The Hatman meets…Percycute clothing.
Hello again and welcome to the second in the series of ‘The Hatman meets’
This time it’s the turn of Percycute Clothing yet another UK independent clothing brand fighting for its place amongst the big corporations, who are flooding our high streets with substandard product.
Click on this link Percycute clothing and you will see a website of true imagination with some quite brilliant graphic designs.
The design genius ( I use that term loosely !…only joking) is not what you’d expect from this ‘street style’ indie brand.
In fact, this man (who shall remain nameless!) has managed to create a brilliant alter ego, he is faceless, he is the ‘Charlie’ to the angels, he is almost as elusive as one of his main influences ‘Banksy‘…until he decided to make contact with myself that is…
To add to the enigma that is Mr Percycute I will not be referring to him by name, nor will I post a picture of the man behind one of the most exciting brands out there.
No, it will be a closely guarded secret to myself and his family, of course.
“I like the idea that people think I’m the guy in all the pictures on the website” he says.
He fooled me.
You see, we can judge far too quickly at whom we think represents a brand or what they should look like. Something I feel the high street does all too often.
“My designs are worn by all sorts of people, men, women, and all ages too…we shouldn’t ‘pigeonhole’ people”
Very true Mr Percycute…very true.
You intrigued?
I met Mr P, in his home city of Leicester.
We were both easy to spot each other as we were both wearing one of his designs (there’s something very satisfying about not seeing anyone else in the same top as me!) so no need to wear a flower!
It wasn’t that type of meeting anyway!
The interview began…
Where does the name Percycute come from?
“It’s a play on words…to persecute is to oppress, I’ve been oppressed in my work for years, oppressed that I couldn’t do what I love to do…design”
Ok, with us so far?
“I’ve always been a doodler, it’s my way of expression, clearing my thoughts, I used to draw for myself, not really thinking about an end product”
“My drawings used to lie around the office, and people would pick them up and ask me if they could have them!”
So what led to the clothing range?
“I had sketches everywhere, then someone said, that the designs would make great t-shirts”…lightbulb moment.
How can someone go from doodling to creating brilliant graphic designs…simple, you go to college and get a diploma in graphic design, then further your knowledge by learning the latest design techniques on Photoshop…easy eh?
Technique is one thing, having the creative mind to keep reinventing and churning out exceptional images is completely different.
This guy does both in abundance.
So what are his influences…I see David Hockney, Banksy, graffiti art, street art…
“One of my biggest influences is actually Salvador Dali (never saw that coming!) and I love all the religious art from the renaissance”
Dali?
Actually yes, look at the below design…tell me you can’t see a bit of Salvador in there!
‘Madness’ yet to be released…sneak preview for you!
So how do you conjure up these designs…
Mr P smiles…
“I think of a word, then visualise the image…then start to draw”
That’s sounds easy doesn’t it?
He then shows me his phone ‘notes’ pages…
Mr P writes down potential titles for designs, so they don’t disappear out of his mind!
I have the same issue. I have to write what is in my head, otherwise it’s gone!
That’s the creative mind for you!
Like me, Mr P finds himself waking at silly o’clock to sketch or write down at least a few words to prompt his creative juices!
Looking at some of the designs I wanted to find out what they meant, or represented…
Again Mr P smiles…
“I like people to make their own minds up on what the design represents…I know, sometimes I’m influenced by current affairs, sometimes it’s as simple as a song I listened to whilst doodling…and then, my best work has been done during my toughest times”
He’s deep too!
‘Dag Nab it’ influenced by a ‘Rizzle Kicks’ song!
“I sent a picture of the t-shirt to the ‘Rizzle Kicks’ on twitter…they loved it, re-tweeted it and my twitter account went mad!!”
“That’s when I realised that there was an appeal for my designs!”
‘Dirty Cash’ born from the song of the same title, but influenced more by the corruption in banking, the design pictures a banker in chains
One of my favourites…
‘Spaceman’ I’d had a heavy night…my mate walked in and said I looked like a spaceman!…the design was born!
‘Urban Hoodlam another design influenced by current affairs, the London riots to be precise…the image shows a face with a gag…don’t say this, don’t do that, the arrows resembling an Indian headdress represent the paths you could take…wow
A typical creative, he’s self critical, and keeps tinkering with designs.
“Sometimes I overwork a design and ruin it. So I take pictures now at different stages!”
The designs are all limited editions, again you aren’t just buying an item of clothing, you’re buying a piece of art.
He retires designs, in fact, he reworks them and releases newer versions of them.
“I like to keep reinventing myself and my designs”
As with a lot of our wonderful UK indie brands, Percycute is a real labour of love, they rely on sales to further the production and growth of the brand.
“I have at least 500 designs and ideas I want to get out there, it would be great financially to be in high street stores, but I’d lose my identity, I want my brand to be loved for what it represents, creativity is more important”
He doesn’t want to stop at just clothing either, he has plans to go in to different accessories too.
Trust me when I say that having spoken to the man and seeing some of his as yet unreleased designs, this is a brand going places.
“I’ve been trading for about 15 months, it’s going well, I just need the next big push…”
As with every indie brand, there is passion, belief and a really great attitude towards his customers.
Check out these unreleased designs…exciting times ahead!
Top to bottom ‘Devilish’ ‘Resurrection’ and ‘Tsunami’
I love them all!
Please visit the website Percycute buy some stuff, so that the new designs can get produced!
Big thanks to the creative mind of Mr Percycute for letting me in to his ‘headspace’ (one of his designs!) and allowing me to share his vision.
Is this Mr Percycute?….I’m not saying.
Until next time…
Peace and love.
The Hatman meets…the strange clothing co.
Hello and welcome to the first in a series of what I’m calling “the Hatman meets”.
My new website is almost upon us, and it will be a fusion of all things cool about UK independent clothing brands, grooming product manufacturers and barbers!
My mission is to create a ‘movement’ in which we all start to support the smaller more personal brands and move away from the ‘big’ high street brands that are monopolising the fashion industry.
The small indie brands are all hard working, passionate, and very creative people, whether they’re designing capsule clothing collections or toiling over cauldrons of wax and oils to create that perfect blend to make exquisite beard oils, and moustache wax.
My first interview is with the designer, creator, illustrator, photographer, head of marketing, packaging and PR (he pretty much does it all!!) of the newly formed ‘street wear’ label that is strange clothing co…Patrick Currier
Firstly we need to discuss the man behind the product, then the product itself…trust me it’ll all make sense in a few minutes!
Patrick is not only all of the above for his fledgling apparel company (it was literally born in May 2014…still wet behind the ears!) but unsurprisingly for a man who oozes creativity, he’s also the frontman, guitar playing , vocalist , and songwriter for the brilliant (and somehow unsigned!?…really??) Red Crow.
In fact, if he wasn’t such an affable chap…you’d probably hate him!
From a music point of view just check out this video they shot for “City Riser” it’s just brilliant!
I defy you not to be humming along for the rest of the day!
Patrick speaks with a distinct American accent.
He explains “I was born in the UK, my mother is English and my dad was an American Airman”
At a young age he moved back to the US and spent a good 10 years in California, then Oklahoma, then Boston…and then back to the UK.
Quite a journey.
“My heart is here in the UK, my time in Cali was great, I loved being a kid there, wasn’t sure if it was Cali, or just that I loved being a kid!…and still do!”
When asked what he meant by that, he simply explained that kids have no inhibitions with their creativity, anything goes, he went on to explain that from a young age he had the desire to become a great artist.
“I guess I have no inhibitors in my brain!”
Patrick is clearly a passionate guy, his brain is whizzing and like me, sometimes he’s thinking so fast that his words can’t catch up!
When asked what he was most passionate about, his music or his clothing brand he answered quite simply “Music has it’s hooks in me,I can never let go”
Pre Red Crow his interest in music wained, he found solace in illustration.
At first he says he used to draw for himself, then after some rave reviews designed a couple of t-shirts for bands, and even did some cartoon strips and became a creative illustrator for huge brands like Dr.Pepper.
So to sum him up…he’s a brilliant singer songwriter, fantastic illustrator, creative genius (childlike genius he calls it!) and in my opinion…he’s a bloody nice bloke too!
All this at the tender age of…(now here’s the funny bit…) “My age is a closely guarded secret” he laughs…”my age is irrelevant, I find people are too quick to judge you if you’re from a certain era”….
You disliking him yet?…
He’s actually right, as stated in one of my earlier posts, age is just a number, your own style shouldn’t be defined because you are of a certain age.
What is relevant though, is that Patrick says that he gives value to any creative thought.
So you can pretty much guarantee he’ll put everything into it, he’s driven and has incredible self discipline.
“When I’m drawing a design I know how far to go with it, when the tweaking stops and I’m 100% happy with the final article.”
This can be seen below, where you will see one of his designs from start to finish, from pencil sketch, ink version, to final T-shirt.
incredible detail…and yes that really is Billy Huxley modelling it!!
What about the name “Strange Clothing Co.?
“It’s dark and ridiculous”…his sense of humour is coming through.
Dark due to the nature of some of the designs, skulls, Octopods, rams heads…a bit of gothic horror influence?
He’s certainly a fan.
Ridiculous?
Take the ‘Octopod’ design for example, Patrick explains that his influence came from late 19th/early 20th century posters about amazing creatures that nobody actually ever saw or probably ever even existed…all just from someone’s imagination!
again check out the amazing detail in the design, through to the finished article!
Actually funnily enough the first thing Patrick designed was the logo, which again has an explanation for the font and style used.
“I wanted the logo to look like the writing you’d see on the old travelling salesman carts that used to sell all kinds of crazy medicines and elixirs to the unsuspecting townsfolk in the old west”
Told you…very active imagination!
“nailed it though!”
Patrick knows where he wants the brand to go, he’s already designed the next collection, he’s introducing more products too, including accessories, hats and leggings.
The beauty of buying from a great indie clothing company like strange clothing co
Is that you probably won’t bump in to at least 10 other guys wearing the same top as you in a pub!
“All designs are limited in number, I’ll retire some them to make sure I keep the brand fresh.”
“If you order before June you even get a limited edition numbered ‘Octopod’ print”
“you’re not just buying a shirt…you’re buying art”
Love it.
Look at some of the other amazing designs on offer…
Not forgetting the ladies…
Patrick wants to create a definitive range for girls too, he’s already working on funky ‘tie dye’ t shirts and leggings…
When asked what do you want to achieve with the brand, Patrick answered…
“Loyalty, from genuine fans of the brand”
Then came his best quote yet…
“It’s not about being creative, it’s about having the vision, that’s more important”
Amen to that!
Now you’ve read about strange clothing co.
Click the link and get buying!!
Just look at the beautiful package you will get!!
Big thanks to Patrick, love the brand.
Look out for more from me over the next few months when I’ll be reviewing more amazing UK indie brands!
Until next time…
At least my beard is better!
Stay safe and keep it indie!!
The style Viking 