Inspiration from Oily Boy
Following an interesting article over on Valet, EJ posted a thought provoking look at the idea of having a personal unform which left such an impression on me that I'm still pondering it. I like the idea of owning and becoming one or two outfits. The clothes would come together to form a signature of sorts, a recognisable trademark. Once you've found that secret formula (if it even exists) of a great outfit the key should be to tweak as you go, accessories and colour can certainly be experimented with to breathe fresh life in to any outfit. In a relatively recent feature on WWD Thom Browne stated...“It’s the beauty in the uniformity that I find refreshing. Not having so much choice is what I find refreshing,” Indeed, Browne is well known for his regimented daily habits, which extend to the shrunken grey suits and white button-down oxford shirts he dons every morning but could this be for me?
Earlier this week Susie declared to me that when she hits a certain age she will embrace the dark colour palette and relaxed fit world of Yohji Yamamoto for her personal uniform which made me question who I would turn to as I matured. During an afternoon of procrastination I found myself discussing this very subject with John. He declared he would 'love to be a Yohji and Issey man with a sprinkling of Comme' for good measure and this certainly struck a chord with my me. John also recalled his pleasant surprise at viewing images of CdG x H&M collaboration launch and noticing a significant number of middle aged plus enthusiasts thumbing the rails. We both found this loyalty to certain brands admirable. It soon became apparent that the names we were discussing were extremely Japanese focused, including Visvim, Porter Yoshida as well as those already mentioned above). For us Japanese old man style is hard to beat and this is just one of the reasons we love Oily Boy so much. The gentlemen contained in the pages are of a certain generation who have learned how to wear their clothes not let their clothes wear them.
My personal uniform could quite easily come from Casely-Hayford's aw09 collection. I decided to sleep on the question of who I would turn to to create my personal uniform today. My answer constantly evolves because I'm still in a stage of experimentation...I've not quite reached that age yet where I can say..I want to wear this, this is me and then stick to it. However, my current pick of designers to supply such a uniform would be Casely-Hayford. Along with Fashion156 we were offered a sneak peak at their AW09 collection long before anyone else had and I instantly fell for the mix of tailoring and sportswear. A number of labels attempt to combine a street and sport aesthetic with formal tailoring but very few truly pull it off and the father and son design duo undeniably do so. The tailoring fits perfectly with my current sartorial aesthetic as it is full of interesting features such as a dropped hem on a single breasted jacket and the ribbed cuffed trousers in tweed jersey. This is tailoring for the 21st gentleman and I would love to be that gentleman. Which designer(s) would you turn to in order to create your personal uniform?
13 comments:
Interesting that you mention a kind of 'loyalty' in older generations.
I think in the eighties and early nineties there was a real culture if 'indies' i.e. independent designers like Hussein Chalayan, Pam Hogg etc. The whole affair was much more personal and intimate, which I think definitely encourages that loyalty. During the 'second wave' of the nineties though there was such a low level of investment in those fashion micro-economies/small businesses - compared to a high street which was rapidly developing manufacturing technologies and buying up retail space like crazy, pushing out street stalls and little shops - that they all got totally crushed.
But I think there's still that residual memory, especially in older British generations, of the days of the indies.
Interesting now that there seems to be another 'rise of the indies' since they can sell from virtual spaces.
Sorry for rambling!
Also, although websites might eliminate that threat of being pushed out of retail spaces by bigger companies, it doesn't stop them all from nicking independent designers ideas!
Mouse: There was no rambling there, it all made sense to me at least but you did go off ona slight tangent. I agree though. We have, on the most part all turned in to mass consumering whores and there are a myriad of reasons for it. I do think the tide is turning though with the help of the all powerful t'internet which is reconnecting people with the brands. Since writing this blog I've come to realise that the world of fashion really isn't that scary (of course elements can be) and desingers are extremely nice and approachable. As most indies now have websites it is so easy to drop an email to the designers themselves and this can only be a good thing. In terms of a personal uniform though, is there any one who springs to mind for you?
I've always told myself that when I get older I'll dress more like a proper lady - classic Yves, Chanel, perfectly coiffed hair. I've probably been looking at too many Richard Avedon photographs. Apart from that, I don't think I could stick to one thing for the future right now. It'll depend on whether I'm a filthy rich widower and a lady of leisure or not.
As much as I love this idea I wonder if we can assert our individuality and cast designers aside.
Thom makes a good point. Perhaps instead of deciding who we're going to be wearing, we should be saying what we're going to wearing!
Interesting thoughts. And I feel a response coming on. I'll let you know once I've written it
Thom: For me the individuality is asserted by the styling and combination. In addition I plan to befriend a damn good tailor...
Mouse: Ah Richard Avedon syndrome - I like it! On to your other point..for me the designers discussed have such a strong and defined aesthetic which makes the choice of designers a clear statement of what you would be wearing.
Barima: Please do!
Love the idea of a personal uniform to make my own one day. Just can't imagine what it would be just yet.
maybe for me ann demeulemeester or rick owens. slouch all the way.
Can we really decide before we get there? Maybe we'll still change as individuals, and who we'll be will decide what we'll wear...The uniforms part is interesting, since I believe we deviate less when we grow older...And maybe it's not a matter of which designer. After all, Anna Piaggi wears many labels, and still her look can be called her unique "uniform".
The idea of a "signature uniform" is repellent to me. For me clothes are a meeting of art and psychology. I will always be a work in progress. The day I stop changing to the point of having a "signature uniform" is the day they lay me in a box.
fuschia boy: I will certainly be adopting more slouch as I get older but would still need some tailoring as well.
Miguel: I personally agree with you, I just wanted to start a little discussion on it. For me, the best personal uniforms are a mix of many designers which fit seamlessly together to create an awesome look.
J: I commend your fighting spirit. I just think I'll become lazy as I age.
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