Carlo Waibel is known to most by his stage name Cro, with which he has been releasing music between rap and pop for more than ten years. In addition to music, the artist with the panda mask is also active in other creative areas such as painting and fashion.
According to various media reports, he founded the Viovio label back in 2008 together with his sister Jule Waibel, who runs a label of the same name and studied fashion design at the Royal College of Art in London. The brand, which mainly relies on the vibe of the 2010s – with a style that moves between Californian surf style and streetwear with American sportswear – seems to be inactive meanwhile: The last posts on the social media channels are five years ago, the online shop is inactive and the last published lookbook is from the SS16 season. Cro himself collaborated with the Swedish fashion group H&M in 2013 for a ten-piece collection entitled “Design by Cro”. But Viovio also bundled his strengths during this time and worked with the shoe brand Kangaroos on the sneaker ‘Kangaroos Skywalker IV x Viovio’ in 2014.
Then things got quieter about the rapper’s fashion, until last December the cooperation with the Hamburg online retailer About You was announced and the ‘Smiles’ brand was presented. It all started with a 48-piece autumn/winter collection that focuses on a casual style with playful designs. For the current collection, the cooperation partners really let it bang and held a three-day festival on the Croatian private island of Obonjan instead of a simple fashion show – a concept that even the big fashion houses with their pompous shows can’t keep up with.
Last weekend the time had come, 500 ticket holders attended the presentation of the current collection as well as concerts by Cro and other artists, parties and shopping events. FashionUnited took this opportunity to ask Cro about his inspiration, summer trends and the differences between smiles and merchandise.
Which items of clothing and accessories should not be missing on an island vacation?
Shirt and trousers sets made of a ‘bouncy silky fabric’ in nice pastel colors or animal print. A classic for me is animal print pants made of light fabric with a basic shirt. I always like to combine scarves with jersey outfits. I wear very few brands, most of my wardrobe is homemade.
What was the inspiration for the SS22 collection?
It started with a book about all kinds of underwater animals. There you will find incredible shapes, colors and patterns. I was particularly inspired by this for the Silk Set designs. It was important to me to create something that, while comfortable and ideal for everyday wear, is also unique enough to go out with. And you still have it comfortable.
Smiles uses patterns, graphics and lettering in a playful way. These elements are also used in Cro merchandise. How does the approach to the two collections differ?
With my merchandise, I put my music on textile, so to speak. I depict what I want to express with my music. At Smiles I am completely free and also design items that would not be suitable as merch. I can have even more fun there.
In addition to music and fashion, you are also interested in painting. How does this area affect the other two?
Each area lives through inspirations that I collect from all over the world. I just implement this differently in the trade, depending on what I feel like. My handwriting is always clearly recognizable in music as well as in fashion and painting.
Which colors characterize the style of summer?
Colorful animal prints and colors as well as soft pastel shades.
Aside from their own creations, which up-and-coming labels should we keep an eye on?
I’m always a big fan of unique pieces, when creative people sit down at the sewing machine and implement their ideas directly. On tour I didn’t choose any brands for my stage outfits, I just wore parts that were sewn for me. But smiles should be remembered.
How has streetwear culture changed in the last ten years?
Streetwear culture has become the dominant force in the fashion industry, many brands such as Fendi have cooperated with labels such as Fila or currently Gucci x Adidas. So I think that streetwear will also be inspired the other way around and will go from sportier to more chic.
