POP 407 Thursday 23 September 2010

Today’s POP is Ben, our man about town.

Yesterday saw Martine Rose’s debut on the MAN bill during London Fashion Week. Building on her reputation for incredible shirting, the London designer prepared a full collection for the Fashion East menswear showcase. The selection panel must know talent when they see it – her previous LFW installations can more than back that up – so we expected sophisticated fabric mixing, luxe sportswear influences, and high-octane colour from the off.

Brocade fabric transformed into an intricate camo, loose lycra was printed with camera phone pictures and self-made logos, whilst shirting stood strong as Martine pushed and expanded her identity around the staple she has made her name with. CAT boots were hard and ready, some painted with Union Jacks on the toe. AND, our menswear editor styled the whole shebang.

POP: What are your first memories of being interested in fashion?
Martine Rose: Well I think that they were very much to do with my siblings and cousins, they were older than me and I vividly remember sitting on the end of the bed in my pyjamas, watching them getting dressed up and going out. My sister was a huge fan of Junior Gaultier, Bodymap and my cousin Darren was obsessed with BOY, this was all around 1988/89 through to the early 90's so music and fashion especially in London for me at that time played a huge part in my early influences.

POP: What has been the hardest thing to get right this season?
MR: I think the hardest thing to get right, is to trust your taste and trust that inner voice. The thing is that you can't please all the people all the time, so I think it is really important to stay true to your own voice, listen to yourself, trust yourself and don't pull back on ideas – push them to the extreme. I think that coherence in the message is the hardest thing to get right.

POP: Has it been an interesting process going back to designing a complete range of garment categories again having focused on shirting for so long?
MR: It's been a really interesting experience. I have been really surprised by how much I have enjoyed completing the wheel! It was obviously the right time for me to take the next step, as it hasn’t felt daunting or overwhelming yet! It’s felt completely natural. In fact in some ways I have found it easier because you are creating a full story. I still love shirts of course; the tradition of shirting, the detail, the rules, everything about shirts is fascinating, trying to push boundaries within such a tight framework is endlessly challenging.

POP: Are you trying to push the boundaries of a traditional definition for shirting by subverting and adapting the conventional construction methods, fabric mixes, and trims?
MR: I think that is a tall order! No, shirts have been around for hundreds of years and I love that they have essentially not changed. They have not changed because they perform their function well. I think what I am trying to say is that they can also be this! They can also have sportswear details, they can also have nylon circles, they can also have waxed cottons and zips whatever. I don't think I am trying to challenge ideas about what they should be, I am trying to show what they can also be.

POP: How important a part does London play as an influence on your work, and what’s your take on the position of London as a major player in the contemporary menswear market?
MR: Well I am a born and bred Londoner, so a huge part of my work lies in that fact. I love London, I always have. My father is Jamaican and my mother is English so my influences reflect that mix also. London as a major player in the contemporary menswear market? We can definitely produce the talent; we just can't keep them here with the lure of Paris, Milan and New York who can offer big jobs working for incredible houses.

POP: What are the difficulties facing young designers trying to get established in the menswear market today?
MR: Lack of business acumen, not knowing how to properly access information, how to access information who to ask. Financial support of course is definitely a huge boost, but real support in terms of how to run a business, and to invest and use investment. The nuts and bolts is what designers need.

POP: What has been the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome in your career?
MR: Sticking with it when it feels like there is no reason too. Not being able to pay rent, but spending thousands on fabric. I think the disparity of your actual standard of living compared to what you invest into the label, the absurdity of it all sometimes is a real hurdle!

POP: You’ve been stocked by Oki-ni, is the online world something that you’ve embraced with your own website, blog, twitter accounts, etc? How have you felt this kind of technology impact on what you do?
MR: Well I am personally a complete technophobe. I don't blog, or have a Facebook page, or ridiculously not even a website! I just about have an email address, I'm in the dark ages personally when it comes to the online world, but I have definitely felt the impact of this growing world. The bloggers and online magazines have been an incredible support form the beginning.

POP: What was the most important thing you learnt from your time working on the LMNOP label?
MR: Patience.

POP: What do you find most exciting, and most disappointing about menswear at the moment?
MR: Well I am really excited about what I am doing personally this season, and I am excited by what other designers do all the time, but in regard to what is disappointing, just the feeling that London menswear designers are not taken as seriously as our European counterparts.

POP: The way that men buy fashion has to be an important commercial factor in what you do; how have you seen men’s tastes evolving as a consumer group, and what do you think the key driving forces are that govern the way men shop?
MR: Men are very loyal shoppers; they are surprisingly brave in some ways and very traditional in others. Men go for comfort and practicality first I think. Women will wear skyscraper heels for hours because they are fabulous, men will generally not compromise their comfort for style.

POP: Who have you collaborated with, and who would you love to collaborate with?
MR: The list is endless! I have collaborated with Timberland which was a fantastic experience. Collaborating with a big company that have fantastic factories that work with them and the capabilities to create an idea to an incredibly high spec is such a luxury. I would love to collaborate with The North Face, a super performance brand that is the best at what they do. But there are many other brands that I would equally love to join forces with!

POP: How do you see the future of the menswear market and menswear design unfolding in the next 5 years?
MR: Well with the help of Fashion East and the MAN day, I really think that menswear designers in London will be given a bigger platform and voice. I think that internationally menswear will be given as much attention as womenswear. Here's hoping!