Martin Parr's first fashion collection
Martin Parr does 'oh so British' fashion shoot for Henry Holland's House of Holland label (sandals not included)
Kitsch, colourful, occasionally in bad taste and always very, very British. But that's enough about Martin Parr because the same description could also be applied to the fashion designer Henry Holland who debuted his latest collection as part of London Collections: Men, yesterday.
Style conscious photography fans might think the accompanying look book photos bear more than a passing resemblance to the kind taken by Phaidon and Magnum photographer Martin Parr. That might possibly be because they were taken by the Phaidon and Magnum photographer Martin Parr.
Iconic British youth cult fashion of all eras and persuasions find a geographical foil when posed in front of Parr's craftily knowing camera lens. Greasy spoon cafés, dingy seaside towns and Saturday nights spent watching the clothes go round provide a frame for the fine art of dressing up - or down.
Twin tone suits and fluoro jackets mix seamlessly with Doctor Martens and slightly shabby sportswear chic - in Parr's expert hands colours are pushed and headaches induced.Some of his own iconic photos even feature here and there on the knits.
Meanwhile, House of Holland's accompanying hashtag #MartinFuckingParr is a cute appropriation of the recent #JohnnyFuckingMarr one used on the recent solo tour by the ex-Smiths guitarist, brutalist architecture fan and all round early Britpop legend. Richard Prince himself couldn't have done it with more aplomb.
Check out our many great books with Martin Parr, read our interview about the Photobook with with him and co-author Jerry Badger and indulge your love of iconic Brit street fashion over at House of Holland where you can buy a Parr-inspired butter, chips and sausage sweat shirt (plus accompanying joggers) and a Martin Fucking Parr scarf - the perfect job interview ensemble.
