British label Symonds Pearmain has announced its venture into e-commerce. Lucky us, because the esoteric fashion-art brand, which began life as a creative project between stylist Max Pearmain and designer Anthony Symonds, was previously confined to a gallery space. You couldn’t shop it online. Until now, of course.
The store will exclusively offer the duo’s AW18 collection, as well as archive and affordable t-shirts, with prices starting from £35.00.
Why do you want it? Because if you've ever picked up a fashion mag, or seen any campaign or show, you'll have seen the work of Max Pearmain. The super-stylist has had a hand in the work of fashion's biggest labels, from Natacha Ramsay-Levi's Chloé to Calvin Klein, Joseph and ACNE Studios (to name a few). Symonds, too, worked behind the scenes designing for Vivienne Westwood in the 1990s. This is your accessible means of tapping into that same level of luxury.
Having studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, Pearmain has a cerebral take on fashion, with a nuanced take on the line between creativity and commerce. AW18, now available online, was his fourth collection with Symonds, under the double-barrel moniker Symonds Pearmain (this season was, however, the duo's first time showing as guests of Fashion East).
Despite the pair's deep roots in art, the AW18 collection was about fashion. ‘We wanted people to see that this is fashion - that they can engage with these as clothes,’ said Max backstage at the show in February.
Everything from the outsized tapestry totes to the logo-manic t-shirts proved that. Because this was fashion - from every point of engagement - from the intricate craft expected of ateliers in Paris, to the branded merch associated with ‘street wear’ (for want of a better term...). Meaning that, wearable as it is, that doesn't mean the clothes are devoid of concept.
Hat-tip to Symonds Pearmain for creating thinking-woman's fashion.
Go shop it before it sells out.
