Realm & Empire Autumn—Winter 16
AW—2016
Collection
Colophon IWM images used in the logbook are shown cropped. The originals can be seen at IWM.org.uk
Copyright ©2011, 2017 Realm & Empire® www.realmandempire.com
Page 13: A DUKW loaded with tank and SP gun ammunition leaves a landing ship off the Normandy coast, 6 June 1944. © IWM (B 5014).
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all material in this publication is copyrighted. No part of these pages, either text or images may be used for any purpose without written permission of the publisher.
Page 15: HMS Kilbride in dazzle camouflage. © IWM (SP 706). Page 18: An underwater view of a diver wearing the apparatus. He blows out bubbles occasionally to get rid of foul air. © IWM (A 1202).
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments Special thanks to IWM for their kind permission to shoot at HMS Belfast. www.iwm.org.uk
Page 20: BPBC Type 2 'Whaleback' High Speed Launches, HSLs 122 and 142, at sea off Dover, Kent. © IWM (CH 2495). Page 20: Captain Dalrymple-Hamilton, RN, Captain of HMS Rodney watching the convoy from the back of the bridge. © IWM (A 2091).
Graphic Design Design and layout by Waste Studio. www.wastestudio.com
Page 21: Men of the LCOCU changing into their shallow water diving suits before going in to clear explosives from a beach obstruction. © IWM (A 28996).
Front cover image: Frogmen of the LCOCU leave the water after completing their task. © IWM (A 30326)
Submerged
Chapter 01
6—7
Frogman
Chapter 02
8—9
The Deck Worker
Chapter 03
10—11
Operation Neptune
Chapter 04
12—13
Dazzle
Chapter 05
14—15
Detailed Distinction
Chapter 06
16—17
Field Notes
Chapter 07
18—28
SS16 Photoshoot
Chapter 08
29—62
Typefaces Headers: Apercu, Colophon-Foundry.
Page 22: A diver from the depot ship going down to make an underwater examination of a destroyer which has come alongside. © IWM (A 12474).
Bodycopy: Aaux Next, Positype Foundry.
Page 25: Two British Navy frogmen paddling one of the canoes used in approaching their objectives. © IWM (A 30325).
Folios & Margain Notes: Times New Roman, Monotype Foundry.
Page 25: Commandos of HQ 4th Special Service Brigade, coming ashore from landing craft on Nan Red beach, Juno area, at St Aubin-sur-Mer, 6 June 1944.© IWM (B 5217).
Photography Model: Simon Crawford / D1 Models Photographer: Damien Van Der Vlist Photography Assistant: Catriona Gray Hair & Makeup: Sky Cripps-Jackson Location: HMS Belfast Stylist: Norman Hayes Print Printed and bound in Great Britain, by Mortons Print on 55 gsm Palm 100% recycled paper, 64pp.
.
Pg 4
Pg 5
Property of Great Briain
Autumn Winter 16: Submerged Commando frogmen, the Special Boat Service and battleships designed to dazzle: For Autumn Winter 16 the Realm & Empire narrative goes deep below the ocean’s surface, drawing inspiration from the divers, marines and the clandestine demolition teams who operated during, and even long after the Second World War. We’re delighted to present a striking new collection of winter wears constructed from ideas and real-life tales of mighty tough amphibious environments, highly tactical, clandestine operations and of course, the most no-nonsense of garb. It’s fair to say, from conception to the final process; this season’s modis operandi is stealth. We’ve carefully studied authentic uniform details and scoured technical particulars to create contemporary pieces; all of which have been functionally designed and cleverly adapted for a modern wardrobe. Reference points gathered in the IWM (Imperial War Museums) archive have been pored over by the creative team who have scrutinised every hand-rendered font, traditionally printed graphic and meticulously drawn icon. In particular hand-cut stencils, official stamps and those wonderfully-faded ink forms associated with British sea power during WW2. Rich indigo dyes and rusty hues are complimented by bleached-out jersey finishes for a worn, washed-up aesthetic. And we’ve not only been inspired by documents and artefacts, but by traditional naval apparel itself. So it is with an enthusiastic salute that we welcome a premium R&E wool mix duffle alongside a ‘frogman’ style hooded jacket and chunky, British-made commando roll necks. What are you waiting for? Dive right in…
Pg 7
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Collection
The look: The Frogman
Camo is key for the covert frogman. We’re not talking your typical botanical camo either, no. The modern frogman much prefers understated, complimentary tones of navy in contemporary geo prints. An overall premium aesthetic with loads of hidden neat features. He likes his attire to suit and adapt with his lifestyle - and his gadget collection! Superbly soft, luxuriously wadded explorer jackets, chunky jumpers and adjustable weatherproof smocks allow the frogman to prepare for sudden showers or sunshine. Think James Bond but with way more attitude and edge.
Pg 8
The look: The Deck Worker
Preferring the great outdoors to hermit hideouts, the deck worker is all about smart, workwear pieces that will last a lifetime and will handle whatever activity du jour he’s working on. Practicality is key – there are never enough pockets for this one! He enjoys wearing colourways which fit perfectly into his surroundings – bleached out jerseys and rust hues. Don’t misconstrue the situation though, his brand of laissezfaire effortlessness is well-thought out. He scrubs up well and when the weather turns, he knows his trusty duffle offers the right amount of warmth and panache.
Pg 11
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Collection
Operation Neptune The Normandy landings, which commenced on 6 June 1944, were the largest and most meticulously planned Allied operation of the Second World War. The role played by small, special units that were the first ashore on D-Day such as british divers of the Royal Marines landing craft obstacle clearance Units, (LCOCU) often remained as well concealed as the ‘frogmen’ themselves had been… Whilst the British deception plan Operation Fortitude was triumphant in keeping the destination of the landings unknown, the Allies still had to find a way to reach the shore across the layers of defence that the Germans had constructed along the Normandy Coast. The blockades included rows of steel girders that resembled a picket fence, huge logs that were driven into the sand, extremely heavy wooden ramps designed to capsize landing craft and a loose line of anti-tank obstacles. All defences were festooned with contact mines or improvised explosion devices. The LCOCU, in their thin rubber diving suits, fitted with helmets and breathing apparatus, trained steadily until they became experts in the art of working under water. They were able to work for long periods of time demolishing dangerous explosives to make the area safer to navigate. On D-Day, four Royal Navy and six Royal Marine LCOCU, each comprising an officer and 11 men were deployed at H-Hour and assigned to Gold, Sword and Juno beaches. Operating from inflatable boats, they were responsible for clearing obstructions in depths up to 10ft. Despite coming under heavy enemy shell fire, the LCOCU succeeded in clearing large gaps in the defences, before helping the Royal Engineers with the shallower water and beaches. By the end of the day, they had cleared thousands of obstacles, helping more than 160,000 Allied troops to cross the English Channel during the overall operation.
A DUKW loaded with tank and SP gun ammunition leaves a landing ship off the Normandy coast, 6 June 1944. © IWM (B 5014).
Pg 12
AW—2016
Collection
Dazzle The concept of ‘dazzle camouflage’ was first developed by British artist Norman Wilkinson in 1917. Far from trying to completely conceal a vessel, Wilkinson’s idea was to use vivid, asymmetric patterns to create optical illusions that, when painted on boats, would obscure their speed and direction, making them difficult to target. During the First World War alone, this process was applied to over 2000 merchant and troop ships. Whilst dazzle had become less useful by the Second World War as rangefinders and aircraft became more advanced, it did still appear to confound enemy submarines underwater and it is precisely this notion which sparked one of the key inspirations for our graphic story this season. Keep a look out for interweaving stencil patterns and geometric designs in flattering, unobtrusive tones of navy and grey. What’s more, in the same way that British First World War dazzle was unique to each ship, the indigo dye and acid-wash finishes used across our jersey wear offers an ever-so-slight distinctness in pattern or colouration, completely unique to you. Dazzle re-imagined: the art of confusion.
Pg 14
HMS Kilbride in dazzle camouflage. © IWM (SP 706).
Pg 15
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Collection
Detailed Distinction These days, the word quality is banded about so frequently and flippantly that all original meaning is fast becoming lost. Rest assured, however, that every item of apparel decorated with the Realm & Empire emblem represents a garment that lives up to the truest sense of the term. At R&E we believe that looking good needn’t be a troublesome task. Our motto is hard-wearing not hard-work. And with inspiration sourced from Britain’s finest military archive, what could be better? Functionality is the prevailing notion, from well-cut fabrics to durable finishes and carefully considered fastenings. Pockets are oversized, elbows are patched, and lining is considerably thicker, warmer. Features such as removable hoods, gunmetal buttons, draw-cord waists, wind-proof cuffs… we’ve considered it all. Even hoodies are given a technical update with handy engineer details. As always, all of our knitwear is made right here in the UK – from submariner style roll necks to our military issue style commando hats! And a particular mention in despatches goes to our new exploration into the realm of indigo dye - offering unique beauty with each and every wash. Not forgetting the Realm & Empire label markings – every single garment in the range carries our shuttle loom back neck label, together with an ID label that bears a unique number on each and every piece (cleverly hidden by a removable strip). We exhort you to pay attention to the little things…
Pg 16
Pg 17
Property of Great Briain
Pg 18
Pg 29
Property of Great Briain
Pg 30
Pg 31
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 32
Collection
Pg 33
Property of Great Briain
Pg 34
Pg 35
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 36
Collection
Pg 40
Pg 41
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 42
Collection
Pg 43
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 44
Collection
Pg 45
Property of Great Briain
Pg 47
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 48
Collection
Pg 49
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 50
Collection
Pg 51
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 54
Collection
AW—2016
Pg 56
Collection
Contacts
Customer Services & General Enquires enquiries@realmandempire.com Press Enquiries: press@realmandempire.com Wholesale Enquiries: wholesale@realmandempire.com Online: www.realmandempire.com
Social Facebook facebook.com/realmandempire Twitter @realmandempire Instagram realmandempire Pinterest pinterest.com/realmandempire
Pg 61
Property of Great Briain
AW—2016
Pg 62
Collection