I received this press release from our friend Max for an event happening in LA this Saturday. Looks like it might be a cool thing to check out so I thought I’d pass it along.
From London’s East End to La Brea Avenue, De Rien launches exclusively in the U.S. at Feal Mor in Los Angeles
De Rien is handmade British outerwear with a bit of history, nicknamed “raggedy couture” that has fans such as Joseph Corre, Agent Provocateur founder and Vivienne Westwood’s son.
The De Rien story begins with Cosmo Wise, now 25, and his father, Richard, who have been trawling around London antique markets searching for period workwear, mainly French made from the 1880s through 1940s. While others hunt for deadstock designer labels,father and son were obsessed with authenticity rather than perfection and never let a frayed hem, a worn collar or a slight tear deter them from their booty.
In seven years, Cosmo and Richard have amassed a museum-quality collection of pieces. If a garment had partially deteriorated with age, they would “patch them up” using remnant fabrics from now closed British and French manufacturers. Selling from a stand in London’s Portobello and Spitalfields markets, father and son garnered a reputation for their so-called “raggedy couture,” exciting collectors, many of the designers, such as Joseph Corre, founder of Agent Provocateur and also Vivienne Westwood’s son.
Corre and partner Simon “Barnzly” Armitage opened a men’s store in East End and rented the basement to Cosmo and Richard joking that they “should charge entry” for their finds. Father and son decided to name the shop De Rien — French for “it’s nothing,” drawing from their original obsession with Gallic peasant clothes.
From the shop to a atelier in old industrial East London, Cosmo, Richard and Cosmo’s girlfriend and muse, Kristina Feldman, were inspired to create a collection of De Rien outerwear inspired by classic jacket shapes from WWI-era military through “The Wild One” Marlon Brando-era 1960 biker chic. Made from vintage British waxed cotton, the jackets are lined from fabrics such as Harrod’s houndstooth wool from the 1950s or Scottish tartans from the 1940s. The collars are lined with the original French “corduroy” from Velour d’Amiens from the early 20th century. Buttons are Victorian-era bone. De Rien is truly luxury recycling.
Exclusive in the US at Feal Mor, De Rien retails for $600 to $1000, and can be worn by either men or women.
As Cosmo says, “De Rien threads the link from the past to the future…..erm, yeah.”
About Feal Mor
Feal Mor owner and designer JP Plunier opened his first independent men’s outerwear boutique located at 165 South La Brea, across from American Rag. Feal Mor is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Originally hailing from France, Plunier has lived in Southern California for over three decades. He started designing in 2005 based on his passion for fashionable clothes that combined an urban living aesthetic with the outdoors. “Our label originates from Brittany, France, which is rugged and beautiful,” he says. “I’ve always found it inspiring and kind of the badlands of Europe.”
From the shelves to the storefront, Plunier curates a revolving showcase to attract and entice customers. Feal Mor’s core collection is its own brand of striped French-made sailor sweaters for men and women. Feal Mor also offers vintage U.S. and French military parkas with fur-lined hoods, custom-made Gato Heroi surfboards, vintage restored bicycles, Amsterdam wetsuits (handmade in Japan), Liwan scarves and sandals from Paris, J. Augur scarves from Claremont, Calif., restored vintage bicycles and other rare oddities.
