Topman Taps Charlie Casely-Hayford

With London Fashion Week Men's starting next Thursday, June 8, talk is turning to the menswear offering from the capital's finest, and to precede it there is an important collaboration of which to take note: Charlie Casely Hayford, one half of the family-run British fashion brand Casely Hayford, has teamed with Topman to bring his bespoke tailoring to the masses.

Entitled Fine Tailoring, the 10-piece collection is split into four event themes: wedding, work, weekend and occasion, but it isn't just the men that can look forward to the drop. Casely-Hayford has styled the collection on female models to show the versatility of the collaboration (a top tip: the limited-edition silk kimono is a must-have) - here, he tells us what made him bring his brand of slow Savile Row fashion to the UK high street.

Why do you think the partnership with Topman is such a good fit?

"I originally approached Topman because they are so forward thinking in their creative approach, particularly through Topman Design. They have always been lauded for the strength and innovation of their runway collections, on top of this I was always fascinated by the details of their internal construction. It trumps everyone on the high street. I wanted to explore that on a deeper level and push the details further and so approached them about working together on modernist tailoring collection."

Did you adopt a different sensibility when creating a high street collection?

"Yeah for sure. My background with suiting is really focused in making custom pieces for individual clients, often in bespoke fabrics. Working with [creative director] Gordon Richardson and the team at Topman required a completely different skill set. I wanted to take elements from my world and introduce them to the Topman lexicon to create something really high level but maintain an accessible price point. I definitely also learnt a lot through the process.

The collection is styled on female and male models - do you see the brand moving more into a unisex direction?

"We've certainly been moving that way at Casely-Hayford for the last few years. A lot of the pre-historic parameters around clothing have dissipated recently, it feels like a natural progression."

What do you see the future of the British fashion industry being?

"I think sustainability will play a pivotal role in fashion moving forward rather than just the fad it is currently perceived to be. I think the word 'sustainable' will become as commonplace as the word 'organic' is within the food industry. The problem with organic is that it's always going to cost more than other options which is a strong deterrent for most people, let's hope we can find a way around that issue on a mainstream scale with sustainability."

How has Brexit affected the Casely-Hayford brand?

"I can't pretend it hasn't, but we're relatively lean and agile as a company, so we've been able to adapt to the situation."

Are you a fan of slow fashion? Or would you be up for adopting a see-now, buy-now approach?

"I'm strictly slow fashion vibes at Casely-Hayford - that's why it's been such an interesting experience working with Topman. It's really pushed me outside of my comfort zone. One of the biggest luxuries we have is time. Everything is so rushed now. To craft something good takes time. I'm a believer in investing in the craft. All that see-now buy now does is squeeze the little guy and reduce the respect we have for our clothing which is directly linked to a more disposable attitude towards your wardrobe."