RISK made in Warsaw by Pawel Swanski Studio

RISK MADE IN WARSAW BY PAWEL SWANSKI STUDIO

It all started with a single brushstroke

It all started with a single brushstroke. Distinctive, recognizable and a little wild, it was exactly what we dreamed of using to mark the 15th anniversary of RISK Made in Warsaw. That brushstroke belongs to Paweł Swanski, a Warsaw-based artist, painter and designer whose murals cover walls from Tokyo and Los Angeles to New York, and whose work has been exhibited in Milan, Cologne and Warsaw. It soon became clear that the brushstroke was only the beginning. Paweł didn’t just create a print for us: together, we designed the entire anniversary collection.

“We had long dreamed of working with Paweł, not only Paweł the artist and painter, but also Paweł the designer, who spent years creating clothing under his own label, Turbokolor. We didn’t want to stop at a print. For the first time in our history, we wanted to co-create a collection with a fashion designer who brings a completely different perspective to the craft. We worked on every detail together, from the initial concept and silhouettes to the embroidery thread and the collectible labels. Collectible, because this is a strictly limited edition,” says Antosia, designer at RISK Made in Warsaw, known for her “clothing commentary”: a talent for translating cultural narratives into garments.

Swanski is a painter, designer and one of the artists to emerge from skateboarding culture. His murals can be seen from Tokyo to Los Angeles and New York, and his work has been exhibited in Milan, Cologne and Warsaw. For many years, he also ran his own clothing brand, Turbokolor.

Two designers. Two very different aesthetics. And one city woven into both of their stories. The result is RISK Made in Warsaw by Pawel Swanski Studio, a limited-edition collection where two worlds collide: Asian mythology and Warsaw legend, street culture and RISK’s timeless signature style, Swanski’s bold visual language and spectacular pieces made, above all, to be lived in.

At the heart of the collection are the mythical creatures Swanski has been reinterpreting in his own way for years. Here, the Asian dragon meets the Warsaw Basilisk. They appear almost everywhere: in a scarlet print, as gold embroidery on jackets, a jumpsuit and a sweatshirt, on bags and in small details. Sometimes they stretch across the entire back; sometimes they hide inside the garment, visible only to the wearer.

“Myths and folklore are among my greatest inspirations. I’m fascinated by how similar creatures can carry completely different meanings across cultures. In Japan, the dragon isn’t a monster to be feared. It’s a symbol of strength, wisdom, good fortune and positive energy. That’s exactly how I wanted to approach the Warsaw Basilisk: as a creature full of power,” says Paweł. The Basilisk has been given a touch of Japanese soul. Wear it as gold embroidery across your back, or keep it to yourself, tucked into the lining like a modern talisman made in Warsaw.

Warsaw runs through the entire collection. “While designing, I kept coming back to the ‘RISK – Made in Warsaw’ slogan. I grew up in Warsaw, and who I am emotionally was shaped to a large extent by the history of a city that was destroyed and rebuilt. I’ve also been skateboarding my whole life, so the streets of Warsaw have had a huge influence on me,” says Paweł.

This story gave rise to the “Made in Warsaw” embroidery, based on Swanski’s distinctive handwriting. It appears on pieces such as the M65-inspired military jacket and the oversized T-shirt, serving at once as the artist’s signature, the brand name and a declaration of where the collection comes from.

The collection includes the Suka Jacket, a souvenir jacket from Warsaw with embroidered basilisks, Swanski’s signature and a surprise inside: a scarlet basilisk-print lining that makes it fully reversible. Alongside it you’ll find the M65-inspired jacket, a jumpsuit, two dresses, a blazer, suit trousers playfully inspired by Paweł’s own style, a shirt, a sweatshirt, the “Made in Warsaw” oversized T-shirt, a scarf and a bag. Everything was designed for women, though we fully expect their boyfriends to borrow a piece or two.

Naturally, we shot the collection in Warsaw. A single frame brings together ultra-sensual dresses, streetwear and gold embroidery that seems to come from another world. In Paweł’s words: “The collection takes you for a walk through the streets of Warsaw, but that walk could just as easily end in the center of Tokyo or on the boulevards of Shanghai.”