Clothing designers Isolated Heroes have landed an exclusive fashion collaboration with V&A Dundee for the museum’s reopening exhibition, Night Fever: Designing Club Culture.
The Dundee-based studio – whose key clients include celebrities Miley Cyrus, Paloma Faith, and Kate Nash – will launch a limited-edition collection at the museum next month.
City of Discovery: Creativity on Dundee’s doorstep
The aim of the partnership is to raise awareness of the creative talent in Scotland. Isolated Heroes founder Samantha Paton says it will help “demonstrate that fashion success stories can be achieved north of the border”.
Samantha, who started the brand in 2012, praised the V&A’s decision to “shop local” for its fashion collaboration.
She said: “It’s great to see V&A Dundee continuing to nurture the talented design community in Scotland, especially in Dundee.”
The exhibition, which looks at the relationship between club culture and design, will open on Saturday May 1.
Fashion success stories can be achieved north of the border.”
Samantha Paton, Isolated Heroes founder
The Isolated Heroes studio is just a 20-minute walk from the museum – and Night Fever is right up their street in more ways than one.
Match made in design heaven
Isolated Heroes are known for their “sassy” statement pieces, often using sequins or faux fur, so a clubbing-themed collection was a natural crossover.
“Nineties club culture has always been a big inspiration for our brand,” Samantha explained. “So this collaboration is such a great fit.”
“We have always been heavily influenced by club culture, from the New York Club Kids with their stacked platforms and DIY outfits, to the puff sleeves and silhouettes of the ’80s Blitz Kids.”
“We wanted the collection to take a deep dive into club culture, taking inspiration from the whole journey of clubbing and focusing on our favourite ’90s era, looking at Acid House and warehouse raves.”
And the Night Fever biker jacket, which is the (smiley) face of the collection, certainly captures the club culture spirit.
Covered with hand-stitched sequins and sporting a giant rainbow smile, it combines Night Fever design with Isolated Heroes’ “slow-fashion” ethos.
From the jacket’s £170 price tag, it’s obvious that Isolated Heroes isn’t a budget brand. But in their studio, quality is everything – both in material and ethics.
V&A Dundee’s retail manager, Alan Birch, said: “The collection not only encapsulates the joyful spirit of our new exhibition… it provides us with an opportunity to introduce our visitors and customers to a very talented Dundee-based designer.”
Sustaining the sparkle
Alan also applauds the Heroes for being “committed to sustainability”. Each Isolated Heroes item is made to order and hand-cut, meaning minimal fabric is wasted.
And from the small amount of waste they do create, Isolated Heroes are making quirky facemasks.
They made more than 1,400 masks last summer, and donated 33% of profits to charities such as Refuge and the Black Scottish Business Fund.
As well as sustainable practices, Isolated Heroes promote inclusivity and empowerment.
All bodies: Welcome to the club
They celebrate body positivity, with collections stocked from a size UK 6 through to a UK 28.
It was so important for us to make sure the items designed for the V&A were gender neutral.”
And for the V&A collaboration, Creative Content producer Chloe-Helena Duff felt twins Alessia and Riccardo Diponio were the perfect models.
Isolated Heroes explained: “The twins’ platform showcases progressive, unisex styling.”
“It was so important for us to make sure the items designed for the V&A were gender neutral and brought together the collective experience of clubbing.”