GroomingDan GregoryIthink from the very beginning I hadn’t
really seen what I could actually
achieve,” says young British textile
maestro Edward Crutchley, 38, of his
relationship with Dior creative director
of menswear Kim Jones, “but then when we
started working together it became quite clear.
We both realised we could do really good stuff
together.” Having first met in 2011, when
Jones joined Louis Vuitton as style direc-
tor (where Crutchley was already working
in the textiles department), the pair, says
Jones, “naturally gelled”. Both Central Saint
Martins alumni and both standout talents
of the British fashion industry, Jones, 39,
and Crutchley are less master and student
these days and more learned equals. They
regularly share views and design aesthetics,
and support one another in their respective
practices. Now, working together at Dior –
Crutchley is director of fabrics and graphics- the partnership continues in earnest.
Kim Jones: When I joined Louis Vuitton
we had three months to do a collection
and we just worked. You’re always looking
for new things and new ways of designing.
You’re forever looking around the world
to learn different techniques. No one else
does that. Just look at the mother-of-pearl
yarns and the dyed Japanese leathers in
your collections...
Edward Crutchley: Being able to see what
you have achieved at Louis Vuitton and
Dior and to feel like I’ve played some
part in that is important to me. We work
together at Dior now, so I see your success
every day.
KJ: You started your label a few years
after we met and I always encourage you
to express your point of view. You’re a
technical designer and you actually know
your product.
EC: Yes. I don’t know if it was really
understood by everyone else to begin with,
but you always saw something in me.
KJ: I know what I like. You would come
up with ideas using different fabrics and
I would just say, “No, I don’t like that.”
And you didn’t take it personally, whichKJ: I don’t ever think of myself as a
“master” to you. We talk about ideas.
I ask questions as much as you ask me
them. We discuss business. There’s not
much information about other people’s
businesses out there – people are secretive,
everyone thinks you want to one-up them.
But, for me, that doesn’t matter. I’ll share
my experiences with you and introduce
you to people when I can.
EC: I now believe that what I do is
worthwhile and that has come from your
support. Something I’ve really learned is
that you don’t need to do everything and
you don’t need everyone to like it. You
just need to find out who you want to like
it and then when they like it you know
you’re doing the right thing. You’ve really
taught me to be patient.
KJ: You teach me new things all the time.
You have to have the best around you. I
had Lee McQueen and Louise Wilson as
support. I was very fortunate. The people
that make you believe are key. Lee was like
a big brother to me. I met him shortly after
college and he liked what I did and he gave
me a great deal of self-belief. It’s not about
financial support. It’s about being made
to feel good. I wanted to make sure you
had that. [When] you get criticism you
have to contextualise it. I don’t expect
everyone to like me. Yours is one of the few
opinions I completely trust. I trust you with
everything. You know about my life and
vice versa. I’m fortunate that I had people
to talk to, so why should it be different for
anyone else? Grace Wales Bonner, Martine
Rose, Charles Jeffrey and Craig Green: I
support them all. You’re the same...
EC: You’re extremely approachable and
that’s something I’ve taken [on] for myself.
I used to lecture at the Royal College Of Art
and I’m still in touch with the students. If
they want my advice, I will always help.
KJ: You do things the correct way. And to
top it off, you won the Woolmark Prize! I
wanted to cry. I was super proud. We will
continue to support one another. If I see
something that I know you’ll love, I get it
for you.I respect. I like your slow and steady
approach because, for me, that means
that you’re going to have longevity in
this industry. Things blow up in fashion
and then get boring all too often and all
too quickly.
EC: That ability to edit and save things for
future collections is something I learned
from you. When I started I was more
personally invested in what I was doing,
so I found it harder to discard ideas. You
helped me to create my own identity within
my own brand. I understand when I should
and shouldn’t do something.
KJ: You look at everything globally,
reference things and turn them into
something different. There is no rehashing.
You appreciate the craft and look at it in
your own way. I am constantly learning
new techniques from you. Things don’tmove on if you don’t look at previous
ideas. Today, people call designers out
about [cultural appropriation], which I
think is important, but appreciating a
cross-pollination of ideas and cultures
[from] across the world is important too.
Patterns from South Korea resemble those
from Ancient Greece and that’s because
the Silk Road connected everything.
You’re aware of this and you bring it
into your own collections. You think on
a global scale. You have seen how I work,
but you have your own style, which
involves observing the world and taking
it all in. Even your book collection is global- you even have books on rug making!
EC: You are my biggest influence, though
our style is very different. If it wasn’t,
there really would be no point in me doing
a collection. I always listen to what [you]
say but if I know what I want then I’ll do it.
‘ Our style is verydifferent. If it wasn’t,there’d be no pointdoing a collection’Kim Jones &Edward CrutchleyFrom Central Saint Martins to Louis Vuitton and now Dior, their entwined careers have
fostered a reciprocal relationship in which support and inspiration flows in both directionsStory by Zak Maoui Photograph by Nikolai von BismarckFASHION MENTORS09-19FeatureFashionMentors.indd 179 26/06/2019 09:51
SEPTEMBER 2019 GQ.CO.UK 147