In the early 16th century, stories of knights and fairy tales were the equivalent of the tabloid press reporting on celebrities as a means of entertainment and storytelling. SOS’s brilliant ‘Britomart Resigns’ AW17 collection sees a re-imagined female hero, resigning from her job as saviour of the people. A frequent collaborator with up-and-coming stylist Lucy Up, the lookbook and collection are brilliantly shot and topped off with theatrical wigs and makeup. By using tabloid headlines and historic silhouettes, designer Steve Smith manages to successfully mix past references in a very current context. We asked the London creative some questions about his debut collection, his influences and 1960’s Saville Row.
What was your starting point for this collection?
I started looking at the English Reformation quite early on in the process. As another significant break from mainland Europe, I thought it would be an interesting period to contrast with the present. Researching the reformation is what led me to Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene, which was an epic poem commissioned by Elizabeth I as Protestant propaganda. It was through the poem that I discovered the character of Britomart, the Knight of Britain.
Who has been the most inspiring designer/artist for your work?
In terms of collection narrative, it would definitely be John Galliano’s early own label collections. I’ve also always been interested in more unconventional approaches to design taken by labels like Comme des Garcons and Victor & Rolf.
The collection is titled ‘Britomart Resigns’ where did the idea for her resignation originate?
Her official title is pretty loaded; she serves as an allegory for English Virtue, she’s the first of the royal bloodline and she’s also the embodiment of British military power. I had originally thought that she should rebel, but I decided that rebellion was too cliché, so I thought the best way for her to make a point would be to just resign.
In terms of narrative through the pieces where do you feel Brexit and Britomart cross paths?
The embroidered headlines on the button-ups in the collection list some of the reasoning behind Britomart’s resignation, and the Brexit issue definitely plays a central part in that.
The exaggerated silhouettes and punk signatures are resonant of the 60’s and 70’s – did you look back to classic styles and old skills for this collection?
I started off thinking about what a modern version of Britomart’s suit of armour would be. Around that time I was reading the London Cut, a book about Saville Row, and I came across the tailors Edward Sexton and Tommy Nutter who founded “Nutters of Saville Row” in the late 60’s. There was a youthfulness and sense of humour in the cut they pioneered, which was still very rooted in the craft and tradition of tailoring. That juxtaposition worked perfectly with my idea of a modern Britomart and what she might wear.
Why was Britomart the person you focused in on? Was there an aspect of female empowerment?
I think, given that the poem was first published in 1590; Spenser’s Britomart was refreshingly three-dimensional and I was interested in her character and story arc. On the one hand, she was very much a Knight both in terms of virtue and combative skill, but she’s also emotional and complex, which made her an easy character to re-imagine.