Suit
2018 (made)
2018 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Founded in 1994 by William Brown and Marie Willey, Old Town is a clothing designer and manufacturer based in Holt, Norfolk. The company is known for its high quality, minimal, ‘radically slow’ approach to clothing. Each piece is made to order, following one of Old Town's designs. The customer is able to chose the size and material. Each garment takes about 6 weeks to be produced and is made by local ex-factory machinists, who work from home. This jacket and trousers ensemble is an example of Old Town's 'Unity Suit'.
Prior to forming Old Town, William Brown designed under the name Willie Brown for his label 'Modern Classics', which was sold in his own shop on Rivington Street, Shoreditch, London. Brown was an influential independent designer and retailer of the 1980s who dressed celebrities including Spandau Ballet and David Bowie. Brown's early 1980s style combined utilitarianism with sharp tailoring, often referencing 1920s Russian Constructivism. Leaving London for Norfolk in the 1990s, Brown and Willey subsequently set up Old Town.
Prior to forming Old Town, William Brown designed under the name Willie Brown for his label 'Modern Classics', which was sold in his own shop on Rivington Street, Shoreditch, London. Brown was an influential independent designer and retailer of the 1980s who dressed celebrities including Spandau Ballet and David Bowie. Brown's early 1980s style combined utilitarianism with sharp tailoring, often referencing 1920s Russian Constructivism. Leaving London for Norfolk in the 1990s, Brown and Willey subsequently set up Old Town.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Titles |
|
| Materials and techniques | Navy dyed merino lambswool, twill weave |
| Brief description | Suit, woollen jacket and woollen trousers, Unity Suit, Old Town, Norfolk, England, about 2018 |
| Physical description | Both jacket and trousers are made of navy dyed merino lambswool. The jacket has a straight waistline and a banded collar. It is fastened by buttons that run the full front length of the piece and has an asymmetric pocket on the left breast. The trousers are straight legged with a paper-bag waistline, with a drawstring in the same material. Each leg has a deep asymmetric pocket. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by the designer |
| Object history | |
| Production | Made-to-order to a standard design |
| Summary | Founded in 1994 by William Brown and Marie Willey, Old Town is a clothing designer and manufacturer based in Holt, Norfolk. The company is known for its high quality, minimal, ‘radically slow’ approach to clothing. Each piece is made to order, following one of Old Town's designs. The customer is able to chose the size and material. Each garment takes about 6 weeks to be produced and is made by local ex-factory machinists, who work from home. This jacket and trousers ensemble is an example of Old Town's 'Unity Suit'. Prior to forming Old Town, William Brown designed under the name Willie Brown for his label 'Modern Classics', which was sold in his own shop on Rivington Street, Shoreditch, London. Brown was an influential independent designer and retailer of the 1980s who dressed celebrities including Spandau Ballet and David Bowie. Brown's early 1980s style combined utilitarianism with sharp tailoring, often referencing 1920s Russian Constructivism. Leaving London for Norfolk in the 1990s, Brown and Willey subsequently set up Old Town. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.72:1-2021 |
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| Record created | October 30, 2019 |
| Record URL |
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