For Autumn Winter 2014, Matthew Miller continues to pursue his work in the twilight zone between fashion and politics. The nature of mankind and the world we’ve created for ourselves, for good and for bad, is the emotional and ideological backdrop for the collection. Miller asked ten people from different social circumstances to wrote a short text describing their everyday reality, both dreams and problems. Written by employed and unemployed people in the creative industries, the paragraphs delve into the random insecurities of human nature.

 

Miller then took selected parts of these musings and used them to create a highly emotive collection. As such, Miller sabotaged the paraphernalia of anarchism, re-appropriating it for emotional anarchy. The oversized scarves are draped black flags featuring quotes from the texts, ranging from dystopian scribbles of “rent life” and “new build utopia” through to optimistic thoughts about “love”.

 

One of our basic and fundamental human rights, article 10 stating our freedom of expression, is written on the aerosol cans filled with an ink-based solution that come with blank shirts, t-shits and sweatshirts. The wearer is encouraged to write their ‘personal politics’ onto the pieces. “Men willing to proclaim their emotions in a society that encourages the supression of such things are usually persecuted and slaughtered by their counterparts.” Miller explains.

 

Fabrics and texture play key roles throughout the AW14 collection. Miller worked with Danish fabric experts Kvadrat on producing exciting combinations through the use of clashing materials, hand sewn together. “I was looking to incorporate angst and sadness, but also hope,” Miller says. Other collaborations include a mixture of contemporary graphics, product and lifestyle brands and companies, all of who Miller admires and respects. “Globally I’ve sought out the people that are at the top of their game in terms of design, they are the people I’ve wanted to work with over the past year-it’s a dream team!”