Craig Green: family ties

You started the brand from a room in your mum’s house. What do you remember about those early days? 
Simpler times! I had a single bed and a fold-down table above it, to give me a little more space. I worked there alone, but my family would help in the evenings. Most of the early garments were washed calico – because it was cheap. It was a challenge to see what could be done with very little, and the inventive element of those pieces is what made them special.

Has your family always encouraged your creativity? 
Yes, I suppose so. I definitely grew up in a chaotic creative space. My dad is a plumber so there was always scrap metal and building supplies to mess around with. 

And my mum was a scout leader and childminder, and so there’d be six or seven kids at home with us after school doing arts and crafts.

Are they still an integral part of your work? 
My partner, sister and several close friends are all involved with the business in some way. I think it’s something that developed organically over the years – or maybe I was working so much, joining in was the only way to hang out. You spend more time with the people you work with than anyone else in your life, so I’m really grateful it’s worked out this way.

There are some recurrent symbols in your clothing, too? 
The two main examples that people come back to are the circle, which we tend to use in place of a logo, and our tie-string fastenings. I like the fact they can be interpreted in different ways. Obviously, a circle can refer to a group of people, but it also has historical and spiritual connotations. Its placement below the necklines of our T-shirts is supposed to replicate St Christopher necklaces, given to protect loved ones on their travels. And, obviously, the strings in our designs serve practical purposes, but on the runway, when they pick up wind, they give some sense that each character is or was once connected.

How were these signatures reinterpreted for SS20? 
There’s a subtle inclusion of strings, which have also turned into wider tab-like shapes, but circles have been used more clearly as small mirrors sewn onto worker jackets, trousers and coats. They were worn to ward off evil spirits, and they’re placed on specific areas of the body, like pressure points.

The show’s runway was also mirrored. Are mirrors significant 
Beyond the fact that I liked the effect this had in the venue – as the arched ceiling turned into this Escher-style design in the reflection – I ended up feeling that mirrors represented a lot of the thinking behind the collection. To me they represent endless possibilities, and perspectives, which seems interesting at this point, when social media plays such a big role in our lives. It’s been a bit of an underlying theme in recent seasons. 

What about self-reflection? Is this as much a part of your process as working with others? 
In the week or so after the show, or the bit of time I take off in the summer, it’s good to look back at things. I’m slightly obsessed with categorising the shows into sets. I see them in trilogies, and each trilogy is a reaction to the other. It’s also good to just generally take stock. On the whole, though, I’ve definitely realised I work best with others. That’s what’s great about fashion really. It can be hard work, but you’re rarely alone. It’s a team sport.