Fashion Outsiders
Saman Amel
“I think a sign of intelligence is being able to have two opposing ideas in one’s head at the same time, considering them both in their own right. In many ways, the work we do is separate from fashion, as we don’t operate in terms of cycles. It evolves, but it’s not about creating something completely new every season.” — Dag Granath
Late last year Gen Z prodigy Harris Reed (b. 1996) — the son of a Hollywood film producer and former model — caused something of a stir after venerable French fashion house Nina Ricci appointed the 26-year-old British-American designer as its youngest-ever Creative Director. This might perhaps come of little surprise, as long before graduating from Central Saint Martins school of art in 2020, Reed was asked to design costumes for Harry Styles’ (b. 1994) debut world tour, which helped cement the pop icons’ penchant for outré dressing and Reed’s reputation for gender-fluid design. All the more impressive, despite graduating in the midst of lockdown, when a good many of us were barely holding it together, Reed went on to become the most talked about name in London’s competitive fashion scene, with his final year student collection premiering online at British Vogue. “I think the pandemic made us dream bigger and crave that level of avant-garde,” Reed mused in an interview with W Magazine. “People want a massive, larger-than-life hat that maybe they didn’t want before.” Milliners rejoice. Standing at 6ft 4ins tall, with waist-length, dyed-red hair, Reed is, himself, something of an arresting sight, having been described as if avant-garde Swiss modernist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) had sculpted the Venus. Known for challenging traditional notions of menswear, Reed’s designs, which include plush, gold suits, pussy-bow blouses and tiered dresses have been worn by everyone from Sam Smith (b. 1992) to Emma Corrin (b. 1995) and fashion icon Iman (b. 1955). Deliberately non-gendered, Reed’s designs challenge preconceived notions of what we consider “masculine” and “feminine”, encouraging conversation and a more expressive way of dressing, something which, seemingly, has struck a chord with a younger audience keen to blur the binaries of fashion. Continuing his focus on sustainable practice, at the designer’s second-ever show, held in the baroque church of St John’s Smith Square, Westminster, models wore creations made from repurposed fabrics, which, might not seem so unusual, had they not come from the home of the heir to the Bussandri upholstery empire, with whom Reed had a chance encounter at a café in Bassano, Northern Italy, close to the clan’s elegant eighteenth-century palazzo. “She looked like Donatella Versace’s twin sister” Reed recalls of their first meeting, “I said, ‘I love your bag.’ She said, ‘Oh, it’s actually from our villa…” And the rest is history. The designer’s gender-fluid approach, encouraging us to cast off the shackles of outdated societal norms, might seem radical, but in terms of pure aesthetics, it is, of course, nothing new.
The designer Harris Reed wearing a pink lamé puff-sleeved top with matching flares and a French lace cravat, c/o Harris Reed, Photograph by Giovanni Corabi
Joshua Reynolds’ extraordinarily camp painting of 1773-74, depicting roistering philanderer Charles Coote, the first Earl of Bellamont
One of Reed’s pieces, a pink lamé puff-sleeved top with matching flares and a French lace cravat — which the designer describes as “Victorian-esque meets Studio 54” — can be compared to Joshua Reynolds’ (1723-1792) extraordinarily camp painting of 1773-74, depicting roistering philanderer Charles Coote, the first Earl of Bellamont (1738-1800). In Reynold’s portrait, Coote is shown in a white ostrich feather headdress, gazing impassively into the middle distance, his voluminous crimson robes (now faded pink) draped insouciantly over his shoulders. On his be-stockinged feet, ornate gold shoes, festooned with contrasting silk rosettes and, because quite frankly, rosettes are never enough, silver-gilt spurs. Some 250 years after his death, seen through twentieth-century eyes, rather than the vision of patriarchal power Coote might have hoped to project, the Earl has become a symbol of gender fluidity and an unlikely LGBTQ+ standard-bearer. “In Ireland, when the National Gallery has its Pride events, this is the picture they use,” explains Rosalind McKever, a specialist in European painting and sculpture. “Coote’s nonchalant stance and flamboyant robes present him, in a modern context, as a stereotypical camp gay man.” More often than not, on the topic of menswear, the phrase “suited and booted” comes to mind as shorthand for a prescriptive gendered aesthetic, especially in the UK, where for very many years, the tailors of Saville Row outfitted every archetypal “gentleman”, from Charles Dickins (1812-1870) to Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), Gianni Agnelli (1921-2003), and perhaps its most famous, albeit fictional customer, Ian Fleming’s (1908-1964) sartorially picky protagonist James Bond. Of course, whilst we might think of tailoring in terms of sober grey flannel and pinstripes, it has throughout history gone through myriad iterations, from the toned-down inclinations of English dandy Beau Brummell (1778-1840) to the loose power suits of the 1980s (showcased to great effect by materialistic yuppie and Wall Street banker Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale (b. 1974)) in Mary Harron’s (b. 1953) 2000 film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ (b. 1964) cult classic American Psycho, a character who, despite being a raving lunatic, has achieved something of an anti-hero status in terms of style and grooming) or the ultra-skinny suits of Hedi Slimane’s (b. 1968) tenure at Dior, a silhouette enjoying the somewhat dubious accolade of bringing spray-on jeans into mainstream menswear; as depicted in the notorious “four lads in jeans” meme, which now, inspired by “them Greek statues of old”, has been immortalised in life-size bronze statue form by Birmingham artist Tat Vision.
Today’s men have the choice of everything from the unorthodox to the highly traditional, with, at one end of the spectrum, Thom Browne (b. 1965), whose ankle-skimming suits, skewed with shrunken proportions, are designed to be worn either by men or women, to Grace Wales Bonner (b. 1992), who, taking a thoroughly contemporary approach, marries the precision of traditional British tailoring with 1970s streetwear codes. Reed, who was behind the controversial “tailoring-meets-flou” creation for Styles’ December 2020 Vogue cover story (referred to by Republican firebrand Candace Owens (b. 1989) as an “outright attack” on “manly men”), describes the look as “an exact juxtaposition of a suit and a dress”, explaining that, in his choice to pare a broad-shouldered Smoking jacket and wide-leg pants with a duchesse-satin ball skirt, he was, in essence, “taking a tongue-in-cheek position on people asking him to explain fluidity”, questioning, “how are we still outraged by a man in a dress in 2021?” It is, perhaps, a pertinent topic for discussion, as, for centuries menswear was just as glamorous as that of women, with “The Great Masculine Renunciation”, which can largely be attributed to Brummell, who favoured a more subdued palette of blue, buff, black and beige, being a major turning point in the history of fashion when men, effectively, relinquished their claim to adornment and beauty. Historically and societally speaking things often come full circle, and so perhaps we’re due a seismic shift in terms of the prevailing dogmatic approach to male dress. Men are, increasingly, using fashion to make a statement, be that sartorial or political, as can be seen with for example with American actor Billy Porter (b. 1969) who wore a head-turning tuxedo gown to the 2019 Oscars, thereby challenging the strict sartorial expectations imposed by Hollywood, or Schitt’s Creek Star Dan Levy (b. 1983), who, to the 2021 Met Gala wore a puffy-sleeved and polo-necked celestial/cartographic jumpsuit, “inspired” by the work of Aids activist David Wojnarowicz (1954-1992). With that in mind we spoke to childhood friends, and bespoke tailors of choice to the worlds of art and fashion, Saman Amel and Dag Granath, who over a long lunch, discussing everything from Dostoevsky (1821-1881) to twentieth-century design, explained how their elegantly flared trousers are particularly popular with those less orthodox clients keen to accommodate a natty pair of cowboy boots.
Saman Amel (left) and Dag Granath (right) at their atelier in Stockholm, both wearing their own bespoke creations
TLL: Across the world of interiors and design, there’s an increasing focus on bespoke, or artisanal manufacture, in terms of celebrating craftsmanship and individuality. Would you say this is something you’re seeing in fashion?
Dag: I think craftsmanship is gaining momentum across many different categories – primarily within art, design and applied arts. We’ve never really considered ourselves, or, for that matter, the work that we do, being situated in the world of “fashion” per se. To one degree I reckon fashion follows a certain logic which focuses on what’s “new” rather than what’s actually good. Perfecting a craft is not really in line with this logic. With that said, many people, especially young people, are turning away from this system and are finding alternative ways of working with clothes. This is a movement we feel is very inspiring. Many friends of mine who have studied art are now turning to craft which I think is very exciting!
During the pandemic, we saw predictions about the way in which work/life balance might change and, in turn, the way we live, including everything from the reorganisation of cities to the layout of our homes and even the way we dress; with the suggestion being that society en masse would shun the suit and tie in favour of a more casual, pared back lifestyle. You clearly place an emphasis on tailoring, which, for many, is still seen as somewhat stuffy and traditional. What are your views on formality, with respect both to the way in which we live and dress, and does it still have a place in a world that seems to make increasingly little effort?
Dag: The pandemic was a catalyst for many changes in the way we live our lives. Some of these changes were temporary, but many came to stay. The way we dress, and particularly the way we approach tailoring has changed but mainly for the better. Tailoring and suits were predominantly associated with expressing formality in the workplace. Almost as if armour, worn for “the battle of the office”. It’s an approach to tailoring characterized by an idea of work life that’s largely obsolete, but also, it’s about masculinity. Whilst the workplace has, of course, become more casual, in terms of day-to-day life, the difference, largely, is that people are choosing to wear tailoring, as opposed to feeling obliged or rather, forced to wear it. It used to be that people wore a suit to the office and a t-shirt to dinner, but now, often, it’s the other way around. As a result, this means tailoring is becoming more expressive and more interesting.
Christian and Ruxandra of Swedish studio Halleröd designed your recently opened Stockholm atelier. The duo are known for creating sophisticated, beautifully detailed interiors that have been described as evocative of a David Lynch movie; but what was it about their work that first drew you in and how much input did you have in the overall design?
Saman: We’ve known Christian and Ruxandra for many years. I’ve personally admired their work from afar long before getting the chance to collaborate. I think what attracted us in the first place was their sophisticated understanding and approach to materials. In the work we do, the fabric is always the starting point and, in turn, a deep understanding of the way different fabrics behave and what purpose they will fill is vital. Christian and Ruxandra have a similar approach. As it happens, we’ve just bought the space next to our atelier, which we intend to use as a place for our art, but primarily, as a salon, for our clients and friends, where we can host dinner parties, bringing together unique and interesting people, and thereby fostering a dialogue around art, fashion and design, akin to a twentieth century Salon. Christian and Ruxandra will help us with this space as well.
There’s a frustrating obsession with “editorial” interiors, i.e those that are designed to be eye-catching and “on trend”, without necessarily having a great deal of thought behind them, or, for that matter, originality. As a duo immersed in aesthetics, what do you think constitutes a successful interior?
Saman: I think a well-executed interior is one you don’t get tired of. Fundamentally, when working on the design for our atelier, the first thing we did was to think about the journey a customer might take through the store. We talked a lot about this with our close friend Björn Frantzén — founder of the only three-star Michelin restaurant in Sweden. For him, the overall experience encompasses the physical journey diners take around the building in which the restaurant is situated …
The Saman Amel atelier, Stockholm, designed by Christian and Ruxandra of Swedish studio Halleröd, who share Dag and Saman’s love of materials and attention to detail
… You travel both gastronomically and physically through the space and it adds a kinetic dimension to the experience. Our atelier was designed with a similar philosophy in mind, where the client is moving through rooms with different characters that in effect bring different insights — and instead of tasting lots of things, as you do in a restaurant, you get to touch them.
On that note, alongside your current collection, in your atelier, you display original contemporary art by the likes of Maxwell Mustardo and Frederik Nielsen. The worlds of art, design and fashion are becoming increasingly intertwined, and we’ve seen brands such as Yves Saint Laurent and The Row employ blue-chip art and twentieth-century furniture in their stores as a means of translating brand image and communicating with their customer base. Why do you consider the dialogue between art, design and fashion important, and what does it say about your overall approach?
Dag: We own the company ourselves and have no investors. Saman and I have known each other since we were nine years old and we started sewing things ourselves at the age of fourteen. The company constitutes such a big part of our lives and we’ve always made sure to bring our personal interests into the business as a means of stimulation. I wrote cultural criticism for a major Swedish newspaper for many years and Saman has studied architecture. Instead of keeping our interests separate, as a hobby, we seek ways in which to bring them into our daily lives. It keeps us inspired and enables us to meet amazing people. This is more important to us than what it might generate in terms of marketing value.
Do you think people are increasingly taking more of a holistic approach to life, in terms of seeing the way they live and dress as one, approaching them almost as if a uniform aesthetic?
Saman: Personally I’ve always been a little obsessive about the things I bring into my life. I’m quite particular about everything from the fork I use for eating, the jacket I wear or the perfume I use. As such, I always think carefully about every new addition and how it makes sense in the context of what I already own. With that said, I always try to leave a little room for things that don’t t make sense or that are just plain weird. There must be some room for that as well.
Outside the world of hype-based super brands such as Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton etc, it’s becoming increasingly clear that a niche of luxury buyers, often working in the creative industries, are becoming ever more discerning, looking for quality and integrity over the cheap thrill of an easily identifiable logo. Who are your clientele and what do you think most appeals to them about Saman Amel?
It’s a good question. We’re so accustomed to meeting our clients in person, so we don’t see groups or segments of customers, rather, we think of individuals. With that said, our clientele is extremely diverse. One thing I can say is that we’ve seen an increase in people working in the creative industries finding their way to us. Artists, designers, writers, etc. I think our clientele appreciates the fact that our focus is on the product, and that our pieces are made with quite old-school craftsmanship, repurposed in a way that makes them feel modern.
Traditionally speaking, the worlds of “men’s tailoring” and “fashion” are thought of differently, even viewed by some as diametrically opposed, but would you say this is something of an outmoded opinion and can the two coexist together in one brand?
Dag: I think a sign of intelligence is being able to have two opposing ideas in one’s head at the same time, considering them both in their own right. In many ways, the work we do is separate from fashion, as we don’t operate in terms of cycles. It evolves, but it’s not about creating something completely new every season. The pace is much slower. But fashion is, or at least, used to be, a very creative means of expression and within that realm, there are still a lot of interesting works being made. We find great inspiration there and many of our clients work in the fashion industry. They find ways to wear a charcoal flannel suit or a cream silk dinner jacket together with cowboy boots or a woman’s blouse. To a great extent, that openness of thought and willingness to try something new is lacking in traditional men’s tailoring.
The Saman Amel atelier, Stockholm, designed by Christian and Ruxandra of Swedish studio Halleröd, where Dag and Saman are able to indulge their passion for contemporary art
In the 1960s and 70s, the likes of David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Elton John and Freddie Mercury were frequently seen performing in clothing that deviated from what society considered the norm. Yet with the advent of 90s “lad culture”, people en masse seemed to take a step back in terms of accepting such outré fashions as part of mainstream culture. Again in recent years, we’ve seen an increase in gender-fluid dressing, as Generation Z —epitomised by actors such as Harry Styles and Timothée Chalamet — look beyond the binary, and in doing so, challenge staid expectations of masculinity. Is this something you’ve seen with your own clientele, and if so, how does it manifest itself in terms of choices?
Saman: Well, while our style might not be “loud” or eye-catching I think it’s often a matter of highs and lows. If a client is very traditional in his/her approach to dressing, we might want to challenge that client by working with less conventional materials or colours. If the client has a more expressive style, we might want to tone that down by creating something clean looking. I think these contrasts are always fascinating and I love getting confronted with an idea from a client that I never would have thought of myself and then exploring how we might make that work in a way that rings true to ourselves and to the client.
You’re clearly very detail oriented, not only in terms of clothing but also branding, advertising and online presence, all of which have a subtle, yet immediately identifiable aesthetic. How important is it to have a cohesive image and how much do you think customers judge a brand based purely on surface appearance?
Dag: Starting off we were only interested in the craft. The perfect buttonhole or sleeve head attachment etc. However, a brand is like a gesamtkunstwerk. The vision must ring true in all areas. If you’re clear enough about your vision, you’ll attract clients and partners that share this vision. You end up in circles where you want to be and your life becomes enjoyable. Clarity and consistency are key here I think. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
What’s the biggest mistake men make in terms of the way they dress, and for that matter, what’s the most useful piece of advice you could offer?
Dag: The boring answer is of course that it all depends on the individual. There are so many “rules” within tailoring but sooner or later you will always see people break these rules and look stunning. With that said, I think a general rule of thumb is to consider the total appearance rather than look at specific details. Having one specific detail stand out and be the focal point of the outfit is rarely a good idea. Put more emphasis on the way the colours and textures work together, the way the silhouette works on your body. If you consider that first, you can layer things that express your personality in a tasteful way.
In an ever-changing world, what would you say is the biggest problem facing today's designers, and indeed for that matter, the fashion industry at large?
Issues of sustainability will consume the fashion industry if not addressed in a more thorough way. I’m not talking only about ecological issues here, but also social and psychological ones. Social issues like the conditions of the people producing the clothes or the psychological issues like young designers working fourteen hours a day to produce twelve collections a year. Future talent will not accept these conditions and will choose other industries to work in.
Tell us about someone or something in the world of design you find original or interesting.
Saman: We always come back to the 1920s-1930s in Sweden. The country was becoming modernized in so many different ways and studying the societal discourse it’s evident that architecture and design were really political. The 1930 Stockholm exhibition was really the peak of this debate in terms of what role craftsmanship and handmade objects have in modern society.
On that note, what’s your favourite work of art?
Dag: We feel very strongly about the work of Swedish artist Christine Ödlund. She’s a close friend and she and her husband Fredrik Söderberg are almost like mentors to us. She was very early at integrating ecology from a scientific standpoint into her work but also letting this perspective meet with thoughts on theosophy and philosophy.
What was the first important piece of art you ever owned?
Dag: We’re very proud to have a beautiful tapestry from Märta Måås Fjätterström in our atelier which we’ve had for many years. Tina and Ulrik, who own the company, are close friends of ours and the work they’re doing at MMF is simply amazing. If you’re ever in the south of Sweden you need to visit their workshop in Båstad — it’s the most inspiring place!
And which artist would you collect if you could?
Saman: That’s a tricky one, as there are so many, but I think it would have to be Cy Twombly (1928-2011). I can’t ever get over him it seems.
An object you would never part with?
Dag: Saman and I are having our portrait painted as we speak by Fredrik Söderberg. He’s never taken a commission like this before and so we’re beyond excited. It will be a piece we cherish beyond any other.
The Saman Amel atelier, designed by Christian and Ruxandra of Swedish studio Halleröd, featuring a wonderful tapestry from Märta Måås Fjätterström
What was the last thing you bought and loved?
Dag: I collect books and movies. This is where I put most of my energy, and money, outside work. I just bought the total works of Finish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki (b. 1957), who’s one of my absolute favourites — now I have entertainment for a long time ahead!
What’s the best gift you’ve been given?
Dag: A couple of years ago my girlfriend gifted me a few hours of tennis coaching with a private instructor. I’d never played before, but it quickly turned into an obsession. During the Summer I play for about eight to ten hours a week. It’s changed my life.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Dag: Tennis…
What’s your biggest regret?
Dag: Not learning to play an instrument at a young age. I’d like to have a better understanding of music from a technical perspective; when I hear musicians talk about music, it’s on a level I don’t really have access to.
Where’s the most unforgettable place you’ve travelled?
Dag: We visited my girlfriend’s grandparents who live in the mountains in a village called Previc about two hours from Sarajevo in Bosnia. The landscape is beautiful and the people are amazing, but of course, the country carries a tragic past. It left a very strong impression on me.
Where would you like to go next?
Dag: I can’t get the Faroe Islands out of my mind; I’ve heard the nature there is something else!
What’s the best souvenir you’ve bought home?
Saman: A set of knives on my last trip to Tokyo. They’re all just so delicately made and it’s a pleasure to use them. These types of ordinary, everyday objects are often forgotten or overlooked, but when they’re properly made it gives you great satisfaction.
Tell us about a recent “find”.
Dag: The East Asian Museum — here in Stockholm — holds courses in Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, which is incredibly peaceful and therapeutic. If you ever get the chance, I’d strongly suggest trying it.
If you didn’t live in Stockholm, where would you live?
Dag: I think London actually. I’ve always felt at home here to some degree. We’ve been working in the city for so many years now, and through meeting clients at trunk shows, we’ve been lucky enough to make friends and lasting relationships. There’s no one area, as such, that appeals above any other, but I’ve always felt, that as a whole, London has an incredibly picturesque quality to it.
What’s your favourite room in your apartment?
Dag: I don’t have a library, but I do have a reading chair, that sits right next to a bookcase, and this is the place I spend most of my time at home.
What’s the best book you’ve read in the past year?
Dag: Alex Ross’ book Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music. It’s a heavy one — around 700 pages — which covers the impact and legacy of German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883), who was, beyond all doubt, something of a problematic character. Having listened to his music for some time, I had no idea about his horrible antisemitic views. The book not only addresses such aspects of his life but also how his thoughts on music and art can be seen in so many parts of our culture to this day.
What would you do if you didn’t work in the tailoring industry?
Saman: I would definitely have become an architect. For sure. I often refer to tailoring as architecture for the body and that’s something that in practice I think really holds true. I believe good design can change the way we go about our daily lives and while clothes definitely have an impact, architecture affects us on a different scale and on a more societal level.
What ambition do you still have?
Saman: We’ve achieved so little — there’s so much more to do, to learn and to experience. There’s plenty of ambition!
What’s the greatest challenge of our time?
Saman: The climate and what we are doing to it. It’s something I think about every day.
What’s next?
Dag: This will be our most exciting year to date and our focus is to take the brand forward. We’ll have a more permanent presence in London for our bespoke tailoring, not to mention the launch of some exciting new ready-to-wear projects.