GET FAMILIAR: MARTINE ROSE

GET FAMILIAR: MARTINE ROSE

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Patta London
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GET FAMILIAR: MARTINE ROSE

 From Friday the 6th till Sunday the 8th of November, Patta will be hosting a pop-up shop for the Napa by Martine Rose AW ‘20 collection at our Zeedijk 61 location in Amsterdam. 

Martine Rose is a London-based designer whose self-titled label has become a cult favourite in menswear design since 2007. She is known for her unconventional approach to design. This comes from being surrounded by a melting pot of subcultures in south London, including the rave and reggae scenes of the '90s. These subcultures have grown as time goes by and are still a staple of her aesthetic as a menswear designer.

We saw this as a perfect moment to interview the self-proclaimed, best designer in the world, Martine Rose. Read on below and get familiar with Martine.

Martine, you’ve been quoted as saying “it’s always about outsiders.” What is it about “the outsider” that fascinates you? And what does outdoor apparel mean to you, how big a part do the outdoors play in your life?

I’ve always found inspiration in the same places; the things I’m surrounded by – the people, places and things from everyday.

Primarily my inspiration comes from people, but it can come from everywhere and anywhere, from walking down Finsbury Park, sitting on a bus or listening to music, inspiration can be found in all difference places.


What is your approach to collaboration? How do you choose partners and what do you get from it?

It’s important to collaborate with brands you have a synergy with. Personally, I really enjoy collaborating as it gives an outside point of view. The nature of collaborations; discussing ideas, the process of the relationship and creating something that is reflective of the brand is an important element to me; It’s always inspiring to combine different skill sets.


Can you share some of the learnings you take from working with Napapijri and going through their archive?

I do feel like I’ve been on a creative journey, any collaboration is exactly that. It’s an on-going conversation; discussions change, the emphasis changes, it’s a journey in the truest sense of the word. Over the last few seasons the conversation has deepened, I feel that we understand each other more as brands and with that, have shifted our focus.


We are finally in a time where there’s space being made for BIPOC creators, for the younger generation there are more and more people that look like us. How did you start your journey, who were your role models?

It was a slow burner; I didn’t identify that my interest was fashion until I was much older. I was always into culture, particularly youth culture from an early age, watching my older cousins and siblings going out. I was interested in the whole thing; music and how what people wore associated with what music they were into.

When I finished Art School, around 20 years old, I specialised in textiles and that’s when I realised my interest in fashion.


As a designer with a distinct aesthetic and that values authenticity, how important is styling for your brand?

Style has always been really important. My Nan always joked that ‘Fashion Kills’ because fashion didn’t exist in Jamaican in the traditional sense. There was no disposable income and so fashion was an interpretation of style.

There was no disposable income in Jamaica and so fashion was an interpretation of style – a mixture of high and low, like Clarks and a String Vest or knitted cardigan. It’s a reflection of someone’s personality”