Brian Wood is a young, Pratt-educated menswear designer with a keen eye for color and shape. Wood has been steadily making a name for himself, as he seeks to create modern pieces for those who appreciate his firm attention to detail. Several years spent under the wing of some seasoned fashion industry labels – including Anna Sui, Andrew Marc and Vintage Red – gave Wood the clout to make his solo entrée into the game. Wood debuted a line of showy pop-art inspired tees in 2003, before venturing into deeper fashion waters with his cut-and-sew collection for Spring 2005.

Wood’s cutting-edge garments have previously leaped across the pages of TRACE, so we’d like to call attention to his most recent eye-catching collection, for Spring/Summer 2008. Wood’s Spring picks were precipitated by the global movement of awareness, focused on bringing relief to Africa. Drawing inspiration from the country’s past in addition to modern-day American and European pop culture, Wood’s “African Warlord” collection “creates an exciting integration between the traditional and historically significant styling of West Africa with the fresh, bold iconic imagery of the Western world.”

Wood has channeled his creative energy into a wardrobe that may not be able to save the world – but at least can keep you looking swank. The designer keeps his new line alive by mixing assorted textures and fabrics - a vivid palette of brilliant reds, purples and limes, as well as neutrals and African-inspired prints. “This season, I took a much cleaner approach when designing, without compromising my signature detail,” says Wood. “I focused on maintaining creativity; while constantly thinking about the consumer.”

Highlights from the collection – which was previewed by fashionistas at New York’s Times Square Loft on September 5th – include a fitted lime green and magenta water-proof nylon pullover, a splashy pair of black and white over-dyed African print shorts, a multi-colored handmade patchwork blazer made with imported African Khenti and Mud cloths, and a rich red over-dyed seersucker jacket complete with a mandarin collar and concealed pocket designed for your iPod.

The African Warlord collection itself spawned another line of brightly colored embellished tees for “bRIAN WOOd e x c l u s i v e” Spring/Summer ’08. The designs address issues of globalization and the negative effect of Western World overconsumption on Africa, and include a shirt emblazoned with American and European consumer logos for Nike, Coca-Cola and Mercedes – all jammed into the shape of the African continent.

For more information about Brian Wood’s collections and where to find them, visit brianwoodonline.com.