Its the giant monsta!
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Craig Lawrence is not only knitwear extraordinaire, ready to spin fantastical pieces from a single ball of yarn, but he also shares his name with the Craig Lawrence band (ready for weddings and private functions should you be Seattle based). If that wasn’t enough to get excited about, the CSM graduate has already had his pieces modelled by Tilda Swindon for the cover of Another Magazine. It seems the world really is this fashion starlet’s oyster.
Craig Lawrence’s CV is impressive indeed. He’s already worked with Gareth Pugh, Levis, Casetteplaya, Patrick Wolf and Alexander McQueen’s McQ internet campaign. He has also been chosen along with 23 other hot new designers to receive sponsorship by the British Council New Gen Sponsorship, supported by Topshop LFW this February.
His last collection featured over the top hybrid knits in a concoction of explosive shapes. This reflected the ‘overwhelming and flashy-tacky show of Christmas’ says the man himself. It all seems a world away from his Ipswich based childhood and caravan holidays in seaside towns. But it was these experiences peppered by boredom where a trip to the sweetshop was the highlight of the day, which forced him to make up his own adventures.
His childhood filled with dressing up his teddy bear dollydot in cardboard outfits, watching ballroom dancing on telly and doodling in his sketchpad ensured his creative seeds were sewn. Now his fashion designs are beginning to take full bloom and it is London where he is based which continues to inspire him. The thriving city provides him with pockets of creative people, galleries and museums that influence his pieces. But he is never too high and mighty to get too artsy fartsy. He still takes pleasure in films like Bring it On and Edward Scissorhands, even citing them as major inspirations. Martin Parr books, old Glamour International magazines and films like Monster (Patty Jenkins) and Tarnation (Jonathan Caouette) also feed his dark and abstract tendencies.
Like his fashion idol Andrey Bartenev who creates extreme costumes that are made to astonish, it looks like Craig Lawrence is a bit of a performer too. You never know what he’s going to conjure up next. He’s not only reinventing the ancient craft of knitting through some kick ass forms and materials, but he’s also prickling a few eyebrows in the process.
All by Craig Lawrence except the model
Words: Tanya Geddes
Illustration: Kelly Jackson
Photographer: Tan Tanapol Kaewpring
Stylist: Linda Charoenlab
Model: Austin@Apple
Hair: Kikabite
Make-up: POK Lovemelondon
Stylist Assistants: Waranut sawaengsuk, Phanom Pratipatkulchai