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The new Oscar Wilde

Disheveled opulence was the order of the day at Kit Neale. In beautifully oversized exposed thread jacquard prints, hand embroidered silks and hats born from a collaboration with Bernstock Spiers, the boys and girls wafted through the showspace. From the luxurious nature of the fabrics across the board, to the dramatic floral prints in sapphire blues and hints of faded pink, the garments seemed to capture the enigmatic nature of the “bright young thing”. Think wealthy bohemian kids with impeccable taste, a knack for thrifting, and an attitude of such grandiose that no peer can match.

Raiding the Dress-up Box

A feeling that Neale so often conjures up is one of years gone by. Today was no different – with so many of the pieces smacking of the times you would wrap yourself up in curtains and use the tassels as earrings. He put the most muscular boys in long pink jackets and oversized culottes – almost resembling dresses – reminding us of those days in our youth before boys dressed like men and women wore the dresses (take us back!). The bucket hats looked unwillingly shoved on by parents worried about the British sun, and came in swirling primary colour patterns with gigantic bows flopping at the crown. The oversized nature of practically everything on the catwalk – with too-big-bombers and trapeze culottes – reiterated those dress up box days, minus the stench of mothballs and that slight damp feeling.

Paintbox Primaries

The colour palette was far more diverse than is usual for Neale – who normally focusses on a few colours within complementing spectrums. The influence for the collection was apparently predicated on the idea of the journey taken by mass-produced memorabilia and one of a kind-collectibles – all found at British Car Boot sales. With swooshes of pollen yellow and lime green, blue gingham and baby pink seersucker stripes, and silks in burnt orange and red, Neale really captured the overwhelming feeling of “the obsessive collector’” which can be played out as much on the catwalk, as it can atop a fold away table out the back of a car on Morecambe Sea Front. Spoiled for choice as ever.

 Words: Tom Rasmussen

Photography: Thurstan Redding

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What?

With jackets emblazoned with the slogan ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’ Kit Neale refused to shy away from bold statements in his AW15 collection. Taking inspiration from the familiar – trip to the circus – AW15 was proclaimed with bright colors, graphic typography and an all-round sense of boyhood imagination.

Who?

Wearing patent Doc Martens and forest green knee ankle socks accompanied by windswept hair and low-slung rucksacks, Kit Neale’s models were free spirited youths.

Where?

Where would we wear it? To sign up to the nearest travelling circus, Duh.

Want?

Photography: Fernando Uceda.

Words: Lizzie Renfrey.

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What has inspired you for AW15?

The KIT NEALE Men’s Autumn Winter 2015 collection takes inspiration from a trip to a traditional circus, with inspiration from the work of Fred G. Johnson, Schiaparelli’s 1938 Circus collection, as well an exploration of typography in posters and the travelling lifestyle of the circus.

Are there any particular artists that have influenced you in particular this season?

We’ve been looking at the work of Barney Bubble and Job Wouters – quite radical English graphic designers.

What has been the soundtrack for this collection?

‘Where’s your car Debbie’ by Slaves. Also Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds ‘The Carny’.

How does AW15 compare to your last collection?

AW15 is a good progression from SS15. It’s more graphic and less illustrative. Feels more tonal with lots of textures and as a whole some what tougher.

Give us a sneak preview in three words…

Font, Cows, Teddy-bears

@BrookeMcCord.

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Since launching his eponymous label in 2012, Kit Neale has shown three consecutive seasons at London Collections: Men and each time he never fails to captivate his audience with his kooky kitsch designs, humorous themes and covetable statement pieces – we all remember the Kit Neale Perfectly Fried Chicken Sweatshirt don’t we?

Going at it alone this season, Kit Neale is presenting his tongue-in-cheek London culture heavy AW14 collection to a most appreciative and loyal client base. Renowned for his eccentric use of British youth codes, Kit continues to explore London culture and living. Whilst Neale paid homage to his hometown of Peckham for SS15, AW14 has seen him head further afield and closer to the river. The London borough in question? Run down and dilapidated but quintessentially cultural, we’re talking about Elephant and Castle.

With an eclectic mix of monochrome rat prints, luxurious materials such as woven jacquard and screen printed fabrics, this seasons collection puts a modern twist on the meaning of ‘British fashion’. We catch up with Kit to find out more…

So tell us, where do you look for inspiration?

It is rather a bit cliché but we look for inspiration from everywhere! We love trips to the V&A library and the local bookshop. We explore London and are constantly travelling to museums and art galleries wherever we are in the world. I’m particularly obsessed with the current affairs and buy tons of magazines, watch the news and spend hours trawling the internet for things of interest.

Well we love your patterned shirts, where did the rat motif originate from?

The rats came from Elephant and Castle – one of my favourite areas in London – strange because it is really nothing special. Rats are commonplace.

Your collections often reference British culture don’t they? What references can be found in the AW14 collection?

AW14 is a homage to Elephant and Castle before its regeneration. The area is dominated by a giant shopping centre that is very Martin Parr-esque – barely changed since the sixties. It’s a bit bizarre. The patterns are drawn from the area.

So, if you had to soundtrack your AW14 collection with one song what would it be?

Not really the obvious choice but I think ‘Me, Myself and I’ – Joan Armatrading could work somehow. It’s aspirational, a little cheeky, full of attitude and just a killer song.

Where do you see yourself and your brand in ten years time?

I would really like to see the brand to still be growing, engaging with our customers and developing. We’re always trying to be progressive to some extent with what we do – things feel fluid, dynamic and interesting. I hope that continues.

Finally, if you weren’t a designer, what would you be?

If I had the patience I would love to have become an architect or an artist or a writer – I’m just crap at math’s.

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Buckle up your seat belt, the emergency exit is to your right,  you’re in for a fizzy additive-fuelled ride…

For SS15,Kit Neale takes us on a nostalgic journey back in time to the quintessentially British holiday. Fantastical as ever, Neale takes us from the airport runway to the sunny Mediterranean coastline, visiting Coca-cola stands, cacti filled fields and ice-cream vans along the way – all re-imagined through colour popping prints.

Having gained privilege access to an archive of Coca-Cola assents, the studio have re-worked classic Coca-Cola ephemera into vibrant typically Kit Neale designs. From all silk head-to-toe print tracksuits, to hand embroidered sweatshirts and T-shirts, the collection also features vivid characters hiding where you least expect them – aka Kit Neales ‘Little Monsters”, the result of a collaboration with British jewellery brand Tatty Devine. The three characters featured in the collection come in three colour ways and are named after tropical resorts.

Buckle up, drink Coke and wear Kit Neale – the words to live by.

 Words: Brooke McCord

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