Joseph Gabbay on Palm Angels’ next phase: Play, womenswear and new markets

Fresh from its return to Los Angeles at ComplexCon, where it unveiled a reworked version of its signature tracksuit, Palm Angels is focused on growing Play Palm Angels, the more accessible line it launched in July. Joseph Gabbay, co-founder and CEO of Bluestar Alliance, told FashionUnited the brand is also building out womenswear and eyeing growth in APAC, particularly India.

The new line was designed to bring the Italian streetwear label to a broader audience. “Play Palm Angels is an important step in expanding the brand’s universe and reaching a broader audience. While the main collection continues to develop its own creative expression, Play Palm Angels offers a more accessible, youthful and everyday interpretation of the same cultural DNA. The two lines are complementary, with distinct positioning, product offerings and distribution strategies, but a shared identity rooted in contemporary street culture,” said Gabbay.

The name stands for Palm Life All Year, and the label is run internationally with operating partner Sportlux. In the US, the line has been building its retail presence: in September, Pacsun brought a new 41-piece Play collection inspired by Venice Beach and Southern California to select stores and online. The label is also stocked at Hibbett, DTLR, Shoe Palace, Nordstrom.com and its own website.

International expansion is next

“Play is designed for a younger, digitally connected generation that discovers fashion through music, sport, social media and street culture. It’s a customer looking for expressive, versatile pieces that bring the Palm Angels attitude into everyday dressing. The US is our first priority, with an introduction through selected partners including PacSun, Hibbett, DTLR, Shoe Palace, alongside e-commerce. The ambition is to progressively expand internationally, with Europe and Asia planned as part of the next phase.”

In the main collection, womenswear is set to take a bigger role as Alberto Furlan’s vision for the brand develops beyond SS26. “Alberto is bringing a fresh creative energy to Palm Angels, building on the brand’s distinctive identity while introducing new silhouettes, proportions, colors and styling. One of the key areas of development is womenswear, which is becoming an increasingly important part of the Palm Angels universe, with a stronger and more defined expression within the collections,” said Gabbay. “The ambition is to build a more complete and versatile wardrobe, while maintaining the bold attitude and cultural references that have always defined the brand.”

Geographically, Europe and the US remain the brand’s core. “Europe and US remain key markets for Palm Angels, with APAC and particularly India representing exciting opportunities for future development. Our focus is on strengthening our presence through the right distribution partners, while building stronger connections with local communities through culturally relevant activations.”

Back to LA

The brand’s latest cultural activation took it back to its origins. Palm Angels was born from a photographic project documenting LA’s skate culture and creative communities, before building a global streetwear identity around that West Coast energy, with the tracksuit becoming one of its most recognisable signatures.

“Los Angeles is where the Palm Angels story began. The brand was born from a fascination with the city’s skate culture, so returning to LA was a natural and meaningful moment for us,” said Gabbay. “We wanted this return to be more than a nostalgic celebration. It was an opportunity to reconnect with our roots while introducing the next chapter of Palm Angels, starting with one of our most iconic pieces: the tracksuit.”

At ComplexCon, the brand introduced the Utility Tracksuit, a new interpretation of the original Track rather than a replacement for it. The design pairs a jacket with a cargo pant in garment-dyed cotton canvas with corduroy details, and keeps the Palm Angels track band alongside the new Palm Tree logo. The cargo pants convert into shorts via a concealed zip at the knee. The tracksuit was unveiled exclusively at the event in 30 colourways, with each edition individually identified and co-branded for ComplexCon. Guests at the launch included Quavo, Russell Westbrook, Lil Pump, Veeze, Dalton Knecht, and Myles and Shareef O’Neal.

Beyond the product

Collaborations will remain part of the strategy, with hospitality among the categories under consideration. “Collaborations have always been an important part of Palm Angels, and they will continue to play a key role in how we connect with culture. While we can’t reveal specific projects just yet, we’re exploring exciting opportunities across different creative territories, including hospitality, which we see as a natural extension of the Palm Angels lifestyle,” said Gabbay. “Our approach is to develop partnerships that go beyond the product, creating meaningful experiences and new ways for our communities to engage with the brand.”

“Moving forward, we want Palm Angels to be an active participant in these cultural conversations, not simply an observer,” he added.