Fashion Paper #3 November 2013 NEW BRITISH MENSWEAR by: Hywel Davies Case Studies: Craig Green Kit Neale Lou Dalton Christopher Ræburn
Hywel Davies highlights the current strength of British menswear through an exploration of the most interesting contemporary emerging fashion designers. New British Menswear British menswear is currently riding a wave of confidence. Critically acclaimed as a source of fresh, irreverent and fearless ideas, Britain nurtures the most dynamic and influential menswear designers working in a global industry today. British menswear is not afraid to have a voice. It is simultaneously understated and refined, but also eclectic and eccentric. British menswear icon Paul Smith, whose work is soon to be celebrated in a solo exhibition at the Design Museum, represents the unique British sensibility of uniting wit and tradition. As British menswear designers are defined by their creativity and originality, a history of pushing innovation and a thirst for radical change, is propelling British menswear to exist at the vanguard of inventiveness. Modern British menswear is evolving to be primarily concerned with communicating individuality. A shift in approach and attitude to masculinity has allowed the male consumer to undertake extreme measures to avoid conformity. Contemporary menswear designers no longer appropriate generic garments, as the British menswear vanguard are challenging, diverse and exciting. The culture of British fashion prospers on new ideas with the sheer number of creative people in the capital raising the bar, giving creatives an engaging dialogue. Significant influence comes from training at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, colleges which both emphasise expression, professionalism and doing something unique. These two colleges are the prestigious boot camps for fashion innovators of the future, and their success is distinct through their impressive alumni. London street style has long inspired the world s designers and this diversity is vibrantly evident not only on the streets but is informed and fed by the influential fashion design schools. While the art-school philosophy may encourage individuals to expect a spotlight when they graduate, it does allow designers to shine from an early age and define their fashion language. In 2012 the British Fashion Council launched London Collections: Men a central platform under which the industry is able to showcase and celebrate British menswear, providing a core focus for the industry and a schedule for the major fashion events. Britain s rich cultural and commercial history is integral to British menswear and Savile Row in London s West End is the historical heart of the bespoke tradition. There is an intrinsic and dynamic link that exists between fashion and related industries as the fashion scene is closely linked to other creative disciplines such as art, music, film, and these creative collaborations creative a unique fusion of fashion and culture. Craig Green Central Saint Martins graduate Craig Green creates an impressive balance between conceptual and wearable clothing. Having worked with Walter van Beirendonck and Henrik Vibskov prior to setting up his own label, Green has received many accolades including the L Oreal Professional Creative Award, the New Era XC Prize, Fashion East sponsorship and he has also collaborated with Adidas and fellow menswear designer Christopher Shannon. Green s work is an imaginatively personal and alternative response to menswear. His silhouette is squared and angular, and is dramatically capped by towering headwear. Although his sculptural pieces often utilise wood, canvas and unorthodox materials Green s ideas are all focused on representing masculinity with a starting point derived from traditional menswear. 2 Fashion Paper #3
left, top & bottom: Craig Green: MA Collection from Central Saint Martins, 2012. Inspired by the religious cult of pilgrimage, ascetic monk apparel and utilitarian workwear. middle: Craig Green: Autumn/Winter 2013 November 2013 3
right: Kit Neale: Whammy, Spring/Summer 2014. Inspired by Peckham in South London. Photo: Lorenzo Dalbosco far right: Kit Neale: Spring/Summer 2013. Vibrant prints amalgamated seaside references and multicultural patterns. Tradition is always a focal point when I design. I think dressing and clothing are all based around these ideas, explains Green. Not that I make traditional-style clothing, but I love to use tradition as a starting point. Green strongly believes in do it yourself : I love using structure, finishing and materials in new ways and I am always drawn to utilitarian materials and how they can be used within my work. Reccurring themes in Green s work include workwear, religious wear and utility and function. Clothing wasn t initially on Green s mind when he started his education. He had originally pursued fine art, but switched to fashion, taking his non-fashion approach with him: I always hope my work is about contrasts. When you realise your brand fits in too much, it s time to change. I always aim to present a strong visual story. Taking inspiration from diverse sources including the Bauhaus, sports mascots, pets in novelty superhero clothing and 1960 s robots, Green s signature is defined by oversized geometric shapes, bold colour and mechanical symbolism. His abstract garments have a rigidity to them that is often more akin to sculpture than fashion. Green believes the new menswear scene in London is still informed by tradition. There is still a strong influence and place for the Savile Row and more traditional English brands but thanks to funding schemes such as Fashion East [a pioneering non-profit initiative established by the Old Truman Brewery in 2000 to nurture emerging young designers receiving sponsorship funding from Topshop, TOPMAN and the Greater London Authority] that there is also a new set of young and more exciting labels. Green believes now is the era for menswear, With London starting our own menswear fashion week it certainly feels the right place to be. Kit Neale Very few of our ideas are based on tradition, we look to the now and the future. We have a mission statement that is simply to cover the world in print, explains London-born designer Kit Neale. I guess our design philosophy is translated more into a style philosophy. We want to push menswear and make colour and print commonplace for men while still keeping it bold, strong and masculine. Working with Gareth Pugh, Duckie Brown and Tom Scott before setting up his label in 2012, Neale also worked at Wonderland Magazine before launching himself on the London menswear scene. Through clothing Neale explores British life and British living: Paul Smith defines a lot of his brand s success due to his motto of Maximizing Britishness, and we are also openly adopting this theme but we tell a different story and have a different aesthetic. According to Neale nothing in his work is particularly coherent or matching: I source different references, textures and simple shapes and attempt to mould them into an image that has some sort of correlation with what I m trying to achieve. I think this is how people dress in life. It is a very tactile aesthetic and there is a lot of colour. Neale believes the new menswear scene in London is focused on balancing creativity and commerciality: All the new menswear brands and designers interact with each other and talk about our work with a business-focused mind. I think this is the greatest change in British fashion over the past decade. I think most new menswear designers are in the business of fashion, and this means we want to create a livelihood for ourselves and to create a successful industry. Working in London is one of the biggest inspirations for Neale s work: The city s transformation in the 4 Fashion Paper #3
right: Lou Dalton: Autumn/Winter 2013. Simple tailored suits teamed with white shirts, dark trousers and overcoats in mottled greys. past five years has been incredible. I feel there is an incredible energy at the moment. It is exciting to be a small start-up business in the city at this time. Research for prints is always the start of Neale s design process. Research is vital and ideas are sourced from around London and Britain. Our concepts come from our lives as we are always gathering references and research material from galleries, the streets and our travels. We then develop these into prints and stories for collections. Once a base for the print story is confirmed, the design team refines the idea to fit the garments. We see a lot of our work to be about style, so we keep our garments shapes simple and let the prints and attitude speak volumes. Neale is currently establishing a strong market for his brand in the UK and then aims to grow internationally. I don t think we could survive trading solely in the UK. Our product is niche and the market in the UK is not big enough to sustain ourselves. Exporting for us is the future of success. Lou Dalton Trained at the Royal College of Art, after graduating in 1998 Lou Dalton worked in Italy. She collaborated with brands such as Full Circle, Stone Island and Hamish Morrow before setting up her own brand in 2010. Dalton s aesthetic combines contemporary classics and refined tailoring that has been defined by her working-class roots and her stylish Teddy Boy father. Traditional menswear tailoring, country pursuits and the best-selling piece from the season and the season before inform my designs, explains Dalton who develops exceptionally well-crafted garments that are both considered and thought provoking. I always find it a challenge to sum up what we do with one power phrase, but I suppose it is, A rebellious take on traditional sportswear. I come from a tailoring background and the construction and form of the garment is key to what I do. Dalton believes London is currently an exciting place for menswear: There has been such emphasis on womenswear here in London for some time that the introduction of London Collections: Men really put the spotlight on menswear. With the traditional brands showing alongside the more flamboyant, it is an exciting and riveting time. Inspiration comes from many places for Dalton: Being based in London helps as there are so many resources to hand. The art galleries, art schools, live entertainment, vintage fairs are all on hand for inspiration. The design process for Dalton requires immense research: Research helps articulate an idea that sometimes is difficult to translate verbally. Research for me involves endless reading up on the subject pinpointed for the season, a trip to vintage fairs, galleries and museums. Anything that will help capture the imagination and help turn the initial idea into reality. Dalton has an initial idea of her man for the season and then starts to build a wall of ideas around this: From fabric and colour, I then start to experiment with form, working on the silhouette and then draw from this. The reward for Dalton is seeing her collections sold internationally in some of the most influential stores, as well as seeing the clothes being worn by the public: It gives you a great sense of pride to think I must be doing something right. Dalton is conscious of ensuring that she moves the collections forward and that it is always contemporary and relevant. Selling internationally is the only way forward and this should be the outlook for anyone November 2013 5
left: Lou Dalton: Autumn/Winter 2013. Felted sweaters overhung slim-cut tartan trousers and heavy boots. bottom: Christopher Ræburn: Spring/Summer 2014. A desert mission inspired by the Long Range Desert Group, a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during World War II. 6 Fashion Paper #3
right: Christopher Ræburn: Remade. Range of re-appropriated surplus military fabrics, seen in sand-coloured tracksuits detailed with military mesh and electric blue functional quilted outerwear. starting out or currently building a brand as we are. It is rare for it to be an overnight success; it takes time, blood, sweat and tears. You have to give yourself to it and work hard. Be clear on what your goal is and how you want to be perceived. Christopher Ræburn Christopher Ræburn has an innovative approach to menswear. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Ræburn became known for his re-appropriation of military fabrics and for iconic outerwear created from decommissioned parachutes. We produce contemporary garments that take references from many different areas, such as traditional archetypes, sportswear and military functionality, explains Ræburn. It s important to me to have collections that consider the provenance of fabrics, either dead stock or new but innovative and highquality construction. This re-made ethos still guides and influences every aspect of Ræburn s design and development process which is defined by a distinctive aesthetic, meticulous detail, considered functionality and sustainable intelligence. Ræburn s pioneering work has brought sustainable design to a mainstream fashion audience and presents a new definition of luxury with integrity. The brand currently has more than 60 stockists worldwide and has received acclaim for its balanced combination of high concept and commercial awareness. Military functionality and the notion of protection in various facets from keeping warm to visual camouflage are key reference for Ræburn: We always choose a strong concept to build the collection around, invariably a location or environment, beyond that the process is never linear. For instance with their Remade line the team start by sourcing original military garments and deconstruct and consider the core elements before re-designing in their own way. It s important that the design philosophy works on the three different tiers of our collections Remade, British and Lightweight. London is also an exciting place for Ræburn: There s now a clear momentum driven by London s unique character and growing reputation for experimental design, positive energy and business understanding. Ræburn believes there is now more structure in the London menswear industry, and a greater understanding that the industry is important for the British economy. The abundance of museums and markets offers fuel for inspiration for Ræburn as well as the youth references infused into the city s popular culture references like Quadrophenia, punks and rockers. I think London has achieved a reputation as a creative hub, balancing between the traditional tailoring it s always been known for and now pushing things forward. November 2013 7
ADF Papers: ADF Papers explore new directions in British architecture, design and fashion. They are available online at Back of the Envelope blog www.britishcouncil.org/ backoftheenvelope. ADF Papers are published by the British Council s Architecture, Design, Fashion department; designed by objectif, and printed on Colorplan paper by GF Smith. The British Council is the UK s international organisation for cultural relations. In the Architecture, Design, Fashion department we develop exhibitions, events and collaborations linking designers and cultural institutions around the world. Author: Hywel Davies is a fashion writer based in London. After studying at Central Saint Martins, Davies contributed to an international mix of print and on-line publications. Initially the fashion editor at iconic lifestyle magazine Sleazenation, he has also written for Arena, GQ, Vogue, ELLE, Wallpaper, Nylon, Dazed & Confused, Grafik, Time Out, The Guardian, The Sunday Telegraph, The Financial Times, The Observer, The Independent and SHOWstudio. Davies is Course Leader in BA (Hons) Fashion Communication at Central Saint Martins and is the author of Modern Menswear, 100 New Fashion Designers, British Fashion Designers, Fashion Designers Sketchbooks and Fashion Designers Sketchbooks 2, all published by Laurence King Publishing. Davies is also the founding partner of Writers Bloc, a niche recruitment consultancy for fashion and style writers. Links: Craig Green craig-green.com Kit Neale www.kitneale.com Lou Dalton www.loudalton.com Christopher Ræburn christopherraeburn.co.uk London Collections: Men www.londoncollections.co.uk/men Design Museum Hello My Name is Paul Smith designmuseum.org/exhibitions/ 2013/paul-smith Further Reading: 100 Years of Menswear, Cally Blackman (Laurence King, 2009) Modern Menswear, Hywel Davies (Laurence King, 2008) Icons of Men s Style, Josh Sims (Laurence King, 2011) Cover illustration: Detail from Craig Green: Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. Inspired by the concept of shadows and reflections, the collection fused sculpture and clothing. Buttoned-Up: The East London Line, Jop van Bennekom and Gert Jonkers (Particular Books: Penguin Lines, 2013) Sharp Suits, Eric Musgrave (Pavilion, 2009) The London Cut: Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring, James B. Sherwood (Marsilio, 2007)