‘Carpe Diem’

"Sharing with the world my looks, ideas and eye for detail when it comes to wearing decent clobber."

I could use all the cheesy inspirational quotes in the world to convey to you why I have decided to take the plunge, put myself out there and start-up my own independent men’s casual clothing label, Unlikely Icons…And slightly embarrassingly they’d probably all be relevant. I’m not about to stick big ‘Carpe Diem’ wall stickers up in my lounge, but I am seizing the day, backing myself and taking a chance to do something that I am passionate about and love.

It must be said, with the support of my family and especially my wife, Sammie. I’ve never been too scared about doing something different and that has most often been reflected in my clothes and outfits, I’ve always taken pride in trying to be the first to wear a new brand or to wear something that stands out from the rest.

Like most lads my age, I drew inspiration from music idols that we all grew up listening to like Liam Gallagher and as an obsessive football fan the casual scene on the terraces of course. Throughout my late teens and early/mid-twenties, after beer and football & gig tickets, my spare money would always be spent on the latest pair of Adidas Original trainers, an expensive polo or new coat. Saturdays not spent at the football, I’d be in a town centre somewhere with my best mate, Deano, trawling the shops for that night’s eye-catching clobber to wear out. I’ve often taken my own route with the clothes I wear and am happy to contrast styles, although heavily interested in casual culture I wasn’t all just solely about CP Company and Stone Island, not just because my pay-packet as a trainee draftsman couldn’t stretch that far but I’ve always been just as at home wearing skinny jeans and a decent quality plain tee from the high street.

The last couple of years of lockdown and the change to working from home has seen me buying more sportswear brands. Preferring to spend my days at home in front of a laptop in an Under Armour trackie rather than my old smart office attire, it has given me a new appreciation of this style I never really had before.

Now in my mid-thirties and keen not to look like a run of the mill Dad on the school run I keep a keen eye out on new, independent clothing labels as well as the odd over indulgent expensive purchase! I’m a sucker for anything nostalgic, retro football shirts, brands I’ve always loved and recently Air Max 97 and 95’s. Looking good and trying to stand out will always be important to me, my outfits are nearly always well thought out and planned in my head and rarely thrown together which is why I am seizing the day, the time is right to grow my own men’s casual clothing label and share with the world my looks, ideas and eye for detail when it comes to wearing decent clobber. Ross