After seeing the epic collaboration being done for Bloomingdales by New York-based headphone company Master & Dynamic, we’ve placed the purchase right at the top of our ‘Must-Have’ list.
Ordinarily we’d have trouble saying sayonara to our iPhone or Bluetooth ear plugs, but not after Bloomingdales and Master & Dynamic tapped the creative genius of Billy Reid, Eidos, John Varvatos, Michael Kors, Rag & Bone, Polo Ralph Lauren (pictured below), Theory, and Todd Snyder to reimagine and customize M&D’s flagship MH40 Over-Ear Headphones.
The result is an eight-piece collection that quite honestly gives us faith in the headphone scene.
This rag-tag team of creatives accounts for some of the most modern and fashion-forward men’s designers of today, using prints and fabrics pulled from their Spring/Summer 2017 men’s collections debuting at New York Fashion Week.
Each individual headphone rocks a lust-worthy, highly unique design that fits a variety of tastes and personal finesse. When I showed my buddies the collection, they each pointed to a different favorite. One liked the Ralph Lauren headphone— a bandana-inspired blue print— while another went H.A.M over Theory, which banded the head strap with sheep’s wool and creamy leather on the ears. Meanwhile Rag & Bone went full-on vintage (my personal favorite), resurrecting a worn, grungy look that makes the headphones seem to be dug up from King Tut’s tomb.
Given the high-quality materials Master & Dynamic uses to construct each pair, it wouldn’t surprise us if they dated back that far.
With premium leathers, stainless steel, almost completely noise isolating and tuned for a rich yet warm sound signature, this could be the first-ever pair of headphones that can live forever. Plus there’s the added benefit of having the designs inspired by more than popular trend. The heart and soul behind this collection was to tell the story of how sound impacts the creative process.
Thinking of all the dinky headphones we’ve owned (I don’t need both ears to listen to the Best Albums of 2016… oh wait, I do), we’re chiding ourselves for not respecting the art of craft headphones earlier. But we made it to the party just in time. Quality, style-driven headphones are one of the next men’s style accessories that can elevate not only your wardrobe but that new haircut you got or the clean shave.
The collection was unveiled in Bloomingdales January 9, and will remain only through February 6— coinciding with the Men’s portion of New York Fashion Week.
Photos courtesy Master & Dynamic.
