Fashion
March 20, 2015
MARGARET HOWELL | Margaret Howell Interview
MARGARET HOWELL
INTERVIEW with MARGARET HOWELL
For those confident in wearing simple clothes.
Margaret Howell visited Japan for the customary staff meeting after the 2010-11 Autumn/Winter collection exhibition. "I come to Japan twice a year. The design teams in Japan and London visit each other and communicate well, so I always enjoy my trips here," she told us, and we asked her about the reason for creating menswear amidst her busy schedule.
Text by OPENERSPhotos by Emiko Hara
What Margaret Finds Appealing About Men's Clothing
— Today, we'll primarily be asking about menswear. What do you find appealing about men's clothing?
Regarding menswear, I start from the practicality of 'how it's made.' I was more interested in utility than decoration. Even when making skirts, I referenced men's clothing. The reason I'm drawn to menswear is also the way classic items like suits, trench coats, and shirts are finished in a contemporary way. It expands my ideas.
— Do you have a particular image of a man in mind when you're creating?
My father wore a suit to go to work in London, and when he came home, he'd loosen his shirt or wear a gardening shirt. I saw him in casual clothes often, so perhaps that influenced me. Also, I have an image of art school students wearing clothes that were easy to move in and didn't matter if they got paint on them. I like the traditional feel that was popular in London in the 1970s, but because that can be too stiff and traditional, my style is to add practicality to it.
MARGARET HOWELL AUTUMN WINTER 2010
— You've mentioned practicality several times. Could you give us a few keywords to better understand Margaret Howell's menswear?
That's a difficult question. I am a stylist, designer, and manufacturer who shapes what I like and what inspires me. First, I choose good materials to realize the designs I want.
And—Yes, ultimately, the keywords are high-quality materials, casualness, and ease of movement. If you push that to its extreme, it's a brand, or clothing, for people who are confident in wearing simple clothes. But it's not just about simplicity; adding a playful touch to details and styling is also a keyword. For menswear, a little gimmick can create a fresh style.
MARGARET HOWELL
INTERVIEW with MARGARET HOWELL
For those confident in wearing simple clothes.
Simplicity is a product born purely from the result of all processes.
— Margaret Howell has an image strongly associated with "shirts." What are your favorite items?
I love shirts, jeans, and cashmere. Because I'm serious about them, I can't pick just one. "Margaret Howell" can be said to have its roots in my encounter with a cotton shirt at a flea market – it had beautiful stripes with prominent stitching and a lovely natural texture. I also still love my father's gardening shirts, the cotton shirts I wore to school, and the long cardigans from the men's section.
MARGARET HOWELL AUTUMN WINTER 2010
— The brand also has an image of "simplicity."
For furniture,雑貨 (zakka - miscellaneous goods), and of course clothing, simple items involve trial and error, and sometimes mistakes, to arrive at their design. Simplicity is a product born purely from the result of all processes.
— Is "long-lasting" also one of the keywords?
Yes. Because we focus on materials, it feels like a waste to discard them. In our collections, both menswear and womenswear are designed to be worn together with items from previous seasons. I want to live surrounded only by what is truly necessary. I have a very small wardrobe. It's not commercial (laughs).
MARGARET HOWELL
INTERVIEW with MARGARET HOWELL
For those confident in wearing simple clothes.
"Margaret Howell Plus," Collaborating with One Person Annually
— We've heard that you have a rapport with fellow Britons Paul Smith and Nigel Cabourn. Do you find common ground or resonance in their clothing or design philosophies?
The three of us are completely different types, and we don't discuss philosophy, but one thing I can say is that we are passionate about design and are hard workers (laughs). We each go through difficult processes and are aware of the immense effort involved in reaching production. That's a commonality. I have shirts displayed in Paul Smith's Nottingham shop.
— All three of you place great importance on British factories.
I like the people who work in factories, and it's important to collaborate with people who enjoy working in factories.
— Starting this season, you're launching a new collaboration label, "Margaret Howell Plus." What prompted this initiative? And why did you choose Kenneth Grange for the first collaboration?
Kenneth Grange is a world-renowned industrial designer and a Briton who has brought numerous products into the world. We also sell a light he designed, the "Anglepoise TYPE3," in Margaret Howell's overseas shops. As I had more opportunities to meet him, and considering that he is 80 years old and his products are widely known but his name isn't as much, I thought of this collaboration.
The shirt born from this collaboration is a minimalist stand-collar type, created by asking him, "What kind of shirt would you like to wear?" To make it more distinctly Margaret Howell, we added a pen pocket, completing the design.
— So, you'll be collaborating with one person each year?
Yes, that's the plan. For 2011? I can't tell anyone yet (laughs).
— Finally, what does creating things mean to you, Margaret?
Since I was little, I've loved making things with my hands and drawing. For me, creating means breaking down existing conventions and bringing forth something new.
— Thank you very much.
Margaret Howell
Born in Surrey, England, in 1946. After graduating from Goldsmiths College in London in 1969, she began creating accessories such as hand-painted beads made from papier-mâché and hand-knitted berets. Subsequently, inspired by a shirt she found at a flea market, she launched men's shirts. She began making menswear primarily from 1970 and opened a shop in London in 1977, where she presented her womenswear collection. In 1999, she opened her first lifestyle shop in Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, which was renovated and reopened in March 2009.
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