“We bonded over the creative energy and eclectic music of the scene, that, and a shared appreciation of dry martinis”. Imagine a small rowdy bar in the new yorker East Village. Imagine you getting in, immerse yourself in a surreal, avant-garde, contemporary world. Imagine you drinking a Schlitz beer with two cute strangers… two talented designers…
They are Rory Wykes and Michaell Smith. Theirs is the emerging brand SMITH-WYKES that in a short time managed to establish itself on the international market thanks to a clean, amazingly young style. Their 2013-14 A/W Collection is an exploration of identifiable and masculine codes of uniform, while also playing with elements of abstraction and contrast. And this the interview with them…
Fucking Young – Welcome! Rory Wykes and Michaell Smith. Two names for a single brand: SMITH-WYKES. When did your lives cross?
SMITH-WYKES – We met through mutual friends while living in the East Village (NYC). People were setting up these tiny bars in front rooms serving (warm) Schlitz beer out of coolers or holding experimental club nights in antique shops. It was a great crowd. We bonded over the creative energy and eclectic music of the scene, that, and a shared appreciation of dry martinis.
FY – How and why was SMITH-WYKES born?
SW – While the project had been long discussed, it was not until relatively recently that we able to make things really happen with the label. The timing was right for both of us.
FY – A garment which represents you. An adjective to describe your style.
SW – We are a full wardrobe collection, so we do not have any one particular garment. But we love outerwear, and we are attracted to its combination of form and function.
FY – Music and movies have inspired your creations. How much do these modern forms of art influence fashion today and what is the leitmotiv linking them?
SW – Fashion has always been referential, and both music and film are strong touch points. We believe that all these art forms draw from one another. We like to see it as one large conversation.
FY – Based between London and Paris and a look winking at Scandinavian minimalism, SMITH-WYKES has early on established itself as an international brand. The decision to move simultaneously in multiple markets has proven successful but, without doubt, risky. What has led you in this direction, and what is the audience you want to address?
SW – An international launch seemed natural to us given the evolution of the fashion business and the broad reach of the internet. A local audience is no longer geographic. Look at Fucking Young, you are based in Spain, but your editorial is reaching a very broad international readership. There is an audience that will respect our particular design, style and quality, and they are going to be living all over.
FY – What are the difficulties young designers meet today?
SW – For many new designers the real challenge comes in commercializing, producing and distributing their collections. You have to be very aware of this side of the equation.
FY – In your opinion, is the new generation able to offer something more than the “usual known ones”?
SW – Absolutely. Fashion loves the new, and there are some amazing young designers who bring a fresh perspective or tap into the mood or music of the moment.
FY – Fashion … Dream or business?
SW – It’s a business of dreamers.
FY – Uniform is both the name and the inspiration of the 2013-14 A/W Collection. It is an exploration of identifiable and masculine codes of uniform, while also playing with elements of abstraction and contrast. Military weight melton wools are cut into sharp modern tailoring shapes or used in voluminous overcoats with rounded drop shoulders. The rallying cry? Camouflage turning into digital printing for jackets and shirts’ fabrics…
SW – That’s right. A good example is the use of print. We were very keen to integrate digital printing into this latest collection. One the one hand, we wanted it to look like a digital print, but on the other, we wanted the print to have a familiar element to appeal to menswear. So with this in mind, we designed the print made up of several layers, starting with a classic DPM camouflage, and then layers of graphic and photographic cloud shapes, all overlaid with the textures of light reflections on water.
FY – It’s a musical collection full of contrasts, poised between the psych-rock of San Francisco’s Ty Segall and the melancholy-tinged alternative folk of Copenhagen’s The White Album … Tell us about that…
SW – What can we say, we have eclectic music tastes… Music is a big part of our everyday lives, and what we are listening definitely get referenced into the overall moods of the collections.
FY – We have already said that music and film are, for you, a constant source of inspiration but what is usually the driving force – in short, that click – which leads you to create first a single item of clothing and then the whole collection?
SW – This “click” moment usually comes from one of our conversations. We might be talking about anything, and then something will click, and suddenly we are building and layering ideas backwards and forwards. It’s fun to watch an idea change and develop as each person brings his own interpretation. The end result always seems so much richer as result. But the truth is that there are usually many of these “click” moments during the development of a collection.
FY – The designer you appreciate most. The collection you will never forget.
SW – Hussein Chalayan. His multi-disciplinary approach is truly inspirational. So many of his collections are amazing, but his A/W 2000 Collection where furniture becomes clothing is particularly memorable.
FY – What are your future plans? Will I see you at Pitti Immagine Uomo 84?
SW – You will definitively see us at Pitti. It’s a great show. We also have exciting plans to grow into the US and Asia, as well as some interesting collaborations in the works, one of which will see us in Copenhagen this summer. Keep an eye on www.smith-wykes.com for more.
FY – Your motto?
SW – SMITH-WYKES is a celebration of character.
Thanks a lot!
Below the A/W 2013-14 Collection.
