Spirit of John Lennon lives on in Canadian clothing line
Fashion designer Kelly Pettit started with a simple question in crafting a clothing line inspired by John Lennon: Can she imagine the legendary singer-songwriter wearing it? She most definitely does, Pettit says, as she readies to premiere her vision at Toronto Men's Fashion Week on Saturday, noting her years-long development process was driven by a deep reverence for Lennon's artistry.
"I always say (there's) God, Santa Claus and then there's John Lennon," Pettit says from Las Vegas, where she was offering a preview to U.S. buyers at a trade show with her company Caulfeild Apparel Group.
Drawing cues from Lennon's solo years, Pettit calls the throwback collection "vintage with a little modern twist." It includes T-shirts featuring Lennon's sketches, dress shirts imprinted with more art and handwritten lyrics (including those for "Imagine" and "Beautiful Boy"), and leather outerwear, casual blazers, sports shirts, casual pants, Henleys and polos. It draws heavily on Lennon's minimalist jeans-and-t-shirt style, while steering clear of more dated garb that could be seen as passe instead of nostalgic.
"It would be great to introduce the high waist but I just don't think the mass market is ready for that right now," says Pettit, who is targeting everyone from the 25-year-old vintage fan to the 60-year-old Beatles devotee.
But imagining whether Lennon himself would wear the clothes is key to honouring the legend's enduring art, songs and personal style, and ultimately, ensuring the success of the line, she says, revealing that his widow Yoko Ono "wasn't approving" of the previous licence-holder's approach.
By: Cassandra Szklarski
Source: Winnipeg Free Press
