Young British Army Cadets take centre stage in the new Matthew Miller campaign for SS15.
Matthew Miller has launched five relatively unassuming portraits for his SS15 Campaign. Yet there’s more to these portraits than meets the eye, because for this series Miller has challenged the perceptions of what it means to be British.
The notion of united and diverse nationality is nowhere more apparent than in the young cadets. Showing the truly diverse nationality in Britain and challenging the ideology of unmentionables such as UKIP, the young cadets unify different races and different faces; showing the versatility of the British population willing to go into combat for their country. Wonderland has probed Millers ethos before, he is all about taking things apart – designs, systems, stereotypes – and putting them back together in his unique masterful way. Think paired down designs, rugged, with raw edges and crude but clever silhouettes. Deep thinkers, activists, and fashion thinkers – take note!
Clad in the new collection that was driven by military influences, Miller has created a nomad uniform. The campaign may be philosophical at heart, but the powerful casting has also stumbled upon aesthetic rarities and celebrates the imperfections of youth. The strapping young cadets are misshapen in places and most of all, astoundingly normal. The authentic appeal of the campaign is mesmerising. Shot by creative collaborators Jonathan Baron and Matthew Holroyd, they have captured the enigmatic vacantness of British youth. Millers’ dark and thoughtful design undertones are whitewashed in these light and easy pictures. Both low-key and high fashion, they make for a killer combination.
