You might think that British designer Bianca Saunders' Spring/Summer 2024 collection, a tribute to Lee "Scratch" Perry looks too normal to be an homage to the musical genius and pioneering dub producers, who died a few years back. In that case, I urge you to look a little closer.
Saunders has concocted a tasteful ode to Perry, less in homage to the music that eventually (and deservedly) made him famous and more of a reference to his art practice.
Lee "Scratch" Perry was a prolific artist in every sense of the word, you see. Though his audible output outstrips all else, the Jamaican producer is also responsible for a vast assortment of art mostly utilizing found objects and DIY collages that juxtaposed photos, textile scraps, and disjointed phrases.
"There is a Basquiat approach to [Perry's] work, but it's different, being steeped in religion and Jamaican iconography, animal motifs and mottos such as 'good over evil,'" Saunders said in a statement.
Saunders, herself inclined to often reference her own Caribbean roots in her menswear designs, sought to reinterpret Perry's art into a collection that's as approachable as Perry's art was uncategorizable.
Thus, she created a line of terribly wearable clothes, like short-sleeved denim shirts, graphic T-shirts (a new market for Saunders), and relaxed suits co-created by historic workwear brand Farah, a long-standing Britain-by-way-of-Texas clothing line that was recently reborn in Japan as a standalone endeavor.
Saunders' SS24 collection comprises 24 looks of fairly uncomplicated menswear that only reveals itself to be stylistically inspired by Lee "Scratch" Perry upon closer inspection.
The shiny tape used to fit the models with asymmetric plackets is a styling trick rather than a permanent fixture, but there's still plentiful quirk throughout: notice the tucks that gather excess fabric on a relaxed T-shirt and the subtly warped neckline of a lightweight tanktop.
But, as is typical for Saunders, the prime throughline of the collection's the concealed form. Her warped shirts, knee-length coats, and wrapped sweaters gently obscure the body.
Much like with Perry's art, emphasis is placed on the façade. Not that Saunders is asking you to take her clothes at face value but, here, the sum is greater than its parts.
