June 13, 2017 7:00 AM
June 13, 2017 7:00 AM
Daniel John Sansom presented his ‘Tory Punk’ collection as part of this year’s Central Saint Martins BA Fashion Show offering one of the most controversial and audacious collections seen on the runway of the renowned British school.
6 questions to get to know Daniel John Sansom.
What are your references for the collection?
My references for the collection- I focused on British ‘Muse’ ladies such as Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, Theresa May and Baroness Thatcher and contrasting British celebrity glamour models (ladies that would pose topless in page 3 of the british tabloid newspapers and were big celebrities in the early 2000s) such as Jodie Marsh and Jordan (Katie Price) i looked Royal Ascot and The Punk movement and tried to design / imagine clothing that Margaret Thatcher and Jordan could have designed together. For example I used typical fabrics that a lady would wear to a Royal event such as Royal Ascot, ( daywear fabrics ) such as traditional tweeds for example Linton Tweed bouclé ( which is handwoven in England and use by Chanel) which would be something a traditional British ‘lady’ would wear but I tried to make it more ‘Punk’ by using PVC or Vinyl zebra stripe appliqué on top. The whole collection was inspired by contrast.
I used italian silks ( a favourite of mine in particular a silk jersey stretch for the pink micro dress made in Italy it was sublime !). Feathers taken from millinery and the British custom of wearing hats to an event…and also to create volume !
Where do you find your inspiration?
I love cultures, I love all cultures, especially Italian ( I lived in Napoli last year ! ) so I thought if D&G can use and celebrate their culture .
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…then it is my turn to look at mine, no research needed because I know my own culture like the palm of my hand !)
So I looked at elements and traditions that inspire me, I am a fan of our Royalty and I attend the horse racing ‘Royal Ascot’ each summer. I then began to look at Women as women are quite often my biggest inspirations in life and I developed a series of ‘Muses’
Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, because the is the stereotypical ‘British Aristocrat’ I like her style and I she has a comical personality, she embodies British Aristocracy in every way…something I find quite funny and unique.
I also was inspired by our current Prime Minister Theresa May ( although I am a disappointed in her at the moment) because she brought the collection up to date and made it modern and current. Britain is going through an interesting and unique political period at the moment and I am pleased that we have a female leader. i did not want the collection to be a Pro Brexit collection on the other hand as I personally was very much Pro EU having lived in Italia and Germany before. I am a very proud European, proud of our people and our rich history therefore there was no mention of Brexit on the collection although that is probably the most important political decision to be made in a generation. I looked at other ‘typical British’ ladies such as my Grandmother who I admired so much as a child, all these women would wear Hats with matching gloves , handbags and shoes. My grandma in particular loved Italian handbags and shoes ! I looked then at more modern types of British ladies that I feel are also unique to our culture such as Glamour Models, Jodie Marsh and Jordan ( Katie Price) these ladies when I was a child were in every single news paper either topless with large silicon bosoms or drunk and coming out of a nightclub exposing themselves ( I feel this is also quite unique to Britain !!! ) Jodie Marsh in particular was an inspiration as she is known for wearing an outfit that consisted of only 3 belts- one as a skirt and two over the shoulders covering the bosoms…..inspirational I remember seeing that back in 2004 and thinking WOW ! I looked at other ladies such as Tanya Turner who was a character and is my own muse ( my ideal woman) from a television series ‘Footballers Wives’ the best television series of all time ! It was aired between 2001-2006 it was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend anyone to watch ! I also was inspired by a lady very close to me my neighbour growing up Kerry Hugill whom is someone I adore and admire because of her personality and her influence on the British clubbing and electronic music scene in the late 90s early 2000s ( she was a big influence to the soundtrack for the show !).
I imagined these women all going to a traditional British event Royal Ascot dressing and styling each other and ‘Tory Punk’ was born !
The Punk element came into the collection as I felt that it is an unique British subculture and was opposite to what these Tory ( Tory – a supporter of the Conservative Party in Britain and our current government, Baroness Thatcher and Theresa May as Female Prime Ministers, favours traditionalism and the upholding of British culture and values , economic liberalism , privatisation and austerity measures , lower tax and pro Monarchy- stands centre right on the Brit political scale as opposed to the Labour Party who is the main opposition whom stands centre left but heading more left under Jeremy Corbyn ) I am not a socialist ! I wanted the collection to be rebellious another reason why i used Punk as a reference, rebellious in spirit, rebellious as in rebelling against fashion , since 2012 I am not happy with the state fashion is in, I disagree with a certain Parisian fashion house putting T-shirts on the catwalk. I disagree with models having no hair and makeup and flat shoes. I disagree with the Italian icon and inspiration Donatella saying ‘glamour is dated ‘ and Versace going more sports luxe every season ! this is where the Punk spirit comes from as I am going against everything that Central Saint Martins is traditionally associated with and I wanted to go against current fashions at the moment that is too minimal and that is how Tory Punk was born.
How many Daniel there is inside the collection?
The collection is 120 % me, me in every way it can be , I myself feel I do respesent this ‘Tory Punk’ analogy in my personality. my two favourite things in the world is ..Royal Ascot and Berghain, my woman would attend Royal Ascot with the Queen one minute yet be off it in Panorama bar the next ! Same as me really ! The collection was very personal and to my taste.
There is any designer you admire? that you see as a master?
My biggest admiration goes to the Fashion love of my life and absolute inspiration Donatella Versace. She represents everything I truly adore. A story and glamorous woman who celebrates excess ! I would love to see more of the traditional Dona V in Versace collections at the moment. I remember back in the early 2000s growing up in a Yorkshire village in the North of England seeing Donnas shows with the fur coats and the size 0 models and the PVC and the gowns and thinking WOW ! I was fortunate enough to work for the Versace Boutique for 3 years every weekend through my degree it was an incredible experience ! One of my favourite collections was ‘ Versace Vunk 2013’ I would like to see less sportswear …less casual and more PVC Glamour from Versace ! She and Gianni are masters to me, Gianni Versace was a genius and DV in her early days was the Queen of excess and that is why that brother and sister duo will always be in my heart. Donatella is my inspiration. Always.
Of course I adore, Alexander McQueen in particular during his time at Givenchy during the late 90s, exquisite the man was incredible!
Very cliché but I have to mention John Galliano, a gentleman whom I have upmost respect for, a genius in every sense of the word. I loved his collections at Givenchy but his collections for Christian Dior define fashion in the 2000s for me. He made a classic house of elegance, high glamour and excess. The man is an absolute icon, genius and muse, I love and admire him and I am proud of him flying that union jack for fashion !
Thierry Mugler and Gaultier are also unbelievable talents their shows and designs in the late 90s are wonders to behold! Muglers costumes for the WYLD show in Berlin were spectacular. I am also partial to a little bit of Roberto Cavalli too !
Where is the line btw fashion and costumy?
No i do not think there is any line between fashion and costume, If the wearer is comfortable and looks fabulous in it then I do not regard it as costume. Look at Isabella Blow for example she was constant fashion. Avant Garde and glamour, If it is in a show at the theatre or halloween it is costume. If it is relevant to now and represents the wearers personality it is fashion.
Do you put any social or political message in your clothes?
Yes my collection is a celebration, a celebration of women, a celebration of the contrast and variety of British Women, a celebration of Females in Power. A celebration of glamour , femininity, vulgarity and excess , a celebration of not caring what anyone has to say, a celebration of life (Sharon my model at the end on the throne was celebrating because she has just overcome Cancer, last year she had 9 weeks to live !) She made the collection very meaningful and special to me ! And of course a celebration of my country and culture which may not be perfect but I still love it flaws and all!
