Skepta, the modern-day renaissance man, is officially back on Planet Mode – not that he ever left. Reigniting his London label Mains after a brief hiatus, the appointed king of grime delivered his SS24 collection last night, toasting the brand’s comeback with a tennis-themed runway debut during London Fashion Week.
Launched in 2017, Mains built its name on athleisure, applying a fastidious minimalism to tracksuits, t-shirts and daily staples. Originally, the wares were showcased in zine format or low-fi campaigns. Now, in a new arena, Mains has widened its sartorial offering, merging codes from 90s hip-hop icons such as Tupac and Aaliyah with Miami leisure culture. Think indigo denims, tennis tracksuits (and rackets!), bouclé jackets and opulent designs beaded by Skepta himself. Add to this an already viral selection of New Era caps and Timberland boots, and it’s safe to say the first catwalk outing was a success.
Days before the show, we met Skepta and his team in the Standard Hotel as they finalised casting and filled us in on the new collection. Keeping the brand output minimal since 2019 when it was put on ice, Skepta had been waiting for the right moment to relaunch. “When I got the message that Mains was good to go, I was in Miami,” he said. “I saw it all in my head, how I wanted to do it.”
His first step was building a team. As such, an old friend Mikey Pearce, who cut his teeth working with names like Liam Hodges and Skepta favourite Nasir Mazhar, was quickly assigned as head of design. “I met Mikey years ago in Visions nightclub when we used to knock about there. I’ve always wanted to work with him,” said Skepta. Mikey had already expressed interest in working for Mains during its first iteration, but it wasn’t the right time. Fast forward five years, Mikey got the call, headed to Skepta’s office and accepted the job.
As we spoke in the hotel, Skepta was watching the models trial assigned looks, suggesting fitting tweaks, asking their heights and ensuring every face matched the outfit. “Throughout the design process, Skepta always had in mind who would wear the looks,” explained Mikey. “Because Skepta has such a wide network, we started from his friends that we wanted to walk – almost like Virgil did with Vuitton.”
From there, they worked with casting director Theo Spencer, selecting the boys (and girls) for each of the collection’s four sections. Aside from his close circle – artist Soldier and fashion polymath Lasha (who opened Virgil’s first Louis Vuitton show), among others – the cast for SS24 was deciphered on a clear criterion, and the result was a perfect blend of muscular boys, androgynous girls, friends and family. “I’m just looking for that confidence,” said Skepta. “I make for everyone, but at the same time I know that there are people whose reference point for fashion is Skepta.” In his eyes, he’s presenting them familiar shapes and design archetypes they know, but elevating them to luxury status through an assured show.
Indeed, Mains SS24 strikes a balance, combining the high-gloss, easy-breezy tailoring of 1980s Florida with rap’s rawest period. Jeans come baggy but are fitted across the waist; jackets are boxy but neatly cropped à la Miami Vice. Quirks, such as offset pockets, root the offering in the now, while waistbands seen across the jeans are mirrored in the cap fastenings. The icing on the cake? A nod to Tupac’s legendary overalls and leather vest, merged into a dungaree set. That or the Ecru-denim – light in colour but as rugged as it gets – sumptuous camel corduroys, and metallic stitching, all of which confirm that Skepta’s vision is no less fine than any purveyor of stealth wealth. It’s just born from a different starting point. As Skepta put it, “You feel good and it’s money well spent.”
Credits
Photography Ivan Ruberto