Adam Frost discusses night terrors, his love of Björk and the reality of bringing his SS21 lookbook to life
If you want pretence and subterfuge, Adam Frost is not for you. Oozing charisma, joy and relatability, this London-based designer, performer and musician is “real” - GC style.
The SS21 collection is a frank depiction of Adam’s life experiences, including his journey of overcoming shingles and battling with mental health problems. Titled Aciclovir - the name of the medicine he had to take to remedy his bout of shingles - Adam explains, ‘The leopard print in the collection is a representation of shingles all over the body; the black dresses are a representation of a black hole because I was in a dark place when I designed them.’ But what was the meaning behind the umlaut printed on a couple of the looks? ‘It’s a dedication to Björk,’ he confesses. ‘I just think she really represents a certain type of fashion in London because she came to London with her debut album and she was a big supporter of British fashion - McQueen dressed her all the time. But it’s not that, when does a picture and she’s in clothes - there’s obviously other artists who are amazing as well - but when Björk does it, it’s just incredible. I’d just love to dress her. I just think she’s really cool.’
We spoke to the designer about the creation of his first lookbook, the difficulties that emerging designers face and what it was like working with stylist Oliver Volquardsen, visual artist Christopher McCrory and the rest of the team that made this collection and lookbook possible.
Perfect: Tell me about the team that you brought together for the creation of your lookbook.
Adam Frost: This is the start of a really solid group of people that I’m forming together. Chris is my neighbour and I met him through my mate Flo, and I met Chris’ boyfriend through lockdown because we were all stuck here together and just organically started working together. We did a load of shoots in the first lockdown and it’s gone from that to me doing a collection and then Oli (Volquardsen) styling it and Chris doing the visuals for the lookbook. I would say they are both heavily involved in everything - they helped me with casting, they helped with the lookbook - it’s been really fun! I’ve never worked with a stylist before this closely so it’s really nice to work with my mate, who happens to be a stylist. It all just organically came together.
Natacha Marro is someone who I work with a lot. If not for the next collection, the one after, I’m in talks with collaborating with her on my own Adam Frost shoes but it all depends on budget.
The lookbook was shot in my living room, in my warehouse. It’s massive babes, I’ve got a 5 bedroom warehouse and there’s only 2 of us who live here. It’s been done up really well. And the polaroids are what Chris took and edited. We put my swatches behind, and I do a lot of things on post-it notes, so my swatches are from when I printed at Zandra Rhodes’ studio and we just put all of these elements together.
Perfect: Do you find it difficult to separate your work and personal life?
AF: The collection was made in my bedroom, which I also use a studio. The thing is, it’s big enough to have my pattern cutting table, my industrial sewing machine, my rail and my paintings. I would put my mattress in the spare room and was just sleeping on the sofa bed so that my interns could sit on it while they were in here. I was literally having nightmares because it was in one space. I did apply for some studios but I didn’t get them because it’s very competitive at the moment. I find it hard to separate it and I do think you need a separate space but I’m very lucky. I’m in a huge warehouse but I just need an extra space to sleep in.
Perfect: What were you wanting to put across with this lookbook?
AF: So I did the show and did the fittings with Oli, it was very collaborative, but the way that he fucked up the collection is really brilliant. He was putting things the wrong way round and I’ve never worked with someone who has a brain like that. It really inspired me. So swapping things around, trying things on back to front and then Chris was like, ‘Ooh this is very couture show girl-y vibes so Chris was referencing spotlights on show girls. With Christopher, his visual representations were show girls and shadowing in the background, they look very performy. And I’m a performer so it works with my aesthetic.
The collection is basically the idea of looking like you have money but really you’re really skint but you can dress really well and cheap but look like you have money. It’s also about body dysmorphia - that’s why there’s shapes in the silhouettes. A lot of gays have body dysmorphia.
It’s kind of like Elizabeth I meets Bjork. That’s the vibe. And Róisín Murphy.
Writer Amelia White.
FASHION & MUA Adam Frost
ASSISTANT Kiera(n) Pruett
VISUAL Christopher McCrory
LIGHTING Stephen Allwright
STYLING Oliver Volquardsen
STYLING ASSISTANT Emily Powel
MODEL Siu Hei
HAIR RYO
WIGS Koji Ichikawa
HATS House Of Flora X Adam Frost
WIG HAT House Of Flora X Neil Moodie X Adam Frost
DRAPED HATS Adam Frost
PRINT Zandra Rhodes Studio & Hayley Cowling
SHOES Natacha Marro
MAKE UP Depixym & M.A.C.
