Christopher Raeburn seems to lack nothing; despite being sustainable, his designs are what people want to wear. He sources many of his fabrics from military deadstocks or used military items, and uses them to create functional, intelligent, well-crafted garments. With the slogan “Remade in England,” his clothing line is mostly produced in East London. But not only that, the word ‘Remade’ shows respect to the previous lives of the deconstructed military garments.
Not limited to his own collections, Christopher Raeburn has recently been engaged in collaborative work with other partners, including Moncler, Fred Perry and Victorinox, where he was appointed Artistic Director in January of 2013. This year, he launched a collaborative project with Porter, the Japanese luggage and accessories specialists.
The fashion industry is harsh battlefield for any brand, and many designers are forced to give up on their dreams. However, Christopher Raeburn has managed to persevere, and gain the attention of fashionista's, all while maintaining his aesthetic values. He has been taking part in the London ethical fashion scene since it arose in the early 2000s. His brand is now a rare example of an ethical brand that has gone mainstream.
We asked Christopher Raeburn how he looks at the ethical fashion scene in London, and his keys to being successful—and sustainable—in mainstream fashion.
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CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN
A graduate of London’s prestigious Royal College of Art, Christopher became known for his re-appropriation of military fabrics, and in particular, his iconic outerwear created from de-commissioned parachutes. The ‘re-made’ ethos still guides and influences every aspect of the Christopher Ræburn design and development process. A Christopher Ræburn product is defined by its distinctive aesthetic and meticulous detail, and possess a functional and sustainable intelligence. IMAGE: EFJ
Q. Did you begin your brand because of your original fascination with fabrics from 50–60 years ago?
Yes, and I believe that was quite a happy accident. As you mentioned, I loved the functionality of the old fabrics. Especially the military fabrics; they provide a long-lasting, reliable functionality to make its wearers fully focused on its duties. For example, they are very light and are reliably water repellent. It would be very expensive to source those fabrics on a roll; however, there were tons of deadstock garments available. So, I would say it was natural progression for me to use the original garments that already had that authenticity.
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