Unravel’s Ben Taverniti Talks Cult Streetwear

LA cool and French chic equally embody Ben Taverniti and Joyce Bonelli’s luxury take on streetwear. The importance of quality, organic design and wearability have seen Unravel on everyone from Kendall Jenner to Rhianna since the birth of the brand in 2015. With Tavernini’s extensive career in design and Bonelli’s style and experience in the industry, they are an elite power couple beckoning a sartorial storm. Here, Taverniti deciphers his cut clothing brand.

To destroy all commercial compromise from the industry and to not have any pressure from the commercial or business side of the brand affect the creative. When I launched Unravel I clearly felt that there was nothing new in fashion, it was stale and trend driven, so I wanted to bring back true luxury and timeless essential pieces for the closet. People very often misinterpret Unravel as street wear; however, this is not true. I’m inspired by the street and I do clothes for the street, but not “street wear” in its current connotation.

Recent posts on the Ben Taverniti Unravel Project Instagram feed.

Unravel has been very well supported by social media. How do you think the reaction to Unravel would have been without tools such as Instagram?

I can’t argue that without social media our growth would have been much slower, as there would not have been so many eyes on us. With that said, we have always been in the best stores around the world, and gained credibility quickly within the fashion world. I always struggle with social media as I’m a very private person and sometimes social media does not represent me or Unravel the way I want; it’s a very powerful love/hate relationship.

Do you guys ever ride motorbikes?

I used to ride a lot and have quite a few bikes, as all motorsports are a passion of mine.
However, since the birth of my twins, I decided not to ride anymore, because I don’t want to take the chance of not being with them. But, as it is a passion of mine, I always take inspiration from motorsports in every collection.

Explain the collaborative process of designing such a functional, luxe brand.

After the past two years, I’ve been able to establish my essentials, I always restudy my past collections. It’s always a game of deconstructing and reconstructing pieces of Unravel to create new silhouettes and always pushing the boundaries of finding new ways to create essentials. I love taking pieces and ip them inside out, upside down, layering, combining unexpected materials and then add the last touches of washing them.

BEN TAVERNITI UNRAVEL WOMEN’S FW18 FULL SHOW from ANTONIOLI.EU on Vimeo.

 

Ben, you have spoken before of your love for androgyny. Why then split the collections into woman and man?

When we first started Unravel, I took all men’s pieces and altered them to women’s clothing, which de ned the identity of Unravel with proportions and silhouettes and for four seasons not doing the men’s collection at all. Because of the androgyny of the collection I found myself wearing the women’s pieces, and realized what the Unravel men’s would be. What’s very interesting today is that I get inspired by the men’s collection for the women’s collection and vice versa, the women’s collection for the men’s. Very often we end up selling the men’s pieces to the women’s buyers, because of this androgyny look, it’s a constant game of playing with gender.

I am obsessed with the soundtracks from your presentations. Where do you source your music?

All the songs come from my childhood. I grew up on the streets, Kassovitz and the movie La Haine were creating a revolution.

DJ Cut Killer and rap groups like NTM rede ned the rules of the French society, what they were saying and how they said it was very inspirational to me till this day. I felt very close to this message for all these years and it was only logical to me to have them play at my first show in Paris.

I contacted Cut Killer and explained to him Unravel’s vision and he jumped onboard immediately, which was a dream come true for me.

Looks from the brand’s PRE FALL 2018 UNGENDER collection.

What does it mean to be cool?

I have no idea… there’s no recipe for that, just be yourself.

Where do you source or develop such exquisite fabrics?

All over the world, it’s a constant research and development, new techniques combined with washes.

Satin, leather or denim?

Why not all at once? Then washed. This is Unravel.

Unravel doesn’t offer an e-commerce site. Is this strategically or can we expect to see an e-commerce site in the future?

there’s no compromising at Unravel, and I don’t want just another shopify site. I want to push the boundaries and have an e-commerce site that doesn’t look or feel like a fashion site, which is what I’m working towards.

What drives you crazy?

What doesn’t drive me crazy…
Patience is a struggle for me… I don’t have time to be slow or wait.

You work between LA, Paris and Milan. Why is it so important to have your studios in such major, but distant cities?

I have a constant need of different energies, LA, PARIS AND MILAN all have different energies, but combined its very powerful and is the DNA of Unravel. I could never see myself settling down and living in one city forever.