FASHION
How did you decide to
progress your learning in the
fashion field?
“I did a short course at the London College
of Fashion in footwear design, which
then enabled me to build up a portfolio,
to approach the LCF for my degree. It
then started to snowball from there. I
then attended the Royal College of Art
where I did a Master of Arts in ‘Fashion
in Menswear Footwear’. Spending two
years on the course, I found the college
a prestigious place to study, which
led to a massive development in my
technical skills, both in design concepts
and drawings. The college is one of the
best design universities in the world and
I was constantly being challenged with
new concepts and projects. It was very
intensive and I had to switch certain shifts
at work and leave, to accommodate the
course. I certainly would not have been
able to do both, if I didn’t love both.”
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So where did the inspiration for
your ‘Brother’ range develop?
“I have had massive inspiration from my
fellow firefighters at Chelsea. The service
is now so mixed, I took even the smallest
detail from my associates and used them
in my design decisions. I must however give
particular appreciation to a colleague in the
LFB, whose influence helped greatly in the
production decisions of my Chelsea boots.
In the final year at college the big name
brands came in and set industry projects and
design outcomes. One in particular, Adidas,
set a brief to redesign their existing ‘Forum’
trainer. Adidas chose 5 trainers that they made
prototypes of at their factory in Germany. My
final selection is seperate to that though.
It is based on the inspiration of workwear,
photography of Irving Penn’s and my fellow
fire fighters. I even use firefighter buckles and
non-slip metal platings detail found on the
trucks as a motif through my work.”