BRAND INFLUENCES

The next step in identifying my personal brand was to research and explore what influences me and my work. I have researched areas which have helped me paint a clearer picture of how I want my brand to be including values and influences. In order to develop my brand I began by researching what influences me and my work. I researched brands which I could see myself working for and those who are influenced by similar things to me. I began by creating mood boards which helped me realise who I take inspiration from and which brands influence me. I soon realised that I am definitely more interested in menswear, streetwear and athleisure. Although I am interested in luxury brands my personal style is mainly influenced by streetwear and is usually quite an androgynous style. I also like how luxury brands can be influenced by streetwear in various brand

A-COLD-WALL

Through my research I have found that the brand A-Cold-Wall fits my brand’s values as well as aesthetic. A Cold Wall is a fairly new brand to the high luxury world of fashion. A Cold Wall has made a massive impact with its aesthetic consistency of innovative structured compositions, blurring the boundaries between streetwear and high end fashion. This brand was founded by Samuel Ross in 2015, he self-funded his clothing line and brought his artistic essence to life.

Ross took basic closet pieces and transformed them into unique statement apparel. Samuel Ross was brought up in a working class environment and has been influenced by the community around him, public housing and the concept of clashing class systems. This is referenced throughout the high end luxury collection with working class uniforms implicating motives of capitalist retaliation. His collection merges British working-class uniforms with elements of Savile Row tailoring.

I discovered A Cold Wall has collaborated with lifestyle brands such as Nike, Converse and Dr Martens. I found this interesting as it is an example of high luxury brands including cultural references into their brand which will appeal to Generation Alpha consumers who care about the brands they are buying into rather than the products they buy (DeAcetis,2019). A Cold Wall’s aesthetic and colour palette resonates with how I want my brand to look.

The brand has a minimal approach and combined with their colour palette creates a contemporary presence. A Cold Wall also combines high luxury fashion with cultural references which is what I aim to achieve in my brand. I also chose this brand as it lies in the luxury menswear market which also has a strong emphasis on tailoring and streetwear. A Cold Wall is a clear indicator that luxury menswear is the area of the industry which interests me the most.

Figure 1

PALACE

Palace is a London based clothing brand established in 2009. From starting out selling t-shirts in only a handful of London stores, Palace has turned into one of the biggest streetwear brands in the world. The USP of Palace is its sporty aesthetic. Palace is very well known for not sticking to the rules and traditional regulations. Palace has been putting the UK firmly on the streetwear map since 2010. In this short time the brand has achieved a level of hype not dissimilar to its transatlantic doppelganger, Supreme. Apart from the clothing I am influenced by the brand as it isn’t too serious, they like to be humorous and light hearted. Palace also aren’t afraid to clap back at negative comments on their Instagram posts. Palace uses every new release as an opportunity to take the piss and use their online product descriptions to insult their customers in a jokey way. There is also a lot of depth to the backstory of Palace beneath their obnoxious exterior.

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CRAIG GREEN

Craig Green is another influence of mine and I am inspired by his themes of structure and community. Since launching his own label in 2012, he’s won British Menswear Designer of the year twice and his clothes have been worn by the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Rhianna. Although Green’s designs are inspired with commitment to concept and challenging forms, his true genius is in his ability to translate his inspirations into unique yet wearable clothing with a utilitarian edge. I was inspired by Green’s AW 2020 collections and the meaning behind it. The collection’s first half included outerwear resembling that of protective armour. Craig Green said ‘It’s the idea that you’re given an outfit from birth, and you’ve unfolded it and adapted it, but you’re still carrying it all with you.

OFF-WHITE

Off-White is another influence of mine. Off-White is a luxury fashion label founded by Virgil Abloh. The history of Off-White started with a ‘vision from Virgil’, and soon became a brand on everyone’s lips. Off-White is best known for its diagonal lines and industrial yellow tape. The designs of Off-White flaunt streetwear in a unique light. Virgil states he is ‘defining the grey area between black and white’. Its guiding principle is just “everything in quotes,” as in, “everything is ironic and also the main recognizable design element on the clothes is chunky quotation marks”(Alex Castro/Vox, 2022). As stated by Virgil Abloh, it isn’t easy to categorize it as a fashion or an art brand due to its diversity. Off-White has successfully collaborated with the brands and designers such as Nike, IKEA, Louis Vuitton, Levi’s, Moncler, Rimowa and ASAP Rocky. Virgil has made diversity the heart of his brand. To ensure inclusivity in all sectors of the industry he recently launched the ‘Post-Modern Fund’ to help Black Students in the fashion industry. Though fashion has long been open to diversity, Abloh is nonetheless one of the few Black figures to have reached the summits of its hierarchy. And in the context of George Floyd’s death, Black Lives Matter and the acceleration of anti-racist protest, he no longer hides his desire to help his community (Alexis Thibault,