Building good relationships requires trust, honesty, mutual support and appreciation. From our first conversation with designer and creative powerhouse Gavin Mathieu, there was an immediate sense of connection—one that was rooted in mutual respect and a shared goal: to create something together that uplifts others. That’s why we’re proud to announce the launch of Hardwear, our first capsule collection of apparel and merchandise under the Microsoft brand and in partnership with Gavin.
Raised in South Central LA, Gavin spent years fostering community among creators like himself, including Jerry Lorenzo and Nipsey Hussle, before starting his own successful brand, Supervsn. When you spend any amount of time with Gavin, you’re immediately struck by his ability to make everyone in the room feel like family. The warmth and acceptance that people feel in his presence is exactly what we all look for in a community.
Co-creating with Gavin began with a shared philosophy. At Microsoft we often say, ‘You don’t work here to look great, you work at Microsoft to make others great.’ And Gavin’s thinking and story are in line with that. With a focus on people rather than products, Gavin creates to uplift and empower others—a guiding principle and mission that drives everything we do at Microsoft. Therefore, the collection reflects the Normcore style, a lifestyle aesthetic that focuses on people and not the clothes they wear.
What Gavin has designed for this collection captures the spirit of our discussions of how to enable people to move and create in a way that helps them have the greatest impact. Gavin believes that “humans are at their highest level of selves when they create.” And we believe that expression should be effortless. That’s why Hardwear is simple and designed to reduce any distractions to creativity: it’s a nine-piece collection of t-shirts, hats, hoodies, jackets and pants. Every piece is intentional and there is meaning behind every item at Hardwear. Here, Gavin explains why he chose MS Paint as the design element for one of the pieces in this collection: Gavin Mathieu explains how Microsoft inspired him to become a designer.
While co-creation can be complicated, this partnership brought with it a sense of calm. Perhaps it was because we all supported each other in the often complex and sometimes challenging process that occurs when creating with passionate people, who have unique suggestions and differing opinions. This collaboration was driven by openness, vulnerability, and the belief that often the most resonant ideas are built from the inclusion of diverse perspectives.
For Hardwear, our community was a team of people making strides forward every day, building each other’s trust by having honest conversations and creating a space for suggestions and improvements. This campaign tested our comfort and challenged us at times, but what pushed us forward was seeing the inclusion of diverse voices throughout the process and unique perspectives on what drives those who want to better themselves and the world. world around them, as well as what can distract people from making progress toward their goals.
It’s important to us to work with creators who are focused on inspiring communities and making a positive impact in the world, because enabling and empowering people to achieve more is what drives everything we do at Microsoft. And with Hardwear, it’s as much the how as the what. From the talent of our people to the launch of the capsule collection, the diversity of those behind and in front of the camera and our agency partners, cultural nuances and perspective are the key ingredients that make this a collection we are proud of. to share with our own communities.
As we worked on this, Gavin encouraged us to widen the openness of who we define as a creator. We all create. So take a look at the collection, but don’t stop at the clothes. Understand and convey the message that creativity is not in you, it is in you and has no limits.
Source: news.microsoft.com