IMAGES David Parry/PA Media Assignments courtesy of Somerset House
There’s been ample discussion in recent years about the need to extend further support to emerging fashion designers. From the global economic downturn of spending and concerns over the UK’s post-Brexit landscape to the increasing costs of sustainable manufacturing, supply chain bottlenecks, changing consumer interests, and the uncertain future of AI, there are myriad reasons why sustaining a successful British fashion business is tougher than ever before.
Despite this, hope springs eternal at Somerset House’s latest exhibition celebrating Scottish fashion designer Charles Jeffrey. The Lore of Loverboy reflects on the rise of Jeffrey’s brand Loverboy and follows his journey from a promising CSM student to one of London’s most exciting contemporary designers.
The exhibition is split into three separate rooms: The first, ‘Initiation’, explores Jeffrey’s early influences, student collections and artworks, along with spotlighting the queer club night he founded in 2014 of the same name that established the blueprint of radical creativity and collaboration that has since become synonymous with the brand. The room is packed with references and relics from his adolescence, including polaroids of partygoers, sketches on crumpled napkins and The Horror’s Strange House album, which Jeffrey says was particularly influential in uncovering his identity while growing up in Glasgow. “This is only 1% of everything in his archive – trust me,” laughs Bunny Kinney, creative director of NOWNESS and one of the exhibition’s co-curators.
The second room, ‘Ritual’, focuses on his design process, from sketching and fabric sourcing to styling and marketing. This is also where the exhibition delves into his kinship with his Scottish heritage, with a particular focus on his use of tartan, historical silhouettes and pagan motifs throughout his work.
It is in this room that you can find Jeffrey’s unlikely favourite memento in the exhibition – his pattern cutting table. Set up as if you’ve walked into his studio mid-design meeting, the table is cluttered with sketches, fabric swatches and toiles from his recent Commes Des Garcon collaboration. “The pattern cutting table represents all of my team currently and this ritual of gathering all together around one space to create something, and it was so important to me to include that,” says Jeffrey.
Co-curator Bunny Kinney at the Lore of LOVERBOY
Kinney, meanwhile, notes a particular look from Jeffrey’s MA collection as his favourite in the exhibit. “The reason why I was so obsessed with Charles and what he was doing as a student was absolutely reflected in his MA collection which is one of my favourite things he’s ever done. It really showed his creativity and the way he combines styling and design to create something that is totally unique… riffing on menswear while also being gender-defying and timeless,” they explain.
The final room, ‘Manifestation’, celebrates the culmination of his aesthetic evolution with a display of the brand’s most spectacular creations so far, including outfits worn by Harry Styles, Charli XCX and Tilda Swinton. “We wanted to really showcase the best examples of what the outcome [of his processes] has been – the most fantastical and special moments from the last 10 years, and celebrate the icons who have been a part of the Loverboy story,” says Kinney.
‘Manifestation’ room at The Lore of LOVERBOY
Beyond just a retrospective of his work to date, The Lore of Loverboy serves as a blueprint for aspiring designers of how you build a brand. “He believed very strongly that this should be a source of inspiration and “real talk” for students wanting to follow in his footsteps. It takes a village and there’s a lot of admin, and this was really important to Charles to showcase,” Kinney explains.
“There’s a lot of nepotism in the industry and there’s a lot of people who just get by on money, but because of the kindness of others and people giving us spaces for free early on, we’ve been able to evolve into a brand that’s in 100 stores worldwide and now has this retrospective,” Jeffrey gushed at the exhibition preview, before recounting an extensive list of thank yous. This sentiment is continued through the exhibition’s ‘pay what you can’ scheme, ensuring there are no boundaries for attendees to access the exhibition.
Charles is a really important symbol for the naysayers that you can do things your own way and build something really beautiful.
It’s clear that Loverboy’s success has been not only down to Jeffrey’s innovative design acumen, but also his ability to nurture a loyal community of creatives who have grown with the brand over the last decade. Most of all, the exhibition serves as a story of hope as Jeffrey leads by example, opening doors for the next generation of creative talent. “What’s so inspiring is that this is a brand that has been built without a lot of money,” says Kinney. “He’s come from humble means – he started the Loverboy club nights as a way to make money for his student work – and everything he did in those early years was made from found materials or garbage. Those parameters allowed him to innovate and world-build based on what he had at his disposal at the time and I think it shows that it is still possible as a young creative without a tonne of privilege to forge ahead and create something that is not only successful, but really touches people.”
Kinney continues, “I think that the state of fashion in the UK is so uncertain right now, particularly in a post-Brexit context. We cultivate amazing design talent here but a lot of those brands don’t last very long or it’s just not possible to keep a business running, even people who are very established. We’ve seen them all shut down, so to see someone like Charles, who is so unique and distinctive, be able to build something and keep it going, is a real testament that you can have hope and it is possible to create your own lane and still flourish. Right now, that’s not the mood at all. I think Charles is a really important symbol for the naysayers that you can do things your own way and build something really beautiful.”
The exhibition is on at Somerset House from 8th June until 1st September. For more information and to book your ‘pay what you can’ tickets, head to Somerset House.
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