I do some work for an independent creative studio that offers a number of services within the fashion sector and through this I get to do some pretty cool stuff. As well as writing editorial pieces and carrying out blog work, I also get the chance to fire across questions at some of the most established names in contemporary style and menswear on behalf of the likes of Hip Leeds - which is sound.
As you can probably imagine, It was ace to be given the opportunity to do just that with Angelo from Engineered Garments.
I sometimes tend to find that online interviews can be very samey and you can read several that are pretty much the same with generic questions being asked and generic answers being given, so being wary of this I didn't want to come across as such and have tried to ask a few things that I've not really seen around before.
All told for a quick Q/A session there are definitely some good answers and insights to be read and is probably worth five minutes browsing time while you're on you're daily surf - but I'll leave that up to you to decide.
The full interview will be live on the Hip Store in the next couple of days, but for now, here's an insight into one of the most modest yet masterful names in modern menswear... Engineered Garments.
This S/S sees another fine selection offered up from Engineered Garments. Along with the obvious elements of classic outdoor and military references what other inspirations have found their way into this season’s collection?
Its usually things that are in the “American Sportswear” world but this time around there was a strong feel for Preppy - (Ivy League Style) and classic resort fashion from the 50’s.
Apart from the references made to the aesthetics of outdoor and military clothing, what other elements do you factor into the thought process when creating an Engineered Garments collection?
Functionality is a big thing for me but more importantly taking old ideas and making them function today. Really looking at older sportswear details and incorporating them in a subtle way without making it feel dated or vintage.
In your opinion, do you feel that the clothing you produce appeals to a specific type of customer base and if so, could you perhaps describe it for us?
I don’t feel that it really appeals to one type of person, especially now, having the shop here in NY, you really see so many different types of guys, its really amazing.
Last S/S we saw garments such as the much loved floral ground jacket make an appearance, which was a nice touch for the summer months. When designing a collection how much attention is paid to seasonal trends?
There are no trends I follow, if anything I try not to follow trends, for instance this coming fall winter I did the same type of florals for outerwear.
Being New York based, do you think your immediate surroundings and environment have an impact on the way you create an Engineered Garments collection?
Yes they do in direct and indirect ways, you never know what it will be from an apron you see on a worker to a graphic you see on the street, NY just has a real accidental creative energy.
One of our favourite pieces from the S/S collection is the shooting jacket; that classic rustic outdoor country detailing will no doubt hold great appeal to many here in the UK. Being based in New York, what is your take on British style and why do you think your clothing holds such appeal here?
American Classic style is rooted in British style, I personally love it. Americans just twist it around and make it there own.
Do you think there are noticeable differences between American and British style, or do you feel that there’s a universal look that’s predominant in relation to the type of clothing that you produce
I cant really comment to much on British style now because I don’t see it too often but in general it seems like there is more of a desire to be an individual.
If you were to pick a single garment from the S/S collection that exemplifies the ethos of Engineered Garments best, what would you chose and why?
Its too hard for me too choose, I like them all but in general there is always a sport blazer of sorts a parka, outerwear is always our strong suit but there is always different elements that are just jumbled from familiar elements of American Sportswear, or America’s take on sportswear.
From a personal point of view, what does Engineered Garments mean to you and how does it communicate this through its collections?
EG is just my take on modern sportswear, nothing like other imaginative conceptual fashion but something more grounded and referential to my experiences with clothing.
A big thank you to Angelo from EG for taking the time out to answer when I'm sure he's busy working on future collections.
No comments:
Post a Comment