Anthropole
Curated fashion that celebrates
the cosmopolitan 21st century man
unapologetic
& stylish
Anthropole wants every man to be able to express himself with clothing, accessories, jewelry and textiles in a confident, unapologetic, stylish, sensual and distinctive way.
The body in all its manifestations
The Japanese and Mexican geometric approach of form, pattern and texture, the Italian silhouet, the British understated class and appreciation for textiles, Belgian deconstruction, African optimism and the intriguing relation between sensuality and sensitivity are inevitable starting points for this carefully curated and designed collection.
inspired by the world,
celebrating variety
Inspired by the world
Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Italy, Belgium, The UK and rising fashion hotspots like Kenya or Ghana, they all house a tradition, knowledge and innovation dating back hundreds of years in the fields of textiles, clothing, fashion and visual expression.
Celebrate variety
The mutual exchange through trade, colonialism, internationalization, art and war, has led to an unprecedented influence on each other’s traditions and expressions over the centuries.
Redefine masculinity
Anthropole ruthlessly combines these styles to create relaxed, loose fitting looks and silhouettes that celebrate the cosmopolitan 21st century man and redefine masculinity.
grace, elegance
& sensuality
Effortless grace
The Anthropole man has Sprezzatura. This is an Italian word that refers to a kind of effortless grace, the art of making something difficult look easy, or maintaining a nonchalant demeanor while performing complex tasks.
Elegance and sensuality
Anthropole celebrates elegance and sensuality. It is a first condition for any piece you wear, realizing that fashion passes and style remains.
Embrace beauty
Anthropole understands the power of beauty, as it is able to evoke emotions, inspire awe, and connect people on a deep, universal level. The Anthropole man wants to be a beautiful man.
More
coming
soon
About the initiative
Richard is initiator and creative director of What Design Can Do, an Amsterdam-based design platform that advocates the social impact of design. Next to Amsterdam What Design Can Do has branches in São Paulo and Mexico City. Richard is co-founder of graphic designstudio Designpolitie. Richard is co-founder of the visual column Gorilla.
Richard van der Laken (1970) was born in Amstelveen, The Netherlands.
He studied Graphic Design at the School of Art in Utrecht and did not complete his post graduate degree from the Amsterdam Sandberg Institute.
Since 1995, following his graduation, Richard has run a design company with creative partner, Pepijn Zurburg, called De Designpolitie (The Designpolice).
As De Designpolitie, Richard and Pepijn have won numerous design awards. These include the Dutch Art Directors Club (ADCN), Dutch Best Book Design, Dutch Housestyle Awards, Dutch Design Awards, British D&AD, New York ADC and the European Design Awards (including the Jury Prize).
The partnership has exhibited in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the New York MOMA, the San Francisco MOMA, Institut Neerlandais Paris, Brno Tsjechia and The Graphic Design Museum, Breda.
De Designpolitie has also published work in numerous Dutch, European, American and Japanese magazines and books.