- By
- Joshua Glass
- Photography by
- Andrew Vowles
Styling by Jason Hughes. Hair by Mari Ohashi at LGA. Makeup by Thom Walker. Model: Ross Stechman at Supa Model Management. Photographer’s assistants: Mark Simpson, Freddy Lee, and Stephen Smith. Stylist’s assistants: Roberta Pinna and Fabiola Bonnet. Hairstylist’s assistant: Pablo Kumein. Makeup artist’s assistant: Rachel Shram. Set design by Thomas Bird. Casting by Liz Goldson at AM Casting. Production by Ella Moore at Rosco Production.
ALEX MULLINS
There is a certain science to Alex Mullins. Not a particular rubric, no—not to say that the young fashion designer works outside of technicalities; the raw finished construction that he has become known for would likely say otherwise—nor studied formula, but rather an inquisitive practice that questions both social and material ideas. “My brand is very human and I experiment and follow my gut to whatever feels right,” he admits. In fact, in another life, Mullins might have become a surgeon, reflecting on a childhood spent sketching bodies with appendages replaced, or perhaps even an inventor: “I really liked taking apart broken—and sometimes not broken—electrical equipment to see if I could make new products out of them.”
Instead of one discipline or another, Mullins effectively chose both, reckoning this desire to rethink with the need to wholly create in fashion. Originally from South London, he earned two degrees at notorious institutions Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, his bachelor’s and master’s respectively, before designing at a roster of fashion houses that ranged from Alexander McQueen to Jeremy Scott. These experiences as a whole offered exploration—creativity with no rules—foiled by practical realities—a gravity necessary for real-world growth— that the designer would truly realize only a few short years later after establishing his namesake line.
“I was working and also trying to start my own brand. Splitting my time, I felt like I couldn’t get the ball rolling quick enough,” he recalls. “It was difficult to really build the foundations and essence of my brand. It was whilst on holiday on a tiny island in Greece that I felt strong enough to go at it alone and take the risk. The day after I got back, my first intern started and I began full time.”
Established in the spring of 2013, Mullins’s label quietly subverts cult genres—from sullen American trailer parks to overexposed Brit Pop—in handmade creations that seem to offer their own unique narratives alone rather than falling into the homogeneity of each’s seasonal line. There are in fact through lines, of course, but the impression from Mullins’s works—say a Technicolor-printed trench coat made in collaboration with Hazel Gaskin for Fall 2016—are many times visceral enough all on their own.
That idea is perhaps most recognizable in Mullins’s most recent collection for Spring 2017, a baggy breath of fresh air that approaches garments as, well, themselves. “In a time where a lot of brands are so heavily styled—and almost rely on that—I wanted it to feel about the clothes with a really tight edit,” the designer explains. “I wanted it to feel pure. I like my clothes to feel easy, obvious, and immediate.” Comprised of melted knits, floor-length denims, and cut-and-pasted outerwear, the artistry recalls a tension between do-it-yourself craftsmanship and articulated design. “It feels pure and calm, but also chaotic and brutal,” agrees Mullins, who cites internet culture as a point of study.“It’s this balance which I think is so key within my work. The internet holds a silent kind of confidence and power.” Like any good scientist or researcher, it’s this kind of cultural surveying that keeps Mullins’s wandering mind moving forward.
Take a look at our full portfolio of London’s new menswear scene, including Daniel W. Fletcher and Rory Parnell Mooney.
- By
- Joshua Glass
- Photography by
- Andrew Vowles
Styling by Jason Hughes. Hair by Mari Ohashi at LGA. Makeup by Thom Walker. Model: Ross Stechman at Supa Model Management. Photographer’s assistants: Mark Simpson, Freddy Lee, and Stephen Smith. Stylist’s assistants: Roberta Pinna and Fabiola Bonnet. Hairstylist’s assistant: Pablo Kumein. Makeup artist’s assistant: Rachel Shram. Set design by Thomas Bird. Casting by Liz Goldson at AM Casting. Production by Ella Moore at Rosco Production.
