Berlin-based brand DAGGER takes its name from the ceremonial blade used in pagan rituals - a symbol of endings, beginnings, and transformation. The brand was founded in 2020 by Luke Rainey, after an unexpected job loss left him with nothing but €300 in government benefits and a dream.
The final line of his dismissal letter - “We wish you all the best with your professional future and personal wellbeing” - struck a nerve. Ironic and impersonal, it became a source of unexpected inspiration. Luke took the words at face value, stamped them on the back of what would become DAGGER’s first and now-iconic “Core” T-shirt, and turned “All the Best” into the brand’s enduring slogan.
The DAGGER aesthetic was forged in Luke’s rebellious teenage years growing up in a small Northern Irish town in the early 2000s - a place where money was tight, but skate was currency. That era’s rough-edged, DIY spirit runs through every stitch: clothes that wear like scraped knees, cracked pavement, and midnight missions.
DAGGER isn’t just another brand - it’s a tribute to the hard-earned beauty of a life well lived, worn in, and worn proud.
It stands for beginnings, endings, and all the stories in between.
Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh™ embarks on a new narrative where free thinking inspires a pioneering format for the future, where the age of imagination is the product of reality.
Inspired by Virgil’s vision and approach to his art, Off-White™ nourishes a collective of creative minds that represent the best in their category and have a strong and personal connection with Virgil. Ibrahim’s relationship with Virgil and Off-White™, born and nurtured through Instagram DMs, blossomed both personally and professionally over the last 3 years creating a strong bond based on mutual respect and shared values.
“Making a successful luxury brand in nine years is genius. It’s a feat that I admire and hope to continue building upon with a rich legacy. He revolutionised streetwear and luxury that crosses generations and decades. He showed the world that the underrepresented, the underdogs and Black people, in particular, have brilliant minds and can push and compete equally in the establishment. He inspired hope and brought about change.” - Ibrahim Kamara, Art&Image Director Off-White™