How did the collaboration come about?
Lam Dee: A.Society has been paying attention to Offgod’s works and greatly appreciates the bold and forward-thinking designs. We believed that collaborating with Offgod would spark chemistry, so we approached Andrew. Since we were familiar with each other’s work, he agreed without hesitation. Our creative process was like playing ping pong; each party shared an idea, and the other party built upon it to evolve the collection further, making it more enriched. 

Offgod: A.Society first caught my eye when I saw my friend and singer Gareth Tong collaborate with them on an eyewear collection last year. I thought the collection looked really interesting and the pieces were very well designed, especially how the glasses were interchangeable and customisable. After looking deeper into their account and finding out they were a local sunglasses business, I knew I had to reach out and ask if they were interested in an eyewear collaboration with my brother and I. Luckily, they were interested. We wanted the collaboration to push creative boundaries and come up with exaggerated and crazy-looking eyewear which could be seen as pieces of art as well. 

How did you develop the character Vern and the three silhouettes: Vern, Morph, and Form?
Offgod: I always wanted to play around with the idea of creating my alter ego, which would represent some aspects of my personality but on an exaggerated scale. Working with A. Society gave me the perfect opportunity to create a piece of eyewear, almost like a mask, that would be the main image of the alter ego. Vern, the character’s name, pays homage to interior designer Verner Panton. 

The idea behind the designs was to design three levels of sunglasses, ranging from most crazy-looking and exaggerated (Vern) to the most normal looking (Form). We wanted to design a versatile collection which included sunglasses for everyone, some that are less crazy, and a limited amount of the crazy Vern glasses. Lastly, we wanted also to add a customisable option to the glasses in the form of a magnetic sculpture attachment that would add an even more unique look. 

All the products in this collection are transformative and versatile. Would you say that hybridity and transformability are your signature touch?
Offgod: We always want our products to have transformative and customisable elements. The ability of people to customise what they wear and make it unique to themselves is an important aspect of our art and sculptures. The sculpture’s versatility also allows people to switch between different looks depending on their mood or their outfit, making the eyewear suitable for all occasions. 

A. Society has collaborated with multiple local creatives in the past. So, how is this collaboration with Offgod different from the rest?
Lam Dee: Offgod had a distinctly unique vision for the product design. Bringing the entire concept into eyewear production is a challenging task. Throughout the product development process, our team went through [several] rounds of sampling to achieve the final result. This pair of Vern glasses is the wildest concept A. Society has ever realised. 

Do you see more opportunities in eyewear as a product category that others seem to neglect?Lam Dee: We want to have a platform where we can freely create what we want. At the same time, we aim to push the boundaries of eyewear design further and take Hong Kong brands to a larger audience, cementing the name on a global stage. We also hope Hong Kong creators can be more united and work harmoniously. We will launch a showroom space to unite talent in line with our beliefs. 

Are there additional product categories you would like to explore in the future?
Lam Dee: For sure! A. Society has always aimed to achieve “more than just sunglasses” by expanding beyond eyewear and incorporating more stories and excitement into our work. For example, in our collaboration with Lousy, we designed a plush toy as a hybrid eyewear bag. We also collaborated with Plants of God to create a series of titanium planters. In our collaboration with Offgod, we extended our creative expression through accessories. We want to explore different creative fields and make exciting goods.

We had previously launched our capsule line of seasonless apparel goods called A. Label. We also introduced the A. Custom series, which encourages customers to customise eyewear. Recently, we collaborated with BeCandle to release A. Society’s signature scented candles. We continuously explore different forms of creativity, aiming to bring forth more possibilities. 

Offgod: One thing I am definitely looking forward to is designing sneakers and footwear. I think there’s so much more we can do in this product category, which grants us infinite freedom to explore various designs and truly experiment with them. Right now, I am still looking for the right brand to collaborate with on sneakers and shoes

Who is on your wishlist for future collaborations?
Offgod: Adidas is a big one. Even though I have worked with them multiple times, my dream is to create a product collaboration with Adidas instead of just a commissioned piece of artwork for them. It would be amazing to have my own signature pair of sneakers. Another collaboration I would like to do in the future is helping design showpieces or even collaborate on products for Louis Vuitton. I love the brand and especially the creative direction from Pharrell Williams himself. He’s always a big inspiration and he motivates me to push the boundaries of art and fashion. 

Lam Dee: We are finalising the collaborations for 2024 with an exciting roster of artists and creators that we can’t wait to share. Regarding future partnerships, we would like to have the chance to work with household names and iconic visionaries in the creative realm.

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