Charles Jeffrey on LOVERBOY's Milanese Chapter

Born out of the sweat-dripping walls of East London venue VF Dalston in 2015, the club night turned fashion brand Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY has skyrocketed from underground spectacle to cult label. Dressing everyone from Tilda Swinton to the club kids of today, the Scottish designer boasts over 25 international stockists, has an LVMH Prize nomination under their belt, and even launched their musical debut last year. On Sunday night, the brand's latest A/W 23 collection was unveiled in their new fashion week home of Milan. The designer spoke to editor Hetty Mahlich to tell us more about the inspirations behind the show and building a global business.

‘I’m not stressed, I’ve not been stressed in a really long time because I’ve got that support’, Jeffrey tells me over a Zoom call a few days before the show, held in an intimate warehouse space in Milan. 'I've built a team who I can have a conversation with', they explain. With the support of Tomorrow Ltd, who acquired a minority stake in the label in 2021, the brand were able to make the move from London and show what is perhaps their best collection yet. They developed a series of original characters for the collection which is split into three groups; the workers, the posers and the snakes. Together, they live within the Sky City, propelled by an engine room which formed the set design for the show as models emerged from a cloud of industrial smoke. It was important the show was about a 'host of different characters rather than a parading of garments', they explain. With that, Jeffrey's runway debut in Milan set out with the intention of creating 'a good fucking solid show with great music, great models, great fucking set design, great location. It’s not about provoking [this time]. It’s now about being mature and telling a story, talking to people and showing this evolution.’

Moving away from the theatrical performances which characterised early LOVERBOY runway shows, the theatre of A/W 23 was all in the clothes, inspired by the Scottish artist and playwright John Byrne, in particular his play The Slab Boys which follows a factory paint mixer’s dreams of going to art school - Jeffrey’s own journey to Central Saint Martins springs to mind. The opening charcoal grey looks include a kilt and tuxedo dress, fine knitwear printed with oil slicks, Loverboy Shetland Island jumpers, and patent ruffle skirts making these the most glam Glasweigan Workers you ever did see. Then come the Posers in silk, lace-trimmed dresses and staple LOVERBOY tartan - here it becomes 'nuclear' says Jeffrey - before the Snakes all in white, soundtracked to Oliver Sim.

Jeffrey had begun work on the collection, titled Engine Room, before confirming that it would show in Milan - it was serendipitous that the city is Italy's industrial capital. It's evident that A/W 23 was a joy to design, rather than a chore - a sad reality for many designers caught on the hamster wheel of the fashion calendar with little time to actually sit still and be creative. Moving to Milan has been part of developing Jeffrey's creative process, having set up their business within the framework of what was London Fashion Week Men's (the city now shows co-ed in February and September). LOVERBOY has never prescribed itself to gender, and for designers like Jeffrey showing in a given ‘menswear’ or ‘womenswear’ season isn’t so much about prescribing to such labels but to buying windows. Fashion week is many things, but it is first and foremost a trade show, so Jeffrey was left with little choice but to leave London behind.

On the creative side, Milan has also presented Jeffrey with a wider community to engage with. 'There’s something humble about Milan, I love Milanese people. It reminds me of Glasgow,' Jeffrey tells me. They've been doing recces all over the city, discovering club nights such as Spiritual Sauna - 'the closest thing to what LOVERBOY was'. A legion of fans also reached out when the brand announced they would be doing a runway show in the city. First and foremost, the designer views holding such an event 'an opportunity for lots of people to be a part of your brand’.

Jeffrey is navigating upscaling the business and sales whilst staying authentic to LOVERBOY's unique DNA. Theatrical performances may not have featured at the show, but the collection itself tells an original Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY story all of its own, fed through with more commercial products like the sell-out rabbit ear hats and scarves which noticeably lined the heads of many show-goers. ‘I never thought I would have a knitted beanie with ears be the thing that makes us a shit tonne of money!’, Jeffrey cackles. ‘It’s good to have a goal of where you want to be from a business point of view. I respect the ability to bring in the money…but it’s matched with my goals as an artist and creative director.' Cheers to that.