Matt McCormick‘s works, inspired by popular culture and Western iconography, depict a nostalgic universe, marked by the famous “American dream” that populates the collective imagination, but which collides with abrupt reality. For Canada Goose, he applied his art to eight exclusive pieces, including a trench coat, a balaclava, a sweater and a scarf—created in collaboration with Rokh, a London-based brand that takes pleasure in deconstructing (and reconstructing) the classics of women’s wardrobes to infuse them with a modern spirit. The result is a collection full of duality, both strong and fragile, where the spirit of Americana meets the performance of Canada Goose.

Below, our conversation with McCormick, a seasoned multidisciplinary artist.

Why did you choose to collaborate with Canada Goose?

Canada Goose is a brand I’ve admired for awhile – they continue to innovate outerwear and have transformed into a luxury apparel brand that we now see on runways across the world. I’ve always enjoyed the seasonal collaborations Canada Goose releases too. With any collaborative project, the most exciting aspect is being able to create alongside others and be given an opportunity to have my work interact with others’ work, which inherently creates something totally new and unexpected. The beauty of this project was that it was three different creative sources which really presented an even wider landscape to cull from. More specifically the three of us all exist in relatively different spaces, so it became a very interesting dialogue that would allow our work to be interpreted in a totally new fashion.

 

When I was approached to partner on a line with Rok Hwang, I was thrilled at the opportunity. Rok has a unique ability to fuse timeless design with his ‘artisanal imperfection’, resulting in these functional, yet reimagined pieces. I was especially excited to work with Rok on items that exist in an elevated space that includes women’s wear as I normally work within the menswear space. Placing my work in this context allowed new elements to rise to the surface and really shine in a totally fresh way.

How was the collaboration with Canada Goose? And with Rokh?

I believe collaborations are partnerships. Like Canada Goose, I believe that the perfect collaboration is achieved when two or more entities work together to create something that neither partner could build independently. With our shared values and commitment to bringing together unique high fashion performance pieces to the forefront of what we do, this collaboration is one of my favourite projects I’ve worked on.

Rokh is known for its elegant and timeless, yet conceptual and subverted collections, the luxury womenswear label mixes creative elements, effortless attitude, artisan craftsmanship and intentional “imperfections” to create new iterations of wardrobe staples and I thoroughly enjoyed working with someone who strives to bring uniqueness in every piece they create.

What did you learn from Canada Goose during this collaboration?

Getting to really sit down with the Canada Goose team and truly understand the process and commitment to quality was such an amazing experience. As someone who can be quite a perfectionist with my work, it was refreshing to have that intensity mirrored. I feel as though I was able to understand more about my own process by getting to peer behind the curtain at theirs.

Can you explain the artworks you chose to feature and why did you choose them specifically?

A lot of these decisions happened subconsciously. I generally like to go with the first gut instinct and not overthink it too much. For this project I wanted work that I felt covered the general look and feel of my work, but could also wear well. I have personally owned and operated a clothing brand (One Of These Days) for over a half a decade and have a significant amount of experience in the space. So at the end of the day it was about choosing works that spoke to me and my work and would simultaneously function well on a garment.

How do you feel seeing your artwork on clothes?

Using clothing as another medium is something that I have been very passionate about for years. As an artist I am always looking for new access point for people to engage with my work. Clothing creates a more accessible option in a lot of ways, as well as encouraging a new dialogue around the work.

What is your favorite item from the collection?

The sweater is definitely my favourite. That series of photographs is very near and dear to my heart, and speaks volumes in the most subtle way about the concepts that I generally revolve my work around.

Discover the Rokh x Matt collection online and in select Canada Goose boutiques. 

Read more:
Canada Goose x Reformation: A Stylish and Sustainable Collection
Canada Goose Announces Collab With Want Les Essentiels
Canada Goose’s Spring Collection Supports Polar Bear Conservation