Skepta’s Mains Makes Its Runway Debut
Mains, the clothing line of UK rapper and producer Skepta, made its runway debut. The brand, which debuted in 2017, has faced complications in the past in terms of ownership. Initially, it was a partnership with a sportswear company. However, the partnership ending caused year-long control issues to arise. This ultimately resulted in Skepta formulating a deal with Puma, and the rest is history. He has since proven himself to have several passion projects, including rapping, producing, DJing, designing, modeling, and being a father.
The setting for the show demonstrates that the rapper had a clear vision for the spring season, as this collection showed off the modern athleisure style effortlessly. There couldn’t have been better timing, considering the US Open was only a couple of weeks ago. The floors were lined with green turf and included a tennis net. Drawing inspiration from a recent Miami trip, Skepta designed outfits he would wear now. Observing the show were former girlfriend and supermodel Naomi Campbell, UK rapper Stormzy, and Givenchy creative director Matthew Williams.
Some models wore outfits suitable for playing tennis, and others wore outfits suitable for the country club look. The rapper describes his style as “hood luxury.” Nonetheless, there wasn’t a lack of fabric: leather, silk, and quite literally everything in between. Despite the large range of materials, the designer still managed to have all looks maintain the same theme. The collection aligned with trend forecasts, as red leather appeared briefly on the catwalk.
Skepta’s known love for the two-piece could be responsible for tracksuits galore in this collection. This included a classic zip-up and a retro windbreaker. Blurring the lines between business casual and sportswear, the combinations of clothing demonstrated that gym clothes can be stylish enough to wear with a collared button-down.
The resurrection denim lovers have been waiting for are those of the “jorts,” also known as jean shorts. Popular in the late ’90s to the early ’00s, they joined the list that includes overalls, baggy jeans, and the Canadian tuxedo. All of these were also present in this collection. However, traditional tuxedos also made the cut, but with a baggy twist. Good tailoring skills shined here, as the arms, shoulders, and waist were snug with a slightly longer torso and lapels to give it that oversized illusion.
Accessories were limited to racquets, racquet bags, tennis shoes, boots, caps, and even motorcycle helmets. Although, each of them was used ironically; almost in a way to make the more upscale outfits look classier, and vice versa. His use of accessories made the showcase look less formal, and gave the looks a younger feel, one that resonated well with his audience.
The brand itself has a lot of potential, and it’s only the beginning as followers can expect many more runway shows from Mains in the future. With Skepta designing the clothing, there’s no doubt that it will be another fresh take on the otherwise traditional fashions.
Featured Photo by Ben Broomfield/ Courtesy of Mains/ Vogue Runway