Bianca Saunders’ SS24 menswear offering was a harmonious homage to a legend of idiosyncrasy, iconoclasm and innovation: Lee “Scratch” Perry. Lauded for his ingenious studio techniques and production style, the Jamaican record producer, composer, singer and artist brought reggae into rootsy shape and pioneered the 1970s development of dub music. A peerless vanguard, his intoxicating mind twisted spiritual concepts and re-imagined Jamaica in an altogether trippy universe. “There is a Basquiat approach to his work, but it’s different, being steeped in religion and Jamaican iconography, animal motifs and mottos such as ‘good over evil’,” Saunders said of the polymath.
Perry’s rapturous interpretations reverberate throughout Saunders’ signature use of subversive cut, pattern and precision, which enters into a subtly asymmetric evolution this season. Warped, twisted and ruched along the seams, breezy silhouettes played the protagonist. A slouchy cotton vest was cut aslant at the chest and oversized check shirting employed Saunders’ signature shoulder seam lines to accentuate the torso. Scratch’s scrapbook-style artworks were plastered on the front of debut graphic tees as well as mystical imaginings of the solar system. Like a second grade science project or a 50’s Star Trek film set, the backdrop was celestial too, contrasting the serenity of the designer’s Caribbean influences.
In cahoots with Chris O’Brien, Farah‘s global head of design, for the second time, Saunders similarly explored the El Paso-born brand’s rich archive, sourcing inspiration in the carefree approach of its ‘70s and ‘80s attire that made it a UK sensation at the time. “A lot of the details in the pieces that we worked on this season are based on that: casual denim pieces and fabrics like hopsack [a quintessential Farah weave], which is very classic for Farah,” Saunders explains. A casual button-up jacket and trousers are crafted with hopsack, but while their appearance is akin to that of denim, their levity is closer to linen – tailor-made for balmy summer nights.
Photography by Valerio Mezzanotti.
