Byredo’s Ben Gorham Celebrates Craig McDean Tie-in, Plots Cosmetics Launch
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TEAM SPIRIT: Ben Gorham has always put collaboration at the core of his work and his next tie-in involves the launch of another new category for Byredo: color cosmetics.
“I’m working on a cosmetics, makeup line for next year, which has been a really big, interesting project. It’s challenging in every sense of the word not being a woman and creating makeup, but there is a collaboration element, too, and when that’s revealed it will make complete sense,” Gorham said, declining to name his collaborator.
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During Paris Fashion Week, he was celebrating another longtime friend and collaborator, the photographer Craig McDean and his new Rizzoli book.
Gorham wanted to take on the “supporting act” this time around and embark with McDean on a book signing tour, hosted at Byredo stores worldwide.
The duo has already made a stop in London and after their Paris Fashion Week event — which was held on Friday evening and drew the likes of Elsa Hosk, Peter Phillips and Grace Coddington — they will move on to Montreal, New York, Milan, Seoul and Tokyo.
“As we are running this almost like a rock tour, we thought it would be fitting to create some merchandise to also frame the journey in a different context,” said Gorham, pointing to a series of unisex T-shirts with prints featuring McDean’s work, including specially created images of motor parts and collages of some of his most recognizable photographs from across the years. “I have a sense of gratitude for Craig’s contribution to the brand and so to finally be able to give back a little bit, travel to meet people and share his work has been great.”
The designer also presented his spring bag collection as part of the occasion, which featured more travel-friendly styles, including large rectangular totes and roomy shoulder bags, done in earthy khaki and orange hues or a striking cloud print.
“There was an attempt to bring a bit more glamour and emotion to travel than how we experience it today. I imagined a train ride through India, so it’s much more linked to an old emotion of travel and childhood memories of my mother dressing us up to travel on an airplane because it was a highlight and a true luxury back then. By designing a travel collection, I wanted to anchor that emotion somehow,” added Gorham.
The brand’s signature structured tote made a comeback in the collection and Gorham intends to keep revisiting it because he believes in slow fashion and the style also “sells a lot.” Also in his plans is to start bringing the craftsmen producing the bags into stores to enhance the narrative behind his products.
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