Social Suicide

Mr Waterfall and Mr Grey are Social Suicide, a British fashion design studio. They are currently selling in London with plans to expand to Paris, Rome, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and of course Shopify.

Too long have men stood as second fiddle to the female fashion orchestra. Playing the same monotone song, again and again, year after year. Dancing to someone else’s tune, at a party we weren’t invited to, in shoes that don’t fit.

We believe; we believe wholeheartedly; we believe that men’s fashion is here and that it is now; that it is sharp and that it is intelligent; that this is our party, the music is spectacular and that the boys are dancing.

Every design has a story, every detail a reason, every fiber a moral.

Interview

Social Suicide




Careful, this question is usually the catalyst for hours of pontification and, unless you’re genuinely interested, resounding tedium. Even Si and I are getting bored of the sound of our own voices! Anyway, the abridged version is that guys are more inclined to make an emotional and/or intellectual connection with their clothes than the current industry model allows. Most brands are conceptually superficial, cynical and cheap – even the expensive stuff. We aim to design clothes from the ground up, reasoning every stitch, nip and tuck. A purpose comes first – be it practical or cerebral – and the design follows. etc. etc. Bored yet?

Social Suicide




For us it’s one of those “does what it says on the box” names. As natural as beans in a tin…

Social Suicide




Our first appointment with Harvey Nichols: After a chance trip to India, a battle of willpower with a few tailors and a blagged call to their head buyer, we got ourselves an appointment. It was for 10am on the 18th of August 2005. That day, 10:30am found us outside on the pavement wearing a collective grin, legs of rubber and smelling faintly of fear but with a £20k order in our pocket. That was our first appointment with anyone, our first shot with our first ideas and it was a hit with Harvey Nichols. It still amazes me.

Social Suicide




Some of our mates – by all accounts web geniuses – said that they were looking at it and that it looked perfect for us.

Social Suicide




Scalability, value and flexibility. Also, Shopify struck a chord with our own business philosophy. It seems to be a good honest business – some guys trying to make a good product and trying to make some money out of it.

Social Suicide




Now, for us, it was a walk in the park. But then, you’re asking the wrong people. We didn’t do it. Nico Nuzzaci (www.nuzzaci.se – plug) did it and he’s kinda smart.

Social Suicide




I like it’s flexibility and general ‘do it if you can’ tone. It’s free and easy and great for it. We’ve only got a few problems with inflexible taxation handling and it would be magic to be able to download and upload stock listings as code or text or a workbook for easy mass editing.

Social Suicide




I fancy the Caribbean, I think there are still a few private islands left, but Simon’s for the Azores. I guess we’ll just have to get a few places spread about a bit. A couple of wives in each I reckon.