Last night, London knitwear brand Sibling revealed they were sadly shutting up shop after almost a decade – meaning that we are to face the prospect of future fashion weeks without their high-energy shows.
Sibling was launched in 2008 by Joe Bates, Sid Bryan and Cozette McCreery and enjoyed critical and commercial success – winning the International Woolmark Prize in 2013, and finding fans in wearers including Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Pharrell. They launched womenswear brand Sister By Sibling, and in 2014, they were honoured by the V&A with one of their Fashion in Motion events, a public fashion show which put archive pieces back on the runway on site in the famous museum.
The brand was noted for its playful, colourful aesthetic and ability to knit just about anything: mohican hats, boxing gloves, headphones – the list was seemingly endless. Each collection was brought (often rowdily) to life by a gang of models dubbed the #SiblingSquad, recognisable by their buff physiques and superhuman ability to pull off (literally) cheeky designs or the brightest possible shades of pink. While Bates sadly passed away in 2013 after battling cancer, McCreery and Bryan had been continuing the label together, showing their AW17 collection in January.
As various other independent London labels we have said goodbye to know all too well, the industry is tough right now. Designers are expected to churn out more clothes ever, while manufacturing, studio and production costs are sky-rocketing in the capital. For now, though, we’d like to celebrate Sibling’s fantastically fun contribution to London fashion, their character, excitement and innovation. Look through the gallery above for some of their recent backstage highlights.
