Stolen_Backstage_AW19_cover (9 of 9).jpg

Is it possible to do a show bigger and better than the last one? If you're Stolen, then this is your mission.
I had a chat with Marc about the brand and what makes him who he is and what makes Stolen. Plus my favourite looks from the collection.

1) What is the song that best represents who you are as a human, represents you? What song describes your fears, your hopes, your beliefs, your wishes your dreams, who you are at your core. This question is not what is your favourite song or what song you wish represented you or a song that resonates with you. It's a song that embodies you. (In the past people have struggled with this question and taken a long time to answer, so heads up)

WOW, WITH MY LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC I CAN’T EVEN ANSWER THIS. I THINK THE MAIN THING WITH MUSIC AND MUSIC IN THIS MODERN AGE - AND HOW WE LISTEN/CONSUME MUSIC NOW - THERE’S TOO MUCH CHOICE AND IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE ONE SONG THAT EMBODIES ME OR REPRESENTS ME. IT’S LIKE ASKING SOMEONE WHAT THEIR FAVOURITE SONG IS, OR WHO THEIR FAVOURITE MUSICIAN IS. I HAVE MANY FAVOURITES - THAT I LOVE ON DIFFERENT DAYS. AND SAME FOR THE SONG THAT EMBODIES ME, I’M ALWAYS CHANGING AND GROWING AND SO WITH THAT, THE MUSIC CAN SOMETIMES CHANGE WITH IT.

THE STROKES - LAST NIGHT - ALTHOUGH THE LYRICS OF THE SONG ARE KINDA DEPRESSING, IT’S THE ENERGY OF THE MUSIC IN THIS TRACK THAT SPEAKS TO ME. IT’S FAST, DRIVING, REBELLIOUS, THE STROKES HELPED FORM MY PERSONAL AESTHETIC TOO AND INSPIRED ME TO START STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - SOMEONE GREAT - REMINDS ME A LOT OF WHEN MY FATHER DIED - AND THAT MOMENT HELPED SHAPE ME IN SOME WAY TOO. THE SONG IS LIKE A NOTE OF KINDNESS, SENT TO SOMEONE AFTER THEY HAVE PASSED, THE LYRICS SPEAK ABOUT HOW THE WEATHER IS STILL NICE AFTER THE PASSING AND THE COFFEE ISN’T EVEN BITTER - AS LIFE GOES ON - EVEN WITHOUT THAT PERSON. IT’S A LITTLE DARK, BUT ITS ALSO HOPEFUL AND IT’S SINCERE.

THE CURE - CLOSE TO ME - OH MY GODDD THIS SONG NEVER AGES AND I HOPE I DON’T AGE TOO! I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS SONG, ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF CELEBRATIONS AND FUN TIMES - I AM ADDICTED TO HAVING FUN SO THIS SONG IS ME!

2) Would Stolen have the same song to represent it as a brand? or another song?

NO I THINK THE SONGS WOULD BE DIFFERENT. ALTHOUGH THE BRAND AND MYSELF ARE CLOSELY LINKED, THERE’S A SEPARATION. THE BRAND IS SO MUCH MORE CONFIDENT THAN I ACTUALLY AM. IT’S REALLY AN EXTENSION OF MY PERSONALITY I WISHED I HAD - MY ALTER-EGO HAHA.I’VE ALWAYS FELT THE SONG BY NEW ORDER - CEREMONY IS SUCH A PERFECT SONG FOR STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB. IT WAS ONE OF THE OPENING TRACKS IN A SHOW WE DID BACK IN 2008 AND IT ALWAYS RANG TRUE TO ME. I DON’T EVEN KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SONG OR THEY LYRICS - ITS JUST THE TONE, THE MELODY AND THE KEY I GUESS - THEY ALL COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG THAT IS ROMANTIC / TOUGH / DARK / HAPPY ALL AT ONCE. THE BRAND HAS ALL OF THIS.

3) How does this collection differ from past collections?

IT’S STILL GOT OUR HANDWRITING AND IT’S A MISH-MASH OF INFLUENCES/REFERENCES AS USUAL, BUT I REALLY THINK THE SUITING BOUGHT SOMETHING FRESH TO THIS COLLECTION, AND A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR US - MAYBE A BIT MORE GROWN-UP ! IT STILL FELT SUPER ‘STOLEN’ THO.

4) Is there a pressure with Stolen shows to be bigger and better than previous ones?

YES!!! SO MUCH PRESSURE THAT SOMETIMES I DON’T WANT TO DO A SHOW BECAUSE I’M SCARED TO FAIL, SCARED TO BETTER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. I ALWAYS WANT TO IMPROVE WITH WHAT I’M DOING, TO GROW WITH WHAT I KNOW AND WHAT I CAN DO. MY WORST NIGHTMARE IS STAGNATION!

5) What is the music process you go through in picking out your runway soundtrack?

I CONTINUALLY COLLECT MUSIC ALL YEAR ROUND, ALWAYS ADDING TRACKS THAT INTEREST ME TO THIS GIANT FOLDER I KEEP FOR CATWALK SHOWS. THERE’S LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TRACKS IN THERE FROM ALL ERAS AND GENRES. THIS COLLECTION WAS LIKE A MIX OF NEW WAVE AND PUNK, SO I FELT LIKE A SLIGHTLY PUNKY SOUNDTRACK WAS DEF NEEDED. EVERYONE SEEMS TO PUSH ELECTRONIC / DANCE / HIP HOP IN THEIR SHOWS SO IT’S NICE TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE A BIT MORE GRITTY AND TRY CHALLENGE PEOPLE A BIT MORE. ONCE I’VE ESTABLISHED 20 GOOD TRACKS I’LL HEAD IN TO RED BULLS MUSIC STUDIO (WHICH IS JUST UP THE ROAD FROM OUR OFFICE), I SIT DOWN WITH THE SOUND ENGINEER BEN LAWSON AND WE MOVE THE TRACKS AROUND INTO AN ORDER THAT FEELS RIGHT - THE KEYS HAVE TO LINE UP OR THE BPM HAS TO MATCH, IT’S ALWAYS CHALLENGING TO PUT THIS PUZZLE TOGETHER AND MAKE IT FLOW!

6) I know putting on a show is stressful but is there an element of it that you enjoy?

IT’S SO STRESSFUL! CAUSE YOU WANT EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT. MY FAVOURITE THING ABOUT IT IS HOW EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER. WE HAVE A BIG TEAM THAT WORKS ON THE SHOW, AN EXTENDED FAMILY I GUESS. I DON’T EVEN SEE SOME OF THEM FOR A WHOLE YEAR AND THEN THE SHOW ROLLS AROUND AND WE’RE WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. IT’S BECAUSE OF THE SHOW THAT BRINGS US ALL TOGETHER AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT TIME. GOING THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE A BIG SHOW IS REALLY TAXING AND EMOTIONAL SO IT'S NICE TO WORK WITH GOOD PEOPLE! YOU LIFT EACH OTHER UP AND YOU WORK TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS BIGGER THAN OURSELVES - THAT'S SO COOL!

7) If everything went to plan and all the opportunities were presented to Stolen where would you want it to go? stores worldwide?

I OFTEN WISH I COULD TAKE THESE SHOWS WE DO TO SOME BIGGER CITIES - ALL THE WORK THAT GOES INTO IT, IT’D BE GREAT TO GET MORE EYES ON IT. BUT DEF STORES WORLDWIDE IS THE GOAL. WE’RE REALLY STARTING TO CHIP AWAY NOW WE HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, AND GETTING SSENSE ONBOARD HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT FOR OUR CONFIDENCE TOO - IT’S SHOWN US THE BRAND DOES HAVE INTERNATIONAL APPEAL AND WE CAN KICK IT WITH SOME OF THE BEST BRANDS IN THE WORLD.

8) As an ex-surfer, I've gotta ask when and where was your best ride? and where do you dream about surfing?

IT’S ALWAYS GOTTA BE RAGLAN, IT’S MY HOMETOWN AND ONE OF THE BEST WAVES IN THE WORLD EASY. I’VE BEEN REALLY WANTING TO SURF THE MALDIVES LATELY - I THINK I’M GONNA HAVE TO CROSS THAT OFF MY BUCKET-LIST PRETTY SOON.

9) Can Stolen do some sexy wetsuits? extra warm for in winter too!

HAHA I WISH! WE DON’T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE GREAT WETSUITS. I’M REAL FUSSY WITH THIS STUFF AND WETSUITS ARE SOOOOO TECHNICAL (IF YOU WANT THEM TO ACTUALLY WORK).

10) So my favourite print from Stolen is the Karl Maughan print, do you find you have a favourite or does it change with each session?

THE KARL MAUGHAN PRINT WAS SUPER ICONIC! HARD TO TOP REALLY. THAT PRINT HELPED OPEN OUR BRAND TO AN OLDER AND MORE SOPHISTICATED CLIENT TOO WHICH WAS SO COOL. THAT MEETING OF FINE-ART AND REBELLIOUS FASHION WAS A NICE LITTLE JUXTAPOSITION. I’VE ACTUALLY PERSONALLY ALWAYS LOVED OUR OPIUM POPPY PRINTS WE DID BACK IN RESORT 2012? HANDPAINTED OPIUM POPPIES WITH LITTLE SNAKES WRAPPING AROUND THE STALKS. SO COOL - STILL TO THIS DAY AND SO ROCK & ROLL IF STYLED RIGHT.