The “club culture” revives in the creations of Loverboy by Charles Jeffrey

Central Saint Martins has always been a cradle for promising rising stars. Young designers eager to make room for themselves in a world ready, in spite of hypocritical and ignorant conventions, to welcome their eccentric but never taken for granted identity. Talents that are sometimes underestimated or perhaps not fully understood. There is no conformity or approval, only the art of expressing oneself. And that’s where their genius lies, the ability to give voice to a message that from the streets of London knows how to travel miles and make itself heard in the rest of the fashion world.

Alexander McQueen, John Galliano. . . the list could be endless. Many are the talents of the most famous Academy of Fashion, but there is one in particular of our days, which has managed to make its way by attracting the attention of the greatest masters. Charles Jeffrey is the emblematic example of how an unconformist lifestyle, outside the box and far from prejudice, can create something unique.

Whether it’s the look of Lulu Kennedy, the first to introduce him to the catwalks, or John Galliano as he hands him the Emerging Talent Award at the 2017 Fashion Awards, or even the campaigns with Tim Walker; Charles Jeffrey is now the designer of the moment, and his collections are a continuous discovery.

London’s nightclubs, baths, dance floors, corners and suburbs are her daily bread and inspirational muse. Even her brand is the result of a good night spent at Dalston’s Vogue Fabrics, East London’s most cult pub, with her friends. Wrapped in glitter and sequins, he decides to set up a theme evening to finance his studies. From the creation of her first collection she started her own brand Loverboy: an explosive clash of references. The irony audacity of the club kids blends with the elegant charm of the teddy boys, pushing even the remotest hints of the Brights Young Things generation and bringing them into the present with some punk elements.

It’s as if Vivienne Wetswood’s rebellious soul lives in another body. Loverboy is not in fact the classic unisex brand that revolves around genderless figures, quite the opposite; is a reflection of the multicultural spirit of the British capital, its artistic richness and pure avant-garde. The basic rule is, therefore: mixing unscrupulously and abandoning any concept of perfection. Whether it’s a paint-stained jeans or a jumper torn apart and decorated with metal cables; It is precisely the mistakes and the defects that are the true essence. Then add an exaggerated makeup suitable for a night scene and the look is done.

Just note her latest collection “Gloom”, presented on the occasion of London Fashion Week FW2021. 34 looks of pure abstraction and simple art. Printed leggings, oversized sweaters, pleated skirts, lace-up shorts, tartan suits, stitched denim, paint brushstrokes, studded shoes, and “colbacco” style hats like those worn by the British Guards but in fuzzy colors bring back the punk of the 70s. To complete it all, a hair styling to “Edward’s hands of scissors.”

The collection is accompanied by a video presentation. It all starts with Jeffrey’s head upside down on a mannequin without arms while a clock ticks down and plunges us into an unfinished set while small clippings from the collection are played on an old television. A sort of glitch collage on a basis of abstract, incomprehensible sounds, reveals the complexity and strangeness of the Loverboy world. Of course, he will be revolutionary, anti-conformist, subversive, but not only that; It’s noise and harmony, it’s art and high fashion, it’s despair and hope. I mean, a rare postcard from London signed Charles Jeffrey.

CONTACTS

Website: loverboy.net

Instagram: @chalesjeffrey

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Irene Larussa

Irene è diplomata in fashion styling presso l'Istituto Marangoni. Di origini calabresi, vive attualmente a Milano. E' alla costante ricerca di stimoli nuovi da cui trarre ispirazione per alimentare le sue più grandi passioni: styling, grafica e scrittura. Il suo sogno è infatti lavorare nella redazione di un fashion magazine.