SPEAKER_02 0:10

Hello and welcome to the Menswear Style Podcast with your host, me, Pete Brooker. On today's episode, we speak to Joshua Kane, London's definitive neo-dandy tailor, and we find out exactly what is the best question he's ever been asked in an interview.

SPEAKER_04 0:29

Oh, that is the best question I've probably ever been asked.

SPEAKER_02 0:33

We're also gonna have a chat with Oliver Proudlock, founder of Serge Denim. Serge Denim with a silent S on the end. He talks to me about how to pronounce Serge Denim.

SPEAKER_07 0:45

Serge Denim.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

Oh, crap! We're also gonna drop in on our very own fashion editor, Andre Letabodier, as well as a quick chat with our man behind the jingles and fashion insider, Rob Jones.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

I'm all for it, but let's face it, you know, when there's something crap in the tape modern, it's cause it's crap, it's not art.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

Thank you for that, Rob. But first we're gonna have a chat with TV presenter Darren Kennedy. Darren was a resident style presenter on ITV show this morning. And outside of TV, Darren is an accomplished writer and entrepreneur. He has a passion for style, and his design collaboration with Master Taylor Louis Copeland, known for a healthy dollop of old school swag, has produced six sellout suit collections. So without any further ado, uh on the podcast today we have Darren Kennedy. Uh welcome to Menswear Style. Darren Kennedy, you're a TV presenter, journalist, and menswear influencer. How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_01 1:41

I'm really good, Peter. Thanks for having me. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 1:44

I'm okay, thanks. Um yep, I'm I'm just sitting in my home. I'm about to go to London, so I've got like one foot in the door, one foot out. Uh what are you wearing? Well, uh, I was hoping you weren't going to ask me that. I've uh I was mid-decision when I took the call, so I'm literally just sitting in my trousers and pants at the minute. It's not the best sight in the world. Um I've ired up for tonight a nice Panama hat, a T. M. Lewin shirt, and an Oscar Milo suit.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Um I like it. I like it. A good visual there, very strong visual, it's gonna work.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Thank you, thank you very much. Uh, can I ask what you're working? This sounds very homoerotic, but you know, we'll go there anyway.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

I'm I'm currently sitting at my kitchen table. Um, I have my little miniature Yorkie Harry here looking at me, saying, When are we going for a walk? So if you hear him barking, that's him, no need to be alarmed. Um, but I'm wearing a I'm actually wearing a sweater that I got from Zoe Jordan knitwear. So Zoe Jordan is well, you're probably familiar with her, but she's actually an Irish designer. She recently did a collaboration with River Island, really good stuff, and also daughter of Eddie Jordan. Um, so an interesting family. A pair of acne jeans, black jeans, and a pair of um suede converse all-stars.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

Darren, were you ever stylish at school? Was there a time in your life where you go, you know what, I'm just gonna get into fashion and now's the day. I'm gonna throw all of my other stuff away and I'm gonna look the the nuts.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

Well, the the interesting thing, in in uh where I went to school, I had to wear a uniform, the most horrific uniform known to mankind. I don't think there is a nice uniform, but it was like triple shades of grey. It didn't do anything for my complexion and it has scarred me until this day. No, um I wasn't yeah, funnily enough, outside of school I was always kind of interested in the clothes that I wore, and I think that was something that just kind of came from my parents and uh even from my brother. I have one brother and he's five years older than me. So he was always, I guess, more advanced in terms of uh his appearance and what he was wearing and what he was smelling of and whatnot. So even when I was 13 and he was 18, he would have been wearing, I guess, the clothes that were in at the time. So I would always nick his clothes, which caused uh lots of distress and argument in our household, as you might imagine. But it kind of meant that while like most of my friends were knocking around in in aforementioned track suits, I would sometimes appear in, you know, a pair of Levi 501s, um, a Paisley shirt and reeking of Fahrenheit, all of which belonged to me, of course, they were my brothers, but it kind of gave me uh an earlier introduction, I guess, to to uh looking and feeling good in your in your clothes. Do you still wear Fahrenheit? No, I don't. Um I do you know, I don't think I ever actually owned the bottle of Fahrenheit myself. It was always stolen from my brother. Um, and it's funny because it's one of those scents that and fragrance does this, right? It's kind of you know, it can bring you right back to a time in your life. And for me, whenever I get a waft of Fahrenheit, I'm instantly transported back to my teenage years.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

It's that very nostalgic scent, isn't it? I had a brother that did the same and he would load it on. He would actually send, put me far back in the room and go, Can you smell me now? I'm like, No. He goes, Come closer, can you smell me now? Like, no, and then it would literally be within ten feet, oh I've got it. And he goes, Right, need more. So he just would hose himself down in more Fahrenheit until he could completely populate the room with his smell.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

It's a real smell of the 90s, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 5:12

It was, yeah. It's uh yeah, I mean I don't know if people still wear it. I I have nothing against it, I just haven't had haven't got around to buying any Fahrenheit recently. Same. No, I've moved on, thankfully. Um so do you actually get approached by any brands uh to be an ambassador for their clothing?

SPEAKER_01 5:28

Um yeah, I've worked on various brands over over um the past couple of months and years, and it just kind of varies. I mean, for me to be honest, it has to be the right fit. I mean, I'm very um, very, I was gonna say particular in what I wear, and that would be true, but also if it's not for me, it's not for me, and and and I'll you know, very, you know, I've had beautiful tailoring sent to me, which is lovely, a really nice thing, but I feel awful because it, you know, I remember one particular suit got sent to me, and I'm like, I will never wear that, it's just not me. So rather than kind of leaving it hanging in my wardrobe, I you know politely um sent the person back an email saying, Thank you so much, but you know what, I'm not gonna wear this. So rather waste it and have it hanging in my wardrobe never to be seen again, um, I returned it to them. So I think it's always best to be honest. Um, and likewise, you know, with when you're actually working with a brand as an ambassador or whatever, it really has to be a good fit because if it's not, it's just it's not gonna end well for either parties.

SPEAKER_02 6:27

Yeah, I mean I s I speak to quite a few people that are brand ambassadors for their uh for their brands. Uh like for example, Idris Elba, um he's got the super dry range, and he says he's got his own little bits and bobs his input. I just kind of wonder how much input though people actually have when it comes to the designs or whether they just have a look at them and kind of give them the tick. Uh do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Yeah, well, I can only speak for myself, and for instance, I have um my label with uh a tailor Louis Copeland, it's called you know DKXLC, Darren Kennedy and Louis Copeland, and we launched their sixth collection this May. Um, and for me that was very much uh driven for be by me. It was very much kind of a passion project in the sense that I've always been quite interested in design, but I had no training or background in that area. Um I had met Louis, who's probably you know the most synonymous tailored this side of the Irish Sea. He's dressed everyone from you know Bill Clinton, Brad Pitt, and everyone in between. Um and you know, Connor McGregor wears a lot of his suits. Fans of MMA will be familiar with it.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

Oh, that's interesting, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

And I approached Louis, I I I first met him actually when I was 19, uh, and I interviewed him for my radio show, and I've kept in touch with him. And about uh four years ago, I approached him and said, Louis, you know, I really want to design a collection and I want to work with someone I trust and who's obviously the best at what they do. And um unbeknownst to me, he had been approached a lot of like they're in business over a hundred years, you know, it's a generational, um a generational business, and they've been approached there he goes, now there's they've been approached lots over the years and they've never done it. And for some reason he took a punt on me, and and you know, I have to hand it to him because it's been it's been a massive learning curve for me, but also they've really let me do what I want, um, which is very key. So, you know, I'm I get the greatest satisfaction from projects that I'm very much involved in. So each season I mood board the collection, then the fabric search and literally involved in in every element. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm always you know, I I call on their expertise when it comes to tailoring because they know that better than I do, but I know how I want it to fit, how I want it to look. And I guess kind of in terms of the vibe, the overall vibe, the overall uh colour palettes, that type of thing, they they will always take my my lead on that. And don't get me wrong, sometimes we you know we come to loggerheads, but we always resolve it, it's always very amicable, and that's how I think you create the best possible product.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

Yeah, well, I guess you've you can't always agree with each other all the time, you've got to kind of poke each other and challenge each other in the right areas, I guess, and then have to compromise.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 9:02

Exactly. Um so do you uh I I noticed I researched you fastidiously for five minutes before we jumped online. Um and you I I noticed you got the style icon uh for Ireland, is it in the 2013? Yes. So what's been going on between 2013 and 2016? Uh have you had any more accolades or have you kind of just dropped off the pace a little?

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Well, no, interestingly, what actually that's an interesting question. So the awards you're talking about are referencing are the VIP style awards, which are, I guess, you know, they're the most influential and prestigious style awards in this country. Um, and I, yeah, as you said, I was uh crowned most stylish man in Ireland in 2013, and since then I've actually hosted the event, so it's a a big fancy glitzy night that takes place, and I've hosted it. So as former winner and host, I'm not eligible to be. Yeah, so I'm at the helm of that age year. So I think the year after me, Connor McGregor was named most stylish man in Ireland, and then uh this year, I can't even remember, it's not terrible, but this year I think it was Nikki Byrne. Oh, really? Of Westlife fame, yeah. So it's it's an interesting award. But like I've been since then, I mean, kind of just building up my own business, and you know, like you said, the the collection, the tailoring collection with Louis Copeland. Um, I do a lot of live hosting and I'm involved in various different TV shows, and then I I also work with Specsavers. So I've worked with Spec Savers as an ambassador for a number of years, and in that role, I would do you know, a lot of I guess styling sessions, hosting awards ceremonies and whatnot. And this year we've taken it to the next level where I've now got uh Darren Kennedy recommends range, which is in stores uh right across the country, and it's essentially my edit of uh my favourite frames and spec savers. So hopefully we'll continue to develop to develop that, and one day I'd like to um you know design my own range.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Darren Kennedy there. And if you want to find out a little bit more about Darren, head over to his website at DarrenKennedyOfficial.com. Okay, switching gears slightly now, we're gonna have a word with Joshua Kane about his latest runway collection. Joshua Kane is London's definitive Neo Dandy Taylor. His bespoke suits and ready-to-wear line and accessories are all designed, tailored, woven, and manufactured in England. Joshua has cut his teeth at some of Britain's most respected menswear houses, Portsmith and Burberry being amongst them. So without any further ado, welcome Joshua Kane to the Menswear Style Podcast. Thank you for having me. No, nice pleasure to have you on. Um you can check out Joshua Kane at Joshua Kane Bespoke.com. That's Kane with OK. Check out all of his wonderful collections there. So, um Joshua, please tell me about the recent Spring Summer 17 collection and what you're looking to achieve from the outset when you started designing the collection.

SPEAKER_06 11:59

Wow, what a question. Um what are we looking to achieve? I think the collection is uh, as you may have seen, is the biggest collection I've ever done. We ended up with 43 looks uh opposed to last season's 35. So it's definitely, definitely grown. The shows are kind of getting bigger, um, fingers crossed, more flamboyant, um and a bit more dramatic uh in the way that they're designed. We included women's wear for the first time this season, uh, which is really exciting for me. Uh, I think we had six women's looks in there as well. So that's uh I had my first dress or two dresses in there, with kind of a very subtle nod to a little bit more of what we'll be doing in the future. It was somewhat of a somber introduction to women's wear, but that's kind of how I wanted it to be uh to reflect the beginning of my, you know, how I started the men's collection uh uh so many years ago. But um yeah, it was it was also probably the most diverse collection I've ever done as well. A lot of people have said it was the the most commercial, but I I still disagree because it was bigger, it had uh more peaks and troughs from a really sartorial, elegant start with beautiful um uh mohair colours that were completely unique to us on fabrics that I've designed, going on to these crazy uh studded leather, grainy leather biker jackets uh in the last section. So it was really a journey. The collection went from sort of sartorial Oscar Wilde to uh rebellious um with a with a tailored twist.

SPEAKER_02 13:33

I see interesting. So uh tell me a little bit, please, about um moving to Spittlefields Markets. So, how long have you been there and were there any other locations that were in the hat when you decided to move?

SPEAKER_06 13:44

Um we just had our second birthday here, and that's an interesting one because it's a point of on all of my to-do lists at the moment, is the shop and you know the flagship here, reviewing two years worth of ups and downs um of what we've been doing. Um it was the first location I ever I ever looked at. It's strategically somewhere that uh I'm fond to, it's near where I live. Uh I see it, saw it as a very growing up-and-coming area that I think is really interesting to be a part of. Um, and also I think two years ago, um, you know, I was in my bedroom designing tailoring and making one-off suits. In two years, we're we're at a completely different end of the spectrum. We've got, you know, a men's collection, women's collection, shoes, accessories, jewelry, socks. We've got this this international brand now that we didn't have two years ago, dressing some of Hollywood's fabulous A lists and here, there, and everyone in between. And now I'm I'm sort of faced with the choice of that our our somewhat humble surroundings in Spitlerfields, as much as I love them, are they necessarily the right place for us moving forward? Um we've outgrown the shop tenfold since we introduced women's where the design studio that's below has also been um completely outgrown. So we're sort of at a place where do we keep it, do we take a second site, move the office away, do we get rid of the place altogether and do the same thing that we've done here is have everything all in one, but do uh you know a supersized version. All sort of points I'm dealing with at the moment.

SPEAKER_02 15:26

Right, okay. So um possibly another store.

SPEAKER_06 15:30

In the end of 2007, uh 16 and going into 17, let's put it like that.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

Excellent. Well, I look forward to seeing it. I mean, um I know just around the corner from you you've got uh Gresham Blake uh and he's got a store down in Brighton, and I couldn't help thinking that both of you being quite flamboyant and you know out there with your suits, that'd be a good home for you as well, somewhere down there, somewhere bohemian and Nazi.

SPEAKER_06 15:50

Yeah, Brighton, Brighton would be really cool. For me, I'm thinking um I've got my heart set much further afield. I'm thinking our our international um our international presence is what what I've been staring at for a long time. I mean our our customers from all over the globe fly in to see us. Um and that's still the case now. And they'll travel uh locally from England from everywhere. So I'm more thinking, where's the next shop? Is it actually indeed an international one?

SPEAKER_02 16:23

Well it sounds like we're gonna lose you, Joshua. Sounds like you're uh Yeah You know, you've only just you've only just arrived and now you're off.

SPEAKER_06 16:31

I'll always still keep based here. I'll keep A uh definitely stay based here, but I'm I'm just thinking I'm thinking the next steps after.

SPEAKER_02 16:39

Okay, great. Uh you you mentioned there that some Hollywood celebrities and perhaps other people of uh of the silver screen might be enjoying your suits right now. Do you have in your mind's eye a brand ambassador of someone that you think would look at ace in your suit that would be great in the catalogue?

SPEAKER_06 16:57

Yeah, I've been asked. I this is a question I always like to be asked, and you know what? The amount of times I've asked her, you would think I would just sit down and think of a bloody good answer, and I still haven't. I think I think my my truest and most honest answer is as much as I aspirationally love like dressing like big names of celebrities, the the the most aspirational and and heartfelt um feeling I get when I dress someone is is actually the the polar opposite. Someone I've grown up with is someone who's been a fan or followed for a long time, and then they've saved up their their money, and then they've chosen on their wedding day or whatever to come and see me, to be tailored by me. I think those are the characters, the individuals, the heart and the soul of the people that have got us to where we are. And I think and it's as much as I love the the big celebrities, that that's wonderful and amazing. It's incredibly aspirational. But it's it's it's the countless people I went to school with that have then re-heard about me and then come back to see me and rebuilt relationships. I think they're they're the characters that are the driving force behind the brand, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Yeah, yeah, definitely. It's much more of a romantic answer than just picking a name out of the hat, I guess.

SPEAKER_06 18:16

Yeah, definitely. I mean, I I know like the pe the people that they come and see me, some of the friends, you know, they've some have great jobs, some have fantastic jobs, some have, you know, jobs where they work their ass off and don't make you know in a fantastic amount of money. But the fact that is that they aspirationally want to buy into something that I've worked so hard to create and doesn't matter what it costs, you know, they've saved up for however long it's taken, and sort of and and will cherish that piece of tailoring, as I said, whether it be for their wedding or their their brother's wedding or what have you, you know. That they want to aspirationally buy into that tailoring, and I love that. You know, because that was me uh um growing up as well, wanting to buy tailoring and and looking at other brands before uh I started this and and saving up my money to to go and buy something because I was buying into something.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

And with in regards to other brands, do you look over your shoulder to see what your contemporaries and competitors do? Is there influences that you have regards to tailoring and designs?

SPEAKER_06 19:15

Um not no, I I I would say I don't have any influences whatsoever, and that might be a bit cliche or a bit uh expected to be said, but I think uh I have been fortunate to work at some uh some huge brands um uh for for 10 years of my career, and and you see a lot of things, um, and you you know enough to kind of know what you like. And and and and once you know what you like and and how I want to do something, and to put this into perspective, I could send you photos of my graduate collection from Kingston University, and you could put it next to pictures of the collection I've just done. And honestly, I was shocked to see the similarities. So I think I think it basically says Um my collection is is just an evolution on top of it of one another, and it's not really about looking at what other people are doing and say, oh wow, it's all about military jackets because Kim Kardashian's worn one for uh Balenciaga or whatever. It's it's actually about finding the things that have inspired you and then continuing to push that into the realms of your own collection.

SPEAKER_02 20:26

Yeah, yeah, I suppose so. I mean it's it's great that you've um you've always stuck to your roots in that way, that you've always had something to fall back on with you.

SPEAKER_06 20:35

Definitely. I was actually sort of slightly concerned my graduate collection may actually have been better than the one I've Oh no, you've peaked already.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

Yeah don't tell anyone, don't you? Yeah, just lock up them photos and no one will ever know. Um cool. All right, thanks, uh Joshua. I'm I'm probably gonna have to wrap this up because I'm gonna need to catch a train to um coming to London actually. So uh Oh, fantastic. There's a show on tonight. But uh before I go, I ask this question. I've been asking this question a lot. But I'm quite intrigued. Two things really just kind of like the morning routine and what you get up to and you you know, just the first steps you have out of bed. Is it like, right, I've got to now cut this, or I've you're straight into work, or yeah, that and also your mates in your social circle, do they all ask for discounts and mates rates?

SPEAKER_04 21:25

Oh, that is the best question I've probably ever been asked in any interview.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

Great.

SPEAKER_06 21:32

Let's start with the first one. Um morning routine is um is a bit of a crazy one. Uh my house is like about 12 minutes run away from the shop. So I get up, change. Um, up until about a month ago, I was skateboarding in and out of uh work every day for probably the last two years. I'm an avid skateboarder. I had a really bad Fall and decided to take two months off. I nearly killed myself under a car in the road because I was skateboarding tired in the rain, which is incredibly reckless of me, and uh managed to scar all of my left arm and some of my leg. So I certainly haven't retired because I love it, but I thought I'll just take some time out and certainly not push myself. So running the journey instead is a slightly safer option because I can stop a bit quicker.

SPEAKER_03 22:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 22:26

So running in and out of work, getting to work, uh freshening up, changing, putting a suit on, and then uh going straight into meetings with the team.

SPEAKER_03 22:35

Good.

SPEAKER_06 22:35

And that that could be anything from media to cutting to uh reviewing someone wore something the night before. Um, you know, did we capture it? Uh have we got some um some good uh photos and things from that? Uh working with uh on the on the diary for the day, and the diary is an absolute um there's no consistency whatsoever. A mixture of private appointments on top of uh business uh relationship meetings, you know, talking about future projects, future collaborations. We have a lot of meetings in and around those sorts of things. Uh in the last six months, I've probably had more meetings with my film and digital team than ever before. Uh there are a really fantastic group of guys that um uh chat called Sky and Massimo and Fabio that we've been working with. They're sort of uh they're contracted here for on projects, but we've just been uh since the film that uh I directed with them, it's we've just been working and coming up with some really great ideas. And the digital aspects really inspires me. So it's something that I love to push, you know, from social, from the online store. So that's kind of a watch this space thing as well, with with more and more things coming up. I really want to shoot a full feature film after the four and a half minute one that we've done. I kind of got the taste for it now and want to uh want to see where we can run with it.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

I saw that. I thought that was um I thought that was really good. Uh thank you. Sorry, really good. That's just the worst compliment you'll ever receive. It was really good and it was in focus. Uh congratulations.

SPEAKER_05 24:06

Yeah, it was in focus and the light was off and people like moved and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 24:10

No, I thought I I thought it was very um it was actually beautifully shot uh and it looked really crisp. Uh it kind of had the elements of like uh I remember the simple man, was it a simple man with Colin Ferf? I think that was done by the ship.

SPEAKER_06 24:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I I know what you're saying. There was an element of sort of uber meticulousness applied to the shots, the styling, uh the lighting. Everything was like scripted and storyboard of an inch of its life. Um because I just had a real exact way of how I wanted to capture it. But I think I think hopefully that won't be like my whole graduate collection scenario in in uh 11 years' time. I certainly can't make anything that's better than the first one.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Again, yeah, don't peek too soon. Yeah. Okay, what about mates rates? What do they ask you for?

SPEAKER_06 24:55

It it it it's a difficult one. I mean yeah, I would be lying if I said that the people I've grown up with for you know, since I was like 10, 12 years old, I haven't uh occasionally been like, well, you know, that time you actually saved me from the bully at school. Here's a little bit of discount. Thanks for having my back back in the day. But that's there's there's definitely an element of really, really close people to me that I've I've uh I've extended uh uh a lovely thank you. Let's put it like that. I guess you figure out who your mates are, because I always kind of think you you I know exactly you your mates are the ones that never asked for it.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I mean you would just in fact I've I've got friends in cloth in the clothing industry. In fact, I've I ran an independent clothes shop and they would often say, Oh I'll knock that price off of you. I'll be like, No, keep the wedge. I need I know you need to make your money, so don't worry about it. I'm not here for the discount.

SPEAKER_06 25:48

But yeah, and you know what? I think I think one one thing I want to say there's there's there's a handful of big name celebrities that have done exactly what you just said, and it and it really and it was really charming and really wonderful to see that they've chosen to come and shop with me, they've taken time out, they love what I'm doing, and they're happy to support me. They never ask for discount, they just want to be part of the part of the family, and and I think that's like probably like one of the most warming things when you when you see someone who could probably go and get gifted X, Y, and Z here, there, and everywhere. Um would much rather choose and come and uh and pay their their hard-earned money to to wear my tailoring.

SPEAKER_02 26:29

Joshua Kane there. And if you want to check out some of Joshua's collections, they're over at JoshuaKane with a kbespoke.com. That's joshuacainbespoke.com. Okay, now a word with our fashion editor, Andre Letebaudier. It's over to you, Andre Letebaudier. Okay, so on the line now we have Andre, fashion editor for Men's Wear Style. Hello, Andre.

SPEAKER_08 26:54

Hi, Peter. Thanks for having me yet again.

SPEAKER_02 26:56

Oh no, you're welcome. Uh did I get your name close? Was it close? Yeah, no, you got it this week. Oh, fantastic. Okay, great. I'm pleased. Well, a hundredth times the charm is what they say. So uh I've just uh got off the blower to Joshua Kane um speaking to him about his latest collection, and he told me about his latest women's collection, which I thought looked really interesting actually. So um, what do you think of his collection?

SPEAKER_08 27:24

I absolutely love it. Um I really like Joshua Kane as a designer. I think he has a really strong point of view, and he kind of reminds me a bit of Sarah Tom Baker, like a little like a little bit, but he I I still think he does have his own point of view and his own style. So you could really um pick out a suit made by him um from a line up, definitely. And I'm really, really, really pleased that he's decided to go into women's wear as well. Um, just because some of his clothing, his prints, you know, his use of kind of proportions and tailoring and his accessories um are spot on and are worn by women anyway. So this was just a nice natural progression.

SPEAKER_02 28:05

And it's a it's a modest collection, like it's a capsule collection, but I think it's just about the right amount. So he hasn't overdone it, he hasn't overloaded the the he hasn't tried to mirror the guys and the girls, for example.

SPEAKER_08 28:17

So I don't think there's a point in that. I mean, I think a heavily edited collection is going to really work in his favour. Um, and it's strong. Each piece is its own, and I think it's going to appeal to the type of women who like wearing suits because you know they're really flattering cuts. It's nothing that even has a whiff of you know the 90s power suit or the even worse, the 80s power suit that has been plaguing, you know, women's wear for well decades really. Um I I love his point of view, actually. So it's a 10 out of 10, definitely.

SPEAKER_02 28:52

Excellent. Yeah, I mean the uh looking at it, I think the Olivia Free Taylor Silk Jack-I jacket is perhaps a standout piece for me. What can you see yourself wearing if you had to pick out a piece?

SPEAKER_08 29:02

Oh, absolutely. I love tailoring anyway. Um, I've got quite kind of broad shoulders, so I tend to like things that really accentuate my my shape. Um, so any sort of tailored jacket would be just I'm spot on. I I quite like, I think I'd go for the Devonshire actually. Kind of a through piece dinner suit and just go all out. Um I think if he can cut a waistcoat for a woman, then I'm sold. 100%.

SPEAKER_02 29:31

You look like a female James Bond in that, Andre.

SPEAKER_08 29:34

Oh my gosh, if only.

SPEAKER_02 29:37

Andre Letabodier there. And you can follow Andre on Twitter at Miss Andre L. And now we're gonna have a word with the founder of design-led brand Serge Denim, Oliver Proudlock. Serge Denim, with a silent S is a design-led brand providing exclusive seasonal collections of urban apparel and accessories of premium quality. So, without any further ado, welcome to the podcast Oliver Proudlock, um, owner of Serge Denim's and Oliver. Oh crap, sorry man.

SPEAKER_07 30:10

Dude, don't be telling you, no, very few people uh pronounce it right. I I I hear Serge Denimes, Serge Denims, um, but no, it it is Serge Denim, like Nim in France.

SPEAKER_02 30:21

Well, I got Serge right, so uh You got Serge right, right? That's all that matters. I'll uh I'll do some crafty editing in the uh in post. No worries, man.

SPEAKER_07 30:29

All good, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 30:30

Cool. So uh tell me a little bit about your brand, please. Um, how it started, how you got involved, and how long it's been going.

SPEAKER_07 30:35

Absolutely, so I can't believe it, but we just had our fifth uh birthday on the first of June. Um so I started the brand. Yeah, we launched on the first of June 2005. Um my background, I actually studied in fine art, so I studied in painting. Um, but I was brought up with my mum who's super creative, she was a designer, photographer. Um and so throughout all my early years I was, you know, very much around fashion and and art and and just in a very creative hub. Um, so for me, since I was very young, you know, fashion and art were my two sort of passions in life. Um, but you know, I uh being at school, I I focused a lot more on art and painting, and then I went to university after doing a sort of foundation at St. Martin's because I wasn't sure at that point when I left school whether I wanted to do fashion or do art. So, you know, I went to do a foundation at St. Martin's, and at that stage I was like, look, I really want to pursue painting. Um, so I went up to Newcastle four years, did a uh fine arts degree there, and then when I came back to London, that's when I sort of realized that I knew I wanted to continue being creative, but I wanted to kind of go in a slightly different direction. Um, and that's when I kind of I set up the brand. Um, and for me, I wanted to start with a product that I was familiar with. T-shirts was something that I'd always done during my exhibitions. I used to print some of my artworks on t-shirts, and I wanted to start the brand with with you know a very small, limited you know, range of t-shirts. We did about eight, um, and I teamed up with my mum, um, who's a photographer at the time, and she did a book on Rio Carnival. So we did these sort of graphic t-shirts. It was at that time when it was you know a big trend to do you know loud kind of graphic t-shirts, yeah. Um, but you know, the concept of the brand itself, you know, I called it Serge Denim because ever since I was young, I was always kind of surrounded by denim. My mum, she had a uh business called Denim in Style. Um, and for me, when when I think of fashion, a lot of the time the first thing that comes to mind is denim because even my house, for instance, when I was growing up was covered in denim. So I mean my bedroom, all the wallpaper was denim, my bed wall was denim. I mean, every it was just denim crazy to be honest. Um, so I was kind of dressed in double denim from from a very early age. Um, and so I was you know hoping that as I developed the brand I would start experimenting with denim and slowly start bringing that into the brand. Um so I was looking at the origin and where denim came from, um, and she came from Nîmes in France, um, and the way the cotton is woven was coined Serge. Um so it was originally called Serge du Nîmes of Nîmes and then became Denim and then Denim.

SPEAKER_03 33:12

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_07 33:13

Um so for me I just thought you know it seems like you know the perfect uh the perfect start, the perfect name for my brand.

SPEAKER_03 33:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 33:20

Um so yeah, we started with just a small collection of t-shirts. Um and then over the last few years, you know, the brand has really grown and little details started coming in of the denim. You know, we're doing denim tape on the t-shirts, then we started doing accessories like caps and bags. Um, and throughout this whole process, I was sort of sort of evolving a sort of creative community within within the brand. It's it's not just a brand, it's also a lifestyle. Um and we were collaborating with young artists and and you know, um musicians, skaters, graffiti artists, whatever it might be. Um, and just that's what the brand is very much about. It's about being young, creative, and and you know, very passionate and following your dreams.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 34:00

Um, and then now, you know, five years on, um uh, you know, the the the product range is massively increased. Um we just opened up a store in Common Garden. Um we're stocked in sort of 28 stores here in the UK, and yeah, just just building it as each season goes, you know, building the the product range and slowly, slowly bringing in more and more denim, and eventually this autumn winter 16 we're gonna bring bring in out our um first range of jeans, which is super exciting for it.

SPEAKER_02 34:28

Oh brilliant. So the empire is building exponentially. Slowly, yeah. Yeah. How many pairs of jeans would you say you own now? And perhaps how many pairs of jeans would you think you could have owned if, like me, you hadn't messed around with your jeans when you were younger, like putting rips and then trying to bleach them and stuff like that? Because I reckon I would have probably totaled up over 50 pairs of jeans now, but had not of them.

SPEAKER_07 34:52

I'm glad you've asked me that that now, actually, because had you asked me a few days ago, the number would be a lot bigger. I actually just did a huge clear out of my wardrobe. Uh just because me and my girlfriend have moved into a place and and she's got a lot of clothes, I got a lot of clothes, and we're basically just just really lacking any storage. So we um we both decided we needed a clear out, so I did clear out a vast amount of my clothes. Um but yeah, I reckon like a hundred, maybe.

SPEAKER_02 35:19

Well that's manageable. I mean, uh I know that I think the guy from Religion has about over is it 400 pairs of jeans. So that I mean he can't even wear a pair of jeans a day. So I think when you get past that limit.

SPEAKER_07 35:31

I mean, that's a hundred I'm talking a hundred now after my clear out, so I mean I'm sure about before the clear out. Um but uh but yeah, even when I was a kid, you know, I what I what I used to love doing, I used to go to Oxfam and used to go to a lot of charity stores. I used to buy, you know, kind of old Levi's or or Lee jeans or Wranglers or whatever it might be, and I used to kind of like you say, customize them and sort of cut them up, splatter them with paint. I used to kind of sew certain things, materials like patches and things like that. Um so for me, yeah, I I used to love kind of customising my jeans, and I still do.

SPEAKER_02 36:03

Yeah, uh so tell me a little bit about the gene range that's coming out. Are they a particular style? Are they skinny?

SPEAKER_07 36:09

We're starting, you know. I wanna I don't want to go too crazy. G it's so tricky, Denham, you know, because people people are very particular when they when it comes to buying jeans, you know. I think um they're very brand loyal. Um and you know, it's very important when it comes to jeans that you've got the right fit, then you've got the kind of material itself, how much elastine or how much stretch people want in it. Um, and when people do find their perfect fit of jean, they tend to stick to it and just kind of buy you know different washes and styles as it goes on with the seasons. So I didn't want to go too crazy. So we're just doing three um we're just doing three styles, um, three washes, sorry. Um it's actually just one cut, it's not a super skinny, it's it's it's like a slim. Um and we're doing a kind of light wash distressed gene. Um and then we're doing a sort of more indigo, a little bit of um washing and fade, but no kind of distressing or anything like that. And then we're just doing quite a nice clean um uh black wash gene as well. Okay, so so three different washes, um, and sort of variations in terms of distressed and things like that.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

Excellent. Okay, so a bit of range. What kind of prices are we looking at for the for the I mean price price point not crazy at all.

SPEAKER_07 37:18

I mean it's gonna be uh it's gonna be around between the 65 and 70 mark.

SPEAKER_02 37:23

Oh, okay. Well that's pretty that's pretty reasonable. I mean um a lot of other brands. I used to run an independent fashion shop and the jeans would often start at that price anyway, and then just kind of go go through the roof.

SPEAKER_07 37:35

Oh man, you have some yeah, I mean obviously you have some brands which which charge you know up to kind of five, six hundred pounds, but then also you know, you go on the the high street nowadays. I mean, some of these places you can get jeans for I mean, I don't know how they do it. I mean that the quality is not great. Um you know they're selling jeans for like 30 pounds, um, which is which is pretty insane. But no, we're gonna be in that sort of midpoint. It's like an you know, it's an affordable, affordable premium.

SPEAKER_02 37:59

So I'm just having a look through your site, Oliver, uh for your lookbook. Looks pretty good. Um, so how how easy is it to be your own ambassador? And do you kind of thank God every day for being easy on the eye, you know, doubling down in God's casino, getting the looks, the skills, and just going, Do you know what? I can just wear all this myself, it's fine. We don't we don't need to pay anyone else to do this.

SPEAKER_07 38:22

I don't know about that, mate. I mean, no, I you know, obviously, um it's funny when when when a lot of people talk about sort of setting up their brand and why they do it, and some you know, some people say, Oh, it's you know, just so I can wear the stuff that I love to wear or whatever it might be. And obviously the brand is very much a reflection of me and my style. So, you know, all the stuff on there I would wear and I I do. Um, but in terms of me sort of being a face of the brand as it might be, I mean, people are very much aware that I'm behind the brand and it's my brand, but at the same time, I want it to stand alone. So if you do look on the site, there's actually no images of me on there. Um so obviously, you know, over my social and various things like that, you know, on my star blog I do sort of collaborations with Serge and I I do kind of push it out there. But for me, I very much want to collaborate with other young creatives, you know, and get them wearing the brand and put them on the site as it were.

SPEAKER_02 39:15

Great, cool. Um, and if they want to go to the website, it's surgedenems.com.

SPEAKER_07 39:19

Serge Denems. Amazing, Peter. Thank you so much, brother.

SPEAKER_02 39:22

I'll have a proud look there. And lastly, to finish, we have a word with our man behind the jingles and fashion insider, Rob Jones. It's over to you, Rob Jones.

SPEAKER_00 39:33

Legend.

SPEAKER_02 39:35

On the line now we have Rob Jones, Fashion Insider, who's modelled for Lacoste ASOS and River Island. How are we doing, Rob? Very good, mate. Yourself? Yes, very good. Thanks for taking the time out to talk to me today.

SPEAKER_00 39:46

No problem, mate.

SPEAKER_02 39:47

No problem at all. So I've just got off the blower to Oliver Proudlock there, his uh range and label is Serge Denim. That's right, yeah. So uh what do you make of it? Have you had a chance to have a look at the range?

SPEAKER_00 39:59

Yeah, I I I've been aware of him for a little while, actually. Um I've had a look a good look, I've always got my eye out, and uh he he seems to be quite ahead of the curve, really. I mean it is I'd say it leans more towards the urban guy, uh for sure. Um it's not yet everyman, but um, you know, that's what fashion's all about. Sometimes it's about surprising people. But I I'd say he's got a kind of common look, but with a urban twist. So it you don't need to be too brave to wear it, if that makes sense. Like, but it is geared towards the younger man and the the more edgier urban guy, that's for sure. There's nothing too crazy in there. There's there's no one walking down the catwalk with a pineapple on their head and a bicycle wheel or something like that. You know, that's just stupid, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 40:50

But but I am writing those ideas down now, so that's not a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

Yeah, in the future. I'm all I'm all for it, but let's face it, you know, when there's something crap in the tape modern, it's because it's crap, but it's not that. But anyway, um, yeah, he's so his stuff's quite accessible for for most people, and uh yeah, it's it's some decent stuff. He's got some good uh video stuff together, it's quite um an appealing site.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

I think I think the site's incredible, yeah. It's just very very accessible.

SPEAKER_00 41:17

Um that's half of it now, like you know, you when you're online you get ten seconds to impress, and if it looks naff, you move on, don't you? So it's not just all about going into the clothes shops anymore. Um moving on ourselves.

SPEAKER_02 41:28

So have you had a chance to check out Joshua Kane's new collection?

SPEAKER_00 41:33

Yeah, um being quite a fan of Joshua Kane as well. Um everyone loves a suit, to be honest, don't they? Everyone looks good in a suit, and especially when it's a really good one. Um the great thing about his suits are they are I mean, the way he markets is very I don't use the word hipster because that's the wrong word, but like it is very bespoke, very niche, you know, like it it it at first appearance might scare away a few customers, but if you take away the uh the uh the pizzazz away from it now, they're just brilliant suits, you know, and whoever's wearing them like they're gonna look sharp.

SPEAKER_02 42:10

Yeah, yeah, really uh on point, flamboyant and Craigy. This has been a a real podcast for dogs in the background.

SPEAKER_00 42:18

Yeah, yeah, like a big free little uh two hours here. Well, this is uh sausage egg and chips, if you want their names.

SPEAKER_02 42:25

Oh, sweet, nice.

SPEAKER_00 42:26

Yeah, very fashionable little dogs.

SPEAKER_02 42:28

And if they have kids, will uh be HP and ketchup and all that?

SPEAKER_00 42:31

Well, I think the neck the next steps to get uh a micro pig, uh so that will be ham. Um or black pudding, maybe. Could be. Could be. But yeah, we might might be going a little off topic now. Right, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 42:43

Anyway, no, nice one, mate. Cheers. Uh well that's uh I think that should do it for now. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 42:47

No, yeah, definitely check out both brands. Uh they're they're super cool, and uh, like I said, you know, certain things it's just about being brave enough to go for it and not be afraid, you know. So if you if you think that there's uh a bit of branding or styling that's not for you, then try and look past the kind of PR side of it and just get yourself some nice clubber.

SPEAKER_02 43:05

What are you wearing at this moment in time, Bobby?

SPEAKER_00 43:08

Well, right now I've got a few River Island bits on, but uh I've just been chilling out watching robot wars, to be honest. I've got a hoodie on and I haven't done the air.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

Perfect, perfect model slum day. Great. Love it. Okay, mate, I'll catch you up with you soon. Alright, load it beside it. Take it easy. Bye bye. Bye. Rob Jones there. Well that about wraps it up for this week's edition of the Menswear Style Podcast. If you want to head over to the website, it's menswear style.co.uk. Follow us on Twitter at menswear style and on Instagram at menswear style. So until next week, any final thoughts, uh Roger?

SPEAKER_04 43:44

Call me James. It's five days to Alaska, huh?