At the Best of Britannia London, a celebration of Britain's finest craftsmanship and innovation, Art Comes First presented a thought-provoking installation under the theme "Rules Are Meant to Be Broken." Situated in the historic Nicholls and Clarke warehouse, ACF transformed the space into an immersive experience that blurred the lines between tradition and rebellion, heritage and innovation.

Drawing inspiration from tailoring, industrial craftsmanship, and the spirit of punk rebellion, the installation reimagined classic menswear codes through an avant-garde lens. Iconic suiting elements were deconstructed, merged with unconventional materials, and presented in a raw, workshop-like setting—where garments weren’t just displayed but dissected, studied, and reconstructed.

A Workshop of Disruption

The setting was reminiscent of an old-school British tailor’s studio fused with an underground creative lab. Mannequins donned ACF’s signature sharp tailoring fused with leather, unconventional textiles, and bold detailing—a nod to both the precision of Savile Row and the rebellious essence of counterculture. Surrounding the space were archival photography, sewing machines, industrial relics, and large-scale projections, reinforcing the message of craftsmanship meeting contemporary reinvention.

The phrase "Rules Are Meant to Be Broken" wasn’t just a statement—it was a creative challenge to disrupt sartorial conventions. ACF demonstrated this by fusing seemingly contradictory elements—pairing a 19th-century formalwear, particularly the Victorian era (mid-to-late 1800s) with 1980s motorcycle jacket era biker sleeves, merging two distinct eras and materials into a singular, rebellious expression. A Prince of Wales double-breasted suit was reimagined with knit sleeves, breaking tailoring norms to form a hybrid garment that questions what is considered proper, structured, and refined. The installation rejected the rigidity of traditional suiting, instead embracing a new era of hybrid tailoring, where history, rebellion, and craftsmanship coexist in unexpected harmony.

The Best of Britannia installation showcased ACF’s ongoing dialogue between past and future, tradition and disruption, craft and rebellion—cementing its role as a key innovator in the world of menswear.