Grn Apple Tree Street Fashion Brand Keeps Music-Inspired Roots for Fall ’08 Collection, but Among New Leaders Moving to Clean Looks with Political, Punk Attitude in Wovens, V-Necks, T-shirts, and Denim

When we met up with Bonner from Grn Apple Tree at Agenda”, we had a feeling that the brand had evolved into a cleaner direction and away from last season’s more nu rave inspired color palette. Their booth was by far one of the best on the show floor with clean lines, almost Japanese aesthetics muted grey background, and a collection that hung on clothing racks made of tree limbs. In essence it was a booth design they brought back which also happened to correspond with their new Fall ’08 collection including different color palettes in grey red, black, white, and chocolate colors.

As Bonner, explained, Grn Apple Tree, an LA-based brand, has evolved over time. Starting in early 2001 by Louis Antonio, a collage artist who was tight into the punk band scene in LA and Orange County, he would create amazing flyers for different shows. Fans picked up on this and wanted more, so he translated his punk flyer artwork onto T-shirts, creating the brand Gypsies and Thieves, before changing the name to Grn Apple Tree when it grew into an entire lifestyle brand with a full collection.

What’s interesting is that the brand continues to be very music-inspired, with a punk and rock attitude combo, such as shirts influenced by David Bowie combined with Guns ‘n Roses or Elvis Costello. In addition, the politics of the landscape seep out into aspects of design with the Storm Trooper shirt, downtown LA Civic Center motif, and Big Brother old school graphics. It’s become a cult hit for boutiques ranging from The Closet to online store Digital Gravel and skate inspired store Active. “It’s interesting how the brand tends to cross boundaries,” explains Bonner. “We can easily be in a nice skate store or hip-hop boutique or and lifestyle boutique.”

For Fall ’08, the collection has gone clean -which is a direction for many brands in street fashion, going back to some basic color palettes and concepts. One of the favorites is their woven button-down shirt that’s classic except for the cool added hoodie -which we anticipate to be a key feature among upcoming trends. V-neck sweaters, clean denim jeans, and T-shirts mixed with monochromative collage clip art provide meaning behind each piece which makes it distinctly Grn Apple Tree. Check out what Bonner has to say.