What was the starting point for the collection? And the creative process to bring it to life?
The starting point for this collection was here at the Barbican Centre*. It's a beautiful architectural gem of London that's always been on my radar. And I think one of the things that's so interesting about it is actually the fact that it's quite brutalist and it's quite stark and graphic in its nature, but then you actually walk around it and you see the community that lives here. It’s that intersection of culture and art that interests me. Here, everyone is on the move.
Do you have a personal connection to the Barbican?
One of the interesting facts about the Barbican is that, at one point, it was actually called the ugliest building in England. A lot of modernist architecture is poorly viewed at some point. But actually when you spend time here – one of my favourite memories is just of walking through this central space here where you see the beautiful miniature lake – there’s this sense of nature in the middle of Brutalism. I’ve lived in so many cities, and having this sort of centre of community is so important to your everyday life.
How did the Barbican Centre serve as a source of design inspiration? And how did you make the translation to the collection itself?
So this particular space is hugely inspirational for me personally in terms of the architectural lines. Every vista that you look at, you've got incredible sharp lines and a real sense of perspective, grids and also colourways. There's an amazing kind of neutral palette here, which is really unusual.
This particular architectural space was so influential to the palette and the feel of the collection, as well as the people here and how they live their lives. That sense of being always on the move, connecting to the rest of the city. I really wanted to centre the campaign here.
Who do you envision wearing this collection? What are they doing, where are they going?
The Barbican is a microcosm of a giant city here. You've got students, a theatre, an art centre – you have residential blocks, you have people who've lived here thirty, forty years and people who've just moved in recently. It's really a fantastic range of demographics. And I think that really represents what UNIQLO is about. It's for everyone. And I think this place really captures for me so much of that sense.
Any styling tips for the Autumn/Winter season?
So I think my top tips for the Autumn/Winter season are all about layering: the shirtings, the lightweight cashmeres, the shirts under the beautiful DRY hoodies. Even the coats, which are quite lightweight, can be layered. And for me, that gives the richness and the beauty of autumn and winter dressing. It's all about those cosy layers that give you that beautiful silhouette.
This season, you introduced menswear to UNIQLO : C. What are some of your favourite pieces in the capsule?
I love menswear checks, so we’ve created a really nice check coat. I also love the essential sweat set this season. It’s a new development that’s made of very fine cotton for a sculpted look. It’s really clean and looks a bit dressed up, but still casual. It’s got a wide open leg and a much baggier thigh for a slight taper at the bottom. The men’s denim has a new tonality—it’s deep indigo on the outside, but tobacco on the inside, so you get a beautiful tan colour panning through the indigo on the surface.
The Barbican Centre
*Learn more about the Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is a performing arts complex in London, built in the Brutalist style by architects Peter Chamberlin, Geoffrey Powell and Christopher Bon. The Barbican is passionate about showcasing the most exciting art from around the world, pushing traditional artistic boundaries to help us understand our lives in new and unexpected ways.
The Barbican is rooted firmly in the neighbourhood, collaborating with local communities to create joyful celebrations of the stories and places they care about, while putting the City of London on the map as a destination for everybody. It was officially opened to the public by Queen Elizabeth II on March 3, 1982.