Even if you haven’t heard of Set before there’s a good chance you’ve seen them around. For the last four years Set have been gaining a cult following on social media and among street-wear enthusiasts, leading to the classic Old English “S” logo becoming instantly recognisable amongst the UK scene.
I first came across Set in 2012 and it has been interesting to see how the brand has evolved since then. Set’s early look-books showed a clear influence of skate and urban culture, which has continually progressed to the point where they are one of the most relevant new brands in the current street-wear scene. So much so that the brand have received recognition from influential figures in UK fashion such as Rejjie Snow and Skepta.
“Less Is More” isn’t just a slogan they put on some of their pieces, it is the idea behind the brands aesthetic. When Jack Richardson founded Set, the idea was to take a clean, simple approach towards design and a timeless approach to making the clothing itself, which is evident in the brands latest season. The Spring/Summer 16 line saw the brand explore new takes on classic street-wear pieces such as half zip jumpers, polo caps and signet rings.
We speak with brand founder Jack to get a bit more background on the brand and their latest release…
Where does the name come from?
Set. It was the name for a Fanzine I was doing as a project in college & it was basically a magazine about loads of things; skating, street-wear, cycling, music and hiking; the name Set just came from that and it just looked cool for logos.
What has influenced the designs for your latest collection?
A lot of the stuff that was released this season has been in the pipeline for a while. I just wanted to bring out some staple pieces. The S logo t-shirts and ‘Less Is More’ hoodies show the brands aesthetic. I’ve been promising people the signet rings for a while so I’m really happy they are out now but the influence is just what I see people wearing & my own version of it really.
How would you say the brand has evolved since you started?
It’s evolved so much it was just an idea back then. It’s a real thing now and its only getting bigger. I’m excited to see what the next few years have to offer and where the brand goes.
What lead to you creating/finding your brand identity?
I guess it’s an extension of myself really. I design everything myself so its just the type of stuff me and my friends wanted to wear.
If you could collab with any other brand whom would you pick and why?
Champion, Vans or Adidas. Just because they are companies I have always looked up to and they make really good products.
Do you have projects in the pipeline?
Yeah I’m planning a string of Pop up shops in Birmingham, Manchester and London over the summer, which will all be in conjunction with local artists & creatives. If all goes to plan they will be open for a few days in each city offering new & old pieces, as well as some in store exclusives.
Words: George Metcalf
Imagery courtesy of Set
