Joe Casely-Hayford has been a successful designer since the mid eighties and continues to be, but (and how rare is this) has never sought out the limelight. Son Charlie, just twenty-two, is a credit to his father (wonderful manners, very erudite, stylish to a tee in dress shirt and dreads) and refreshingly unpretentious for someone who works in Dover St Market. Together. they’ve formed Casely-Hayford, a clever menswear line for style-seekers of all ages. And it’s really rather good. The word luxury has been whispered, but that’s got more to do with quality than conspicuous ostentation. More importantly, at the core of the collection is the notion of duality – not only in the function of the garments produced, but in their inspiration too. 

Casely-Hayford senior has dressed both The Clash and the aristocracy, and is fascinated by the Englishness that connects such seemingly disparate elements. He also has impeccable tailoring credentials and a wealth of knowledge about music and street culture, which means he’s as au-fait with Hoxton Square as he is with Savile Row. Casely-Hayford junior, while less experienced, has a sophisticated mind and an eye for detail common to his generation. But he also brings an acute understanding of modern culture, art, and the sartorial demands of a young buck around town. Together they’re attempting to make men look interesting without looking stupid. They’re a father and son coming at things from different angles and yet arriving at the same destination. It is, as they say, a family affair.

Paul Tierney:  Most people would avoid working with their family at all costs. Have there been any problems so far?

Charlie Casely-Hayford: ‘Ha ha, not yet. I think we’ve always had a very close relationship that bears the resemblance to brothers rather than father and son. Weird things, like we share the same birthday. And I just feel like I’m on the same wavelength as my father. '

PT: Whose idea was the collaboration?

CCH: ‘It just kind of came about. My father did try and put me off for about ten years because I’ve wanted to be a fashion designer from the age of thirteen. But he said, there’s no way you’re doing that. But when both of your parents work in the fashion industry, it’s there day and night, so…’

PT: You didn’t manage to put him off then, Joe?

JCH: ‘It’s a harsh industry. I’ve been doing it for quite a few years now and it’s pretty tough, and, well…’

PT: People might start accusing him of nepotism? Wrongly as we know, but it’s tough to take, right?

CCH: ‘There’s a lot daughters and sons of famous creative’s in the UK at the moment that have so much to live up to. I don’t want to be one of those people where you’re just kind of living off your family name.’

PT: Agreed. The Coco Sumner’s and Pixie Geldof’s of this world are desperately annoying. Especially the ones that think they have inherent talent.

CCH: ‘It’s getting to the point where the press make more of them than their parents.’

PT: Completely. Not that I was levelling that at you of course! Tell me a bit about your background.

CCH: ‘I’m working at Dover St Market, and I’m also studying History Of Art. I’ve also been working in Tokyo for a few years now doing styling and (barely audible) a bit of modelling for various Japanese magazines. My father’s biggest market is Japan so I kept getting approached.’

PT: There is a danger that people could see this as a little bit contrived. Have you thought about that?

JCH: ‘This is what we were worried about. I have to say, it is one of the things that we considered. But it’s so natural, and we bring together quite different things. It’s quite interesting; people would naturally assume that because Charlie is the younger one he’s more out there, but that isn’t always the case. I think he often approaches things from quite a conservative or a very traditional point of view, whereas I’m the wild one.’

CCH: ‘Yeah, sure you are! If you say so dad.’

PT: But seriously, you must have had reservations. 

CCH: ‘Maybe that our relationship would deteriorate, because now the boundaries between work and family have kind of merged into one. But I’m so passionate about what I’m doing that I don’t really see it as a job.’

PT: What’s the work dynamic? How does the process work?

CCH: (Looks to his father) ‘I suppose you get the overall say, but we do bring different things to the relationship. Obviously we both have quite different influences: from his music, to my art, and the different places that we go, but we try and fuse them together. The crux of our brand is about bringing disparate elements together.’

JCH: ‘We’re actually making clothing that has a dual purpose. So you combine a coat, which looks like a formal city raincoat, and you can turn it inside out and it becomes a sportier coat with a different function. I think a lot of guys are really interested in the idea of duality, which has always been associated more with utility type clothing. I think it’s really interesting to bring this into a formal wear arena.’

CCH: ‘We talk. It’s very much about conversation. I might have an idea about something but it’s my father that will give it the sartorial details. I’m still learning; I’m only twenty-two.

PT: Who is the Casely-Hayford man? Is he your age Joe? Or is he Charlie’s age?

JCH: ‘That’s the beauty of it. What we’re doing has a wide customer base. It isn’t targeting one particular type of man, but he prefers understated style rather than ostentatious clothing.  So it’s a quieter guy, but he’s maybe interested in heritage style or pure design rather than something that’s contrived.’

CCH: ‘But I think modernism at the same time. Although he may be interested in heritage, what we’ll do is take these elements and distil them down to a purity that I think can be reflected in modernism. I think that’s what we try to reflect in our brand.’

PT: I think in terms of dress, the generation gap has dramatically narrowed in the last twenty years. 

JCH: ‘A lot of the clothes Charlie wears, I could wear, and vice versa. It’s a great time now where young guys are really interested in traditional clothing but are wearing it in a fresh way. The way that we’re working, this is very interesting because a lot of what we do is based on tradition, but we’re giving it a completely new take. For instance, we’re using quite traditional tailoring methods but we’ve looked at them in a modern way. We’re introducing a sportswear element into tailoring, and functionality into formalwear. Although a lot of the time the clothes will appear quite conventional, it’s all in the performance and the cut.‘

PT: With things as they are, isn’t calling something ‘luxury’ akin to shooting yourself in the foot?

JCH: ‘We try and not use that word because I think the word luxury has really been devalued over the past five or so years. Every brand just wants to attach that word to their products as a tag line. For us, we’re more interested in the quality, and giving something good value in terms of the product.’

PT: You were huge in the 80s Joe, I really remember that period well. Do you have good memories of that time?

JCH: ‘Oh, it was fantastic, it was absolutely fantastic. Just in terms of the way people bought fashion, from the consumer’s point of view. People were buying a hell of a lot more designer clothing. But I think the role of the designer was quite different. The role of a designer has been devalued now and designers are having to almost kind of reassess their state and their position. For me it was a really great period of discovery, there were so many possibilities, and people were a lot more willing to experiment with their look. But I think we’re beginning to enter into a new period of excitement in menswear.’

PT: People tend the think the 80s were all about flamboyant, radical style, but there was also a lot of subtle subversion going on too, wasn’t there?

JCH: ‘A lot of that is what we’re doing. We call it ‘English sartorialism with British anarchy’ and we’ve created the link between those two disparate elements.’

PT: That makes sense because you’ve dressed toffs and you’ve dressed punks. I guess what unites them both is their Englishness?

JCH: ‘I’ve been fascinated by both types of people for years, and I think most toffs have a punk inside them. I love Vivienne’s take on English style, and I think there as so many other elements. But what I’m finding fascinating is, each new generation approaches society with its style in a different way. I think people of Charlie’s generation have a more perceptive eye – they can hone in on finer details than people could ten or twenty years ago. They’re looking for something purer and with more substance.’

CCH: ‘Especially in these bleak times, I don’t think people are status driven any more or concerned with ostentatious brands. What they are looking for is brands with a narrative behind them. They want to buy into something with craftsmanship and quality, and feel that there’s actually something behind the product, something more than just…the material.’

PT: Who are your male style icons?

CCH: In the music industry, you have people like Roisin Murphy, but where’s the male equivalent? I don’t want to have to bring myself to mention footballers but there are very few men who dress well. I think Stefano Pilati is a very well dressed man. His style seems considered but effortless at the same time.’

JCH: ‘I find it a very difficult question to answer, but without wanting to sound 100 years old I really like the style and the approach of the Duke of Windsor. I think he was the first sartorialist really. I’ve concentrated on his style quite heavily, and when you look at the way he approached a design, he was quite an anarchist.’’

PT: I’ve heard him described as ‘a beacon of taste and urbanity’

JCH: ‘His style is definitely something that inspires me. But so many things do. Just living in London and having my studio in the east end for over 20 years, seeing all the changes. I never tire of it. Charlie’s generation are a lot more savvy and aware than my generation. They get out there more and have a wider range of influences.’

CCH: ‘I won’t deny that I’m very influenced by my father. I’m always going into the studio and stealing things from the archive. A lot of times, if I’m going out for dinner and I’m wearing one of his pieces from the 80s, he’ll say, ‘Oh that’s nice, who’s that by? 

JCH: Ha ha. We will, in fact, be introducing classic pieces from the archive into the collection. It’s looking back, but it’s also looking forward. It’s just the way I like to see things.

(Ends).

Casely-Hayford is available at Dover Street Market, W1.