Sartorial Script
Olli Hull is a London-based designer and artist. Olli combines these disciplines not only painting on canvas but also on upcycled clothing to create the most stunning wearable art. He melds these twin passions to create clothes that are imbued with a high-octane flamboyance and punk-inflected eccentricity.
Clothing originally sourced from charity shops and vintage markets which he re-purposes and re-imagines through alteration and through the adornment of hand-painted mantras which convey those thoughts which are often buried deep within our collective psyches. Mantras that are often drawn from his own experience of living in a society that is still not wholly accepting of the LGBTQ+ community and of those who refuse to be confined by outdated binary constraints. Messages of protest and empowerment which give voice to all whose mental health and wellbeing is profoundly impacted by societal stereotypes.
Olli's is a fashion philosophy which is deep-rooted in an authenticity that extends to the rigorously sustainable ethos which underpins all that he does, and which demonstrates his commitment to safeguard our environment. It's a philosophy that has also seen him become the go-to designer for those who share his vision of representation and inclusivity through wearing clothes that share an unapologetic honesty in the messages that they portray. An honesty that is designed to not only empower the wearer but give solace to those who view the pieces and take comfort in the fact that they are not alone.
2022 saw Olli gift the universe his SS23 collection "Demons" an assemblage of sassy fierce. An exploration of the demonization of queerness and the issues which have touched his very being. We sat down with Olli before Christmas to talk to him about this latest collection, the influences and inspirations which inform his work and his aspirations for 2023.
Congratulations on your SS23 collection “Demons” which showcased at London Queer Fashion Week. What was the inspiration for the collection and were there any particular demons that you wanted to exercise through bringing it into the world?
The collection was inspired by demons through my art, my mental health, struggles with dyslexia, depression and anxiety. I was exercising those demons through the collection and also playing with this idea of being demonized and naughty and the way I see myself but really actually feeling demonized by being queer and then coming to terms with loving myself.
Congratulations on your SS23 collection “Demons” which showcased at London Queer Fashion Week. What was the inspiration for the collection and were there any particular demons that you wanted to exercise through bringing it into the world?
The collection was inspired by demons through my art, my mental health, struggles with dyslexia, depression and anxiety. I was exercising those demons through the collection and also playing with this idea of being demonized and naughty and the way I see myself but really actually feeling demonized by being queer and then coming to terms with loving myself.
You’re an artist and a designer who creates pieces that are one-off hand-painted wearable art. In the creative process which comes first the artistic concept or the garment construction?
I think they happen simultaneously; they ebb and flow. I never make a garment from scratch, it's always from found. It’s always from something that’s already made and that will inform what I do with it and so what I do with it or what I paint onto it, all of that’s informed by the original shape of the garment. I often try a piece on to get a feel for it, to wear it so I can see how it feels on me.
How long have you been doing this for. Is it something you’ve always wanted to do since you were young?
I've been doing it full time for a little while now. I started as a hairdresser first, but I did illustration and art at Uni. I've always wanted to paint but I never knew what. I then worked at this really good hair salon, and they did a lot of fashion shows and competitions. My boss put me forward for this competition and she knew my skills were in painting and drawing so she said I think you should design the clothes for it. She said why don't you paint on the clothes, so I painted a suit, and it won the competition. And afterwards I realized I had way more fun doing that than I had doing hair, so I started spending all my spare time buying vintage secondhand clothes and painting them. I bought myself a sewing machine, taught myself to sew and it just evolved. I quite quickly found the signature thing that I was going to do of painting on clothes and I'd say that maybe only in the last year have I really found that my styles come together in terms of my vision.
Your pieces each carry their own distinct message which is always thought provoking and empowering. How important and cathartic is it for you to express your emotions through this medium?
It's very important. There are a few different messages that I want to convey. It's different each time and there are a few different ones. I think that my main thing is being hopeful and open and honest about the really dark sides of our own psyches. All these hidden thoughts that you have, things like hate and anger or the things that you wouldn't maybe admit to saying. I love the idea of writing those on clothes and wearing them. I sometimes think in a really shallow minded way when I'm angry and sometimes I get a bit toxic when I feel insecure. I guess my hope in doing this is that other people see that and say oh my god I'm not just a freak myself, I'm not the only one with the problem, everyone has these issues and struggles, and it makes it a bit more honest. It's my inner thoughts externalized through clothes. I try not to censor it too much and there's a few phrases I regurgitate as they work, and I have to think commercially. When I'm working on big pieces I just tap into a thought or a feeling or a particular event and just let what comes out, come out. Sometimes after a panic attack or an argument with my boyfriend is when I make my best work as it all comes through.
How do you want the person who wears one of your pieces to feel about themselves and the world around them when they put it on?
I'm quite open to people having their own relationship with it but I'd like to think that people who wear my clothes would feel confident and empowered and make a statement.
You ‘ve had some amazing people wearing your clothes and are receiving some great exposure?
Yes, it's been quite good at the moment. With that side of things, you have to be quite patient with it as things just come and go and everything's so flaky in fashion. One minute you could be dressing Tom Daley the next minute you could be dressing no-one, and things have moved onto someone else. I used to get quite anxious when I got an email from someone wanting me to make them clothes but now, I'm just a bit like this probably won't happen. There's so much competition. In the case of dressing Woody (Cook) his manager emailed me and said Woody Cook wants to make a statement at the Attitude awards. He's coming out as bisexual, and he wants to enter that space and make a statement. So, I didn't know who he was and looked him up. I thought he's pretty cool, I didn't know what to expect and he came in for a fitting and we got on really well. It just felt really what I want for my art when I collaborate with someone or do a commission with someone. It's not just a transactional thing, you make a connection. It's really beautiful that I can be a part of someone's journey.
Sustainability and upcycling are at the core of everything that you do. Where do you source your materials and how rewarding is it to bring new life to clothing that's been discarded?
I love that. My boyfriend actually commented on one of my Instagram pictures two days ago saying because we met in charity shops, he said I found you in a charity shop and took you away. He introduced me to the queer scene in London and opened me up to so many things. I think what I like about what I do is that you take something that's been discarded and thrown away and I look at the potential in it and what can I make this into. I think it resonates with my own story.
There's an ever-growing realization by the public of greenwashing which remains throughout mainstream fashion. How would you like your work to contribute towards the shift that needs to happen to change our relationship with fast fashion?
I think when I first knew that I wanted to go into fashion I was aware that the planet and environmental crisis was always on my mind. So, I was constantly faced with whether coming into this space I was adding to the problem. I think that through upcycling I always had this idea that if you can make sustainability cool and the environment cool and connect with people in a way that you can get them onboard with it then you can speak to them. It's an opportunity to be creative and when people say we’ve always done it this way to show them innovative ways to do things differently. I source my clothes from charity shops and vintage shops. There's a lot of really good charity shops that I use but I don't want to give any names away. It's about celebrating these old clothes.
You staged an exhibition of your art and clothing in 2021 entitled "Act Normal" which can so often be the persona that those growing up queer assume. How much of that title is a reflection of your own experience and what advice would you give those seeking to find their true identity?
When I think about "act normal" I think about the person I was when I met my boyfriend. I remember seeing him wearing a mini skirt and having makeup on and I cringed at it. I’d grown up in a very small town in the north and I was so disconnected from my own femininity that to see someone else express it made me feel that it was wrong. Coming to London for me was amazing as I got to explore it in a safe space. I guess the advice I would give to anyone else based on my own journey is that the things that make you feel uncomfortable or make you feel disgusted or shameful, you should maybe challenge those as these may be the things that reveal what you are trying to hide.
Who are the queer role models who have influenced you in your life and in your work?
Dolly Parton is such a big influence. I think Dolly because at first glance you would think that she was some fake bimbo but that's all part of her glamour and act to spread this love that she has. Whenever I find myself having negative thoughts or in a difficult situation, I do ask myself what would Dolly do and I try to be a bit more Dolly. So, I think she's one of my biggest influences. I also like Miley Cyrus and I remember when the "Bangers" album came out I was so amazed by it. I didn't want to like it, I was saying to myself that I don't like Miley Cyrus because that isn't cool, but her message really spoke to me and helped me. When you find a popstar or celebrity that speaks to you it's someone you can aspire to and say I want to be like them. It gives you someone you can channel when you're feeling shy.
What are your goals and aspirations for the brand in 2023?
I'd like to branch out into making and developing a made to order range and keeping it all sustainable. I'd also like to do some more collaborations with some fun creatives. I've dressed (Prince) JayJay and I remember going to "The Box" about six years ago when he was hosting, and I was so terrified to speak to him. Id followed him for years and he was so wow and then I met him at Brighton Pride and this really nice friendship has developed.
Fusing an anarchic alchemy with environmental empathy, Olli Hull designs clothes which transcend fashion. Clothes which tell their story through a duality of references. Through the ethical intentionality demonstrated in the way that the original garments are sourced and the mantras adorning these reimagined pieces with their proclamations of self-care and empowerment. Mantras which while intensely personal and cathartic to Olli resonate with so many others also endeavouring to navigate the heteronormative constraints of society.
As Miley sings on one of Olli's favourite albums "This is our house, this is our rules, and we can't stop, and we won't stop"
Olli Hull is definitely making his own rules, combining a sustainable ethos with a visual aesthetic to give us clothes that have tangible, physical meaning. Olli is a unique talent and special human who we at Swift know won't stop and we feel privileged to be a part of his house.
Huge thanks to Olli for speaking to us and giving us such an insightful and thought-provoking interview.
You can connect with Olli here https://ollihull.com/ and on IG https://www.instagram.com/ollihull/
