A week before he presents his first collection as the new creative director of Iceberg in Milan, James Long had to set out his stall his solo brand’s show at LC:M. “Because I’m doing Iceberg now, I had to go one way with James Long and the other way with Iceberg. It made me pull from the last 20 shows, pick the things that I love and the things that I think are really James Long,” he said backstage. “So there’s the denim and sheepskin, the sequins. When you take the collection apart, there are some really lightweight fab knits, puffa jackets, leather. It was really focused on what I’ve always done.”
The collection was about his “Local Heroes”, and based on the front row and backstage, they seem to be a diverse bunch. We spotted Hercules and Love Affair’s Andy Butler (who did the music), diver Tom Daley and his Oscar-winning screenwriter fiancé Dustin Lance Black, as well as legendary London DJ Jeffrey Hinton (in a South Park Mr Hankey poo t-shirt). Artists of the moment Eddie Peake, Prem Sahib and Celia Hempton also sat in attendance.
The season wasn’t inspired by anyone’s outfits, though. It was “more about an attitude.” “There’s so much fashion around at the moment, that you have to be true to yourself,” Long said. “You have to look at what’s around you. London’s around me, lots of creative people are around me. It’s what you pick up on and how you do it yourself.” He was channelling the spirit of the creatives around him who have fun with dressing, but not in a fashion-world way. “It should be fun and it shouldn’t be over-intellectualized,” he said. “That’s the thing with ‘Local Heroes’: there are loads of creative people making, doing, writing. So it’s not just fashion, it’s everyone.”
There was spray-painted denim, fluoro knits, vibrant sequins and iridescent blue leopard print bombers with acid trims. But on a more louche and calm note, there were somber-colored poppy print shirts, striped pajama cardigans and black sheepskin coats. The styling and hair was decidedly more glam, “because I was so over grunge and I really wanted to change and make everything more polished,” Long explained.
Credits
Text Stuart Brumfitt
Photography Jason Lloyd Evans