Louis W's line for A.P.C. has been an unusual concept, even by the standards of the famously classicist and off-handedly intellectual Paris house. For his personal line, the A.P.C. co-designer brings out a capsule collection of luxury men's jackets, fastidiously finished to appear un-designed. Often inspired by Parisian men, late nouvelle vague films and out-and-proud rappers, each collection is its own concept, with its own film. The latest offering – even more than the previous seasons – signifies working class masculine codes and looks, from the boxy shoulders and all-black everything, to the rust-belt industrial lookbook images, right down the anti-hero of the film's pizza boy turning up to an audition after a night of ruckus. We spoke to the Louis Wong behind Louis W about the new collection and the Call of Cthulhu. 

Could you tell the readers about how the film came about, and what inspired it? 

Louis Wong: The first idea was an audition, something that felt close to documentary. Like the casting scene for 400 Blows, the Truffaut movie, as the collection referenced black and white movies. It was also strongly inspired by the idea of fragile youth.

Could you tell us about the men who inspired this collection? 

Louis Wong: He's kind of a loner hanging around in urban territory. I was thinking of social realism, Ken Loach characters and also the lost kids in early nouvelle vague movies. Basically the 60s urban boys. That's why there is a donkey jacket, and also lots of shearling collar bomber jackets. This atmosphere I think relates a lot to our times, except we are loners inside social media. 

I was obsessed by the fight scene in Good Will Hunting, when the young Ben Affleck and Matt Damon attack a group on a basketball field. It's very beautiful.

What were the filmic inspirations?

Louis Wong: Louis and Grant, the directors, were influenced by the raw camera work of Jacques Audiard. You can feel they wanted to show the bored youth aspect of La Haine. But I was also obsessed by the fight scene in Good Will Hunting, when the young Ben Affleck and Matt Damon attack a group on a basketball field. It's very beautiful.  

Your jackets have been described as "a work of art". Why do you think they illicit such strong reactions? 

Louis Wong: Haha, maybe because the leather jacket world has always been about high luxury, excessive details, logo branding or glamour and punk. I just wanted to show a leather jacket for what it is. The real guy version. So it may not be art but somehow it's like a Duchamp ready-made I guess. 

You've referenced working class sensibility for the fall collection, and the lookbook uses industrial imagery. Could you speak about the political implication of your designs – is there a class element to what you're doing?

Louis Wong: For this season, it was about going as low key as possible. Navy, black on black... The pure minimalism of the working class aesthetic is fascinating. Working class as a retro reference obviously. That's why we have this factory picture shot by Bruno Staub. Again leather is exciting when you think it comes from a real place. Let's say I wanted to do black clothes but not "rock, not gothic nor conceptual", I wanted to do casual "Black jackets". There is no real class element especially when you reference the past like that. But masculinity and the working class "imagery" work very well together. Also I won't deny I was deeply influenced by Alasdair McLellan images. 

You RT'd a couple of people saying, at the beginning of the year, "the jacket is beautiful. the price tag is not" – what were your thoughts on that? 

Louis Wong: I noticed that there is a cool following, especially in UK, of kids who love the style and the spirit of the jacket : they clearly get the concept. But leather will always be a pricey item, I mean as long as you care about quality. At their age I was probably obsessed by clothes I couldn't afford but Twitter didn't exist then! So I totally relate to that feeling and love the fact they express it out loud! 

You've spoken about being inspired by underdressed men, and Audition plays with this tension of anti or un-realised icons exquisitely. Do you think the hero of Audition realises how attractive he is? 

Louis Wong: Bruno, the lead actor, is not an actor. The directors picked him through mutual friends. I only met him once and was amazed by his charisma. He's very very tall and still extremely gentle with a unique style.  All the answers he gives in the movie interview are his. So I wouldn't really say he's aware of that charisma but he's 100% responsible for it! 

Why do you think he got into the fight? 

Louis Wong: Someone said he didn't like Top Gun, I guess.

What is next for you, and what's next for A.P.C.?

Louis Wong: There is the opening party of the Melrose A.P.C. Store. It's a key moment for Jean. I'm working on the next winter collection. For once I'm not just doing jackets. I will introduce a different element to the Louis W. brand. 

Jean Touitou is famous for being a Proust fan – what book would you like to tell us to read? Is there an author that has a similar place in your heart? 

Louis Wong: Don't want to scare anybody but that would have to be H. P. Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu. But honestly my biggest inspiration in work is Louis Ferdinand Celine. He talks exquisitely about hate and that's very French!