— Please tell us what inspired you to become a fashion designer.

I decided to pursue a path in fashion culture when I was 16.
It was to change my life, which was spent evading skinheads and rockers. That was the catalyst for me to enter this field. After graduating from Central Saint Martins, I went to Italy to hone my skills in garment making, then returned to the UK and launched the brand 'GRIFFIN' in '94.



The reason I started my own brand was partly a reaction against the flashy fashion scene of the 80s. I wanted to create clothes that were different from the collections presented on the catwalk. I wanted to create something more edgy, with a touch of sportswear. That's why I started it myself.
GRIFFIN incorporates elements of military, art, and sports, along with a touch of humor. Incidentally, my brand utilized the internet from its inception, which was quite advanced at the time, as very few brands in Europe were conducting business or press activities online back then.
In the early days of GRIFFIN, I was also involved in design consulting and directing for other brands as an individual, so it was a label where I pursued my personal tastes and desires, playing with fashion.
And that's still the case, really (laughs).

— You mentioned that you launched the brand 'GRIFFIN' partly as a reaction against the fashion of the 80s. Could you elaborate on that?

If you interpret it as 'rebellion' against the 80s fashion scene and catwalk shows, the meaning changes slightly. It wasn't that I disliked catwalk shows, but rather that I didn't find any brands presenting shows at the time that I considered 'cool'.
There were many casual denim brands, but it wasn't an era where streetwear was considered cool like it is now. At that time, I wanted to propose incorporating a sportswear aesthetic into street fashion.



— Your designs seem to have a strong military influence. Is that accurate?

Looking back at the history of menswear, the archetypes are often derived from items used in warfare—for example, Burberry trench coats, Mackintosh, and Baracuta. These are all brands that were used during wartime, and the core of their designs originated from military wear developed during conflict.

— The brand's mark, a peace symbol within a heart, what does it signify? War and peace?

I find it interesting in itself that military-inspired garments feature a love and peace symbol (laughs).
Also, stemming from my experience of having to escape from skinheads, it also carries the meaning of 'let's all get along!' (laughs).