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Breaking Barriers: Daniel Kearns, a fearless man in his ideal world

Dylan Tang
Dec 29, 2018
4 min read

For fashion, each designer has their own unique vision of the future. Each creator is walking on their own path to curate their individual fantasies. Daniel Kearns, the creative director of Kent & Curwen is an insurgent within the fashion industry. A person who is consistently breaking the barriers of the modern world. His approach to his latest collection uses the method of deconstructing the chronological time order of the past up to the present. Therefore resulting in reshaping the brand's future figure. Kent & Curwen's 2018 Autumn/Winter Men's collection is titled "The Boxer, The Artist and the Musician" which goes back into the depths of the 1920s showing the different levels of the societies within Britain highlighting further the certain themes of the "The Boxer, The Artist and the Musician". Bringing specific past elements into the future, Daniel Kearns has asked the award winning photographer Perry Ogden to collaborate together. They dismissed the actual models that were to be presented in Kent & Curwen’s latest collection and instead used the still photography to capture the figure of the British heritage brands coming future. Pulling a bold move of having a gallery of their collection instead of real life models show their innovativeness and bravery within this industry. If you look closely at each of Kent & Curwen's newest photography, you'll find that Daniel Kearns is courageous and a fearless Irish fashion designer by placing his subjects within the environments. This results in integrating with the theme emphasizing further the origination of specific elements. We came to a halt and had a moment to speak with him and Perry Ogden quickly as to the reasons why he has done this collection in this way and how he has achieved it.

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Q: Which part makes you feel proud of with this season?

D.K: This season we wanted to look at three different characters in a way really narration about three different tribes of London. The boxer, the musician and the artist. What is interesting is that all of these have a method or preparation that in a way become the lifestyle. The obvious choice to illustrate that was to collaborate with Perry who has documented British culture with his own aesthetic for the past 20 years, that really resonates with the brand in terms of its awareness authenticity but also its romanticism. We want to show the collection on real people so real musicians, real boxers and real artists to show the authenticity of what the product stands for.

Q: What does Kent & Curwen mean to you?

D.K: Authenticity, Pride in what you do, because I think that's what we're trying to say this season.

It's not necessarily that you're a cricket player or you're a boxer if you were musician and an artist. You also have a methodology and pride in what you do and that becomes your life and your lifestyle so that's what we're talking about it pride in your team and your tribe and authenticity.

Q: What do you think about the future of Menswear?

D.K: I think it's an exciting place, there’s so much that we get inspired to draw from. In terms of What's Happening Now on the streets that you see and also the history. And for us it's always about the juxtaposition of the two things. Culture informality and counterculture and bringing the two things together

Q: Why have you used a live model for this season and instead collaborated with a photographer to show the new collection?

D.K: Well I think it's many ways to present a collection that I think because we really wanted to focus on this idea of creating a world if you like. With Perry, we have the possibility to create a film that would really document general theme but also the still images as striking they are. And I think that has a longevity to it which is exciting. So these pictures now will be around to really represent what this collection stands for.

Q: What do you think about the collaboration with Kent & Curwen?

P.O: It’s been a wonderful collaboration and obviously I knew what he was doing and loved what he was doing because I photographed some of the clothes previously for magazines. Then Daniel contacted me and asked me to come and talk about a possible collaboration and mention some things like only kids and Francis Bacon studio. It’s been it's been very powerful and I think that the idea of trying to find “real people” and to photograph them in their clothes (boxers, musicians and artist) It really sort of avokes something about London, youth culture, the past and the present. You know drawing on the romance of sort of the old school Britain but making it new as well.

Through the dialogue with Daniel Kearns, the latest collection of Kent & Curwen is no longer a 2D image, but a personal intimacy between each person's reality and the past. If history is to be trapped by the framework and the reality makes you feel helpless bound. Then in order to break those - the repressive guidelines by someone’s definition. It is better to do what Daniel Kearns done in the fashion industry. With his brave attitude towards the present life while drawing the blueprint of the future. Break the existing system and become an insurgent within your own field.