Stillness: An Interview with Stovaigh
Unpacking Stovaigh’s poetic philosophy, appreciation for nature, and meticulous fabric craft. A gentle resistance to the fast pace of fashion today.
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Introduction
I’ve been trying to step away from the constant onslaught of content we see during fashion month(s), or even on a daily basis — the endless reels and TikToks covering brands you have to know about like Margiela and Yohji Yamamoto. Have you heard of them? Yeah, I didn’t think so. It’s tiring, and can feel detrimental to anyone trying to navigate within this space — whether you’re hoping to start a brand, a publication, or something in between. It’s hard to justify writing an article, or recording a reel, when there’s already so much out there flooding our screens.
Now, rather than doom-scrolling and feeling like Senator Kelly from X-Men 2000, I’ve started perusing through fashion at a slower, steadier pace that doesn’t leave me overstimulated. During one of these excursions, I came across a brand that is tucked away — though still fairly new — and deserving of a lot more attention. For my readers that are into the slower forms of fashion, well, you’re in for a treat.
Stovaigh is a “project that combines oriental thought, classical photography, and fabric development.” Looking at their work, you can absolutely see how these three elements play a significant role behind the brand. Their collection is thoughtfully designed, using fabrics that need “time” to be mature, and are exclusively developed in the UK and Japan. They’re patient with the development of their garments, taking the necessary amount of time to study it, refine it, dye it — hoping the “thickness of the fabric can carry history, culture, and thinking.”
The team is poetic with their words, as you will see in a second. One example is their description of classic photography being a “concealed breathing lung, which will form a subtle transformation when watching.” It’s crucial that their photography captures the essence of their work — the tones, the textures — which often get lost in editorial work. Meticulous is how I’d describe their approach, and honestly, it’s something I really appreciate. We’ve seen so many brands and designers drop the quality of their work in favour of pumping out cheaper content and products, all while raising their prices.
Quality over quantity. Stovaigh lives by that, and after speaking with them, I don’t believe their ethos will change any time soon, if ever.
Interview
By Chris Maradiaga and Edward Luekehoelter
I’ve mentioned Stovaigh quite a bit recently in conversation. I'd love to know more about the early days behind the brand. What inspired you to start this?
There is no specific thing that made me start a brand. Most of the time, there is actually an invisible hand pushing you forward. The only thing you can do is to let nature take its course.
Your 4th collection is quite stunning and you've mentioned that the fabrics you've used (e.g. wool, silk, bamboo, etc) were all developed exclusively by Stovaigh. Can you elaborate on the process behind this? How did this come to be?
We have been working closely with many small Japanese factories since the first series, starting with the development of yarn. Some fabric factories have a century of history and have a huge amount of archived fabric samples on their record tables. Those fabric samples carry the weight of history and humanity, providing a lot of experience for the development of Stovaigh fabrics. The owner and operator of many factories are the same person, without any assistants. They have been in this industry since the last century, and some are even 80 years old.
The annual production of the factory is not much, which can maintain the normal operation of the factory, but they are very happy to do some radical fabric experiments with us, and creation has almost become an instinct for them.
I find your collections to be both timeless and innovative. Can you walk us through your creative process - from initial concept to final product?
I don't know how it started, but most of the time I get some inspiration unintentionally, like when I was climbing a mountain. You know, each of our collections has flowers and plants, some of which I know, and some are very unfamiliar. For example, the kirilowii flower in the third collection — I accidentally found it behind a wooden house in the countryside. It only blooms at night, so I can only capture its flowering at night. The whole process is very interesting — we witness the process from growth to decay.
The teachings of nature are so profound that when I designed the third series, I had the urge to fully present the prints in the fabric for the first time. The names of my first four collections all come from a concept in ancient Chinese philosophy of life — "Twelve Longevities" — which is the conclusion drawn by the ancients through the changes of all things in the four seasons, just like the ebb and flow of the tide, the natural law, and the cycle. I hope that Stovaigh is the same: in line with the natural way, with its growth and decline.
You've shared with me your appreciation for natural beauty and ancient Chinese philosophy. Are there, or were there, any specific traditions or moments in your life that sparked this vision behind your work?
Many times it is an unintentional glance that you see, or an unforgettable scene. I remember walking on the mountain last year — it was a mountain I had never climbed before — and suddenly a gust of wind blew from the east. Then I looked in the direction of the wind, and two embracing boulders stood upright, and the place where they touched the ground was covered with moss. I suddenly realized that the quiet vitality transcended time, so I naturally used a camera to record that moment, and then moss became one of my printing elements this season.
You use a lot of very, very specific procedures in your work, like salt silk printing followed by very specific dye-work. Without giving the magic away, how much trial and error did it take combining a traditional photography method with silkscreening?
I have tried and failed so many times, but that is the charm of handwork.
Fashion and photography are obviously very culturally linked, with fashion photography, fit-pics, Vogue’s street style series, etc, getting people dressed for the camera. However, I don’t really hear of brands being inspired by the practice of photography very often at all. How does the act of photography inspire the clothes you make?
The tones, atmosphere, monologues of traditional craftsmanship, and human perspective in classical photography fascinate me.
Sustainability has become both an important word within fashion, but also one that's been connected to brand's with philosophies rooted in nature. How do you view sustainability in fashion?
I hope sustainability is not just a commercial slogan. The damage and waste caused by this industry is too great. Every brand wants to have four series a year. I hope the pace can be slower. Only by slowing down completely can there be real changes. Otherwise, sustainability will always be a false proposition.
Is there a certain level of balance between modern design and honouring tradition that you aim for? Or do you lean towards a certain side at times?
Both are points I consider, but most of the time, finding a balance is like playing on a seesaw, and sometimes it will be too tilted. But the only thing I know is that traditional craftsmanship is the root, and only with roots can it sprout.
Is there a hidden financial cost to experimentation that maybe discourages labels from taking risks, or do you suspect that a lack of risk taking is more of cultural phenomenon/consequence of fashion being very "safe" as of late?
To be honest, I often feel that the pace of this world is too fast — like a high-speed running track — everyone is forced to move forward at full speed. But when everyone gets used to this pace, they will become more and more numb. Rather than being afraid of taking risks, I think it's because they are afraid of slowing down.
With fashion evolving drastically over the last ten years, I'd love to know your views on the industry? Or even the amount of fashion-related content we consume these days?
The fashion industry itself is essentially no different from other industries in the world. Personally, I find it overwhelming and difficult for someone to generate an authentic opinion or thought.
Thanks for reading!
Your support is greatly appreciated as I continue working towards growing this newsletter and slowly turning it into something bigger. The end goal is to turn this into a publication, featuring interviews with individuals in fashion, covering collections and shows, etc. Maybe we can make it to fashion week again - who knows.
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Love ya.
- Chris