Sam Hazelton, 23, studied at Fashion Design Studio Ultimo TAFE in Sydney, Australia

His collection – Gento

‘GENTO’ means ‘tribe’ in Esperanto, a constructed international auxiliary language designed to foster peace and understanding. This name was chosen for a couple of reasons; aspects of dress from various tribal cultures around the world inspire many of the design features and the colour pallete.

The garments are according to the needs and desires of members of an imagined global tribe of urban dwellers.  Wool and cotton knit is used in several garments but most of the outerwear garments are constructed from Ventile, Milair or Emphatex combinations giving them dual properties of waterproof/breathability.
Storage properties are another focus of the outerwear, making the jackets and pants ‘useful’ and versatile in as many ways possible. A sharp, yet practical, fit throughout the range supports the aim of creating very ‘wearable’ designs.

“There are tailored elements featured in the range as well as aspects of military dress, I think that modern menswear owes a lot, if not everything, to these two influences. I wouldn’t dream of creating a menswear range that didn’t reference them in some way or other.”

A few playful aesthetic features are incorporated into this collection (the use of smocking, and drawstring toggles cast in the shape of a Quandong seed from polyurethane for instance) that serve no practical purpose. Apart from these, nearly every other feature is designed with practicality in mind, something most men find very appealing.

In short it is an upmarket streetwear range designed to appeal to as many men as possible through its wearability and practicality.