So Good x
THE MANIFESTO AS WRITTEN BY TOOGOOD
WHEREAS for too long we have witnessed the honest clothing of working people being stolen and arrogated in the name of so-called utility wear and industrial chic;
WHEREAS in an age of digital reproduction the individual is beset on all sides by the bastions of mercantilism and commerce, those false profiteers who prescribe with one hand and proscribe with the other, while forcing allcomers into constrictive sartorial templates;
WHEREAS the entrenched power bases of couture houses and multinationals mete and dole grotesque sumptuary laws to a compliant populace in the form of biannual ‘seasons’, weaving obsolescence into the very fabric of their garments;
WE HEREBY reject and reprehend the cruel diktats of the discredited fashionista treadmill: the voracious cycle in which spring/summer is devoured by autumn/winter, and autumn/winter is in turn devoured by spring/summer. Let them be rendered obsolete by the very inconstancy they thrive upon — we want it to happen! We will create only when we choose to create. Never again shall free thinkers be in thrall to the caprices of chainstore buyers or of marketing consultants!
OUR AIMS are simple, our methods straightforward. We shall sweep aside the crumbling detritus of plutocrat designers and clear the way for a new aesthetic rooted in individuality and honesty, a liberating mode that is available to all, male and female, old and young. We celebrate the craft and the toil of the workers — not faceless serfs running up disposable fads in farflung sweatshops, but named artisans with pride in their labour.
WE SHALL harness the techniques and forms of this mechanised age and return them to the people. The inherent worth of any object lies not in the pronouncements of the self-appointed arbiters of collective taste, but in provenance and the craftsmanship of manufacture.
The Beekeeper
The Road sweeper
The Oilrigger.
The Courier
The Chemist
The Mechanic
Each coat is groundly based in the the workwear of a specific trade – authentic and pactical. There is no gender bias instead they are available in 6 sizes to enhance or disguise individual frames.
Unique labels inside each garment celebrate the workmanship and craft of each process and layer of creativity: The buyer, the seller, the manufacturer right back to the designer and pattern cutter. A simple, clear badge of pride.
Integrity, style, class and…excitement.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 
but aren’t they themselves “stealing the honest clothing of working people in the name of so-called utility wear and industrial chic” as stated in point 1 of their manifesto?
I interpret as saying that they are part of the ‘workers’ too and they aim is to take everything back to honest basics. Having said that, for a label to work it can’t be just a vanity project so there is a potential conflict of interest xxx
Good points , both of you .x
I think they have managed to marry up a lot of ideas AND come up with fabulous product. Rare as hens teeth xxx
Their heart is in the right place even though their words might be a bit misplaced.
Nevertheless, I do like their collection enormously.
I love the shapes..I also like how they are non-gender with a wide range of sizes but yes..they might have got themselves tied up in a bit of political tape xxx
Their desire to escape the fashion calendars makes me think of Alaïa, and with their oh-so-sharp cuts, they have something else in common with the Master ! XXX
They are fabulous cuts..there is something free and refreshing yet razor edged. I like! xxx
Love the manifesto and it’s stated desire to challenge “the entrenched power bases of couture houses and multinationals mete and dole grotesque sumptuary laws to a compliant populace in the form of biannual ‘seasons’, weaving obsolescence into the very fabric of their garments;” great aim, very worthwhile. However, I am not into wearing any clothing that could conceivably be worn by men. I enjoy men’s suiting, sure, but cut for women. I like, no I LOVE, pretty clothes. But this? No prints, no flowers, no soft lines? I like well made, pretty, women’s clothing that will outlast the seasonal trends. Must we go so far to escape the multinational couture houses? Can’t we have the best of both worlds…designers working on an inspirational not seasonal basis. I think non gender clothing is just another stab at identifying youth culture as something it’s not.
I don’t know..I have a huge love of mens clothing at the moment which I think is more a reaction against the bondage body conscious dresses and slut heels of reality TV slash ‘celebrity’ than youth culture. The perfect garment for me is one that can be thrown on and looks brilliant no matter who is wearing it..I think these have that quality. It also means you get that possibility of wonderful contradiction with coat over sheer floral print and chunky shoes…I like it! xxx
“…those false profiteers who prescribe with one hand and proscribe with the other…” Hear, hear! Love boundary pushing!
I really think they have something..I for one will be watching closely.. xxx