It’s been 35 years since Camella Ehlke founded Triple 5 Soul in 1989, and, after the brand was relaunched in 2023, it’s now set to celebrate the milestone anniversary with its new summer 2024 collection. The legacy of Triple 5 Soul is vast and influential — its pieces, a physical representation of the energy found in New York City’s Lower East Side, were worn by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Mos Def, and it was eventually stocked in retailers like Fred Segal — so the new collection both draws on the authenticity of 555-SOUL’s history and a theme of renewal, as the brand is fully charged up and firmly back in the street culture conversation after its hiatus.
Graphically, the collection draws its influence from some of 555-SOUL’s ’90s styles and graphic treatments, well before Ehlke stepped away from the company in the early ’00s. Classic graphics like old party fliers and logos created by Alyasha Owerka-Moore (a street culture legend in his own right, who founded brands like Alphanumeric and Fiberops) appear across tees and hoodies, while bespoke pieces made by hand in Ehlke’s Brooklyn studio are also included. There’s a collaboration with the estate of the late Ricky Powell and even the revival of the Tie Hat, a striped, lightweight, beanie-like hat that the brand first created in 1989. Lastly, the brand has teamed up with vintage outfit Storage Based to offer a curated selection of vintage 555 Soul pieces as well as ephemera related to the brand’s history like art and music memorabilia.
“I like to ask myself what the brand would look and feel like today if I’d never left,” Ehkle says. I want it to feel art-forward and focused on community, as it was in the 90’s. I’m learning about enjoying the process, nothing in a rush. I want to keep it authentic and relevant for today while honoring the legacy and telling stories. With this collection specifically, I did so through tongue-in-cheek old-school logos and club flyers, graphics inspired by my love of hip-hop and jazz, hand-sewn garments, personal vintage 555 items from my closet, and collectibles related to the brand’s history. For our next collection, I’m diving deeper into cut-and-sew and contemporary fashion.”
Expect the Triple 5 Soul collection to release via the brand’s webstore and select stockists today, June 14 at 2 PM ET.
