary men’s lines that reflect his eclectic, street-inspired aesthetic.
Born in Manila to parents of Chinese, Spanish and Filipino descent, Herrera studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and later taught fashion design and graphics at the school. “I did that for three years and then decided I wanted to put what I learned and taught to use in the real world,” said Herrera, who works under the moniker “M.” One of Herrera’s first jobs was as head graphic designer for Karl Kani Jeans, an influential hip-hop–inspired line. In 1999, Herrera launched Design Lab, his own design firm, whose client roster included Red Bull, T-Mobile, Mini Cooper Automotive, and a collaborationbetween Puma and BMW.
Along the way, Herrera incubated the idea for Mhellip; The Movement and MVMT. “It was a hobby, a personal platform to say what I wanted,” he said. In 2007, Herrera partnered with Urgent Gear, a Los Angeles–based manufacturer that produces young men’s apparel and action sports-related brands such as Micros, Indigo Star and Urgent Gear. “They have full production capabilities, and they allow me to make 20 percent of my line eco-friendly,” he said. “It’s a great partnership.”
For Mhellip;The Movement, Herrera’s more-sophisticated up-market brand, designs focus on clean lines and rich colors. Dark straight-leg denim with trademark belt loops forming an “M” wholesales for $75 to $250. Cashmere sweaters wholesale for $150, woven shirts wholesale for $75, and studded T-shirts wholesale for $100. A leather attacheacute; case with a matching wallet made in Italy wholesales for $400. The line also includes vests, suits, a leather motorcycle jacket with tonal embroidery and a denim peacoat. “It’s a complete look, and it is sleek,” Herrera said. But details abound, from signature yoke stitching to carved wooden buttons bearing the brand’s ubiquitous “M” and metal buttons shaped around branded leather. Herrera scoured the world for fabrics, sourcing Japanese denim, silk from China, organic Pima cottons from Peru and cashmere from Mongolia.
For MVMT, Herrera’s urban, street-inspired diffusion line, the design is decidedly younger. Pastel T-shirts with tribal and graffitiinspired art, cargo pants, denim shorts, and hoodies feature Herrera’s “M” motif, as well. Silhouettes are roomier. Wholesale prices for MVMT are $35 to $75 for denim and $20 for T-shirts, cargo pants and shorts.
“It is all me, so there is some continuity,” Herrera said of the design approach to the two lines. “The difference is for Mhellip;The Movement I might make flip-flops made of stingray, and for MVMT, they might be those fun ones you punch out of a circle of foam.”
Herrera will ship a small selection of styles for Spring 2008 but said the real push for the lines will be Fall 2008. Buyers can see the lines at the MAGIC Marketplace in Las Vegas in February. For more information, call (213) 620-0145.
—Erin Barajas
