Worldly Garms for the Cultured Soldier
Hundred out the lot / I be leanin', that CÎROC / Hundred large, bring a mop / Car's tinted like Barack
We’re back with more heaters from The European Brigade and an American manufacturer tapping into supple European textiles. Ryan Lay’s Sci-Fi Fantasy part had a little help from our Soldier of the Week. Finally, it’s time to talk about Travis Kelce.
TUESDAY MEANS WAR
TACTICAL UPDATES
UPPER UNIFORM
Washed Diamond Drill Sweat by Umbro
From their recently launched Northern Quarter collection, this Umbro jumper (sweater to the uncultured) almost feels like it was manufactured specifically for The War Effort. The collection is a dedication to the culture of Manchester, but the olive tones and washed cotton materials are certainly battle-ready. Umbro has been making British sportswear for over 100 years, though they’ve shifted focus from outfitting some of the world’s best football clubs to producing excellent off-pitch styles for Europe’s Most Stunting. Umbro should be a lot more popular on our side of the pond, but collections that emphasize deep storytelling and highlight local culture rarely land with American audiences too dense to understand Foreign Things. The Northern Quarter is Manchester’s cultural epicenter, and Umbro took inspiration from the area’s rich history of music and nightlife to present their backyard to the world. They dug into the archives to put modern design spins on classic pieces like drill tops and track jackets. A reversible crewneck shows off the Duality of Manchester, but also the wearer themselves, with one side appearing to be a generic Umbro training top while the reverse is emblazoned with a colorful full-bleed graphic of the audience at one of Manchester’s rowdy clubs. The terraces might be gone but Umbro is keeping the fashion spirit alive.
UPPER UNIFORM
Ross Short Sleeve Shirt by A.P.C.
Like many Soldiers, we were A.P.C. denim dabblers back then. Copped Petite Standards in a way-too-small waist size and went through the whole idiotic process of trying to get them to fit right. There was never a single fleeting moment that those fucking jeans felt or looked good . We never went further into raw denim and paid embarrassingly little attention to APC over the years. Lately, we’ve been browsing their offerings at some of our favorite Outfitters and they’ve still been making really nice items all this time! Every once in a while we see something, like this beautiful short-sleeved button-up shirt, and remember why Jean Toutou’s brand of minimalism and simplicity blossomed into a Fashion Juggernaut. It’s done up in a multi-color stripe pattern that’s slightly washed out to create a muted-yet-vibrant look. Using recycled cotton adds a unique texture to the shirt - it looks like linen from afar, but its heavyweight feel could only come from cotton. We love a garm with a look of softness and comfort that belays its rugged construction. It’s the inverse of the camouflage many men use today, intentionally presenting a Hard and Rugged exterior that masks a Flimsy and Fragile inner layer. If trend cycles keep condensing, we’ll probably see Petite Standards on the streets very soon - we’ll make sure we don’t lose sight of A.P.C.’s other Banging Shit this time around.
OUTERWEAR
Italian Alpaca Wool Track Jacket by Grand Collection
Grand Collection hit the scene nearly a decade ago with tastefully-logo’d basics seen on outfit lords like Connor Champion and Wade Desarmeaux. Video edits showcased their high-quality hats, tees, and sweats with roomy cuts and minimal branding in the streets. They’re still doing all that in 2025, but now we’re also seeing guys like Spencer Hamilton and Brain Reid wearing Grand Collection down Fashion Week runways. The line has gradually expanded to include cut-and-sew slappers and Tasteful Collaborations and move into more Luxurious offerings. In that regard, this Italian Alpaca Wool Track Jacket is a god damn statement of intent. This thing is made to order in Manhattan’s Garment District from Italian wool and soft, soft silk. Many brands start small with aspirations to do much more, but everyone’s trying to circumvent The Process in the age of venture capital and social media. Authenticity and Approachability are the first things to go out the window when a brand has an opportunity to move from skate or skate-adjacent to Luxury, but Grand Collection is pulling off the maneuver exactly because they’ve maintained theirs from the jump. Yes, this is a far cry from their first run of caps and sweats, but it’s not unfamiliar for them. Even in the beginning, the brand exuded a certain street luxury that was tried by others but never felt Real. Grand Collection is Realer Than Ever.
FIELD NOTES
SOLDIER OF THE WEEK
Adam Burns aka Jokamundo
This week, TWR salutes one of the Realest Soldiers, Adam Burns. A Soldier of an incredible number of talents, Adam has a positively nasty Flick, he’s a member of the vaunted Vent City podcast, he is instrumental in pulling off each year’s Slow Impact in Tempe, AZ, and he also raps and produces under the moniker Jokamundo (which also happens to have a cracking logo). His ear for a Big Chune was instrumental in what might just be the Part of the Motherfucking Year, Ryan Lay’s masterpiece in Sci-Fi Fantasy’s ‘Endless Bummer’. Per Adam, Ryan sourced some Young Thug recommendations from the sonic youth. Despite the guidance, he found ‘Hoe Tendencies’ on his own and pulled some hefty strings to skate to the Thugger track (an unreleased leak!). Good things happen when Tasteful Motherfuckers collaborate, and Ryan’s part is excellent in every way. The War Effort is in safe hands as long as we can count Soldiers like Jokamundo amongst our ranks.
ENEMY OF THE WEEK
Travis Kelce
Authenticity is an important characteristic for a Soldier. Many men are taught to conform and mask who they really are, particularly when it comes to Emotions. TWR used to have Travis Kelce in the ‘Real One’ category - not quite a Soldier but definitely not an Enemy. Travis hit the scene a bit like if Jason Williams played football and had a personality. Never particularly Stylish, Travis was always Authentic and presented in a way that felt true to himself. Those days are gone now that Taylor got him a stylist and dressed him like a Ryan Reynolds clone. He’s usually hand-in-hand with his girl in a great looking Bode outfit or some nice tailoring. He looks great! The problem’s that it’s just not Travis. TWR is indifferent on Travis and the Chiefs, and TWR is 100% Team Taylor (don’t ever get it twisted, only Shit-For-Brains hate Taylor Swift), but we’re just looking for a little more of Travis to shine every once in a while.
You’re now up to speed on the latest from the battlefield. Use this intel wisely and pass it on to others who may need our guidance. We can’t win the war unless we’re in it together.