Cassette Playa and AMBUSH joined forces last night and hosted a party for the London Fashion Week. Held at the Albi venue, DJs included Verbal and Yoon, Carri Mundane and also Fabio from the Bathing Ape store. The night was enjoyed by a great turnout from the London scene and beyond. Enjoy the pictures from the night!

Photography: Jeff Metal for Hypebeast

Away from the usual and expected fashion hubs of the world, Carri Munden of Cassette Playa invaded Thailand to unveil the 2010 summer Nike Sportswear collection. The event featured a cast of models chosen entirely by Carri over the course of 24 hours in Bangkok as she continued on with her augmented reality experience with a series of real and virtual projected models. Among the attendees were local personalities Giftza from Girly Berry, Ploi Horwang, Nat Sarasas and Russell Williamson of Crooked Tongues.To cap off the event, an exclusive graphic and limited edition poster inspired by football was released, dubbed “The Ultimate Tribe”.

For those familiar with the work of British-based brand Cassette Playa, the vivid imagery and penchant for bright neon colors is all but expected season to season. However for the 2010 fall/winter presentation of Carri Munden’s N E U R O M A N C E collection, she employs augmented reality to further accentuate her futuristic themes. Each model entered the world of augmented reality which allowed them to interact between both physical and virtual worlds. A press release below details the project as well as this season’s inspirations.

Cassette Playa returns to London Fashion week on schedule with a live augmented reality digital presentation.

Essentially a Unisex brand, Cassette Playa debuted its first women’s wear looks in New York last season. Having previously presented SS09 in Paris, Utube Utopia at Pitti Uomo and showing the previous 3 seasons as catwalks at Fashion East Man.

For this presentation Cassette Playa worked with funding from LDA and the expertise of the digital department of LCF to write softwear for wearable augmented reality (AR). This will be the world’s first Fashion Augmented reality show. The models interaction with the program activates CP symbols on the models garments that will generate computer generated 3D animations. These will then be viewed in real time by the audience in an amalgamation of real and virtual worlds.

Cassette Playa explores the boundaries between reality and fantasy. They ask us to consider Fashion as communication and also as an avatar i.e. projected visual representation of self.

Their work is inspired by sci fi dreams and is conditioned by the technologies that bring these dreams closer to an actuality.

“I don’t want to make a computer game like real life, I want to make real life more like a computer game. Through our daily interactions with technology and new forms of increasingly visual online communication, sci fi dreams of cybernetics already exist, if abstractly. We are all cyborgs in 2010. ”

-carri munden cassette playa

N E U R O M A N C E = “ VIOLENCE KNOWLEDGE EMOTION “

AW1011 is a capsule collection of Industrial, and mediEVIL references. Thrash, Death + Black metal imagery.

Digital printed silk detailing and embroidered patches, feature on L/S tees, Melton wool Tailoring, zip up hooded tops and cropped nappa leather bombers. The range also includes assault vests with neoprene pocket details, graphic tees with CGI blood and chrome with glow in the dark screen prints.

Signature Cassette Playa digital print is in repeats of stoned and molten plastic textured leopard print and blood soaked diamante camo on silk, chiffon and Lycra. Colours are photocopy black and white with high lights of stain glass bights – blue, scarlet, acid green and fuchsia.

CP AW1011 C R E D I T S

AUGMENTED REALITY SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT + 3D ANIMATION

FASHION DIGITAL STUDIO@LCF (PHILIP DELAMORE, DAVID SWEENEY, PETER HILL)

ART DIRECTION CARRI MUNDEN + THOMAS MANATON
SHOW MUSIC MILO CORDELL (THE BIG PINK / MEROK RECORDS) + PREETESH HIRJI

Featuring ZOMBY, SEWN LEATHER + SALEM

STYLING JASON FARRER @DEFACTO
INTRO VISUALS ENO WEIRDCORE
HAIR CHARLIE LE MINDU
MAKE UP ADAM@ ILLAMASQUA
MODELS JAY READ, RYAN@PREMIER, HOLLI S @DI MODELS

SHOES NIKE SPORTSWEAR + ALPINESTARS
PRESS / FRONT OF HOUSE MELANIE ASHLEY

SHOW PRODUCTION MELODY DOWNING
FILMING GRACE LADOJA
SPECIAL THANKS TO LDA / KNOWLEDGE CONNECT PROGRAMME / MANDI LENNARD ML PR / CRAIG, ANNOUSHKA + HARLEY A NUMBER OF NAMES / RUSS CROOKED TONGUES / DAVID ELSBC / KERRY SHAW NIKE / CHRIS BLOMN / GREG MUNDEN

THANKS + LOVE TO CP FAMILY = LIAM HODGES, ALEX MATTERSON, JOSH FINDER, ASHLEY, ANNIE, CARLY, SAREENA, ELENA, DYLAN + ABIEED

Fresh from another respectable collaboration with Nike, Cassette Playa’s Carri Munden is making her way all the way from London to Tokyo for a very special event. If you’re interested and in Tokyo on Saturday November 7, clear your diary. Supported by Nike, Phenomenon, Faline and Drop, event masters Vanity are throwing a party for Cassette Playa which will feature a selection of Japanese DJ’s and one very special [and secret] guest. You’ll need to buy tickets for the night which starts at 9pm is placed at Le Baron de Paris.

Source: Superfuture

Dr. Romanelli hits us with the news that his recent project alongside Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock has been updated, this time with a design scheme created by Carri Munden’s Cassette Playa. The site is slowly but surely coming along with a Tropical Remix track provided by Rage Johnson. Stay tuned for further updates as it looks like we could be seeing more work from Dr. Romanelli x Carri Munden as the Holiday season nears. The site can be seen here.

Styled by none other than Cassette Playa’s Carri Munden and photographed by Mark Le Bon, MHI continues on into 2010 with their spring/summer “Head Hunter” collection. A brand that is firmly entrenched in the British streetwear landscape, some of the pieces feature a strong graphic element. We look forward to a more comprehensive look as it becomes available.

Critically acclaimed fashion designer and stylist, Carri Mundane’s Cassette Playa has often been an unmistakable force on the runways. As an aesthetic which combines numerous fun and free-spirited elements to create a luxury meets sportswear label, we had a chance to delve a little deeper into the creative mind of one of menswear’s most provocative and innovative figures.

Having worked extensively with a list of musical artists including Chromeo, Nelly Furtado, M.I.A. and the Klaxons, it’s hard to deny the fact that Cassette Playa presents itself as brand with few equals with their new-age thinking and presentation of visually stimulating fashion. In addition to offering insights into her beginnings and her thoughts on the Cassette Playa outlook on design and presentation, we take a look at her 2009 spring/summer collection “THESE COLORS DN’T RUN”. Her visual exploration takes on all new heights as she combines the “warrior race, of straight talking, drinkers + fighters” known as the British and sets it against pagan knowledge, druid rituals, football firms, council estates, Essex mansions and organized violence. The collection’s looks take on some natural elements such as marble and granite as it is juxtaposed against Carri Munden’s love of the contemporary world of communication, driven by mediums such as the Internet and elements further found within this ground-breaking tool.

Interview with Carri Mundane

Thanks for taking some time off to do this interview with us. Let’s start with some questions on the background of Cassette Playa. So when did you start up Cassette Playa and what inspired you to create your own label?

Cassette Playa was started to fulfill an ancient Essex prophecy.

I’ve been doing Cassette Playa in some form since I graduated in 2004, Nicola Formichetti (creative director of Dazed and fashion director at Vogue Homme Japan) bought my graduate collection for his store – side by side in Tokyo. I made collections for/sold to them right up until the store closed at the end of last year. I was also working as a stylist – with M.I.A and for ID/Dazed/Super Super. I’ve done 6 collections and showed at London fashion week for the past 4 seasons.

The name Cassette Playa is quite unique. How did you come up with this name?

It comes from my name, I guess it’s my alter ego, I like superheroes and tribes and gangs, and with that there’s always a name. I’m also a bit shy so that helps *laughs. I was over the name for a bit because it sounds kinda retro and with Cassette Playa I’m always thinking of the future but I think the name has kinda lost any previous meaning/association now (at least it has for me/I hope so). I guess it’s like that with any brand or band name, you build your own identity and give words new meaning.

So where do you get your inspirations from for your designs?

Everywhere. The Internet… But on repeat: comics, science fiction, horror films, computer games, rave, metal, gifs, and web based art.

I like things that are pure and graphic, keep it cartoon… cartoon couture.

I’m especially interested in ancient civilizations, I believe in preserving and moving forward that knowledge, imagine ancient rituals with new technology and adopted cultural references. I envision these rituals assimilated in a future post apocalyptic city.

What do you think of the current fashion landscape? With the economies of the world taking a bit of a hit, does it pose a bigger problem for you then brands with more conservative styles?

I think there is always a market for luxury and in the economic situation people will still crave something unique. If we are heading for economic collapse, end of modern civilization this is your battle paint! Fast forward the apocalypse.

Is it important for people who wear Cassette Playa to understand your direction and inspirations?

Yes but I don’t think fashion should be over-intellectualized, your world can be deep but the communication should be instant. I know and hope it’s obvious that Cassette Playa has lots of levels but as long as the people wearing Cassette Playa get it on some level (rather than following hype or a trend) then I’m cool.

To you, what is the relationship between visual design and communication?

Fashion is pure communication. Your style communicates who you are and what you believe in – that’s bait. I’m interested in coded communication, global visual and web based languages like gifs, smileys and text messaging. I see them as modern day hieroglyphics with Cassette Playa we don’t have one logo and reject traditional branding but I think we have built a strong and recognizable visual identity. I see our prints as cyber symbolism.

Let’s talk about your recent collaboration with Nike Sportswear. How long ago did the planning begin as the Blazer was seen during the launch of your 2008 spring/summer campaign.

We first designed the Cassette Playa x Nike Blazer for our spring/summer 2008 show “Future Primative” we worked with Jesse Leyva to perfect the design for its launch this year.

What are some brands that you respect?

Jeremy Scott, Bape, Billionaire Boys Club, Walter van Beirendonck, Gareth Pugh, Raf Simons, Bernard Wilhelm, Romain Kremer, Stussy, Undercover, Pam, Thierry Mugler, jpg + jcdc.

What’s on the horizon for Cassette Playa?

This season we are showing a diffusion at MAGIC Las Vegas and more limited edition digital print pieces. Womenswear next season! Nike collab drops in winter 2009. A few different collaborations are also in the works with Rockers, Phenomenon, P-Thug from Chromeo and more this year including another potential show with jcdc. I want to do more styling, shoots and keep working with artists and bands. I’m just discussing a project with Shawn Mortensen and have some art and film projects I want to realize. And I’d like to spend more time in Japan if I can, me and verbal have been talking about doing something together in Tokyo.

Cassette Playa Website

Interview: Eugene Kan

Celebrating the launch of Nike’s collaboration alongside Carri Mundane’s Cassette Playa, the 1948 Sportswear store held a launch featuring posters and artwork designed by Mundane. The installation included a large screen displaying Cassette Playa’s 2008 Spring/Summer “Future Primitive” show, where the Tier Zero Blazer made its debut. Along with the interesting visuals were some clothing pieces complimenting the Nike Sportswear kicks. Images of the show can be seen after the jump!

Photography: Witts, Liam Hodges

As the brains behind the colorful and eccentric British brand Cassette Playa, Carri Munden speaks on the topic of her brand and her upcoming collaboration. Touching on the philosophy behind a brand few are often unfamiliar with, she also touches on the overall scope of the Nike Sportswear Blazer collaboration.

Source: High Snobiety

Carri Munden of Cassette Playa fame, launched a new installation inspired by the Nike Sportswear windrunner jacket. Titled SPLIT, one of the perks about the installation is the ability to create your own avatar while getting a free limited edition video ringtone download. The set-up is now being showcased at Selfridges department store in London.

Source: Carri Munden