"The Call and Response duo's relationship with Prince was so remote yet passionate, a long-distance love affair of most original stripe."

To coincide with the deluxe reissue of Prince’s iconic double album,1999, the Purple One’s estate commissioned a special, limited-edition fashion collaboration with Toronto-based brand Call & Response. The line is a hand-crafted collection of custom jackets, vests, and hand-dyed tunics inspired by the clothing they used to make for Prince himself.

“I discovered this place many moons ago. I needed something to wear to an awards show, and someone told me to go here. Apparently they used to dress Prince. If it was good enough for Prince, it was good enough for me. I’d say about 60 to 70 per cent of my red-carpet outfits have been from Call and Response. Shout-out to owners Cathy, Lori and Annie—they craft some of the most intricate clothes in the world.”

After spending many years under the radar, Toronto-based clothing design firm Call & Response has begun to move into the spotlight. A popular label among musicians, including stars such as Cher, Shania Twain and the late Prince, Call & Response has quietly developed a global reputation for its edgy hand-made clothing, purely through word of mouth.

For the latter product line, Paris Saint-Germain collaborated with Trevor Guy, a longtime associate of Prince and creative director of his estate, and designers Cathy Robinson and Lori Marcuz of Toronto-based studio Call & Response, who outfitted the music superstar in their snazzy jackets between 2011 and 2016. The collection includes official team jerseys embellished with Prince’s characteristic symbol, hand-dyed purple knits, Neoprene jogger sets, leather hoodies with embroideries and leather bucket hats embossed with a croc pattern.

"Oh, I got really lucky. Prince, the singer, was one of my best friends and I got really lucky that the women who actually made his clothes in the last couple of years that he was with us, they are in Toronto. The company is calledCall and Response Clothing.So I approached Warner Bros. and Joyce Shure, our costumer, and I said, “Hey, rock stars dress like aliens, right? So how do you feel about taking Blackfire into a more androgynous, edgier place, specifically with shoulders?” She’s on Earth now, but I wanted her to still look regal. And so it happened. Basically, Blackfire is designed by a team of women [made up of theTitansteam] and Kathy and Lori from Call and Response Clothing, Literally, Blackfire is just women. They made my whole closet, so pay attention, because we actually took my suit as inspiration for the closet."