By Rían Cahill

Dublin-based streetwear brand Emporium announced a brand-new collaboration last week with their New York-based counterparts Brigade, along with a special homecoming show with Wiki in the Sugar Club.

Emporium, who have rapidly grown from a small local brand to a cultural hub in the centre of the capital in the form of their Drury Street Store, also announced a surprise culture night pop up on the 19^th with music and complimentary drinks from long time partners Hennessey. 

The exclusive collection and shows were announced on the brands’ Instagram page in a video hosted by New York rapper Wiki, a longtime friend of both brands with deep roots in Ireland.

The brand and rapper’s relationship was first displayed at the 2024 Paris Fashion Week, where they bonded over their similar approaches to fashion and culture. Wiki’s regular visits to Ireland also encouraged his decision to join the brand for future projects. 

“I might have stopped by the shop before, but not put it all together, then at Paris Fashion week, we put it all together” 

Wiki

The culture night pop up shop brought some New York style to the city, with the collections boasting exclusive, one-off caps featuring both brands’ graphics, and a heavy knit jumper with graphics of the Wiki flag, a combination of the Irish and Puerto Rican flags, an Ode to Wiki’s family ties with the two island nations. 

In classic Emporium fashion, the crowds and sounds from the store leaked out onto the streets, and the event turned into a public reminder of the influence that the brand has gained on the city’s youth. 

On Saturday, the crew took over Leeson Street for their Sugar Club show with DJ sets from Brigade’s resident DJs and a set from Irish rapper Curtisy before Wiki was welcomed to the stage for his second show in the country since 2023. 

The former Ratking Member has harboured a cult following from devoted rap fans throughout his solo journey since 2016 with a rough and fast-paced approach to his music, which portrays his New York attitude to life. 

Emporium

This Dublin Brand has exploded in popularity in recent years, with their logo being featured in a glimpse of any trendy bar around the city centre, and a mainstay of the Irish DJ culture through collaborations with nightclub, Index.  

They have also continued their tradition of a free drop of exclusive, one-off shirts at the Heineken stage at Electric Picnic in collaboration with the brand. 

Growing in leaps and bounds, Emporium have also just announced a new collaboration with NFL team the Pittsburgh Steelers, consisting of varsity jackets, jumpers and t-shirts. 

Brigade USA

Brigade is a New York-based brand which deals in unisex, one-off clothing releases which prides itself in firmly rooting itself in the essence of New York life.

Similar to Emporium, they take pride in creating a community through ongoing collaborations with local artists, designers, models, stylists and musicians. 

Although Emporium originates from the bedroom of two young Dubliners, ambition has forced their vision out of the confines of the Irish fashion scene as they continue to conquer worldwide fashion. From New York Collabs to Japanese stores, Emporium seem to have a solid grasp on worldwide fashion so far.