Harley-Davidson Takes a Ride Through NEIGHBORHOOD's Territory
Fresh off a cozy Fall/Winter 2022 collection, NEIGHBORHOOD catches a ride and a vibe with the famed motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson.
It's no secret that NEIGHBORHOOD founder Shinsuke Takizawa has a thing for motorcycles and its historic outlaw gangs, having built his brand around the rebellious subculture. The brand's signature graphics even draw cues from the Japanese bosozoku biker scene and their uniforms.
I say all this to say: A collaboration with the iconic motorcycle company — that's Harley-Davidson — is right up NEIGHBORHOOD's alley.
The skeletal jacket is undoubtedly the star of the NEIGHBORHOOD x Harley-Davidson show, playing on NEIGHBORHOOD's signature bones concept — another theme that speaks to Takizawa's fascination with biker culture.
The outerwear piece is nearly reminiscent of the brand's bones jacket released at the top of the year, minus the appliqués and leather detailing.
The skeleton design also shows up on a long sleeve tee complete with co-branding on the back, which is arranged to mimic the style of racing uniforms.
Now, I'm nowhere near a motorcycle girl. But I am a longtime admirer of Harley-Davidson's gear, specifically its vintage lightning tees.
So, I was pretty pleased to see the famed design resurfaced as a short sleeve tee in the NEIGHBORHOOD x Harley-Davidson collection.
Some other t-shirts, hoodies, baseball caps, and a coffee mug also join the mix, rounding off the collection with "NBHD Squad" texts, oversized versions of Harley-Davidson's famed #1 motif, and, of course, more skulls.
In February, Harley-Davidson tapped former Yeezy designer Louise Goldin as its creative director and Nike alum Erica Bullard as its apparel and licensing head.
While the brand's vintage gear has always had a way with fashion enthusiasts, it'll be interesting to see what other collections and collaborations come from the motorcycle brand, given its in-the-know leads.
For now, the brand is just cruising with NEIGHBORHOOD, with the two's collection launching on November 19 via NEIGHBORHOOD and Harley-Davidson's websites.
