March 11, 2013 |
CHRISTOPHER SHANNON
DESIGNER
You’d be forgiven for thinking he’s the green-fingered sort.
What with this pot plant shot and some of the finer details in his spring/summer collection, from the leafy Cambridge Satchel Company collaboration to the flowers that seemed to sprout from models’ faces. In reality, though, Shannon’s man is distinctly urban.
What’s your earliest menswear memory? A favourite outfit/article of clothing? The first show you saw?
“I’m not sure about first item of clothing. I had a fake Fila varsity jacket that I was a bit partial to. Some tie-dyed tracksuit bottoms. One of those T-shirts you get in Greece with all the brands’ logos on – Gucci, Boss, etc – in fluoro, that was quite spesh. This is all in primary school. I had a black and mustard hooded tracksuit; I think I wore it once – the ridicule was too harsh. My first pair of Reebok ERS were quite a moment. I though I was really sophis for my age, but all I did was copy what my older brother was buying, much to his chagrin. The first show I saw was the Saint Martins MA. I came for a day out when I was about 17, some friend of a friend got me a ticket. At the time I wasn’t sure if I would go into design. I was blown away.”
Do you have a special talent we’re not aware of? What’s your party trick?
“I’m not sure I have one I want to share. I am incredible at Scrabble. Not really a party trick, though, is it?”
What’s your biggest vice? We won’t tell a soul.
“I think my vice days are over. I’m now paying for the years of vice with therapy and acupuncture.”
What gets you out of bed in the morning? Coffee? Croissant? Something harder?
“My partner’s alarm. Actually, that doesn’t get me out of bed, it just puts me in a foul mood. My new juicer gets me out of bed – I’m currently in a beetroot and celery phase. Vegetable juices aside, the constant flow of emails from my assistants usually propel me into action. So, guilt mainly.”
Dressing up and going out, or Jeremy Kyle reruns – what keeps you up at night?
“Neither. Although close to the show I lie awake thinking about zips and buttons and tiny irritating details. Anxiety has been the thing that keeps me awake at night. That and the constant drone of Hackney.”
First piece of menswear you designed? Instant success or epic fail?
“Oh, I imagine instant fail. The first thing I remember making was a copy of a Margiela jumper that I liked with really long sleeves. I did it in loop-back jersey, which seems very now. I quickly realised sewing was never going to be my thing.”
Mentors/muses? Who never fails to inspire?
“I’m not really one for a muse, always seems too dressing-up box and theatre-y for me. I think I muse my friends more. I really like Todd Solondz as a director, and I think Nicole Holofcener is really funny. Sandra Bernhard, Joey Barton, Judy Blame. I love Tom Wood and Ken Grant’s photography. Leslie Winer for music. John Maybury. Emilio Pucci. Picasso. Professor Louise Wilson, Fleet Bigwood and Julie Verhoeven. Helmut Lang and Margiela. My friends from Saint Martins – Michael van der Ham, Mary Katrantzou, Craig Green. LOADS.”
What are you wearing? For the shoot, we mean. We’re not being filthy, honest.
“This Hard Yakka shirt, which I rediscovered recently; I keep hunting on eBay to find more of them. Jeans from M&S as they are the only ones that haven’t got any weird shit on, or some crap wash or boot cut. These boots from Diemme in Italy – I can’t stop buying them, although the laces are too short.”
You can judge a man by his…
“Mother, hair, iTunes.”
Does sportswear have an age limit? Can you be too old for trainers?
“I’m not sure anything has an age limit, not even stupidity and desperation, unfortunately.”
You like a good show tune. What songs would feature in a theme tune to your life mash-up?
“I think you mean fashion-show music rather than some West Wnd nightmare. Well, you have to have an arc, don’t you…? So, some Bob Marley and Grace Jones for the early years, loads of Sinead for teenage misery, some Scouse house for misspent youth, then loads of Leslie Winer introspective moments and remorse, then Joni Mitchell, because everyone needs Joni at some point.”
What’s new for men’s SS13?
“You tell me. I’m tired of coming up with the newness.”
CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN
DESIGNER
Anoraks aren’t merely the preserve of the socially inept. Raeburn has done a great deal to prove this since founding his range of meticulously crafted outerwear back in 2008.
What’s your earliest menswear memory? A favourite outfit/article of clothing? The first show you saw?
“One of my earliest memories and considerations in menswear was a German sleeping bag my dad used to take to car events. It was pretty unique as it had arms and you could zip it off halfway, so you could – in theory – walk about in it. It also had a waterproof outer layer. I’d always loved it and, in fact, I was able to reference it – with a vey modern take – during the Moncler project I worked on for autumn/winter 2012.”
Do you have a special talent? What’s your party trick?
“I’ve got a mean backhand in ping pong… ”
Biggest vice? We won’t tell a soul.
“Jaffa Cakes. It could be worse… Another one is I’ve got quite into running – at the end of the day I’ve started running back from the studio Forrest Gump style.”
What gets you out of bed in the morning? Coffee? Croissant? Something harder?
“Fleetwood Mac.”
Dressing up and going out, or Jeremy Kyle reruns – what keeps you up at night?
“Ha, time and place for everything, I suppose.”
First piece of menswear you designed? Instant success or epic fail?
“I’m proud to say that one of the first menswear pieces I ever did was a Remade Inuit coat; it was constructed from 60-year-old battledress jackets. The reason I’m particularly proud is that was 10 years ago and we still have variants of that archetype in the collection.”
Mentors/muses? Who never fails to inspire?
“The 1980s BBC documentary series on training to be in the parachute regiment. I’d recommend having a look – they are all on the iPlayer… ”
What are you wearing? For the shoot, we mean. We’re not being filthy, honest.
“Common Projects Duck boots, Rapha jeans, animal-print T-shirt – Christopher Raeburn spring/summer 2013 – and archive parachute windcheater.”
You can judge a man by his…
“Shoes.”
Outerwear and a technical approach are two of your signatures. Are you something of an anorak yourself?
“Absolutely, I’m awkward at best, so an anorak is always a good match.”
We’ve heard you’re an avid cycler, are you a “trolleys in socks and round the block” kind of guy, or full-on spandex-wearing Wiggins wannabe?
“Ha, I like the options. I’m a round-the-town, everyday man and then saving the Sunday best for special occasions. Cycling is a great time-saver.”
What’s new for men’s SS13?
“We’ve developed our collection a lot, so there are new jersey pieces and accessories. Our Remade story involves some incredible rubberised military rain macs that have been completely deconstructed and reused. As always, we limit the number to 50 worldwide.”
Text Vincent Levy
