Latest news with #TheClash
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Buzzcocks on how punk went from Glasgow ban to Bellahouston
On Saturday though a star-studded lineup of the scene's progenitors - Stranglers included - will headline Bellahouston Park, capacity circa 35,000. Buzzcocks were there from the beginning, as Britain's youth turned to spiky hair and safety pins, and they'll be there in Glasgow on Saturday when the combat boots are dusted off by the city's elder punks. Read More: Who better, then, to chart the journey from banned to Bellahouston. Guitarist and last suriving original member Steve Diggle tells The Herald: "We brought the Sex Pistols to Manchester when it (punk) was kind of unknown, really. "That's where we all met, the next day me, Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley plugged into an amp and a terrible beauty was born, to quote Yates. "A couple of weeks later we opened for the Pistols in Manchester, we got reviewed and that put it on the map. So we were there right at the beginning. "We were doing that in Manchester and The Clash and the Pistols in London and we got to know them well, there was a connection between us because all of this was kind of new at the time. "The landscape was kind of dead, really, you had prog rock bands but they'd run their course and nothing was happening for a few years. "Suddenly you got this excitement, and everybody came alive." The Britain into which punk was birthed was one of high inflation and unemployment, of industrial unrest and a shifting political climate. It was famously referred to as "the sick man of Europe", with unemployment reaching 5.5% in 1978, the year the first Buzzcocks album was released. Diggle says: "Britain was black and white and grey - it was just boring, you know? "I was coming up to 20 and you kind of wanted some excitement. I'd been playing guitar since I was 17 and for three years I'd been trying to write songs and all that stuff and then suddenly this punk rock thing happened. "It hit the country like a carpet bomb, it was an explosion of the imagination - people thought things were possible, including ourselves, it was like an exchange between the bands and the crowd. "There wasn't any rivalry then, because we all started at the same time so if I run into a member of The Clash, or the Pistols, or The Jam we know where we come from so there isn't any rivalry. "It was great, we'd put a record out and they'd acknowledge that, then we'd acknowledge theirs. "It seemed like every week a single from one of those bands was coming out, it was a magical time." The poster for the punk all dayer (Image: DF Concerts) As punk was booming in the UK a similar thing was happening across the Atlantic with bands like The Ramones, Dead Kennedys and Television. However, Diggle doesn't feel there was a great deal of cultural overlap. He says: "The Ramones released their first album just before we released Spiral Scratch (the first Buzzcocks EP) and that was kind of a big influence, that first Ramones album was great. "I think it inspired The Clash and really everybody, it was fast and furious and straight to the point - all the music was direct in those early days. "So we had The Ramones and in the past MC5, Iggy Pop, The Suzies and all that stuff, and obviously The Velvet Underground. "But me and Pete grew up as kids of the 60s really, with The Kinks, The Beatles, The Who. "So we were aware of the American part but this was more of a British thing, all those bands were very British and thinking about things more over here, the stuff we were all going through at the time. "Actually when we first went to America, The Ramones came to see us. We got off the stage and they were all there, and they were kind of saying, 'we do that straight ahead stuff but you guys take it somewhere else' so they loved that about the Buzzcocks." Buzzcocks in 1978 (Image: Newsquest) British punk also carried a more political bent, though Diggle's band were less overt than contemporaries like The Clash. He says: "The Buzzcocks sang a lot about the human condition, you know? "There were political ones, Joe Strummer loved my song 'Autonomy' on the first album. "We had distorted guitars and we had that attitude, we had things like 'Orgasm Addict' (which was banned by the BBC). "The Clash were a bit more externally political but a lot of my songs are political underneath. Songs like 'Why She's A Girl From A Chain Store', we had a lot of complexity with it as well, we had a bit of existentialism about us. "It wasn't as simple as going 'the government's wrong', it was dealing with other complexities as well. We knew the government was wrong but it's not a case of thinking the crowd is so simple they don't understand those kind of things. "When we all started it was all under this umbrella of punk, initially no-one could particularly differentiate between any of them. "But then as we kept making albums each band got its own identity, so even within that movement we were all different." Though bands like The Clash and the Sex Pistols had their pop chops too, Buzzcocks were perhaps the most melodic of the first wave bands. Their influence can be heard in the lineage of punk and its offshoots, from Nirvana and Green Day to Supergrass and the Manic Street Preachers. L-R. Steve Diggle, Steve Garvey, John Maher, Pete Shelley (Image: Fin Costello/Redferns) Diggle says: "It's quite amazing, at the time you're just making a record you don't think you'll be inspiring other people. "It's a great compliment, Nicky Wire from the Manic Street Preachers said 'when we started we were playing 'Autonomy'. REM, U2, Pearl Jam, Nirvana and loads of other bands you've probably never heard of will say 'we used to do a Buzzcocks song when we were starting out'. "You can hear a lot of echoes of Buzzcocks in other people's records, Green Day and people like that, which is not something we ever set out to do." The group has somewhat come full-circle, and will once again play alongside the Sex Pistols at the 'punk all-dayer' at Glasgow Green on June 21, as will The Stranglers, The Undertones, Skids and The Rezillos. Punk's not dead, as they say, though admittedly some of those groups' former members are. Diggle says: "They still do Shakespeare and he's a lot older than us, so we've got time! "We were supposed to headline Hyde Park twice and were banned because we were a punk band, but we've gone full-circle here. "It'll be a great day playing with all those bands. It's still alive and well, you know? Still rolling on." The Punk All Dayer takes place at Bellahouston Park on Saturday, June 21. Tickets are available here.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
The Clash's drummer Terry Chimes reveals why he ditched music for medicine
Not everyone wants to live the rock star life. Terry Chimes, best known for being The Clash's former drummer, revealed why he left the British punk group and music industry behind forty years ago. Chimes, who was a founding member of the band, addressed his decision to throw away life on the road to open a chiropractic clinic in 1994 during a recent interview on 'The Chris Moyles Show' on Radio X. Advertisement 10 Terry Chimes on 'The Chris Moyles Show' on Radio X. The Chris Moyles Show On Radio X/YouTube 'When I was a kid, I loved health and disease. I wanted to be a vet, actually, and three things put me off,' the ex-rocker explained. 'One, that the patients bite you. Two, you spend all day killing animals. And three, they've got one of the highest suicide rates. So, I thought, 'Well, I'll stay away from that.' Chimes shared that he 'thought about medicine' and even interviewed at medical schools, but 'it just didn't seem right for me. Advertisement 'And then I looked at The Rolling Stones, and thought, 'You know, those guys must be having the most fun it's possible to have,'' he added. Chimes recalled thinking, 'I'll just do that then.' So, he joined a punk band that later became known as The Clash. 10 He played drums with the band for three stints from 1976 through 1983. The Chris Moyles Show On Radio X/YouTube Advertisement 10 'It's full of crazy people, the music business — I was the only normal person there!' he shared. The Chris Moyles Show On Radio X/YouTube Chimes went on to play in the group for three stints: four months in 1976, three months in 1977, and his third and longest run from May 1982 to February 1983. Chimes eventually realized he was over the lifestyle while noting he never really fit into it anyway. 'But after 15 years of that, I kind of had enough of being on the road and traveling and all the craziness,' he said on the radio show. 'It's full of crazy people, the music business — I was the only normal person there!' Advertisement 10 Chimes was always a 'non-drug taking, non-smoking, non-drinking, vegetarian, health nut.' Getty Images 10 The musician was interested in medicine before his days in the punk band. Redferns 10 The Clash (L-R) Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer, Terry Chimes pose for a portrait in 1982. Getty Images The former drummer highlighted that he was already a 'non-drug taking, non-smoking, non-drinking, vegetarian, health nut,' adding that he felt 'chiropractic made much more sense' for him. The Clash was formed in 1976, with other members including lead vocalist Joe Strummer, guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon, and its other drummer Nicky 'Topper' Headon. The group released six studio albums over the span of 10 years before eventually splitting up in 1986. 10 The Clash performing in London in November 1976. Getty Images 10 (L to R): Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Terry Chimes wearing a 'Goodbye' T-shirt, signaling his departure from the band. Getty Images Advertisement Following his stints with the band, Chimes also played in groups like Black Sabbath, Generation X and Hanoi Rocks. The Clash, along with Chimes, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 after the death of Strummer. The singer passed away from a heart attack at age 50 on December 22, 2002. This wasn't the first time that Chimes opened up about his chiropractic career. 10 Terry Chimes, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon after they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. PA Images via Getty Images Advertisement 10 Terry Chimes playing drums at the 2023 Vive Le Rock Awards at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Redferns In 2010, he told The Guardian that his ex-bandmates (Jones and Simonon, specifically) refer musicians to him all the time, adding he's treated several Clash fans over the years. Chimes also described the moment he knew the medicine industry was his calling. Advertisement 'Once I was in Sun City with Black Sabbath and we went ten-pin bowling. After three hours, my shoulder locked up. They said they would find a chiropractor. This guy came in, cracked all my joints and I could move my arm again. It made a big impression,' he shared. 'I'd always known I wanted to heal people, so I enrolled on a chiropractic course in Bournemouth and didn't tell anyone who I was. But shortly afterwards they rereleased 'Should I Stay or Should I Go.' It was No. 1 for three weeks, and of course, I'm in the video, so the secret was out.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Clash drummer Terry Chimes reveals why he ditched showbusiness for very surprising career change
Terry Chimes has revealed how he gave up the 'craziness' of the music industry to beome a chiropractor. The musician, 68, is best known for being the drummer for The Clash from the late 1970s to the early 1980s when he was replaced by Topper Headon. After he left The Clash for the final time in 1982, Terry drummed for some other bands before opening a chiropractic clinic in 1994. Speaing about the surprising career change on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, Terry admitted he thinks he's the only 'normal' person in the music industry. He said: 'When I was a kid, I loved health and disease. I wanted to be a vet, actually, and three things put me off. 'One, that the patients bite you. Two, you spend all day killing animals. And three, they've got one of the highest suicide rates. So, I thought, 'Well, I'll stay away from that.' 'I thought about medicine, went for an interview at medical schools, but it just didn't seem right for me. And then I looked at The Rolling Stones, and thought, 'You know, those guys must be having the most fun it's possible to have.' 'So I thought, 'I'll just do that then.' So I joined a band, which in time became The Clash. We did very well and played with lots of other bands as well.' The drummer eventually grew tired of life on the road and wanted to settle down and live a healthier lifestyle. He said: 'But after 15 years of that, I kind of had enough of being on the road and travelling and all the craziness. 'It's full of crazy people, the music business – I was the only normal person there! 'And when it came to having a new career, by then, I was a non-drug taking, non-smoking, non-drinking, vegetarian, health nut. So, chiropractic made much more sense. Healthy. So, I went that way.' Surprised to hear of the career change, host Chris said he wasn't sure if he could give up the rock star lifestyle if it had been him. Well, fame is a drug,' Terry replied. 'And you obviously are addicted to that drug. But fame is a drug. It's very hard to walk away from it. 'But the funny thing is, if you walk away, it'll come running after you. If you chase it, it runs away. 'It's a pretty strange thing; a bit like gambling. If you're desperate to win, you won't win. If you don't care if you win, you'll win.' The Clash performed from 1976 to 1986 and released six studio albums. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
CNN
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Kendrick Lamar and Timothée Chalamet are fans of her clothes. Here's what she did next
Even if you're unfamiliar with designer Martine Rose by name, chances are you've seen her clothes at some of the most memorable pop culture moments of the year. From the varsity leather jacket worn by Kendrick Lamar for his viral Super Bowl halftime performance, to the navy suit donned by Timothée Chalamet in one of his most unusual red carpet appearances (the actor arrived at the London premiere of 'A Complete Unknown' via e-bike), Rose's clothes have been center stage in 2025. Her rapid rise has taken her across the globe, but on Saturday night the British-Jamaican designer made a triumphant return to her hometown London with an off-kilter Spring-Summer 2026 collection. When it comes to show venues, Rose — who has attracted a loyal following for her street-inspired menswear — doesn't opt for your typical picture-postcard depictions of the British capital. This time, the setting was a 1950s-era former job center in central London, a government-run office that in the past would have been used by the unemployed to find work. The same job center where English punk band, The Clash, famously met in the 1970s. Rose's brand shared the space with independent designers, veteran market traders and 'all kinds of people that contribute to the fabric of London cultural life in loads of different ways,' she told CNN in a video call from her north London studio ahead of the show. Among the 22 stalls were safety-pinned creations from designer Jawara Alleyne (Rihanna is a fan), bleached and graphic casualwear by Chalamet's cap designer of choice 4FSB, and bomber jackets and T-shirts printed with photography by Jamie Morgan of the '80s London style movement 'Buffalo', as well as indie publications, limited-edition collages and vintage furnishings. For the 44-year-old designer, it served as a love letter to the melting pot of cultures and adversity-born creativity that London is known for. 'I hope people experience this feeling that I always strive to portray, this positive energy, this boost of possibilities,' she added. From members clubs to climbing walls, cul-de-sacs to community centers, Rose chooses everyday backdrops in which her off-kilter characters can come to life. For Saturday's show — which ran despite the June edition of London Fashion Week being cancelled by the British Fashion Council — Rose presented looks that twisted, stretched, distorted and shrunken outerwear staples including puffa jackets, trench coats. There were unusual style pairings, such as big-shoulder tailoring with cinched waists combined with lace-trimmed boxer shorts, knee-high football socks, and square-toed loafers. In another look, a suit jacket was worn over frayed denim shorts, football socks and the latest edition of her Nike footwear collaboration, a hybrid sneaker-mule. For some, the seemingly mismatched pieces might appear jarring, but the collection encapsulated the creative community that Rose is inspired by. Among the show's attendees were local fashion designers Craig Green and Simone Rocha, American rapper A$AP Nast and British DJ Benji B. 'London is my home,' explained Rose. 'I love it and feel that there's so many stories to tell, from its past and present, and the people within it.' Since Rose established her eponymous label in London in 2007, it has evolved from a shirt-only capsule collection to an internationally renowned, fully fledged brand, admired by both industry insiders and celebrities. Alongside Lamar and Chalamet, the likes of Drake, Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, Nick Jonas, Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa are all A-list repeat wearers of her pieces. But it's Lamar — the Pulitzer Prize-winning, most awarded artist in BET Hip Hop Awards history — with whom she has the closest, and most creative, of bonds. 'Like all good relationships, it started slowly before we realized the energy between us, this creative synergy that means it just works,' Rose explained. Shortly after wearing custom Martine Rose pieces, including her signature Oklahoma leather jacket, during the UK leg of his 'Big Steppers' tour in 2022, Lamar took to Instagram to declare that it was on his 'bucketlist to work with Martine Rose, she room shy but gangsta,' in a since-deleted post (the musician regularly clears his Instagram feed). He subsequently collected three Grammys for his studio album 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,' dressed head-to-toe in Martine Rose, including shoes from her Nike Shox MR4 collaboration. I've never been one to follow a script and I have enjoyed the freedom of forging my own path, which is harder to do when you're part of a bigger machine. Fashion designer Martine Rose As admiration turned into collaboration, Rose worked on the outfits for Lamar's performance at the Camp Flog Gnaw festival in 2023 — along with its highly sought after limited-run merchandise, which included a twisted football-inspired shirt, a top featuring Lamar's handwritten lyrics, and even a long-sleeved top with the words 'Martine Sardine,' a nod to the rapper's Martine Rose namecheck rhyme in his collaborative hit with Baby Keem, 'The Hillbillies.' But this year's Super Bowl collaboration, which saw Lamar wear a custom leather Martine Rose varsity jacket that spelled out 'Gloria' across its front before, more than 133 million viewers, took their relationship to new heights. 'When he approached us to work on the Super Bowl, I totally underestimated it,' Rose confessed, before breaking into a self-deprecating laugh. 'But for me, it's rarely about the final destination but the journey,' she added. Rose worked closely with Lamar to realize his vision. 'I just love the fact that he (Lamar) gets it,' she explained excitedly. 'Approaching an unbelievably important entertainment stage, to not only go out and put on a show for the people, but to use it as an opportunity to do something more impactful, to subvert it into something with a real message was so powerful — it's a huge privilege to have been a part of it,' she added. 'It meant people that would ordinarily never look at us did, and it makes me smile to think of the people that saw Kendrick Lamar in our jacket (and) went onto our website to be met with models in prosthetic noses (a quirky feature of the brand's Spring-Summer 2025 show), leaving them totally confused.' It's clear Rose delights in challenging societal standards and expectations. It's also precisely why she loved Chalamet's electric Lime bike red carpet moment back in January. Yes, it helped that the actor was wearing a custom Martine Rose suit (as he has done for numerous media junket appearances), but she 'loved the sense of humor of this particular moment, a playfulness that dissolved what can so easily be so scripted.' For Rose, it's a pleasure to dress anyone, but 'it's even nicer to dress people that bring something else, a sense of character and personality,' she said. This sense of authenticity is at the heart of a brand Rose has built over two decades. Back in 2015, when she was working in bars and squatting in abandoned properties to support her brand, a surprise invitation came from Balenciaga to consult on its menswear collection — which Rose did for three years, until 2018. Working closely alongside the brand's then-creative director Demna (who only goes by his first name), Rose introduced elevated versions of her signature styles to the French luxury house, such as cropped bomber jackets, oversized shoulders, drab tracksuits and suit jackets. Major collaborations with the likes of Nike, Clark's and Supreme soon followed. Working as a female fashion designer in an industry largely led by men, Rose is a rarity. Doing so while taking inspiration from her Jamaican-British heritage, rarer still. With the proportion of female creative directors in luxury fashion falling and under-representation of people of color in both creative and leadership positions, her creative resilience hasn't gone unnoticed. Speculation was rife that Rose might become the new men's designer of Louis Vuitton and later, Balenciaga (roles that ultimately went to Pharrell Williams and Pierpaolo Piccioli, respectively). It's gossip that Rose purposefully distances herself from. 'I'm not on social media, so I miss a lot of the noise intentionally,' she confessed. 'Occasionally, someone might corner me when I'm out and ask me about a position and, of course, it's deeply flattering to have your name mentioned.' For some designers, the dream is to work for a big luxury company while running their own label (see Jonathan Anderson designing for JW Anderson and Loewe, and most recently Dior). But Rose feels differently. 'I've never been one to follow a script and I have enjoyed — and continue to enjoy — the freedom of forging my own path, which is harder to do when you're part of a bigger machine,' she explained. The moments when Rose feels unsure or questions herself, are also the moments when she knows she's 'in the right zone.' 'I never want to remain in a safe space where I'm just pushing out greatest hits collections with pieces I know work. I want to design garments that make me feel something at least.' Similarly, she wants the public to come away from her shows having felt something, 'whether that's hate or love, pull or repulsion,' she said. 'Ultimately, you either get it or you don't — and it's ok if you don't because we're not for everyone.'
CNN
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Kendrick Lamar and Timothée Chalamet are fans of her clothes. Here's what she did next
Even if you're unfamiliar with designer Martine Rose by name, chances are you've seen her clothes at some of the most memorable pop culture moments of the year. From the varsity leather jacket worn by Kendrick Lamar for his viral Super Bowl halftime performance, to the navy suit donned by Timothée Chalamet in one of his most unusual red carpet appearances (the actor arrived at the London premiere of 'A Complete Unknown' via e-bike), Rose's clothes have been center stage in 2025. Her rapid rise has taken her across the globe, but on Saturday night the British-Jamaican designer made a triumphant return to her hometown London with an off-kilter Spring-Summer 2026 collection. When it comes to show venues, Rose — who has attracted a loyal following for her street-inspired menswear — doesn't opt for your typical picture-postcard depictions of the British capital. This time, the setting was a 1950s-era former job center in central London, a government-run office that in the past would have been used by the unemployed to find work. The same job center where English punk band, The Clash, famously met in the 1970s. Rose's brand shared the space with independent designers, veteran market traders and 'all kinds of people that contribute to the fabric of London cultural life in loads of different ways,' she told CNN in a video call from her north London studio ahead of the show. Among the 22 stalls were safety-pinned creations from designer Jawara Alleyne (Rihanna is a fan), bleached and graphic casualwear by Chalamet's cap designer of choice 4FSB, and bomber jackets and T-shirts printed with photography by Jamie Morgan of the '80s London style movement 'Buffalo', as well as indie publications, limited-edition collages and vintage furnishings. For the 44-year-old designer, it served as a love letter to the melting pot of cultures and adversity-born creativity that London is known for. 'I hope people experience this feeling that I always strive to portray, this positive energy, this boost of possibilities,' she added. From members clubs to climbing walls, cul-de-sacs to community centers, Rose chooses everyday backdrops in which her off-kilter characters can come to life. For Saturday's show — which ran despite the June edition of London Fashion Week being cancelled by the British Fashion Council — Rose presented looks that twisted, stretched, distorted and shrunken outerwear staples including puffa jackets, trench coats. There were unusual style pairings, such as big-shoulder tailoring with cinched waists combined with lace-trimmed boxer shorts, knee-high football socks, and square-toed loafers. In another look, a suit jacket was worn over frayed denim shorts, football socks and the latest edition of her Nike footwear collaboration, a hybrid sneaker-mule. For some, the seemingly mismatched pieces might appear jarring, but the collection encapsulated the creative community that Rose is inspired by. Among the show's attendees were local fashion designers Craig Green and Simone Rocha, American rapper A$AP Nast and British DJ Benji B. 'London is my home,' explained Rose. 'I love it and feel that there's so many stories to tell, from its past and present, and the people within it.' Since Rose established her eponymous label in London in 2007, it has evolved from a shirt-only capsule collection to an internationally renowned, fully fledged brand, admired by both industry insiders and celebrities. Alongside Lamar and Chalamet, the likes of Drake, Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, Nick Jonas, Hailey Bieber and Dua Lipa are all A-list repeat wearers of her pieces. But it's Lamar — the Pulitzer Prize-winning, most awarded artist in BET Hip Hop Awards history — with whom she has the closest, and most creative, of bonds. 'Like all good relationships, it started slowly before we realized the energy between us, this creative synergy that means it just works,' Rose explained. Shortly after wearing custom Martine Rose pieces, including her signature Oklahoma leather jacket, during the UK leg of his 'Big Steppers' tour in 2022, Lamar took to Instagram to declare that it was on his 'bucketlist to work with Martine Rose, she room shy but gangsta,' in a since-deleted post (the musician regularly clears his Instagram feed). He subsequently collected three Grammys for his studio album 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,' dressed head-to-toe in Martine Rose, including shoes from her Nike Shox MR4 collaboration. I've never been one to follow a script and I have enjoyed the freedom of forging my own path, which is harder to do when you're part of a bigger machine. Fashion designer Martine Rose As admiration turned into collaboration, Rose worked on the outfits for Lamar's performance at the Camp Flog Gnaw festival in 2023 — along with its highly sought after limited-run merchandise, which included a twisted football-inspired shirt, a top featuring Lamar's handwritten lyrics, and even a long-sleeved top with the words 'Martine Sardine,' a nod to the rapper's Martine Rose namecheck rhyme in his collaborative hit with Baby Keem, 'The Hillbillies.' But this year's Super Bowl collaboration, which saw Lamar wear a custom leather Martine Rose varsity jacket that spelled out 'Gloria' across its front before, more than 133 million viewers, took their relationship to new heights. 'When he approached us to work on the Super Bowl, I totally underestimated it,' Rose confessed, before breaking into a self-deprecating laugh. 'But for me, it's rarely about the final destination but the journey,' she added. Rose worked closely with Lamar to realize his vision. 'I just love the fact that he (Lamar) gets it,' she explained excitedly. 'Approaching an unbelievably important entertainment stage, to not only go out and put on a show for the people, but to use it as an opportunity to do something more impactful, to subvert it into something with a real message was so powerful — it's a huge privilege to have been a part of it,' she added. 'It meant people that would ordinarily never look at us did, and it makes me smile to think of the people that saw Kendrick Lamar in our jacket (and) went onto our website to be met with models in prosthetic noses (a quirky feature of the brand's Spring-Summer 2025 show), leaving them totally confused.' It's clear Rose delights in challenging societal standards and expectations. It's also precisely why she loved Chalamet's electric Lime bike red carpet moment back in January. Yes, it helped that the actor was wearing a custom Martine Rose suit (as he has done for numerous media junket appearances), but she 'loved the sense of humor of this particular moment, a playfulness that dissolved what can so easily be so scripted.' For Rose, it's a pleasure to dress anyone, but 'it's even nicer to dress people that bring something else, a sense of character and personality,' she said. This sense of authenticity is at the heart of a brand Rose has built over two decades. Back in 2015, when she was working in bars and squatting in abandoned properties to support her brand, a surprise invitation came from Balenciaga to consult on its menswear collection — which Rose did for three years, until 2018. Working closely alongside the brand's then-creative director Demna (who only goes by his first name), Rose introduced elevated versions of her signature styles to the French luxury house, such as cropped bomber jackets, oversized shoulders, drab tracksuits and suit jackets. Major collaborations with the likes of Nike, Clark's and Supreme soon followed. Working as a female fashion designer in an industry largely led by men, Rose is a rarity. Doing so while taking inspiration from her Jamaican-British heritage, rarer still. With the proportion of female creative directors in luxury fashion falling and under-representation of people of color in both creative and leadership positions, her creative resilience hasn't gone unnoticed. Speculation was rife that Rose might become the new men's designer of Louis Vuitton and later, Balenciaga (roles that ultimately went to Pharrell Williams and Pierpaolo Piccioli, respectively). It's gossip that Rose purposefully distances herself from. 'I'm not on social media, so I miss a lot of the noise intentionally,' she confessed. 'Occasionally, someone might corner me when I'm out and ask me about a position and, of course, it's deeply flattering to have your name mentioned.' For some designers, the dream is to work for a big luxury company while running their own label (see Jonathan Anderson designing for JW Anderson and Loewe, and most recently Dior). But Rose feels differently. 'I've never been one to follow a script and I have enjoyed — and continue to enjoy — the freedom of forging my own path, which is harder to do when you're part of a bigger machine,' she explained. The moments when Rose feels unsure or questions herself, are also the moments when she knows she's 'in the right zone.' 'I never want to remain in a safe space where I'm just pushing out greatest hits collections with pieces I know work. I want to design garments that make me feel something at least.' Similarly, she wants the public to come away from her shows having felt something, 'whether that's hate or love, pull or repulsion,' she said. 'Ultimately, you either get it or you don't — and it's ok if you don't because we're not for everyone.'
