‘Independence, community, legacy’: inside a new book documenting the history of cult British streetwear label Aries

Since 2009, the irreverent London-based streetwear label Aries has garnered a devoted following for its distinctive graphic-adorned sweaters and tees – legendary British illustrator Fergus Purcell was a co-founder of the brand – as well as its now-ubiquitous slogan, ‘No Problemo’.

Led by Italian designer Sofia Prantera, who founded Aries with Purcell after establishing skatewear brand Holmes and later, the cult streetwear label Silas, the label has since straddled the worlds of luxury fashion and streetwear – a dichotomy she describes as ‘the idea of the temple and the rat’.

‘[Since the beginning], our identity is all about this duality – the elevated temple and the decay of the rat,’ she told Wallpaper* after the opening of the brand’s first store in London’s Soho in 2023 (there, she was referring to the clash of Carlo Scarpa-inspired marble and scaffolding poles that were juxtaposed on the store’s central staircase). The playful analogy is reflected in Purcell’s graphics: Roman-style columns that surround the Aries logo and a rat motif that has reappeared across the brand’s collections.

Inside ‘Aries Arise Archive’, a new Rizzoli-published book

Documenting the past ten years, a new Rizzoli-published book, Aries Arise Archive, promises a comprehensive retrospective of the label – a visual compendium of Aries’ collections, collaborations and eclectic, close-knit community, which spans David Sims, Mia Khalifa, Jeremy Deller and Joshua Gordon, among others.

‘Aries has evolved so much, and it felt important to document that journey, both for myself and for the people who have followed us along the way,’ Prantera tells Wallpaper*. ‘Aries has reached a point where its identity is strong enough to stand alone – it’s not just about clothes anymore, it’s about the culture we’ve created and the connections we've made.’

As Aries Arise Archive arrives in stores today (15 April 2025), Wallpaper* sits down with Prantera to discuss the book’s creation – from working with writer Angelo Flaccavento and art director Jonny Lu, to capturing Aries’ ‘independent, rebellious spirit’.

Wallpaper*: Why did now feel like the right time to publish a book like this?

Sofia Prantera: We love making and publishing books, so when we were approached by Rizzoli to do a retrospective of the brand, it was very exciting. I guess the idea for a book had been in the back of our mind for a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that we felt it was the right time – Aries has evolved so much, and it felt important to document that journey, both for myself and for the people who have followed us along the way. [I feel like] Aries has reached a point where its identity is strong enough to stand alone – it’s not just about clothes anymore, it’s about the culture we’ve created and the connections we've made. With everything happening in the world, it felt like a moment to reflect on the value of independence, community, and the legacy we’ve been quietly building for over a decade.

W*: How did the book come together? How involved were you in the book’s creation?

SP: The process was challenging but rewarding. Nicki [Bidder, Aries’ CEO] has a background in publishing, so she acted as the editor; she played the massive role of streamlining the content and ensuring it flowed. Jonny [Lu, the book’s art director] and I were getting lost in the sheer amount of work we had produced over the years. The hardest part for me was reflecting on past work, as I usually prefer to focus on creating the next thing rather than revisiting the old. It definitely wasn’t an easy process for me, I started to obsess about what had been left out – elements that I’m sure could fill another 20 books. I hope this doesn’t come across as negative, as I really love the book and I am super proud of it, but maybe I am being realistic that if it had been left to me, it would have become one of those work-in-progress projects that never see the light of day! Or are published posthumously [laughs].

W*: What were some of the things you felt you had to include in this book?

SP: I think the first thing [we thought about] was to incorporate the graphics as a compendium – throughout my career, I have collaborated with amazing artists, but the graphic artists are often forgotten, and they are an integral part of Aries as they had been of my previous brands Holmes and Silas.

The book is as much about the people behind Aries as it is about the product itself. We felt it was important to give the reader insight into how we’ve worked and the relationships we’ve built over time. It’s also about our community, how Aries has always been a collaborative effort, and how that has shaped the brand’s evolution.

W* Did anything surprise you looking back? What has changed since the beginning?

SP: What surprised me was how much Aries has grown, but also how its ethos has remained the same. We’ve been able to remain true to the independent, rebellious spirit we started with, even as we’ve become more recognized. The world around us has changed, especially with social media and the speed at which trends come and go. One of the biggest changes has been how much the line between streetwear and high fashion has blurred over time; when we started, those worlds were still very separate, and now they overlap in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Our values have remained constant, though, and it was nice to see a coherent thread running through ten years of what, looking back, felt like chaos.

W*: The blurb talks about ‘Aries-isms’ – what are some of these in the book?

SP: ‘Aries-isms’ are little quirks, values, and philosophies that have shaped the way we work. It’s about embracing contradiction, celebrating both high and low culture, and never being confined by one way of doing things. There’s a certain energy to Aries that comes from our refusal to fit into any category or label. I think the book reflects that in the way it’s laid out, combining raw, unpolished elements with high-end, carefully designed visuals. Another ‘Aries-ism’ is that we work with people we trust, and we value creativity over hierarchy. We believe everyone has something to offer, and that ethos comes through in the book as well.

W*: Do you have any favourite pages? Or layouts?

SP: There are so many incredible images and memories; the ‘Wiltshire b4 Christ’ images we created with Jeremy Deller, Jane How and David Sims – I have the fondest recollections of that time. We always joke in the office that we miss David’s mind-blowing shoots as we haven’t done one for a couple of years, so [there’s] definitely one to come soon and I hope we are all ready again for the onslaught!

The only new section in the book is the middle section, where we photographed the archive. This was the hardest section to produce – unlike the rest of the book, it had to be created from scratch, [so] it was very challenging to make it stand up to the other two sections, but we also all knew that we needed to show the archive, as there is so much work in there. It’s now a section that’s really important to me, and I am proud to have been able to make it work with the patient help of photographer Adrian Samson – thank you, Adrian, for putting up with so many changes of direction!

W*: What do you hope people take away from the book?

SP: I hope people take away an understanding of the roots of Aries and the philosophy behind it, which isn’t just about selling clothes, it’s about being part of something. It’s about creating things that matter, fostering a sense of community, and remaining true to your own voice, even when the world around you is moving at lightning speed. It’s about being able to adapt without compromising, which is a very hard skill to learn.

I also hope the book will spark curiosity and conversation. If someone walks away feeling inspired to think differently or act independently, then I’ll be happy!

‘Aries Arise Archive’, published by Rizzoli, is out now, available from Aries’ website