“I’m not saying don’t buy the odd mass produced item but as my nan used to say, ‘Buy cheap, buy twice’.” Ashley Elliot-Fowles, AE-London
Ashley Elliott comes from a long line of family tailors and seamsters. With over 20 years of industry experience himself he has had the pleasure of styling and designing for internationally renowned names from the worlds of Media, Art, Music, Film and Commerce. From styling for magazines such as L’uomo Vogue, Andy Warhol’s Interview to British magazines such as GQ and Sunday Times Style. He has worked on major feature films. Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood and Prometheus to the Harry Potter films,Captain America and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, working closely with actors such as Michael Fassbender, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey Junior and Jude Law.
THC: What inspires you and why?
Ashley: Quality and integrity are my main working inspirations. Well dressed people that have an individual edge with the ability to mix brands rather than commercial conformity is what its all about. I’m not saying don’t buy the odd mass produced item but as my nan used to say, ‘Buy cheap buy twice’.
THC: How did you get into your business?
Ashley: My grandfather was a tailor and my father and grandmother were seamstresses back in the 60/70’s. Initially I took my own route and became a menswear stylist in the late 90’s to mid 2000’s working for magazines such as L’Uomo Vogue, GQ, Interview magazine and the Sunday Times Style, then I moved on to becoming a costumier and working on feature films, the last film I worked on was Prometheus. After that I came full circle and picked up the family mantle. I felt that I needed to carve my own path before becoming a tailor in my own right as what I’d learnt from working in the fashion and film industry has become invaluable to what I produce for my clients today as a tailor.
THC: What are you working on right now?
Ashley: Haha that would be telling! All I can say is that I’m working on an accessories project that will take the brand to another level offering existing and new clients something different from what they are used to from us but not too far removed.
THC: how do you see your space evolving?
Ashley: I’m always looking for ways to improve and move forward at the moment we’re looking to expand to other corners of the globe with trips on a regular basis.
THC: Who’s your Hero or Icon?
Ashley: This is a tricky one as I think having hero’s and icons is almost bordering on a form of religion and it can be detrimental to you being who you are and who you should truly become because you’re always trying to live up to your hero / icon’s standards, putting that person on a pedestal can have implications. I have so many people that I look at and take inspiration from though, from the way that they approach situations with free thinking attitudes and are total renegades but I would never try to emulate them. The likes of Ray Petri, Tommy Nutter, Anna Piaggi, Gallianno, Largefeld, Slimane, Bowie, Richards, Kervorkian, Levan, Arbus, Banier I mean the list is endless right, these are just some of the names off the top of my head it is not a list by any means. These are the true cavaliers in my world that have that complete cavalier attitude that I feel you need to succeed when treading that path to becoming yourself creatively.
THC: Where’s your favourite spot around the world?
Ashley: There’s many places that I regard as sanctuary’s around the world, too many to list really. The most recent that springs to mind would have to be a yoga/meditational and surf retreat in Kerala southern India called Soul and Surf that I had the pleasure of visiting earlier this year, set in private grounds on a cliff top with nothing but an expanse of ocean looking back at you was out of this world. I find going to remote places keeps me grounded and in touch with reality even though reality really is subjective to ones own life. Ultimately though I’m an East End bloke that’s happy spending the night down the local boozer with his mates but also having a liking for the finer things in life.
THC: What’s your favourite injection of culture into a brand?
Ashley: I have a mixed love of European style meets that quintessential classic British style and cut, the stiff upper lip meets that laid back colourful peacocking European style, I can’t pigeon hole myself and never will do it s all about an attitude and at the end of the day its not what your cutting its who’s having it cut.
