This post originally appeared on Vogue.
In lieu of a traditional runway show this season, designer Telfar Clemens—who is never one to follow the pack—decided to host an old-school press conference, where VIP guests and journalists alike were seated and lined up in front of a long, mic’d up table. Taking questions were Clemens and a few of his friends, including the rapper A$AP Ferg, artist Kandis Williams, and choreographer and dancer Jonte’ Moaning.
Kicking off the press conference with frenetic energy, the Telfar crew emerged one by one in the style of a retro game show, while a booming voice announced them as they walked a short “runway” to their seats at the podium; some of them even strutted while wearing new clothing by Telfar (think: sports jerseys elongated to be dresses). Once seated, the group proceeded to make their headline-worthy announcements together: that the brand will be launching two TV channels, Telfar TV and FTV, both of which can be streamed by downloading them at the App Store.
Telfar TV will be “a 24-hour, linear TV station. It’s live, and it’s right now,” said Williams. “There is no content: It’s a capacity to represent and a capacity for community. We’re sick of being other people’s content.” It will be a platform where Telfar’s upcoming spring 2022 collection will be debuted, and where the brand’s new collaborations with Ugg will be premiered. It will also be a destination where fans can submit their own videos or stories and be a part of the show. “Your grandma funny? You think you’re cute? Go to Telfar TV and send it to us,” said artist Nki. (FTV, the secondary channel, is a little more abstract in its nature: It was described as a “void,” with its programming to be announced.)
Not to bury the lede, but Clemens also announced that Telfar TV will become a new way for fans to secure one of his hard-to-get bags. Traditionally, Telfar’s bag drops are hosted on its website and can sell out in seconds—they haven’t been dubbed the “Bushwick Birkin” for nothing—but now the bag drops are also coming to the TV channel. (“It’s not a drop, it’s a drip,” said Clemens.) Basically, new bag launches will appear as QR codes on Telfar TV randomly and without notice, and consumers can then scan the codes to purchase the bags before anyone else.
Clemens took the opportunity to unveil one of his new bag designs as well: a sleek duffle that will be available in small, medium, and large sizes. When the bag was unveiled—by dramatically removing a blanket covering it—the crowd instantly went wild with applause and screams, proving the hype to secure one of his bags is still very much alive.
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