James Small AW11 Marching Band

As the schedule at Menswear Day becomes ever more tightly packed with each passing season, competition for a showing space is fast becoming a struggle. James Small narrowly missed out on an on schedule slot but thankfully the show did indeed go albeit without me. In a cramped afternoon schedule that saw me bounce from James Long to E. Tautz to the NEWGEN MEN and Fashion East Installations to Lou Dalton without time to pee. Fortunately, London menswear is more than just one hectic day and think week I was afforded the opportunity to be talked through Small's third collection, Marching Band.

Ever since launching his eponymous label for AW10, James Small has quietly and assuredly introduced his talent to the capital's menswear scene. It is here though, with Marching Band that sees the design talent take a huge strive forward. Taking its inspiration from the ragamuffin regiments  the American Civil War, Small has created a complete wardrobe of military influenced pieces for the man of today. Below we talk to the man himself and learn about the origins of the label, the trials and tribulations of being a designer and take a closer look at the fabric rich collection.

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SS: What were your inspirations, your dreams and the driving catalyst behind launching your own label?

James Small: There was a time when I loved working for other people. I can remember that when I was working with Kim (Jones) I declared that I would never want to do it on my own, it felt like it would be too much hassle and stress. However, I left a job that I wasn't particular happy in and couldn't quite find anything quite right for me. Obviously at that time it wasn't the best of economic times so it was tough. Bryan McMahon kept on telling me to do my own thing and I suddenly decided to give it a go. With a help of a few friends, I was able to create my collection and then with the help of Lulu Kennedy I managed to show it on schedule. In a sense, it all happened so quickly and before I knew it, I was doing it.

SS: How have the first twelve months of James Small, the brand, been?

James Small: It is stressful and a learning experience but it is great. I had a game plan and I'm sticking to it. So this season, the goal was to work on production and build on stockists and we've done this.

SS: Now, on to Marching Band. You were influenced by the American Civil War but what was your starting point?

James Small: The initial inspiration came from this really great book that I picked up in Foyles that details reenactments of the Us Civil War. In addition to the imagery, there are some great quotes in the front of it and there was one phrase in particular that captured my imagination, "regiments took on a ragamuffin appearance". I love the idea of them wearing and modifying their civilian clothes for war, for example jackets with plaid shirting fabric stitched on to the elbows. However, as much as I love research and I particularly enjoyed it this season, the key is not to take it too literally, you can't be caught up in it

SS: The collection certainly doesn't feel like fancy dress...

James Small: Exactly. When people hear about the influence of the Civil War, they tend to expect more obvious references within the collection but I didn't want it to feel like costume. There are a couple of pieces in the collection that are directly related to the period, for example the Civil War Bolero, the Cavalry jacket and the Civil War trouser that are just great and haven't been exaggerated at all. However, most of it is just influenced by this ragamuffin mood.

SS: I was instantly struck by the variety of fabrics used within the collection. It has everything from camo to florals to jersey to cord to Harris Tweed...

James Small: The collection uses so many different fabrics, there's even a corduroy cape which I've never seen before. When you are a smaller designer, you can have that bit more luxury in working in fabrics for particular garments and experimenting that bit more. It can be a lot of fun. We used camo and floral in the SS11 film and the reaction to it was great so and it made me a little braver so I wanted to do it again. I love the camo print, we made a pair of shorts for last season and had some left over and I wanted a pair of trousers.

SS: In terms of your design method, do you begin with the fabrics and work from there?

James Small: I consider the fabrics quite late if I'm often. It always begins with sketching and drawing and evolves from there. I'm always doodling. Also, I collect quite a lot of military wear and there might be a particular detail on a jacket that I want to explore. I do enjoy sourcing fabrics but most of the time I have everything worked up in toile form before I start considering them. I do love going in to places on Berwick street for shirting and to Cloth House to see all of them lined up.

SS: You mentioned collecting military garments. How does your collection influence your design?

James Small: I never like to imitate and any influence is much more subtle. It could be a particular detail, for example a hood or in the case of a number of the jackets for this season, a shin guard strap and this is taken from oversized military stuff I've found.

SS: Do you design with a particular man in mind?

James Small: The collection really is a reflection of my wardrobe and my friends wardrobes. I strive to create a rounded wardrobe in each collection. I do love proper trousers, two pleats down the front, a cinch back, trousers that you can wear with braces with a notch in the back and I just love the sailor pant. This season I have used Harris Tweed for three pairs. They are really easy to wear, two buttons down the front and you're away.

SS: Finally, how do you see James Small, the brand, developing over the next few seasons?

James Small: I would love to show on schedule. It is a lovely thing to do, I enjoy the instant response and the fact that people who might not ordinarily see have the the opportunity to do so. It is a treat at the end of the season really. Looking forward, I want to develop the brand, I want to see the collection in department stores and I want the collection itself to grow.

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Now, both the look book and above interview demonstrate James Small's eye for detail and love of fabric but as I spoke through the collection with the designer, I could not help but take a few close up shots...

A selection of close up detail shots.

As well as the admiring glances from the press, you'll be pleased to hear that the collection has led to a few buyers reaching for their cheque books. So the designs will be available next season.

Mr Hare AW11 Idolescents

As you should all know by now Mr Hare, the brand not the man, was conceived at a roadside tapas bar in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Andalucia, Spain on July 23rd 2008. The brand was born out of his realisation that there just were not enough shoes in the world that he liked. Thankfully, for us he decided to do something about it. Ever the shoe aficionado, Hare looked to the woven leather shoes of an old gentleman sitting next to him, admired them but decided that with a few tweaks they could be awesome. Moments later the brand was born. From this point it took a mere three hundred and sixty days for his creations to land on the shop floor at Dover Street Market. This whirlwind of success has since seen three more collections, all of have deservedly received widespread acclaim and resulted in an ever increasing stockist list. The debut collection was all about making the shoes that he had never quite found in his life, killer evening shoes that could be worn through the day as well. The shophomore collection was concentrated on looking fly when kicking it on the equator. The third crossed the English Channel for inspiration and focused our attention on Paris and the French New Wave Film movement. Whilst in Ain't no App for That Hare showcased shapes and materials that I've never come across before. With each season, Mr Hare pushes it that bit more. 

Now, it is with great pleasure that we unveil Mr Hare's fifth collection. Entitled Idolescents, it is a reimagination of all of the shoes that he wanted as a teenager but could never afford in addition to all of the ones that he could afford made better. Simply, Idolescents. The collection itself is huge this season with additions of Fagin, Geronimo, London Derby, Isambard, Hannibal, Mitchell and Joplin to name but a few new characters. There is now a sense of a complete collection, a shoe wardrobe. The brief for Mr Hare is a deceptively simple one, to create an option for every man, for any occasion with added Hare flair. However, in addition to growing his offering and four seasons on, Hare still sits down every season and looks at how even his best selling models can be improved, refined and elevated to the next level. To mark the next chapter of Mr Hare, we sat down with the man himself to take a closer look at his latest designs and talk through the continued rise of his shoe company...

The new additions recently assembled at the Showroom Next Door.

SS: Entitled Idolescents, your fifth collection is a reimagination of all of the shoes that he wanted as a teenager but could never afford and all of the ones that he could afford made better. Could you talk us through the starting point, which shoes inspired the concept and forced you to Hare-ify them?

Mr Hare: Most of the answer is in the question really Stevie why don't I just interview you next time? I have to have a good reason to make a shoe and I don't want to just make things that already exist. Shoes to me are all about the feeling I got the first time I put them on. My first Rudeboy loafers. My first DMs. My first penny loafers. My first brogues. My first Timberlands. My first Gucci loafers. My first Jordans. Me and those shoes could kill any other shoe in the room, bounce, be nonchalant, skip in the rain, dance, walk up a mountain and back down the other side. I took those feelings as a starting point and made some Mr. Hare shoes to do that stuff in.

Getting to know the new lineup. Say hello to the Penny Loafers, Fagin, Isambard and Hannibal.

SS: The collection is huge this season with additions of Fagin, Geronimo, London Derby, Isambard, Hannibal, Mitchell and Jopling to name but a few new characters. Could you introduce these new carefully crafted characters to us?

Mr Hare: What can i say? I know a little bit about a lot of things. All will be explained closer to the season when the AW11 web site goes up in June.

The Hannibal eleven in two colourways.

SS: One of the most striking additions is the Hannibal boot (both eight hole and eleven hole). Here, rather than create an imitation hiking or sportswear boot, you looked to the classic heavy boot, the Dr Marten and made them instantly better with the use of beautiful leathers, sheep skin tongue, vibram sole and of course one extra hole to name but a few features. Could you talk us through your design approach in this instance?

Mr Hare: When it was snowing last Christmas I didn't have a suitable pair of Mr. Hare shoes to wear in that weather. I had to resort to my trusty hiking boots I got from Low Pressure (RIP). So I had to resolve that situation. Now Mr. Hare is many things but it is not a faux Hiking company or a faux work-wear company or a faux ski boot company. Mr. Hare is a skinhead company though. Mr. Hare is an 80s club kid company. Mr. Hare is a warehouse rave company. Mr. Hare is a festival company, is a fashion company and very proud to be all those things. So when I had to make a boot that would get me to those places and act like those people the Hannibal is the result.

 

The sexy profile of the Hannibal. Beautiful leathers, calf lined and pad, sheep skin tongue, more pronounced toe, Vibram sole and eleven holes instead of DM's ten. Pushing it that bit more. 

SS: Here, you experiment with direct branding for the first time on your shoes. With the Fagin and Hannibal boots, we see the subtle presence of the four hares and a swan for the first time. Why now? Was it differentiate your offering for this season? To open new markets?

Mr Hare: I just never made anything before that would have benefited from having our lovely logo on it. The Hare Four Swans logo depicts a confident Hare in the intimate company of four beautiful swans, a situation we can all appreciate or aspire to. It's a beautiful logo which was drawn by the super talented Marley Lohr who also shoots all the Mr. Hare imagery. I love the logo and it looks awesome on the side of my boots. It had nothing to do with world domination.

A closer look at the Hannibal's beautiful leather and Vibram sole.

SS: This season also marks experimentation with the classic Derby for the first time. Of course, there is the favoured Orwell but that is a far dressier version. The London Derby is much more classic in its persuasion. What attracted you to take this shoe icon on?

Mr Hare: I am trying to make a complete mens footwear company. As I learn more about the different shoes that exist I am going to attempt to Mr. Hare them up. I started with oxfords because I was obsessed with the elegant and refined nature of them. Derby's are more of a Northern European construction which allow feet with higher arches easier access than oxfords. They also work better with thicker socks. When I started making shoes, my head was definitely dancing around the Mediterranean in a constant endless summer of elegant evening soirees and boat parties. The last two winters in London certainly added to my shoe perspective hence the introduction of heavier Dainite soled derby's and boots for kicking it Mr. Hare style in the slush.

The London Derby.

SS: Alongside the new additions, you have once again reworked older favourites. From collection to collection, there is a sense of you refining your creations as you go. Now on your fifth collection, what have you learnt, both in terms of the craft of shoemaking and what makes a Mr Hare shoe?

Mr Hare: There is a reason why all the classic shoe companies have such great classic shoes. They have years and years of experience of designing, cutting, constructing and presenting their shoes. My shoe making history goes back exactly two years, six months and two days. Through deliberately mistreating my own Mr. Hare shoes and correspondence with other Mr. Hare shoe wearers around the world and constantly looking at what other shoe companies do and new young shoe design talents, I learn something new every single day. Even with our top selling shoes I sit down every season and look at how they can be improved or refined.

The stunning Geronimo.

SS: Once again, the collection showcases shapes and materials that I've never come across before. The natural grain patent being one of the standouts. How do you source your leathers? Can you tell us a bit about the tanneries that you work with?

Mr Hare: Without wanting to sound like one of those handcrafted, years of experience, bench made Jizfests that get posted on YouTube by everyone these days, everything Mr. Hare is sourced in the Tuscan hills by Italians. Not wishing to sound racist but Italians have a pride level which most other races lack. The things they make are an extension and 3D manifestation of that national pride. They don't massage the cows or play classical music to them to make the leather better. No. What happens is that when the skins get to the tannery, the people who work there won't let those skins out the door until they are better than skins from anywhere else in the world. It's all about reputation. It costs more, but it is better. Our main tannery this season is called Conceria 800 who pride themselves on making the finest vegetable tanned skins available.

Meet Isambard. A feat of shoe engineering.

SS: With Idolescents there is a sense of a complete collection, a shoe wardrobe. An option for every man, for any occassion. How conscious are you in your desire to create a complete offering?

Mr Hare: Mr. Hare is a men's shoe company of the modern age. I have no interest in making I-pad cases or women's stilettos or plastic action figures. For me it has to be about rocking stush shoes 24/7 sun, rain, wind, snow, hurricane. All day, all weather with just a little Mr. Hare flair. It's a very tight brief but one that will keep me busy for the rest of my life.

The Fagin. 

It is difficult not to fall for this boots charms. High shine leather, Vaccetta and suede, so it will age beautifully.

SS: Looking back over the collection now, what are you most proud of?

Mr Hare: I am most proud of how good the styles in the first Purest Form collection are because every season, no matter what I throw at them in terms of new designs, they still hold their own. We definitely produce better and better shoes each season yet the Miller, Fitzgerald, Orwell, Genet and even the Kerouac still stand up as genuine classic Mr. Hare shoes.

The popular Bazin from last season in new materials.

SS: Now, Idolescents focuses your design attentions on the shoes of your youth. Having just been treated to menswear fashion weeks across the globe and the release of SS11 collections landing in stores, is there anything that you'd particularly like to get your hands on to reimagine?

Mr Hare: I am done with the re-imagining. It was a period where I went back to my own personal shoe experience to try and replicate the feelings I had growing up and hitting those shoe moments. From now on it will be strictly new hits.

The Desert boot. Every shoe company needs to offer a desert boot.

SS: Since conceiving Mr Hare by a roadside Tapas bar in July 2008 your rise has been remarkable and it must have been something of a whirlwind for you. How have the last four seasons been for Mr Hare?

Mr Hare: Awesome. For the first time in my life I feel like I am in a constant state of progression. I have driven down a lot of cul de sacs in my life and right now I am headed west following the sun on a big empty road with a full tank of gas with no fixed destination. I am in charge. The last four seasons have been mad busy and some days things go wrong, but when it is you who has to be busy and fix problems for your own cause then you will be amazed how much easier it is. I can definitely say I am happier and closer to my good friends and enjoying the simpler things in life tenfold.

Still one of my favourites, the Genet tasseled loafer. 

The Genet utilises fine Italian suede and the swagger of a thousand Latin lovers.

SS: Your creations can now be found across the world in an expanding selection of fine retail outlets, from Selfridges to Collete, Beams to Gravity Pope, Joyce to Mr Porter. Can you tell us about any new stockists you've recently picked up as I know our readers are always keen to get their hands on a pair of your shoes?

Mr Hare: As with anything in life you can only hope to hook up with bright spark people, totally switched on and doing what they do in the total belief of actually doing something as well as it can possibly be done. Never resting on their laurels but making each season twice as good as the previous. Game recognise Game. Independent retailers !! They cost more but they keep the standard high so cheap ass retailers can't slip. I used to own an independent boutique in London and it is one of the most difficult jobs I ever had. Good independent retailers take the most risks and lead where the rest of the retail supply chain follow. In hard times they get hit the hardest and in good times their rents become astronomical but without those stores there would be no new brands. New talent would not stand a chance. Therefore I implore you to support your local neighbourhood independent, even if they don't stock Mr. Hare.

A closer look at the London Derby.

SS: Finally, what can we expect from Mr Hare in the coming seasons?

Mr Hare: Don't ever expect anything in life because you will probably get run over by a truck coming the other way

For AW11, the Onyx becomes the Jopling.

Mr Hare is a work in progress. A stunning work that just gets better and better. From season to season there is is constant evolution and revolution. With a brand like Mr. Hare, the whole process is a learning experience for this shoe obsessive. In our first interview with the designer back in February 2009 which marked the launch of his debut collection, Hare conceded that his best work was yet to come. "Design is an ongoing process. You start somewhere and by constantly re examining that start point or imagining new start points you end up somewhere else." With Idolescents, Hare once again proves that he can raise the bar each season whilst creating shoes that we fall head over heels for.

The continued rise of Mr Hare continues. 

Top of his shoe game but still striving to go that bit higher and to push it that bit harder

Menswear Installations AW11: Bunney

Bunney's table at the NEWGEN MEN and Fashion East Installations.

As previously discussed, jewellery line Bunney was launched after its creator was drawn to the idea of coming up with something everybody or anybody could wear...even nervous individuals like myself. Andrew Bunney longed to create objects that look like something one may be used to yet recast in a new light with precious metals, becoming new, yet at the same time, familiar. Ultimately, he wanted to make something precious that anybody could use. Over the course of a few seasons, he has been quietly navigating an elegant and refined men's jewellery offering that have grabbed my attention and left me experimenting. Seeking out the last bastions of British craftsmen and learning all about their trade. This season, I have had two opportunities to inspect the latest additions to the lineup including the beautifully crafted series of padlocks, a well defined lucky rabbit's foot and a Gallic makeover given to the studs. The Showroom Next Door provided the first opportunity and this was quickly followed by Bunney's addition to the exciting design talent showcase that made up NEWGEN MEN and Fashion East's Installations. Despite the hectic nature of Menswear Day, the latter afforded an opportunity to speak with the man himself and to learn more about his well crafted additions... 

Bunney's jewels on display

SS: Your offering has evolved from a single item to something of a magpie's haven. Could you talk us through the latest additions?

Andrew Bunney: I started Bunney with the simple idea to make something precious that anybody could use. This season I've investigated padlocks, charms and chains. I want to grow the line steadily, and try to keep coming up with something unique and exciting.

SS: The Padlocks were inspired by the practice of Love Padlocking in Paris and beyond. Where did you first encounter this practice? What was it about them that resonated with you?

Andrew Bunney: It was Paris where I first saw this idea. Talking to people these past few days at the showroom, I realise a lot of people that have seen these locks were excited to encounter it for the first time too. Instantly I was drawn by the spectacle - a huge array of padlocks, most bearing some kind of inscription, attached for the length of the bridge. Thinking about it later, the idea is really very special. Someone took this common, ordinary item, and by appropriation gives it a different purpose and meaning. I like how it has become a new kind of symbol for a lot of people. I also like personalisation, and the idea that someone would engrave the silver-lock with a message in a similar way to those attached to the bridge is very appealing to me. It speaks of a time when people used to personalise more of their possessions.

A closer look at the studs

SS: Now, I know that these items were a long time in the making. Could you tell us the story?

Andrew Bunney: For me, there are a few things which make jewellery quite different to clothing. Firstly it is the value in the materials used, secondly the longevity of the pieces - it isn't unusual for things to last for generations! Thirdly, the idea of the gift is very important.

I decided that it would be very special to create padlocks in precious metals, and I looked to see if anyone was making anything like that. It's quite common to find small charms, but never anything that really works as a lock with a key and mechanism. As I researched more about locks, I realised how important an object it was to the UK. Once upon a time, when Britain was growing an Empire, a small town outside of Wolverhampton called Willenhall was charged by Elizabeth the 1st to make locks. Yale, Squire, Chubb, all these companies that you see on your front door all came from this one town.

I started talking with a Museum to see if anyone was still handmaking locks, and I became really fascinated when I saw how traditional hand-made padlocks were put together. In some ways it looks very simple, which really added to the charm. Through a very long process I found what I believe to be the final locksmiths working, a father and son team, that can create an object like this although they had never tried anything as small or in these kind of metals.

A closer look at the Old English Padlocks

SS: These certainly aren't your average padlock. Could you talk us through some of the processes?

Andrew Bunney: Once the sizes were decided, I had locks made to the specifications that I wanted. The locksmiths had to develop the internal workings, and when that was ready it went to one of the workshops that I use to work out how best to construct it in silver. The mechanism cannot be silver because of durability, but everything else is. The style is known as the 'Old English Padlock', and this is very much the traditional English shape.

SS: What has been the locksmiths reaction to your pieces?

Andrew Bunney: The Locksmith isn't a trade that receives a lot of attention, and they aren't normally making something known for beauty, so possibly bemusement at first! But as the work progressed they understood more and the attention was really appreciated. It's actually very remarkable to see what they can do on a day to day basis - opening locks that have long lost their keys and making replacements, restoration work for Buckingham Palace, very unique problem solving. Converting it to silver isn't straightforward, so again it took a lot of patience.

The beautifully carved paw. Yes, you've seen this image before but I love it so.

SS: Onto the lucky rabbit's foot. The detailing is remarkable. Firstly, what inspired this piece? Secondly, how did it evolve in to the stunning piece we see today?

Andrew Bunney: The Rabbit's foot is seen as lucky in many cultures, and for many years. Today I think it is known as a popular symbol or charm used by bikers - you can often see them with white ones, or sometimes dyed bright colours too. I see it as a natural fit or emblem for Bunney, something that anyone can wear.

I had wanted to make a chain with no clasp at the back of the neck so it could fit anybody, and I wanted to have charms that people could wear with it. I designed a chain that has clasps to hang items from, rather than to attach together. This time I have a small padlock and the Rabbit's Foot.

The paw or foot itself has been carved by an artist in London that specialises in making sculptures of animals, and so he worked from his studies and an original biker-style rabbits foot. The foot is cast silver, and a polished cap is added.

The Tricolor Flag studs

SS: This season the studs receive a decidedly French makeover...

Andrew Bunney: Because this season the theme came from the Paris Love Locks, I thought it would be nice to make studs to reflect the Tricolor Flag. These are made with stones and then set in a silver mount - it's an update from the styles I made for Soph/Uniform Experiment last year.

SS: Finally, what's next for Bunney?

Andrew Bunney: To make new things and expand gradually. There are a few things I'm thinking about, but you'll have to wait and see!

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The BoF and Bill Amberg Project

Today, Bill Amberg Accessories Ltd. and The Business of Fashion announce the launch of the Calgary, a co-designed, co-conceived design project and crowdsourcing experiment which will help better understand and spark conversation about how the collective wisdom of crowds could shape fashion businesses, big and small, in years to come.

The BoF's Imran Amed, like us, is a long time fan of Bill Amberg's much coveted leather products and this project is a welcome union of their two areas of expertise. As you should all know, from their studio in North West London, Bill Amberg create stunning bags to travel, work and enjoy for a lifetime. Each and every one of Bill’s bags are unique, practical and most importantly beautiful. Similarly, the Business of Fashion should need no introduction. Since the inception of this indispensable site in 2007, Imran Imran has emerged as one of the leading thinkers on the profound changes that digital media are having on the fashion industry. Rather than a straight forward design collaboration, this project positions itself as an opportunity to learn about the creative and development process of high-end leather goods production and is more an an impromptu experiment with crowdsourcing, which is currently such a hot topic in the fashion business. The landscape of fashion communication and commerce continues to evolve radically and crowdscourcing is just one development (as discussed by the FT last weekend) and this project is keen to explore the potential benefits.

The full Calgary spectrum

Aside from the intriguing crowdsourcing angle, the project of course involves the creation of a heart racingly good accessory. With the Calgary, the world's of Bill Amberg and The Business of Fashion collide and the result is a stunning range of unisex tote style bags, a balance of function. Named after Imran's hometown, the bags were designed and created at The Bill Amberg Studios in London, each one hand made by a Bill Amberg leather craftsman. Stylish and elegant on the outside, functional on the inside. The bag is designed to fit the lifestyle of the busy, modern gentleman or gentlewoman. The bag is entirely padded with neoprene to protect technology, and includes specially designed pockets for iPads, Blackberries, and iPhones. Perfect for fashion week...

The BoF's very own Imran Amed road testing his Calgary in New York. 

Shot by Susie. 

It has been more than a year in the making and Imran has met with Bill several times over the past twelve months to fine tune what was originally intended to be a small project, but has organically grown into something more interesting, substantial, and very BoF. Here we talk to Imran to learn more about the project and take a closer look at the range...

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SS: You, like us, have been a huge fan of Bill Amberg leather products but how did your admiration evolve in to a co-designed range?

Imran Amed: I first met Bill at Pitti Uomo one year ago. When a CNN journalist called me later that same day to chat about luxury brands best suited to the post-recessionary environment in 2010, Bill Amberg was top of mind. After I filmed an interview clip in his store, Bill asked if I might like to work on a bag with him. The collaboration grew from there.

SS: Named after your hometown, the Calgary range is is a unisex tote bag that balances fashion and function effortlessly. Could you talk us through the collaborative dynamic of the project, including your working relationship with Bill and his team.

Imran Amed: Bill and I first started discussing ideas for the bag over a year ago. I have met with Bill and his team team regularly over the past twelve months, at first to discuss ideas for the bag, to watch as the first prototype was built, to provide feedback on the prototype and then to discuss the launch strategy. We have learned a lot from each other from out various vantage points and areas of expertise, Bill with design and craftsmanship and BoF with our understanding of digital media.

Calgary Black (limited edition)

SS: The range has the demands and requirements of modern life at it's design heart. What are the key design elements?

Imran Amed: There are special pockets for all sorts of technology and the bag is entirely padded with neoprene for additional protection. There is also a removable shoulder strap, which is functional as well as being a nice design detail.

SS: Now, I spotted you road testing the bag at NYFW, how is it coping with the assault of relentless shows and presentations?

Imran Amed: Really well! I am always carting around so much with me during fashion week, and now everything has its rightful place.

Calgary Tan Nubuck (limited edition)

SS: The launch incorporates an intriguing and exciting experimental element, crowdsourcing. Three other versions will be created based on data provided by the users of BoF over a period of three weeks. Could you talk us through the logistics and mechanics?

Imran Amed: Originally we planned to do only one version of the bag, but Bill really liked the silhouette of the bag and saw potential to do it in several materials and colours. Six of these will be limited edition bags, available for sale right away and for three other bags we are seeking feedback to help us decide which versions to produce, in which quantities. We will share the results and lessons learned with BoF readers.

Calgary Tan Woven (limited edition)

SS: The crowdsourcing element is an experiment that develops the role of the consumer, here they are active participants in production. Despite the relationship between digital media and fashion being in its infancy, you have long been one of the leading thinkers on the profound changes that have already taken place. Is this the future of retail?

Imran Amed: I'm not sure I would say it is the definitive future, and not all consumers want to get involved in providing feedback, preferring instead to take a strong lead from designers, but there are evidently others who enjoy participating in the creative process.

SS: Now, you started the BoF back in 2007 and have since gained a global following as an essential daily resource for fashion creatives, executives and entrepreneurs in over 150 countries. What's next? How would you like to see this indispensable site evolve?

Imran Amed: We'd like to continue sparking and catalysing conversations in fashion boardrooms, classrooms and studios around the world about the opportunities and risks afforded to us by new new digital tools and business models. This little impromptu crowdsourcing experiment is just one example of that.

Calgary Black Ponyskin (limited edition)

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The launch of the Calgary is accompanied by an interactive video created by CraneTV, showing how the bag was designed and created. Furthermore, the video employs hotspotting technology enabling consumers to 'click-to-buy'/'click-to-vote'...

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As discussed above, for three of the (non limited-edition) bags, the project involves a crowdsourcing survey. The survey will determine which bags are most popular and which ones should be produced, and in what quantities. For those of you who would like to be involved, Imran Amed has created a customised survey link. Use your power wisely.

LCF MA Graduate Showcase: Yan Liang

Last week saw the first crop of fashion design graduates showcase their talents with the LCF MA show. It was a feast of menswear. Out of this year's crop of twenty two showing students amazingly fourteen were from the menswear discipline. To celebrate the cream of incoming crop of graduates we aim to speak to each of our favourite students to learn more about their collections and their experiences at LCF. We kicked off this year's series with prize winning Matteo Molinari but now we turn our attentions to the wood craft of Yan Liang.

Liang's research focused on the interaction and relationship between disease and wood. Through examining the unique and unusual malformations and deformed trees she translated a collection which mixed fabric and raw material to stunning effect. Here we talk to the design talent to learn about her experiences at LCF and his hopes for the future...

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SS: Firstly, congratulations on more than playing your part in a dazzling, menswear rich MA show. How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk?

Yan Liang: I felt relaxed when I saw my designs on the stage and found it to be enjoyable as well, because this was my moment and everybody was watching my designs during these two minutes. Though there was a small issue in that some of the outfits were forgotten but all in all, the whole process of my part within the show was memorable.

SS: Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer?

Yan Liang: I was a designer doing both womenswear and menswear during my BA time. When I first started my research in my MA course I realized menswear needed more attention and focus in the small details of design. The technique of pattern cutting and the control of silhouette were both important as the concept of design. I like challenges which lead me to become a menswear designer.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: What attracted you to the LCF MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course? And the worst?

Yan Liang: After my graduation of BA course in Shanghai I had a plan to have a further education overseas because I wanted my designer horizon to be international. LCF was my first choice because I watched a fashion show in shanghai in 2008 which was about the all the outstanding collection of LCF MA students. That was amazing and strongly affected my application of LCF MA course.

I think the best thing of my course was I had a chance to develop a design from the original concept to final pieces. I can do everything by myself and learnt a lot. What’s more, we had an opportunity to cooperate with an industry company which made it became a little competition to get selected.

I don’t think there is a worst part of my course because every part of the course exists for a reason. If I have to choose a weak one that was both womenswear and menswear were mixed during teaching in our year which was not a huge benefit for all of the students. But I heard the university already changed this situation this year and separated menswear and womenswear.

SS: The menswear on show this year was so strong. I was amazed to see that fifteen of the twenty two graduates selected studied menswear. Aside from your own, which was your favorite of the graduate collections?

Yan Liang: I like Matteo’s collection most and he won at the end. He came from a theory background but became a fashion designer. That was really praiseworthy because we all knew that was hard. We all saw his growing of designs and he worked so hard. Many people supported him and so did I.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: Now on to your collection itself. Mixture experiments with fabric and raw materials in a stunning way. Can you talk us through the inspiration for the collection?

Yan Liang: This collection is called Mixture because it explores diversity. Fresh ideas about new fabrics and raw materials were mixed in this collection. Most natural substances are mixtures. Some elements may seem irrelevant. However, an effective collision of different elements may produce a new thing when they are driven by external forces. The new creature is the mixture. This collection used the idea of mixture to combine several elements which show different angles of relation.

SS: Your research focused on comparing malformation and deformed trees. What was your starting point and how did the the collection evolve in to what we saw today?

Yan Liang: My research focused on the interaction between two elements – in this case I looked at the relationship between disease and wood – examining the unique and unusual malformations and deformed trees. This translated in producing a collection which mixed fabric and raw material. I decided to use wood to work with other fabrics. There were several kinds of techniques to get the effect of wood to make garments. One of the techniques was to use real wood. Wooden pieces were sewed onto garment in the same way as sewing a button or crystal. There was another technique which used other materials to imitate the effect of wood. People used digitally techniques to coat the pattern of wood on leathers or polyester to make fabric looks like wood. By using these techniques, the collection is characterised by a jacket made of beautifully warm toned wood and accessories like bow ties also made of wood. This has given the collection a playful and humorous edge – but it still remains elegant and chic.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: How would you describe the collection in your own words?

Yan Liang: Garments can be made from anything.

SS: The collection uses fabrics and materials that you wouldn't normally associate with menswear. How difficult were the substances to work with?

Yan Liang: It was not easy. The steps were:

Shape confirm - Paper toile - Separated pieces toile - Dye material - Cut material - Paint edge - Dig holes - Hand stitch - Hand stitch lining - Care method - Finishing - Even the Technique of woody box was difficult as well.

I made the wooden jacket all by myself which took me nearly two months to finish them. That is why I don’t have more time to make more jackets which are made of wood.

SS: What type of man can you see wearing your designs?

Yan Liang: I think this collection has a playful and humorous edge – but it still remains elegant and chic. So anyone who like humorous designs would wear them.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: I know this is difficult question to answer but have you got a favourite, anything that you were most proud of?

Yan Liang: A lot of people told me they like my first wooden jacket and they want to buy it which I was really proud of.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective menswear fashion student?

Yan Liang: Trust the voice inside of your mind. And nothing will be too crazy.

SS: Finally, what would you like to achieve in 2011 and beyond?

Yan Liang: I’d love to do more designs to express myself and explain what I want to say.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

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Yan Liang's collection undoubtedly has a playful and humorous edge but at the same time, her designs remain chic and elegant. The various techniques and processes used to create the effect of wood in various forms and states whilst still creating covetable pieces of wearable clothing, showcase her immense skill. 'll leave you with these fantastic look book shots by Raymond T...

Photography by Raymond T, hair and make up by Pace with Tommy and Patrick as models