It isn’t often that you can say this about your interviewee, that they changed the modern landscape of Fashion, but in Stuart Trevor‘s case, this is very much the fact. After spending seven years as Head of Menswear at, high Strett retailer, Reiss, Trevor founded All Saints in October 1994. Followed by his wife, Kait Bolongaro joining him in 1996. They developed their vision of a totally new genre of fashion and design, creating a cool, indie label with a grungy, distressed Rock DNA. It became super popular changed the way guys dressed and became much copied, sorry source of inspiration, for many brands from high street to high end.
The duo sold off the company in 2005 and after a period of holidaying and twiddling their thumbs they launched Bolongaro Trevor in 2006. This was a natural progression for them as designers – slightly mature in its outlook, more sophisticated and a real emphasis on quality. Bolongaro Trevor collections have a cleaner edge, blending British Victorian with vintage military and contemporary British street style and iconic subcultures– taking inspiration every season from musical genres such as Teddy boys, Mods, Skins, Punk, & New Wave. The collections are unique yet remain totally wearable and through this, the brand has successfully built up a major following with British actors, models, designers and bands, including Paul Weller, the Who, The Kings of Leon, Gwen Stefani, Liam Gallagher and Daisy Lowe.
The brand currently has four standalone stores in the UK with an imminent opening in Westfield Stratford with plans to open further stores across Britain and internationally in the next five years. Bolongaro Trevor has also been stocked in Selfridges, as well as internationally in cities such as Tokyo, Paris, Stockholm and New York.
If you could have invented anything what would it be ?
As a child, I was obsessed with the idea of inventing a source of energy that was perpetual, a Dynamo that could generate energy that magnified through transformers could produce more energy than was needed for the Dynamo to produce more energy. I am convinced that solar energy can transform the worlds energy problems today and I am pretty sure that there will be advances in science that will revolutionise the worlds problems within our lifetime – something that Elon Musk is working on today
Best piece of advise you’ve ever been given and by whom?
I once was offered the role of Head Designer at Club Monaco the day I was offered the chance to launch All Saints. The CEO Joe Mimran told me to go for it as he once started CM and if it didn’t work out I could always get back to him. I bumped into him again years later and thanked him of course
What track would always get you on the dance floor ?
She Sells Sanctuary by The Cult. I could design a whole collection based on the lyrics “The sparkle in her eyes, keeps me alive! And the fire in her eyes, keeps me alive, keeps me alive!”
Who’s the most famous person’s number in your phone ?
Roger Daltrey
What are you most excited about at the moment ?
The new store we’re opening in Westfield Stratford City, a new chapter in Bolongaro Trevor as it will introduce the brand to a whole new group of people. The world has changed and many of our friends, our contemporaries, our generation, are now heading to this kind of mall, with their kiddies, and they’re looking for something other than High Street brands – I’m convinced of this by the positive feedback I’m hearing from so many of our friends, from all walks of life, people that I would never have thought would actually ever enjoy shopping there
What would be the name of your autobiography ?
“Why All Saints? Because the rest of them are All C#nts!”
Although my mum would hate that, maybe it would have to be toned down, I don’t like the overuse of that word either, however it would have to relate to All Saints as I would like to sell more than 100 copies! And I had a lot of fun creating the brand from scratch
If you could collaborate with one brand who would it be and why ?
Probably Paul Smith as I have always admired him and all that he has achieved. I nearly joined him when I graduated. I also think that I could bring something to his brand that they have never really covered or Ralph Lauren, for the same reasons
Favourite hotel in the world ?
Chateau Marmont in LA (above) – I once stayed in bungalow no 3 for a week, the one that James Belushi died in, we had a few amazing parties in there over New Year back in 1996, they kicked us out on New Years Day, after the 2nd big night!
If you could give your teenage self advice, what would it be ?
If you ever make a few million, invest most of it in U.S. Gold – the dollar was 2 to the pound and it increased in value 16 times in 2006-2007
How did you get into the industry, what was your big break ?
I won the Smirnoff Fashion Award for Menswear at The Royal Albert Hall in 1988 which was televised and David Reiss called the University and insisted I came to meet him and he offered me the job as his first ever designer/buyer
Who would do you ideal diner guests ?
David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Roger Daltrey, Rod Stewart, Debbie Harry, Siouxsie Sioux, Marianne Faithful, Yoko Ono, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley & Kate Bush – to discuss their life, their music and inspirations. Yves Saint Laurent, Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Elsa Schiaperelli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood & Kait Bolongaro – to discuss their life, their inspirations and fashion. Charlie Chaplin, Charles Bukowski and Albert Einstein to discuss their life’s work and their philosophy. Now that’s a party
What do you have to do after this conversation ?
A few emails and go to bed with my beautiful wife
What would you like to be doing after this conversation ?
Night diving in The Maldives
What piece of clothing would you relegate to Room 101 ?
Boot cut jeans for men
Our picks of the Bolongaro Trevor Autumn 15 collection
