Community

1 / 2

John Alexander Skelton: My work is a continuous dialogue. (Mascarar_11 , INK, JAS)

By vowi

January 28, 2025

Updated: 03/03/2025

Category: Fashion

Starting from September 21, 2024, John Alexander Skelton, in collaboration with ink, hosted the premiere of his CXVI (AW24 collection) short film and the first special collection release event. Drawing inspiration from his 16th collection, John directed and filmed a piece, marking his first visit to Asia, where he hosted the premiere event at the ink store and interacted with fans. Additionally, John designed exclusive patterns for the event, resulting in a limited series of clothing, and created handcrafted chalice-shaped candle holders (only 11 pieces).

After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2016, John Alexander Skelton first won the prestigious L’Oréal Prize, becoming a regular at London Fashion Week. He then joined the artisan brand camp, which caters to a slower pace and a smaller audience. With minimal startup capital, John founded his own company, but he “stubbornly refused any financial aid.” His quirky, historically-based designs create a strong contrast with contemporary streetwear, with a focus on craftsmanship, exquisite details, and a luxurious feel made from accessible materials.

Rather than a typical fashion designer, John, born in 1990, appears more like a country poet and behaves as such. One of the ways he maintains his energy is by focusing on his deep passion for British social politics and history. Britain, a country formed from many different ethnicities, has poets who excel at documenting history through verse: “People from all over the world have come here, from the Vikings to the Roman Empire, and the influences from these various nations are now part of what we call Britain.” He is dedicated to exploring more obscure and hidden aspects of British culture through history, poetry, and imagery. The legacy of the “empire on which the sun never set” blends seamlessly with other countries’ customs and provides inspiration for his ready-to-wear collections, maintaining their relevance to modern times.

The clothing designed by Skelton contrasts sharply with the “urban armor” seen in the work of young city designers, offering a more practical concept. He often draws inspiration from the clothing of the working class in the last century, analyzing how workers from various trades and outdoor enthusiasts from a hundred years ago dressed—how they wore sweatshirts under well-fitted jackets and remained unrestricted in large coats, ready to engage in physical activities in various environments. “I wouldn’t say I’m nostalgic, but some things from the past are really fascinating… It’s not so much the past, but rather a ‘slightly independent universe.’” He transforms this layered approach into a series of wearable rural outfits, with fabrics and cuts that exude elegance, grounded in life yet elevated beyond it. The craftsmanship John seeks requires a certain level of technical skill, which is not easy to achieve and demands a great deal of energy and patience—its intricacy can only be truly appreciated by touch. Celebrities like Sun Honglei and Mak Junlong were so drawn to the JAS products during their visits to ink that they purchased them.

Through this event, ink engaged in a brief letter-based conversation with John Alexander Skelton (hereafter referred to as John), which is included below, along with additional insights and extensions provided by the author. The content has been organized as follows:

INK:

We know that you have a habit of filming to showcase your collections in the past few seasons. Could you share with us the reason behind your commitment to photography and why you initially had this idea? How do you transform the story behind a clothing collection into a film narrative?

JAS:

These films were initially created as a way to document each collection, more like a personal record. Since I started my career, the shows I’ve done have had various performative elements, so I felt it was necessary to capture that moment, primarily for my own reflection. Filming allows people to view these collections from different angles, as well as their production process, even the process of making them. Aside from still photography, the film format also permits further creative expression, offering opportunities for more concepts and artistic interpretations, and providing another way to capture the emotions within the collection—things that static photography can’t achieve.

For me, the narrative of a collection should first be evident in the clothes themselves. Beyond the clothing, the story can also be presented in various ways, mainly through the way the collection and its characters are photographed. However, as mentioned earlier, I like to use film to present the collection from a more conceptual angle. Therefore, for me, it’s not important whether the film is directly connected to the narrative. In fact, sometimes it’s more interesting to take these collections into a different domain, because, as a creative expression, it adds richness to the collection.

Mascarar_11:

I want to try and put as much effort into the imagery as I do with the shows.” In John’s view, runway shows and imagery are incomparable. During a show, there’s that immediate anxiety of “having to finish within a short period,” while imagery feels more like a “release” you can shoot in countless interesting places and fit all of them into one film. These different locations, landscapes, architecture, textures, colors, and sounds can satisfy many different sensory stimuli, enriching the story you want to tell. As a side project, he used to shoot with his brother Ryan in natural settings to practice. “We would take out every piece of clothing I made and shoot them in various rural locations. We didn’t hire models—they were worn by me or my family members, and we took photos of each other.”

CXVI Short Film Stills

INK:

What was the inspiration behind the exclusive pattern designed in collaboration with the artist Oliver McConnie?

JAS:

The inspiration behind this pattern comes from my AW24 collection, which is my interpretation of the works of the band This Mortal Coil. Essentially, I had Oliver listen to their music and provided him with notes about the collection that he was already familiar with. Their music has a very ethereal and almost Gothic feel, which led me to explore the Gothic movement through early forms of art and architecture. This became the foundation for Oliver to create the print, but equally important is that he also brought his own world into it.

John Alexander Skelton AW24

INK:

Your design inspirations range from British folk culture and rural poetry to Gothic music. How does music influence you and your designs? What cultural focus will you explore next?

JAS :

Music is a very important part of my work process. It doesn’t always directly influence me, but everything I do has a soundscape. During production and creation, music is inherently intertwined. For me, there’s never a point where it’s separate, so it’s difficult to explain how it has an impact. Music is just a part of the overall mood and the field in which the work exists.

(As for the upcoming focus) I don’t have any specific ideas at the moment. My work is an ongoing conversation, developing in a natural, organic way.

Mascarar_11:

When the AW24 collection was released, John said to Vogue: “This is my emotional response to (music). What I want is something less defined, so I can freely create the exact collection I want without being restricted by certain things.

INK:

What new experiments are featured in this collaboration with ink? What are the highlights of this collaboration, and which pieces would you most recommend?

JAS:

In fact, for me, I’m always excited when I have the chance to explore new mediums. In this case, the candle porcelain was my first attempt, and it’s been very interesting to venture into ceramics. In my work, besides clothing, making and practicing are extremely important to me as they keep me engaged and passionate. Of all the printed works, my favorites are probably the fully hand-embroidered wool sweater and the printed pants dyed with tea.

INK:

Is this your first time in Hong Kong? Do you like Chinese culture? Were there any surprises in your observations of Hong Kong?

JAS:

I really like Hong Kong. Here, I can enjoy all kinds of Chinese cuisine and appreciate the art scene, while also gaining a general understanding of the local lifestyle. I’m a cycling enthusiast, and luckily, I had the chance to explore many areas of Hong Kong Island on my bike. The biggest surprise was definitely the Southern District. I didn’t expect it to be so green and peaceful. It truly is an oasis, a detoxifier from the busy nature of the city, and it’s easy to understand the appeal of living here.