Author Archives: agora

So long and thank you ❤️

After 8 glorious years we bid you farewell! In February 2020 our web store will close permanently.

2019 was one of our best years yet with some of our most successful product launches ever including a bumper collaborative collection with fashion kingpins ASOS. So with that in mind we figured now was as good a time as any to hang up those boots.

After a long and enjoyable run as a streetwear brand owner, the founder and director of Agora Clothing has decided its time for a new challenge – one outside of fashion. Leaving the brand behind has not been an easy decision, but sometimes you just know that its time for a new chapter in life.

Agora may be back again at some point down the line, but it will likely be a different kind of animal.

The whole Agora team would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has ever shopped with us, talked about us to friends or engaged with us in any way. We are humbled by every positive message we have received and every person we have seen wearing our brand.
It is entirely down to you guys that this company grew to be a mainstay of streetwear today.

For those that have messaged to say they have grown dependent on us for their streetwear fix, we are sorry to be leaving you. We hope you can find something new to fill an Agora sized void ❤️

Ps don’t worry customer support will be replying to all order related emails as long as they need to!

pps almost everything in the store is part of a fire sale right now

 

Vintage Tommy Hilfiger & Vintage Ralph Lauren Polo Clearout

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We’ve been stock piling too much vintage so we’re currently having a clearout.  Now up on the site is contents of a 100lb mixed bale of vintage Tommy Hilfiger and a 100lb mixed bale of vintage Ralph Lauren Polo 🔥

Our vintage is hand picked by our UK team who are flown to the US to pick like crazy for a week at a time. We hand pick up to one tonne of vintage in one week from a selection of great suppliers. Each visit we find better stuff and new suppliers.  We travel far and wide to source the best product so the items we find aren’t already picked over by other buyers.

You can therefore be sure of the consistency in quality and style of our vintage. This year in particular we’ve been blessed and found so much great product  that we’ve accumulated too much for our warehouse. That’s why most of the vintage Tommy Hilfiger and vintage Ralph Lauren Polo on the site we’ve listed for £9.99.

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Check out the vintage section on the site to see the full range of vintage Tommy Hilfiger and vintage Ralph Lauren Polo online now, including puffer jackets, coats, rugby shirts, polos, t shirts and more

AW19 Capsule #2

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Agora makes techwear affordable with latest AW19 drop

Hard fits that aren’t hard on your wallet.

UK streetwear brand Agora Clothing has returned with its second AW19 capsule.  The monochromatic collection takes inspiration from heritage outdoor brands while retaining a street-ready feel.

The release features matching two-piece tech outfits, t shirts and reflective trim pants.

Taped zips, waterproof synthetics and an abundance of pockets nod to the collection’s outdoor influences, while reflective elements, angular silhouettes and dark tones add a modern, urban touch.

Collection highlights include the 3M Piping Pants with their futuristic contour panelling and the Tech Jackets for their unique double zip pullover design.

Known for their affordable price points, Agora stay true to form with Tech Jackets available at £39.99, Pants at £24.99 and tees at £22.99

The collection is available from the Agora Clothing website now.

Photos: John Mutch

Models: Archie Wallis, Theo Bull, Alfie Biss

 

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Autumn Lookbook

Agora taps into its softer side for Autumn campaign.

Luxurious textures and earthy tones aplenty.

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Agora has eschewed provocative designs and graphics in place of a more classic take on menswear for its Autumn collection. The Norwich, UK streetwear brand’s new release boasts luxurious textures, earthy tones and heritage silhouettes.

Subtle touches like the pants-matching plaid lettering of the sweatshirts add character and unity to the collection. While the classic tailoring of the cropped pants and mock neck long sleeves add a touch of elegance.

Agora is best known for its minimal embroidered pieces at affordable price points. But their Autumn campaign is part of a wider exploration into more sophisticated and classically-oriented cut and sew menswear.

PHOTOGRAPHER Levis Thomas
MODEL Jordan De Vos

 

 

 

 

 

Retro Fresh Prince Snapbacks

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Our new retro Fresh Prince Snapback hats are steeped in history. To make them, we raided vintage vaults worldwide to unearth real 90s hats with the most iconic patterns we could find. Having taken notes on the colorways we then dissected a bunch of hats to study their fit, dimensions and bill types.

Fully loaded with all this info we set about to make the perfect 90s party hat ️‍

The final product is a fresh prince snapback that’s faithfully vintage. The shape is perfectly 90s with its retro 5 panel construction and flat peak. And the nostalgic pattern is screen printed onto thickened cotton using vibrant inks that pop.

A Little Background

The Fresh Prince snapback hat is an iconic piece of 1990s fashion, famously associated with the character Will Smith played in the television show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” The show was a significant cultural touchstone. The costume choices made by Will Smith’s character were pivotal in shaping the fashion landscape of the era, and the snapback hat became a symbol of this influence.

After “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” ended in ’96, the popularity of snapback hats waned, with other styles of caps, like fitted hats and truckers, becoming more prominent. However, the influence of the Fresh Prince snapback never completely fell off.

The Fresh Prince snapback is now seen as a timeless accessory that continues to influence streetwear and fashion. Its also the go-to party hat️‍️‍…

90s baseball cap vintage fresh prince retro

Agora x ASOS

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We recently teamed up with fashion kingpins ASOS to launch our first collaborative collection.The 13 piece collection maintains our distinctive Agora DNA but also carries a heightened accessibility; elevating the brand to a wider demographic.

The collaboration – which is available now- features techwear elements through our new tactical vest, Pullover jacket and Utility pants.

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Our Acid Tie Dye Hoodie and Joggers, coupled with our white Cyber tracksuit deliver comfortable streetwear staples.

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For a touch of streetwear-smart our Split Tartan T Shirt/pants co-ord or Cyber Rugby shirt will deliver what you need.

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Head to the ASOS website to view the full collection. Every piece is an ASOS exclusive which means it will never be available on our website or indeed any other.

Agora teams up with Laurent Folco for new capsule

– Streetwear meets colourful cubism

Emerging Norwich-based streetwear brand Agora has joined forces with French artist Laurent Folco for its new summer capsule.

The collection – which features 3 sweatshirts and two pairs of pants – treads in familiar territory for Agora; mixing high contrast colours with tidy embroidery.

Collaborative artist Laurent Folco is a Cannes-based painter who was headhunter by Agora for his work with contemporary cubist portraits. Folco adopts Picasso and Braque’s style of depicting a single subject from multiple perspectives, but lends a pop-art touch by adding vivid colour blocking and thick black outlining.

The capsule sweatshirts feature embroidered chest patches and can be mix and matched with either pair of cropped, checked pants. As is typical for Agora, the collection is available at an affordable price point.

Flip through the capsule lookbook above and head over to the store to shop the pieces

PHOTOGRAPHER
Levis Thomas

MODEL Jamie Miller

Windbreaker Jackets

retro windbreaker jackets

If you’re thinking about windbreakers there’s a good chance you’ve got 80s and 90s fashion in mind.  But like most items of clothing, the windbreaker jacket’s conception was born not from the dictates of fashion but through a functional need.

Early windbreakers were usually found close to a stadium or training ground. It was here that fans, coaches and athletes found a need for a lightweight type of jacket. The jackets needed to be more portable than a traditional parka, while retaining some level of protection against the elements. With spectator sports seeing huge growth in the 1970s it was here that windbreakers – in the form that we know them today – grew to became wardrobe staples worldwide.

Before the 1970s, jackets had been limited to traditional types such as rain coats, parkas and flight jackets. These were typically made from natural materials like cotton, leather, wool and rubber. But by the 70s, synthetic materials like nylon and polyester, derived from petrochemicals had become commonplace and cheap, making jackets like the windbreaker possible. Early windbreaker jackets were basic, often made with a cotton lining, snap buttons and a simple print or crest.

simple 70s windbreaker

simple 70s windbreaker with chain stitching

But the 80s saw windbreaker jackets re-imagined as they evolved from functional clothing into fashion statements. Polyester could be easily produced and felt modern which made it a popular and contemporary choice for designers looking to create bolder-is-better style jackets. 80s glam rock with its angular shapes and shoulder pads was a common source of inspiration. As was hip-hop with its over-sized fits and penchant for sportswear styling. The 80s and 90s also saw liberal experimentation with color, with designers cranking up the contrast using primary colors and pushing boundaries even further with party-ready neons.

80s windbreakers

80s windbreakers

There’s no doubt that it was here in the 80s and 90s that heralded the peak era of the windbreaker jacket. But alongside the many hits, there were plenty of misses too. In creating our popular retro windbreaker jackets we studied everything history had to offer and that informed our creative process. We studied many original 80s and 90s windbreakers, dissecting their colorways, the textiles used in their production as well as the many different shapes and fits. From our arduous labours we cherry picked the best flavours of the 80s and 90s, while side-stepping those best left in the past.

With respect to colorways, our Pastel Windbreaker marries a harmonious palette of subtle pale shades while in contrast, our Multi-Color Windbreaker screams high-energy with its nostalgic clash of vivid shades.

In terms of construction; the jackets are made from a modern type of polyester as we opted for a thicker exterior rather than a cheap-feeling shell. The jackets provide plenty of protection against the wind as well as some light protection against rain. To make the jackets more breathable we chose a lightweight mesh interior that’s soft to touch.

For the fit, we felt it wouldn’t feel like an authentic, faithful windbreaker if we didn’t look to the 80s and 90s for this. That’s why we picked a boxy type fit. Our windbreakers are generously sized – but not over-sized – and cut in a way they are made to hang loosely off the frame.
Shop windbreakers now.

 

Color Block Hoodies

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When most people think of color-blocking they think of its peak – the 80s and 90s – with its over-sized fits and bolder-is-better colors.  But the style was actually conceived back in the 1940s. In fact many think they can pin-point the exact time and place of its genesis – the 1946 debut collection from YSL. This Autumn/Winter fashion show was inspired by the art of Piet Mondrian, an influential pioneer of abstract paintings. Mondrian created pieces in the early 1900s that were dominated by geometric blocks of bold primary colors. His complimentary arrangements with their high contrast color block patterns were certainly eye catching but in the 1940s, color blocking remained only a high fashion concept and did not permeate into mainstream fashion.

1946 Mondrian dress

1946 Mondrian dress

It was only into the 1960s that the color block style became a force to be reckoned with in fashion. The 60s was a time for revolution and liberation from societal norms and color block fashion was a great way for one to express their allegiance to this movement.  It was here that mod style was born and at the heart of this concept was the employment of bright color block patterns.

Color-blocking began to wane in the 70s as hippie fashion with its intricate prints and flowing fits began to dominate the landscape. But the trend re-emerged with gusto in the 80s in tandem with the rise of hip-hop, glam rock and disco music. Colors were cranked up another notch with the introduction of neon party-wear and new silhouettes began to emerge such as crop tops, boxy fits and over-sizing.  And it was here that saw the birth of the color block style’s most ubiquitous child – the color block hoodie!

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80s color block

In creating our retro color block hoodies we studied everything history had to offer and that informed our creative process. We looked at the most complimentary colorways, the various kinds of textiles that were used and dissected a plethora of different fits.

We settled on a handful of key vintage colorways that we believe represent the color block style the most faithfully. In terms of the cut we adopted a modern streetwear fit that gives the wearer plenty of room and maneuverability. The hoodies are not over-sized but they are generous in size for western adult males.  And finally, they are thick! With a cotton/poly blend at 350GSM they are chunky with a soft fleece lining to keep you warm and comfortable.

Good for: streetwear fits, patchwork styles, retro fashion and skate culture.

pastel color block hoodie

pastel color block hoodie

purple color block hoodie

purple color block hoodie

green color block hoodie

green color block hoodie

black color block hoodie

black color block hoodie

In short:
This a faithful 80s and 90s inspired retro hoodie
The cut is a modern streetwear fit that is generously sized but not over-sized.
The material is a 350GSM chunky cotton/poly blend with soft fleece interior.
Designed in the UK and produced in China

AGC Pathfinder Jackets

Continuing our quest to make techwear affordable, this season sees the release of our new AGC Pathfinder jackets

The jackets feature a rugged nylon shell that’s available in three colours:  black, red and yellow.  With 6 pockets including an oversized kangaroo pouch, there’s plenty of storage space for all your agora accessories.

Fully waterproof and with an adjustible hood, you can be sure you’ll be kept dry in all conditions

Best paired with our terrain or utility pants for a full techwear fit  👀

Stay tuned for more future techwear options.

Shop the Pathfinder collection online now

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