WARBURTON enters the high-end sphere with its new collection “The light through the dark” for autumn-winter 2022, that explores the intersection between light and darkness through fashion. A concept that also transfers into a fashion film that projects the subversive and enigmatic identity that surrounds the brand.
The British-Spanish fashion house created in 2019 by the brothers David and Daniel Megías Warburton, has been experimenting with design, art and innovation throughout this time, customizing bespoke outfits for international artists such as Jack Harlow, Rauw Alejandro or Big Sean. Now, presents the continuation of its story of emotional catharsis materialized in “Pain and Passion”, focusing on the concept of light through the darkness that guides the entire creative process.
The film showcasing the capsule collection, directed by the visual artist Joaquín Luna and co-produced by Black Mamba Films and Supersonic, stars a cast of models ranging from Balenciaga muse Muriel to Barcelona-based drill artist Ghettoboy.
We spoke to the @warburton‘s creative directors about the new collection & fashion film, and its evolution to break the barriers of national streetwear and gain global desire.
VT: From the previous collection “Pain and Passion” to the new episode “The light through the dark” we have seen an evolution of your identity, of designs that have been elevated to the high-end, as well as improved audiovisual content. Where is Warburton heading? Has a new era already started for the brand?
W: This is the transition of what Warburton is heading to become, this is the start of our story and we are very focused on trying to find our own identity in this world of design, we feel we are getting closer to it through every collection we make. You can see different patterns being repeated collection after collection, that already form part of who we are but there’s still work to do.
VT: Warburton could be a kind of Banksy or Margiela of streetwear because of the enigmatic and mysterious aura that surrounds the brand, hiding both your identity and that of your models through accessories that reinforce that enigmatic concept. Why did you decide to opt for anonymity? Is it a “strategy” of simply focusing on the designs and not on the people who wear or create them?
W: It all started because at the beginning it was just us two modeling the pieces and we weren’t comfortable showing our faces so we decided to cover them up. From there its just became part of our brand DNA and it really define us as creators too, we are both introvert and we feel very conformable just being behind closed doors working and is represented in our brand aesthetic through all those actions.
VT: You draw on references such as interior design or classic art. Apart from those stimuli, what else inspires the brand, from objects to people, films or creations, anything goes.
W: Actually, interior design and classic art is starting to become our main influence as its been again one of our mood board inspiration, but we really work on anything we feel curious about once we approach a new collection, this time was the light through the dark or the psychology of color but we really work over concepts we feel curious in the moment we start working on the collections. Definitely street culture, architecture and both Spain and Britain.
VT: After decoding your identity through the psychology of color that you used on the last capsule, the reflection of your personality and your designs, how would you like this brand to be understood today, that is already beginning to be read within the global language?
W: So bringing all the concepts down to the easiest ones that could define the brand. We normally tend to say we are “pearls” and “balaclavas”, I think that pretty much defines us in the most basic way, we are that mix between disrupted and sophisticated, and from that initial concept, we can start our conversation heading to anywhere we feel curious about going.
We really feel we are setting a strong basis as a brand through all the different actions (design, visuals, how we communicate…) and people are now really conversing with us as they start to know us more.
VT: What has it meant for you and how has impacted the brand that personalities such as Big Sean or Raw Alejandro have commissioned customized looks from you? Or that icons such as Billie Eilish have worn your pieces?
W: It really is a crazy feeling when they hit you up saying they’re fans of the brand and would like to wear one of your looks or even order a custom one. We really feel humbled whenever we have a chance to develop custom pieces for these big names, it’s something we sometimes dreamt about when we started.
VT: Your new fashion drop is called “The light through the dark”. Why that experimental play between light and darkness? How does this concept permeate and reflect throughout the collection and the fashion film?
W: “The light through the dark” plays different roles through the collection, metaphorically is the brand coming through the dark places we left behind with “Pain and Passion” represented in our visuals and as a concept for the pieces we liked the idea of overlapping different materials and changing colors to recreate that illusion of the light coming through from the inside of the piece.
VT: We can see how you give a lot of importance to the good fabrics as well as ethical and local production. Of the whole creative process, what is the most important thing for you? Would you like to change anything in the future?
W: In the first stages of creating a collection, we try to carefully select the concepts
we are going to work on and develop them so it all makes sense, that’s something
we really care about it.
When it comes to the development and production of the pieces definitely as we
do small productions our main goal is that every piece that leaves our atelier is perfectly finished, that’s the great advantage we have by doing local productions, that we can personally make sure it’s all been finished as it should.
In the future we would like to grow our atelier at the same time we expand our
team.
VT: You dedicate this collection and/or fashion film to your grandfather Stanley Warburton who passed away recently. What does he mean to you and how he’ll live on forever in this collection?
W: He’s not only the person who gave name to the brand but also an inspiration for
us both of dedication and hard work. Dedicating this collection to him is a way to thank him for all the years and memories, he will forever live in the brand.
VT: Accessories like your balaclava or your 29ATTP necklace became objects of desire. What do you think a product has to have to become a viral piece? From this collection, which one do you think will probably reach that status?
W: We think when you are able to connect your brand DNA straight to the piece it eventually becomes a signature piece for the brand. That’s what happened with those two pieces, they both represent exactly what the brand is, and they are probably the most simple pieces of all of them. In this collection, I think the puffer jacket can reach that status.
VT: I read in an interview in 2020 that your goal was to become a national fashion reference brand. Do you think you have achieved it? In what ways would you like to continue expanding?
W: Not yet, it’s still our main goal, we feel we are making the right steps towards it but we still have a bit to go. Next steps after becoming that national brand would be to gain strength internationally and eventually be in big calendars such as Paris or Italy. And commercially speaking, we are starting to do wholesale so we would like to keep growing in that way too.
