9 10 metres of plastic tubing, 2 millimetres wide, originally developed for an astronaut’s suit, were sewn into silver silk fabric and fed into a miniaturised air conditioning system. It was fun and totally mad. The garments won awards from Time and Popular Science, and the prototype jacket went on show at the Smithsonian. I wasn’t on Facebook, so it was a genuine surprise when the clothing brand Supreme contacted me through my kids in 2022 to collaborate on the SS23 collection. It featured some of my original artwork from the early 1980s and consisted of a jacket, ringer tee, chino pants and a 5-panel shirt. The collection bridged the gap between streetwear and high fashion, and they did a great job on the prints. It was very exciting for me to see the designs worn by a new generation, especially in a skateboard video they made. It’s strange because skateboarding didn’t arrive in London until about 1979. I first saw a Rastafarian on one hurtling down Regent’s Hill to Kings Cross behind a double-decker bus; a highly excited bull terrier running alongside. Nobody turned a hair. So British. Can you elaborate on your current creative process and how you are evolving as an artist? I collaborated with the Italian company Simon Cracker for their 2024 winter collection. The brand is dedicated to upcycling forgotten garments. Boxes of pre-dyed, ripped-up jeans and jackets arrived at my studio in Tuscany. The theme for the collection was Sleep, that magic moment before you drift off, where everything becomes blurred and images go out of focus. I double-printed a photo I had taken of a girl with a seagull on her head; her eyes framed with pearls. The colour palette I created was vivid blues, acidic greens, mustard yellows and a generous helping of metallic gold. The garments, originally unloved, were turned into special one-off pieces ready for the runway. Simon Cracker held the fashion show at the iconic A.R.C.A in Milan with my pieces complementing the other garments in the show. Having the freedom like that to print whatever I liked, I felt like I had No. 143 FOLLOW SUE CLOWES FOR MORE - IG: @SUE_CLOWES_FASHION SEE HER WORK ON EXHIBITION THROUGH MARCH 29, 2026 BLITZ: THE CLUB THAT SHAPED THE 80S | THE DESIGN MUSEUM | LONDON FOR INFO & TIX: DESIGNMUSEUM.ORG 1. SUE IN A FLESH AND STEEL COLLECTION JACKET MADE FAMOUS BY JONNY SLUT OF SPECIMEN. PHOTO BY FRENCH DIRECTOR SAMUEL GUERRIER (2014). 2. SYMBOL FROM THE HOBO PRINT. 3. HEALING HANDS PRINT SHIRT COMMISSION, ITALY (2023). 4. FIND YOUR OWN PATH WITH WHITE CROW. PRINT ON CANVAS, 42” X 30”. 5. SUE CLOWES, PHOTO BY JAMES MERRILL (1980). 6. DESTRUCTION OF PURITY PRINT STICKER (2013). PHOTO BY GIGI PACI. 7. BASEMENT STUDIO ON TABERNACLE STREET, LONDON (1983). 8. NO GUNS. HAND-PRINTED & AIR GUNNED (1980). PRINTED ON T-SHIRTS FOR CAMDEN LOCK MARKET. 9. SUE OUTSIDE HER LONDON STUDIO IN HAND-PRINTED & AIR GUNNED PIECES FROM THE CULTURE COLLECTION FOR CULTURE CLUB (1982). 10. SUE CLOWES WEARING A HEALING HANDS SHIRT. got my mojo back! I loved printing over the seams and slashes on the jeans, making the imperfections become the crux of the design. Just like 50 years ago, when I didn’t care what people thought. So I guess the current process I am working on is random, irregular repeats and imperfections that highlight purposely distressed material. I have no idea what garments I will make the fabric into, because, as always, print comes first, and the clothes are often an afterthought! I am always working, no matter what the situation is. Images and print motivate me and keep pushing me forward to find meaning in life’s journey. What is your message from then until today in your design creations? “WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD. WHATEVER YOUR RACE OR RELIGION. WE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME CLUB CALLED THE HUMAN RACE. IT’S FREE TO ENTER. BUT TO DANCE TOGETHER IN HARMONY … YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE STEPS.”
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