A-COLD-WALL* drops its subversive SS18 campaign

“I was thinking about A Clockwork Orange when I saw how the garments were composed on the models,” says designer Samuel Ross of the new A-COLD-WALL* campaign, which launches today. “Malcolm McDowell’s character echoes through the images – along with this idea of a collective of individuals roaming dystopian London.”  

The reference to Stanley Kubrick’s 1972 film is an apt one. Ross has been designing clothing for the uncertain future we’re currently facing since emerging onto the fashion landscape back in 2016. His dynamic, utilitarian streetwear is infused with the traditional fabrication and construction methods seen in the uniforms of the working classes, while his technical outerwear – for which he’s probably best known – offers a final protective layer against the harsh elements of the urban environment. Were A Clockwork Orange’s lead protagonist Alex DeLarge (for some inexplicable reason) to find himself transported from ‘72 to 2018, he’d do well to swap out his all-white ensemble for a few pieces from A-COLD-WALL*, basically.

“Both the human form and the fabrications compress and fold into one another, there’s something that feels very stoic about the compositions” – Samuel Ross

Ross – who’s currently in the running for the 2018 LVMH prize and is one of the most interesting menswear designers in Britain today – was also keen for the campaign to showcase the unique structure of the garments and the models that wore them. “Both the human form and the fabrications compress and fold into one another, there’s something that feels very stoic about the compositions,” he explains. “Since the last runway show in June, my work has taken a gradual turn from deconstruction of garments through staining, recutting and burning, to interpretation of architectural form and structure that looks towards the future of garment form.”

Shot by longtime friend and collaborator Hamish Stephenson, the subversive images put full emphasis on the garments, while the intertwined, triangular structure the models create nods in the direction of the original artwork for Kubrick's ultra-violent masterpiece. And do not adjust your set: they’ve also been subtly over-sharpened and distorted, to demonstrate the balance of movement, motion and tension that Ross’s brand is renowned for.

Take a look at the images above, and if you’re in Soho or East London over the course of the next couple of weeks, keep your eyes peeled: you might just catch a glimpse of the campaign posters IRL. They’re also just a taste of what’s to come, with a second set of shots due to drop in May.

@acoldwall