Fashion is always evolving, always "different", but in being different , it's actually the same... the same as what came before it, and probably the same as what will come after it, the greats adapt and evolve, and speak and share stories that go far behind the wardrobe the garments hides in.
But what if we looked at the process of production differently? And instead of creating more and more clothing, actually encouraged more designing, more creation, more community elevation and empowerment, more spaces , less houses and definitely less barriers and walls?
Why can't we just pick up our favourite tee, shirt, trousers, whatever, and do what i do...
Visit the tailors in Southall, give them my favourite garment, shop around broadway for my favourite fabric, impatiently wait 2 weeks for it to be made, and ultimately prep myself for the frustration i will feel, when it doesn't quite fit properly, but during that process, realising isn't this what creating something was all about - the surprises, the unknown, meeting new people, and celebrating, truly celebrating an imperfect garment because that's the beauty of creation…
The trial and error bit.
Why can't we live in a world of samples, a world of unfinished, imperfect, garments? Garments that truly represent the bit we talk about a lot, you know, the "journey". The journey is the juicy bit, the imperfect bit a lot of the time, but rarely do we actually see imperfection, in all its rawness, displayed or represented in the actual garment itself, on the shelves of our favourite stores.
Garments that take you on a journey. Garments that are the journey. Thats the real idea, behind my collection and purpose in redefining how we look at production, creation and the general infrastructure of fashion.
"The Immigrant Workwear Company" - our answer to driving a change in Fashion.
Garments that explore the complexities of the cultures and people behind the sewing machines and fabric stores.
Garments that don't promise anything, or sell a lifestyle of some dude / dudette jogging their way through life, cortado in hand, chopping up wood in a forest, to make a fire, after a snowboarding session with their pals.
The Immigrant Workwear company doesn't deliver perfection.
Neither does its' process deliver any guarantee .
But it does force us to enjoy creation.
It's real, this process, trust me, the dhaal stains prove it.
But look, here we are… and at the end of the day, I am just like you…
hoping, desperately hoping, that the tailor didn't lose my favourite shirt, and didn't get any food stains on the garment, and they followed the brief, but maybe shit happens and they tried their best... maybe that is the point. Maybe the chaos adds to it all.
If we are going to change the industry and celebrate the culture, whilst bringing people together and creating magical pieces that make you feel all sorts of wonderful when you put them on, then let's embrace it all. Every piece of Fibre, from every piece of fabric.
The Chaos.
The imperfection.
The Trial and Error.
The f**k ups and mistakes.
Maybe that's the point?
Maybe that's what fashion needs to celebrate more often.