Design Forum is a platform for collaborating with creative and exciting UK based designer talent, with previous designers including Katie Eary, Joseph Turvey and Baartmans & Siegel. For SS15 River Island has announce James Long as the latest offering for their initiative, who has fast become one of the most sought-after design talents in London. With a huge fan base ranging from Alister Mackie Creative Director at Another Man, Luke Day Fashion Director at GQ Style and Lucas Ossendrijver praising James as his favourite young designer, James has certainly made his mark as a designer to watch, and it is his instantly recognisable use of leather, print and denim that is key to the James Long aesthetic.
He is a designer capable of combining diverse fabrics with a kaleidoscopic colour palette, and this skill has become a trademark in his meteoric rise through the ranks of British design. James Long’s SS15 River Island Design Forum collection stays true to his signature aesthetic, and each garment from the 10-piece collection is entirely unique.
The hero piece, a hooded nylon bomber, features hand drawn art by Long, and gold-tone zips on the shoulders transform the piece into a gilet while adding a touch of luxury to the sportswear staple. Fabric-wise, PVC has been heat-pressed onto a loopback jersey to create futuristic textures, and nylon appliques are used to embellish sweatshirts and t-shirts. Strips of nylon have been intricately layered on top of each other and gradually built up to create unique fabrics. Raw edges hint at a strong element of deconstruction, fusing notions of the unfinished with the finished and the new with the old.
“I think it’s an exciting time for menswear in the UK so it seemed like the perfect time to collaborate with River Island. We both knew that we could create a line that is perfect for the modern man. Each piece is something special which you can mix into an eclectic wardrobe.” – James Long
The 10-piece collection launched last week alongside a short film directed by Menno Fokma at LC: M at the Fashion Film event. Fashion Film is an initiative devised by the British Fashion Council and River Island, now in its 7th season. The collection goes on sale in February online with prices ranging from $52-168.
– The Journal