roll up, roll up! for rottingdean bazaar’s institute of fashion and costume
Why did the designers cross the road, and walk into the joke shop? To recreate high fashion from Gucci, Prada, Dior and more!
Rottingdean Bazaar: Knock knock!
i-D: Who's there?
RB: Rottingdean Bazaar's Institute of Fashion and Costume! We were looking at a costume website and also catwalk photos and noticed some similarities. We wanted to document them, so we found sets of twins to photograph. It was quite tricky to get all the specific looks together on a certain day.
Two designers walk into a joke shop. How (and why) do they find high fashion?
We both have a technique-oriented mindset. One of us [Luke] studied knitwear and the other [James] print and textiles. We appreciate highly crafted clothes and objects. Since we have been working together we have also been trying to explore image-making in a broader way; thinking about how wearable things can function culturally as motifs and symbols.
What do you call fashion that is also a joke?
Certain aspects of fashion and wearing clothes are quite absurd and we think a lot of fashion creatives visually acknowledge and explore that to some degree. We try not to make value judgements about materials, objects and clothes but instead observe and work with their individual qualities. We really enjoy working with high fashion but also think there is unexplored territory in low-cost things.
Read: Step into the surreal seaside world of Rottingdean Bazaar

Right: Ariana Willey wears "Adult Fuschia Monster Costume" from Jokers' Masquerade, shoes by Manolo Blahnik

Right: Jack Frarey wears red and white-striped black rib harness, nude cotton crêpe jersey sleeveless crewneck sweater, black wool serge narrow pant, red and white-striped black rib inserts, d-ring detail by Dior

Right: Ariana Willey wears blue silk stripe shirt with cut-away sleeve, white poplin shirt dress & plasticized blue silk stripe oversize bag by Ports 1961, shoes by Manolo Blahnik

Right: Trent Lafond wears top, trousers, shoes by Issey Miyake

Bottom: Jack Frarey wears "Women's Red Crayon Fancy Dress Costume" from Jokers' Masquerade

Right: Oliver Wright wears "Astronaut Suit Costume" from Jokers' Masquerade

Right: Ariana Willey wears "Adult Inflatable Bodybuilder Costume" from Jokers' Masquerade, shoes by Manolo Blahnik

Right: Mason wears jumper by Lou Dalton, trousers by Dior Homme

Right: Piers Lafond wears "118 118 Male Runner Costume" from Jokers' Masquerade

Right: Oliver Wright wears hat, top, shorts, shoes by Tommy Hilfiger
Credits
Photography Lucy Alex Mac
Art Direction and Styling Rottingdean Bazaar
Makeup Andrew Gallimore, CLM
Hair Adam Szabo, Atomo Management
Models Alisha Willey and Ariana Willey (Linden Staub), Mason Wright and Oliver Wright (Select Model Management), Sam Frarey and Jack Frarey (PRM Agency), Trent Lafond and Piers Lafond (IMG)