The Iron Maiden leather! The chinstrap beard! The faultless composition! Rock looks don't come any better than this. It is rare to see Joe without his leather jacket and one honestly can’t blame him, its perfect. Look at the badges, the jungle of buttons and zips, the impractically placed pockets, and (best bit) the technicolour logo on the back. This is the leather jacket to end all leather jackets.
Joe Swainson, where do you get your style
inspiration from? I
guess i’m inspired by a lot of bands I listen to, but I'm not really influenced by much, I
just wear what I enjoy wearing. Why leathers? I wear leather a lot
because its connoted with the metal/alternative scene, and I like to wear my
musical taste on my sleeve, I want everyone to know who I am by looking at me. Do
you think that there's an importance in finding a uniform and sticking to it,
like Steve Jobs and his turtle necks, or will
you experiment till the end of time? I think what you wear kinda defines you, and it
all depends on how you want to be viewed, I like having an 'image' of sorts,
but there's no harm in straying outside your comfort zone and experimenting
once in a while. Do you think our generations does that, is less afraid,
than previous ones? Definitely, I think nowadays people are less afraid to
experiment as some social stigma of past generations has faded. What do you
like now? I like music, guitar and horror movies.
Ella Pepperell:
Ella’s outfit is majestic when
photographed, admittedly, but in real life, in person, it is monumental. This
could be because of some inimitable aspect of Ella’s personality, her lack of fear in
dressing, her innate knowledge of combinations, and her total faith within her
choices. She picks items that one wouldn’t usually bat an eyelid at and yet
makes everyone ask where its from, she ties green ribbons in her hair, she can
pant flawless eyeliner whilst in a moving car (!!?!). In conclusion, its
not just her clothing that makes us want to photograph her, but there's
something about Ella Pepperell.
Ella Pepperell, where do you get your style
inspiration from? Urm well I don't really pay attention to the celebrity
fashion scene apart from the sporadic appearance of some kardashian on my
Instagram feed :-‘) I'd say Pinterest is a pretty good one for me, there aren't really
specific styles as such but it shows you how to wear things to look a certain
way and properly 'polished' I guess. I'd say my favourite posts are bohemian
fashion but in England's climate I have to also consider warmth so rarely I
wear anything like that at all. Basically if I see an outfit I like in a
picture I remember it when I'm shopping. Do you think self confidence is
more important than style? Looking good is about feeling good. I think when
whatever outfit is put on you need confidence for it to be noticed and for me
what I wear plays a huge part in the amount of confidence I have. When I'm
happy with what I'm wearing I'm happier with myself, for me it isn't a thing
about keeping up appearances, mostly I'm just selfish and it's for me because once
I'm wearing something I like it makes me feel better and the compliments and
recognition are just a bonus ;-) I also find being more adventurous with
clothing, though deemed something requiring a lot of confidence is the biggest
self-esteem booster for me. Buying something different and wearing it is much
better than grabbing something from topshop that looks just as good but assures
that someone will be wearing exactly the same thing. I'm sure everyone will
agree that when they haven't made as much effort as usual they feel worse for
it as well. but with the rise of fast fashion, looks being able to be bought
straight of the catwalk, ease and practicality are becoming a lot more
essential than beauty. do you think classic style is dying out with our generation?
I think now that mass production with row upon row if the same T-shirt or
jumper being displayed in shops means people buy what is easy. After all people
are attracted to things other people confirm. Take cavemen hunting for example,
in a way someone else wearing uggs is a sign that 'this way is fine'. People
find them comfortable and everyone wears them so there is no room for
criticism. I think mostly though it's the fact that people are lazy, going
outside the normal is a lot of effort and let's face it a lot of websites with
original and interesting styles are ridiculously over priced because its so
hard to find 'different'. Recently also being interested in clothes has been
associated with vanity which I think could maybe play a part in it. If someone
looks like they haven't made an effort if they look bad it can't be criticised.
If you don't try you get by. So was there a particular turning point from
you where you decided to where exactly what you liked, disregarding everyone
else, or have you always been very
individual in your tastes? Urm I think I know the exact time actually. Mum
and I were shopping in Tk Maxx. (I hate it in there because I can never find
anything but mother loves it) and we were walking out of the shop when I saw a
tailored over the top floral jacket that I just loved And mum got it for me
which was a babe. Once I bought that and wore it a few times i kind of realised
having cool patterned pieces in an outfit means the rest of it can be quite
plain. Being out there with fashion is also a lot more exciting. So yeah I
basically had a jacket frenzy for six months haha.
Izzi Grace:
Let’s look at Izzi’s nose ring. No actually, lets look
at her chokers. Wait no! its the military jacket and flannel! Izzi’s banquet of an outfit is too much
to handle, it’s sublime. She has perfected micro-layering in the multiple pendants and
crystals, or the potpourri of rings adorning her fingers and her hair too is
effortless, the sort of natural ‘do that mere mortals can only dream of.
Izzi Grace, where do you get your style
inspiration from? A mixture of time periods, predominantly the 90s and Matt Healy because
he's god. what do you think it is about that era that draws you to it?
The fact that there was less definition between male and female clothing...
Women could wear baggy jeans and chunky docs without being questioned. So
was there a turning point for you when you realised this, that you don't have
to dress the way you're expected to? I always dressed differently, it just
took a while to settle into a style I was comfortable with. So
self-confidence over style? Definitely! I don't wear my clothes to please
other people, I wear them because that's what I feel comfortable in. What do
you like now? Prawn crackers with mango chutney it's an odd mix but I'm
completely addicted. Tortoises are also fab, they scream when they have sex,
which is oddly adorable🐢🐢🐢
Archie Burton:
Camera presence
is difficult, but Archie’s got it in bounds. He’s not scared, not at all, he’ll stare you down, shift his weight from foot to foot and have the photo
in 5 seconds. He wears his sheepskin coat, with shearling leaking out of the
seams, with such charisma its hard to not feel intimidated by his confidence.
Creatively, Archie is fantastic also, with a curiosity for graphics, skate
culture and carefully chosen idols. And yet despite the intense influences,
Archie manages to stay completely original. It's a miracle.
Archie Burton, where do you get
your style inspiration from? Dylan Rieder, Ben Nordberg and Matt Healy and then I just put my
tweaks on it I guess. do you think fearlessness is a trait that you are
attracted to in terms of your idols/an important trait? Yes most definitely
as Ben Nordberg and
Dylan Rieder are the only skaters to also be major fashion brands models. Do you feel you’ve developed fearlessness or is it
inherent? Well to
be honest I just only care on what I think of my style compared to anyone else.
Why do you think fearlessness is important in fashion? Because it allows
people to be innovative and brave when exploring ideas. What do you like
now? I really like wine, skateboarding and partying.
Caitlin Rawe:
Caitlin compares
her haircut to a portobello mushroom and her best outfits akin to those of
toddlers but as derogatory as that sounds, thats kind of the point;
playfulness. Her game plan is to show as little cleavage as possible, to wear
shoes your mother might have chosen for you age 2 and to generally subvert any
claim that women dress for men. It works out pretty great. Her kagool actually
looks edible and her japanese-tourist clogs add irresistible charm. She dresses
as characters, goth trainspotter today, antique curtain specialist the next,
and no one could do it better than Caitlin.
Caitlin Rawe, where do you get your clothing
inspiration from? Umm people like Grimes and Billie JD Porter,
then just people I see on the street. Why are children/youthfullness a
clothes aspiration for you? I think that toddlers clothes are just so cute
and comfy. I like to dress fairly conservatively and it's kind of a way of
dressing that way but still being hella cute, also when you are a kid no one
really judges you're outfits so they can often be more wacky and unusual. Do
you think fun is important in fashion? Oh yeah definitely, I don't like to
take it too seriously. Sometimes I know I look kinda silly but I don't really
care that much. What do you think of the claim that women dress for men? I
guess some do, but I don't really like that because I wouldn't really be using
the way I dress as an expression of my personality and likes. I don't dress for
males and I often find that guys don't really comment or necessarily love how I
dress, it is usually girls who compliment my outfits and often say that they
wish they could dress like that/pull it off which I think is sad because they
can they are jut worried about being judged. What do you like now? HOT
SUGAR my best babe (aka. nick koenig)
Tom Cohen:
Tom’s clothes were so nice we had to
shoot them twice. One day he wore mod parka and flannels, the next he wore a
grandpa shirt and skinnies, with his nose ring, the hair and an out-of-season
tan, it’s easy to see why we wanted them both. What is extraordinary about Tom
(and all the other boys we have on this feature) is that they have consciously
decided not to dress like everyone else, which can often be a fate for
most teenage boys. Rather than wear what is typical, comfortable, practical,
boys like Tom decide to wear clothes that are stylish, rather than trendy, and
doesn’t it pay off?
Tom Cohen, where do you get your style inspiration/influences from? ooh umm, well anything that catches my eye really... i like shiny things, and fur! I don't really go looking for inspiration, I guess i kinda envy stuff i don't have when i see it in the street! so anyone could be influential for me, but they've got to be cool and a bit wacky i guess. When did you decide to be individual/not dress how you're expected to? well I've never quite understood individuality- the idea of intentionally dressing in ways that you think will be different to others seems quite odd, everyone's different and that can be seen in people's outfits whether they consciously dress in one way of whether it randomly just happens. So is the influence of trends bad? in that people can be blinded as to what they like, what is individual, and decide to dress how other people say? i think it probably effects people in different ways I don't often think about how others will fell about what I'm wearing, i guess I'm too busy thinking about food or ducks or napoleon dynamite. Why do you think men's style has always been met with less fanfare/celebration than women style, and do you think it should be equally celebrated? I'm not so sure really, personally i guess i never celebrate style i just appreciate it in the moment, maybe guys spend too much time watching football or doing handbrake turns, i guess girls styles are generally more diverse so theres more to talk about. men need more styles maybe, put a man in a dress and there would be a lot of hype about it. Do you think our generation is less afraid than previous ones? no, generations have never been afraid with style, thats why things go in and out of fashion (whatever that means), but today theres more styles for people to go into, that might make us seem more brave. Is there a particular generation you think changed fashion the most? I'm not sure, the 90s were cool, i'd go back to then if i could, house music, punks and the stone roses. Does music influence the way you dress? I'm sure it does, idols from bands especially- alex turner, harrison koisser and Yannis from foals are definitely favs. What do you like now? i like the freedom in this question although it scares me a little! uhh i would have to go for fur, big hair and milky way bars
Molly Brown:
Can anyone wear
a camel coat better than Molly Brown? Probably not, her only rivals in the
field being Caroline de Maigret and Ashley Olsen. Cocooned under the folds of
tan that matches her perennially tanned complexion is a dress which looks as
though it has been designed by Chanel in collaboration with Wednesday Addams,
perfectly tousled hair tumbles over the dress collar. Molly could wear all
classic clothes at once and easily manage not looking like she’s learned style out of a book,
classics come naturally to her, as does an intrinsic and impeccable sense of
style.
Molly Brown, Where do you get your style
inspiration from? I would say mainly my friends. What do you think makes
a classic piece of clothing? Something that doesn't date so you can wear it
now and in 10 years time, something that is possibly a plain colour too like a
leather jacket/ white t shirt. So do you follow trends or is your style defined by something
ageless/eternal? Yeah I would say it's more timeless, and I don't tend to
follow trends. Do you think 'classics' is something that has gone extinct,
or will go extinct, particularly since our generation favours uggs, leggings
and hi tops etc? Not really I think
classics will never be lost or become extinct, because there is always constant
and will come round in circles.
Maddie Earle:
This is the
second leather jacket in our line up and its nearly as awesome as the first,
and now including fur and a zip-purge. Added to this, Maddie’s layering technique is majestic;
see the white linen shirt and paisley vest, one of many combinations she
formulates literally every day. Can we also talk about her makeup and how
totally great it is? The silvery corners, the perpetually perfect eyeliner and
the cheekbones-carved-by-angels bronzer. Sublime doesn't even come close.
Maddie Earle, where do you get your style
inspiration from? Well
I get them from all over the place as I don't think I have a set type of style,
but I love the stuff that Kylie Jenner wears the edgy/grunge type look. Do
you think that one's style is better when young or does style get better with
age? I think style gets better with age, definitely. Has your personal
style always been this perfect? Haha I definitely wouldn't say it's
perfect, I work with the stuff I can afford, but my style has definitely
improved over the last 2 years where I've grown to know what I like and what
style I want to have. What do you think makes someone ‘stylish’? I think it's something one would learn because
I don't think you inherit the same taste from say your parents, however if your
parents dress you well as a child I think you continue to dress well as you get
older but for me it was definitely something I learnt. What do you like now?
Hozier, art and macaroons.
Joey Drozario:
Joey and I have
bonded, nay united, over style, and its mostly because I'm totally in awe of
his. Firstly, he does the unthinkable: makes the man bun beautiful. He braids
it into intricate plaits and masters the whole ‘effortless-but-with-a-lot-of-effort-hair’, it particularly works thanks to
Joey’s feline
features, the sort of cheekbones that architects would study along with perfect
skin, eyebrows and lips. The tight polo neck clinging endearingly to his wrists
counters the contours of the blanket poncho finished with just-shiny chelsea
boots. It would not be an understatement to say that I have rarely met anyone
better dressed.
Joey Drozario, where do you get your style
inspiration from? Well I don't have particular influences. I take
inspiration from people I see on the street,. I like to mix formality with
casual. But I like to dress sort of French. If you know what I mean? For
example roll-necks are a staple for me. Do you think there is value in the
trends that arise in modern fashion? I guess trends can make dressing fun.
But if someone conforms to a specific trend that whole season, it just
becomes too boring and common. For example us Brits are known for our uniqueness, but then again we are known for dressing exactly off the mannequin, we're obviously very diverse in that sense haha. I digress, It's more comfort for me (well except when it comes to shoes). Of course you have to play around with
trends to sort of discover your style identity. When do you feel you discovered
your style identity? Probably when there is nothing you really want to buy or when you feel. But
I think it’s a life long process, one can never fully
achieve it. Do you think that classic style has died out in our modern age?
Oh no way! It's just simply been adjusted to suit our individuality. Classic
style will never die out. It's eternal. What do you like now? Iris Apfel and JW Anderson at Loewe.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this project. Special mentions go to Stella Botes and Immy Done.
