Following on from this season’s ‘Loss International’ and spring/summer 17’s ‘Lovers Direct’ and ‘Haters Direct’ sweats, Christopher Shannon brings his cheeky brand-mangling style to a ‘Merchandise Collection’ created for the new fourth issue of cult publication Buffalo Zine, in collaboration with Milan store Slam Jam. A glitchy film by Sharna Osborne presents the capsule in the style of a teleshopping channel.
“Buffalo Zine’s 4th and new issue is about sentimental materialism around the concept of Desire,” information about the collab explains. “Buying and selling, business, advertising, marketing, possessing, collecting, and many other terms. The atmosphere is strictly linked to old Postal Market catalogues, and fashion concepts are imagined as advertising and commercial spots with their irreverent, defiant sensibility.”
As the collection drops at SlamJam Milano, we caught up with Christopher Shannon to ask about guilt, shame, desire and fashion.
How did this collaboration come about?
Buffalo Zine wanted to do something after my spring/summer 17 show and I liked what they did, also I was really into working with Slam Jam as they do such nice work.
What’s the weirdest thing you ever bought from teleshopping / a catalogue?
I was always into that JML catalogue, they used to have this thing that you put the ends of old soap in and it mushed them all together and made a ‘new’ soap in a floral ‘design’. So, so gross, I was fascinated with it, but never took the plunge and ordered one. Who keeps the ends of old soaps anyway?
What do you have zero shame about?
Nothing, I live in a constant state of shame.
What is your totally tropical guilty pleasure?
Getting home early to watch Hoarders on CBS reality. With a coconut water.
How do you enjoy being broke?
I don’t, I loathe it. Although it’s nice sometimes to not be thinking bout money so much.
Tell us a brand you love to hate, and why?
I’m not so hateful anymore, it’s too exhausting and I have too much to do. Plus I never really hate, I’m just bored by things mostly. That said I do loathe lifestyle brands that try to sell you some dry life. That and people with loads of private funding who pretend they are working super hard and from the streets, that’s loathsome.
What do you desire the most?
A break from the constant cycle of anxiety. And one of those really nice old Aubusson rugs. And a decent night’s sleep. The full eight hours.
Credits
Text Charlotte Gush