ComplexCon Chicago was every hypebeast’s dream, as a full entourage of exclusive brand collaborations, art exhibitions, musical performances, and cultural explorations stormed McCormick Place this weekend. Viral content lovers, young and old, strategically planned out their schedules across the two-day convention to make sure they could get their hands on each of the highly-coveted drops. Anxiety billowed across the convention center as trend chasers drained the limited supplies of never-before-seen collections at an alarmingly rapid pace.
After establishing itself as a hub for a subculture of trends in 2016, ComplexCon has tremendously evolved into a mainstream platform for growing designers and up-and-coming artists to gain massive exposure alongside leading names in the industry. ComplexCon left its home in Long Beach to set up shop in Chicago for the first time as the convention continues to flourish and branch outside of its roots. Defining the next cultural trends across fashion, art, and music, ComplexCon Chicago had an incredible selection of talent to showcase. Take a look at our top picks below.
Basketcase
Basketcase was born in the dorm room of designer Zach Kinninger just a few years ago and now operates completely out of his Orange County garage. Driven by vintage designs and film photography, Kinninger is reviving old trends with contemporary styles in this collection. Minimal branding underscores classic graphics across this range to bring this visionary’s concept to life.
KNC Beauty x Garrett Popcorn Shops
Kristen Noel Crawley brought KNC Beauty to ComplexCon Chicago in collaboration with Garrett Popcorn Shops. Massive popcorn kernels accompanied a lip-shaped chair in a pastel-colored booth to welcome the partnership and celebrate KNC Beauty's notable collection. Crawley created the first all-natural, collagen-infused lip mask and an all-natural, retinol-infused eye mask, both of which have people swooning over the safety of their ingredients and the magnitude of their results. And yes, with every purchase, a delectable bucket of popcorn was included.
Atmos x Nike Air Max "Animal 3.0" Pack
Guests were RUNNING for this drop as the convention opened its doors on Saturday morning, and we see why. The Atmos x Nike Air Max “Animal 3.0” Pack features classic Nike Air Max silhouettes tastefully coated in vibrant animal prints. Blue, orange, and green branding complement the prints for an original finish on a classic idea. Sneakerheads fought for a place at the Atmos booth as this exclusive collection is like nothing of its kind.
Kristopher Kites
Kristopher Kites showcased his eclectic jewelry line at ComplexCon’s Brands to Watch space. His signature designs feature toy figurines hanging from translucent chains, a combination that no one saw coming but happens to work very nicely. For ComplexCon, Kites debuted his new designs with translucent Jesus figures and Gucci chains, supplementing his already unique collection exquisitely. People were seen walking across the convention sporting his jewlery around their necks because, well, it's just that good.
Chinatown Market x Converse UV-Activated Sneakers
Chinatown Market’s Converse booth attracted massive crowds all weekend. This collaboration appealed to so many because the color of the shoes become increasingly more vibrant in a stronger light. With altered hues of blue, orange, and purple, this shoe is a stand-alone statement piece that was impossible to overlook. The innovative UV-activation feature gives these sneakers a futuristic edge, as it's one of the first to explore new technologies in the development and design of shoes.
