This Spring season heralds “The Makers”; the creatives, the innovators and the rebels who did things their own way, off their own back, whilst independently forging their unique style. We find inspiration from the 90’s Indie bands we grew up with. Producing and releasing their own authentic sound, playing their own instruments again; The Verve, Blur, Happy Mondays, Oasis, Pulp and of course the infamous Stone Roses and their “paint throwing incident”. We celebrate the artistic freedom they carved out, allowing them to experiment and revel in their own creative autonomy.

We reflect too on an earlier creative fraternity, one forged within the potteries at the turn of the 20th century, and those craftspeople who quietly shaped an industry, introducing new forms, tones, pigmentations and philosophy. Studio Pottery became the thing of the times; ceramicists working alongside each other, sharing resource and inspiration for the betterment of one another. These creatives and skilled makers call to mind a rose-tinted view of when things seemed less complicated. Functionality was at heart, combining traditional menswear with utilitarian work wear, sportswear and thrift store finds; a creative way of dressing that we all love at Aubin. In the potteries, blazers were often worn over overalls, laundered shirts with a rumpled tie worn underneath clay smeared aprons; worn-in work attire pitted alongside British formality and tradition. The spotlight was on the creative work they produced both in music and art, industries long since intertwined, not how they dressed. 

In this collection we juxtapose these creative references and this artistic freedom with our contemporary eye to ensure modernity throughout. Seasonality continues to be key to the Aubin ethos as we champion multi-functional products that work harder and last longer. We not only think about how a product will serve in the present, but how it will continue to evolve and be relevant in the future too. We look back at past icons that have stood the test of time, and we breathe new life into them for our modern consumer. At a time of the year when we’re not really in the spending mood, now is the moment to invest in a few key pieces and to get more creative with our styling.

Our Spring colours are inspired by the washed and well-worn 90’s Indie era as well as the natural, chalky pigments of the potter’s glaze palette. There’s a focus on blue, a hero tone within the history of menswear long associated with uniform, tailoring and utility wear. The Stoke on Trent potteries who shaped the ceramics industry for over 300 years; Wedgewood, Spode and Royal Doulton, used Japanese and Chinese inspired blue and white designs which remain sort after to this day. We’ve mixed these iconic ceramic patterns, such as Mandarin ‘willow pattern’ with a washed, natural tone palette of blues, sand, chalky ecru, clay and washed lilac. 

So, unlike a typical start to the year, Spring provides the opportunity for the new, a time for creative freedom, building and growing on previous endeavours and expressing oneself with a newfound zest. This collection is a slice of that feeling, a celebration of the Makers culture, the Sally Cinnamon generation, the front man, the tambourine shaker sticking a finger up to conformity. Aubin champions the self-styled man, the independent thinker, who wears what he feels good in, and this collection perfectly defines just this. As Ian Brown once said, “It takes time for people to fall in love with you…but it’s inevitable.”