Le Kilt's Sam McCoach on her punk inspirations, with an exclusive preview of her A/W15 lookbook
Sam McCoach is the founder and creative director of emerging womenswear label Le Kilt. Her Autumn/Winter 2015 collection She Said Boom debuted at London Fashion Week and references 80s band Fifth Column's post-punk fanzine of the same name. Excited by subculture and the way clothing is used within social groups, McCoach is also fascinated in how people dedicate themselves to certain movements by buying into an identity.
"It’s like football, I love the way it brings people together – you can be a season ticket holder and sit next to the same person at home games for 20 years… There is something really dedicated about being part of a club, and that’s what interests me about clothes." Here she discusses some of the references and inspiration behind her work, from post-punk girl bands to the early 80s London night club scene and Derek Ridgers’ documentation of youth culture in his book, 78-87 London Youth.
On the club Le Kilt…
"I discovered Le Kilt in the book We Can be Heroes by Graham Smith and Chris Sullivan – it was the name of a post-punk club on Greek Street in Soho, back in the early 80s. The interior had been left untouched since the 60s and it was like an old hunting club which created this wonderful clash of two classes – people playing funk, soul and Latin music but in a really ornate environment. The scene was about people getting together to make something happen, fuelled by punk’s DIY attitude."
On Derek Ridgers 78-87 London Youth…
"I love this book because it captures real style on real people and shows how individuals put clothing together themselves. This photo was taken on the Kings Road in 1984 and is my favourite image from the book...It reminds me that I want to keep my fringe short! I like those small details. Her outfit is timeless but sharp and you can imagine the picture being taken just after she’s finished work, capturing the feeling of that day, like how her bag is slumped against the wall. She’s got an amazing attitude, she looks tough but has a certain elegance – hard, but beautiful at the same time."
On post-punk girl bands…
"For me, post-punk girl bands were telling a feminist story. The Mod-ettes were an English band formed in 1979 by the original members of The Slits and a member from The Raincoats and I love their imagery from that time. Also, Strawberry Switchblade from Glasgow, they were playing gigs in colourful clothing but there was still a punk element to it all. All of those girls are so influential for me in terms of style – there were all trying to say something through their music and art but at the same time they were super girly, wearing heavy eyeliner, leopard print and glitter nail varnish. They championed themselves as females. That’s what I like about the kilt as a piece of clothing; it’s hard and girly at the same time – which is everything that movement was about."
