WHO FATHERS YOUR THOUGHTS?
Autumn / Winter 2016
Those who follow Avec Ces Frere and Art Comes First have witnessed the steady natural style evolution of co-creators Sam Lambert and Shaka Maidoh. As is often the case in the design world, it can be difficult to separate the duo’s collections from the men themselves. Those paying attention, have seen the two designers traverse influences from London Rude Boy/2-Tone style, the attitude of the Jamaican Rockers and, most recently a hard-bop spin on the sartorial stance of the 1950’s Subterranean Beats.
The signature ethos of the A.C.F. can be described simply as “tailored” or, in their own parlance; “proper”.
A highly trained design sense combined with a refined understanding of cloth, cut and detail honed during their years on Savile Row have provided them with a unique toolbox.This is further empowered by their individual personalities and world views resulting in a sort of A.C.F. design-filter through which their initial inspirations are pressed and purified.
THE SON OF A TAILOR
It was not so long ago that Sam & Shaka were sharing a live/work space in a barely converted London garage. In those days they availed their space to local artists as a free exhibition gallery, demonstrated razor sharp refinement in their day-jobs on the Row, and manifested enviable an degree of personal sartorial finesse on the London scene. This was all done on modest resources where friendship and respect were the more abundant currency. Sam used to sum up his attitude simply by asserting; “ I may never be a rich man, but I’ll always be the son of tailor, ”
Autumn Winter 2016 LookBook
PUNK TAILORING
Also described as “Sart Core” and reflecting some of the ethos of long extinct militant guild of rural tailors, Punk Tailoring describes both the element of contradiction (punk) and of harmonization (tailoring) that distinguish their work. References to punk, hard-core or even militancy are never about random frustration-triggered aggression. Instead their ideals reflect the common links between the sub-cultures they celebrate; the brotherhood across colour and cultural lines promoted by 2Tone, the One Love of the Rockers and the importance of personal and collective creativity advocated by the Beats. It is these beliefs, energized through art and music that they then harness to their own purposes using their ample skills in tailoring, concept creation, fabrication, detailing, styling and art-direction.
