Simon Spurr is a genius. The quality and fit of his clothing are extraordinary. He uses a simplistic approach with great level of precision to create timeless product that is envied by many.
He has inspired the Grungy Gentleman on the difference between trend and style. Style has to be within yourself and one has to personalize it to make it your own. And WOAH does Simon Spurr have style!
Grungy Gentleman has the honor of sitting down with Simon Spurr below…
Grungy Gentleman: How has working at Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent helped shape you become the designer you are today?
Simon Spurr: Working at these houses has definitely molded me as a designer. YSL with Hedi Slimane, was more about completely disregarding trend and creating a unique point of view. It was the first opportunity where I also learned about the usage of fabric, working within a tight color palette, and to play with proportion. Working at CK was more about purity and minimalism. Taking away rather than adding. And RL taught me about the aesthetic consistency needed to establish a global brand. The repetition of the brand’s message enables a company to "own" certain looks. When you think of Purple Label you think of a pinstripe suit, and when thinking of Burberry you think of a trench coat, etc. I now have the opportunity to roll all of my experience into SIMON SPURR and create my own aesthetic.
GG: How would you describe the Simon Spurr brand as a whole?
SS: Simon Spurr uniquely stands alone from many other brands out there today. Essentially, the look is modern elegance. In addition to the design, I have concentrated heavily on the components that go into the product (fabric, trim, etc) and the way that the clothes are made. It's a brand that stands for excellence but is mindful of price. Aspirational but achievable.
GG: Your collection is impeccable. It is a personal favorite of the Grungy Gentleman. You pay such close attention to fit and it really shows when anybody is rocking a piece from Simon Spurr. Why do you place such great importance on fit and how do you accomplish it so flawlessly?
SS: Fit is something that all brands claim to labor over. But I have an obsession with it. To fit a garment properly, you have to understand how the garment is made. I still fit the entire collection on myself at the factories in Italy. The success of a garment does not solely rest in the design of the garment, but also the fit of the garment and the fabric that the garment is made from. If you get one of these components wrong then the final design can fail. This is why I like to work with the best factories, fabric mills, and let the clothes speak for themselves.
GG: Being born in Britain, there is naturally a lot of influence from your roots throughout your collection. Besides Britain, is there another country you are particularly fond of that you draw inspiration from? Where else did you get your inspiration for this upcoming fall collection?
SS: I knew that the launch of the SIMON SPURR label for A/W 2010 was going to be important for the brand and I wanted to make a very purposeful mark in American fashion week by bringing a very British sensibility. My initial inspiration (which always ends up being a loose interpretation) was the avant-garde tailoring of Tommy Nutter. He took the traditional suit normally associated with the British gentry and made it a fashionable piece, establishing himself as the go-to tailor for the rock and roll and Hollywood stars of the day. While much of the brands aesthetic is quintessentially British, I am always inspired by the places that I travel to. This is not always a direct inspiration but could simply influence the color palette of the season or the weight of the fabrics.
GG: It seems many designers go for shock value. However, you stick to the basics and use a clean and simplistic approach to create exceptional, timeless product. How have you been able to achieve such success with this method?
SS: Honestly, it's a much harder route to take. I think it's often much easier to generate press when you design with shock value in mind. Maybe this was something that I learned from Hedi. Follow your own path and never deviate. Much of the brands success has to be attributed to stores like BG and magazines like GQ, whom have supported the brand since day one. When you have such strong pillars of support like that, it definitely makes it easier. Ultimately, I produce a really well made and honestly priced product that speaks for itself. When competing against the other designer brands (that have millions of dollars to advertise), I have had to take smaller margins and offer a better-made product at a lower price. Let's face it, 9 out of 10 men would probably buy a Dior suit over a SIMON SPURR suit just because of brand name recognition. But I think those times are changing. The consumer is looking for something new and hopefully that's SIMON SPURR.
[What Makes a Good Shirt with Simon Spurr via Prepidemic Magazine]
[What Goes Into a Simon Spurr Suit via Prepidemic Magazine]
GG: How would you describe your own style?SS: Modern Vintage. I actually wear sort of a uniform every day. Of course I enjoy clothes. But sometimes the trusted jeans, white or black t-shirt, and a black suit jacket never fails. Before I started my own line, I'd love to mix designer with vintage. Dress down in a $7 vintage military jacket, but carry a Prada bag.
GG: For the fellas out there looking to upgrade their own style, who better to give them advice than you. Any tips for them?
SS: I think you just hit the nail on the head. I've always been more about Style than Fashion trend. But "style" is different for every guy. What works for me, might not work for someone else. Identifying your own style is the key factor. Preppy, hipster, classic, modern are all genres of style that people group within, but even if you fall into one of these categories, you need to personalize it. Be known for something, be consistent, but make sure you tweak your style every 6 months or so.
GG: Which other designers are you a fan of and why?
SS: I don't really follow too many other brands. I'm aware of them but never study any in detail. I do like Burberry and Bottega Venetta. I think that this comes back to the fact that both of these brands make menswear that men want to wear. There is tradition in the Burberry line but it is not traditional. There is also a high level of workmanship in both lines that I relate to.
[Simon Spurr and Anna Wintour]
GG: What is one piece that every man should have in his wardrobe?
SS: A vintage watch. Personalizing a look with a unique and one of a kind watch can transform the simplest look. You can also tell a lot about a man by his watch.
GG: How did it feel to be nominated in 2009 as a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award?
SS: The nomination served mainly as recognition from the industry that I was doing something right. Fashion, like art, is so subjective and to have the support of 2 great institutions was humbling and invigorating. In addition, I think the nomination also serves as a great opportunity to raise each brand’s profile and help promote brand/customer awareness. Win, lose, or draw it was a great privilege to be a part of.
GG: What is next for Simon Spurr?
SS: I feel like we haven't even really scratched the surface yet. Firstly, we are solidifying the SIMON SPURR and SPURR brands as separate collections with individual distribution. We are working hard on expanding product categories for Spring 2011 and will be opening a temporary retail store during fashion week. It will be underneath the Highline in conjunction with the HL23 building. This will showcase the SIMON SPURR A/W'10 collection but bring fashion, art, and architecture together under one roof. We are also pleased to be part of the new Kerastase Homme launch in the USA and UK. Kerastase came to me 8 months ago and asked me to design a dop kit, which is a GOP for the launch of their new men’s specific product.
[Looks from Simon Spurr's collections below...]
[Joe Jonas in Simon Spurr]
[Bradley Cooper in Simon Spurr]
[Giovanni Ribisi in Simon Spurr]
[Ed Westwick in Simon Spurr]
[Penn Badgley in Simon Spurr]
[Taylor Lautner in Simon Spurr]
[Simon Spurr Fall 2010 Runway Show]
[SPURR Spring 2010 Collection via StyleRumor.com]
[SPURR Spring 2010 Collection via StyleRumor.com]
[Looks from Simon Spurr's collections below...]
[Joe Jonas in Simon Spurr]
[Bradley Cooper in Simon Spurr]
[Giovanni Ribisi in Simon Spurr]
[Ed Westwick in Simon Spurr]
[Penn Badgley in Simon Spurr]
8 comments:
brilliant interview
you should work for a magazine and have a column, you're truly an amazing writer
This designer is very chic.
superb work
SIMON SPURR IS A LEGEND!!!!
woah this was major
LOVE SPURR
this captures so much
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