October 22, 2012
London's Brightest Emerging Menswear Talents Awarded
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 3 MIN.
LONDON, England - Eight of London's brightest emerging menswear talents will receive support from BFC NEWGEN MEN sponsored by TOPMAN, to show at London Collections: Men in January 2013. The winners include William Richard Green, Exhibition winner.
NEWGEN MEN began in September 2009 and has been instrumental in raising the profile of emerging British menswear designers.
"Following the success of the inaugural London Collections: Men, we're delighted to be announcing eight designers who'll be receiving support at the next showcase in January," said Caroline Rush, CEO British Fashion Council.
"The diversity of London's menswear is testament to the creativity and innovation demonstrated by these designers, with thanks going to TOPMAN for their on-going support of emerging talent and the NEWGEN MEN initiative."
Green trained on Savile Row and at David David; this juxtaposition of experience gave him an insight into craftsmanship and cut mixed with the light, playful nature of a graphics-based street wear label. In 2009, he earned a degree from Central Saint Martins.
About his collection, Green said, ""It will be based on a fictional story and each outfit will reflect a different character, through their personality and role in the story."
"Within that, I will be exploring menswear's relationship with pockets as well as masculinity and what it means to be British in the 21st Century. All of course sourced and manufactured within the UK."
According to Green, "My design is massively influenced by British culture. I look at what could be described as the 'anti-postcard' version of Britain."
"I try as much as possible to not look at fashion at all when in the design process. I work in music and although I don't take direct influence from a particular aesthetic, I'm certain I feel there is a connection between the two, despite my efforts to keep them separate."
"My collections seem to be getting more and more monotone and industrial as does my music production. I am fascinated by the world of architecture and its relationship to its surroundings so that it always features in some way."
About British menswear, Green said, "The UK has a lot of support for young designers, with schemes from the British Fashion Council and Fashion East."
"The look of British menswear seems to be a lot more varied than elsewhere, and it seems that British menswear designers are changing and influencing the look of menswear worldwide, largely, for the better."
Tim Blanks, Contributing Editor, Style.com and a member of the British Fashion Council's Menswear Committee, said "Each of [the winners] brings a very distinct aesthetic to mind, all radically different. But if I had to tease out a common thread, I'd say it was unconventionality. I know the very idea is a London clich�, but when you see the fully realised way that NEWGEN's winners challenge the ordinary, the clich� becomes something impressively intelligent and vital."
LINK: www.williamrichardgreen.com
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A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
