“The idea of SIBLING was talked about for a few years mainly just as a project and then on a rare holiday in Ibiza Joe, fed up with all the chat. So SIBLING was born, at poolside probably with 2 hangovers and 1 man on a mission.”

―Tell us brief information about brand

SIBLING is 3 people with a very long history of working in womenswear. You name a designer and one of us will have had some connection to them in one way or another.

With SIBLING our aim is to produce high quality men’s knitwear using traditional methods mixed up with a distinct English sense of humour.

―How did you come to establish the label?

Cozette liked Sid’s final degree menswear and had him in for an interview at Bella Freud where she worked as to quote Bella her ‘brain’. Bella was running late so Sid made Cozette a cup of tea and that started not only their working relationship but also their friendship. Joe knew Cozette socially and then by chance met Sid at a party.

The idea of SIBLING was talked about for a few years mainly just as a project and then on a rare holiday in Ibiza Joe, fed up with all the chat, got his sketch book out and made us all vow to do something. And so SIBLING was born, at poolside probably with 2 hangovers and 1 man on a mission.

As we’ve said in the past, SIBLING really was thought of purely as a project and probably a one-off one at that but we were talked into producing C1 by a friend and, with really strong support from our customers in Japan we are still here!

―Tell us about your latest collection

C5 for S/S 11 was inspired by Pop art, Brit art and punks.

Pop Artists such as Warhol, Lichtenstein and Indiana, Brit Artists through our collaboration with Nobel & Webster and punks through imagery: the Mohawk Statue of Liberty and the camouflage for example.

―How did you get into fashion? What made you want to become a designer?

That’s hard to answer as what makes anyone become anything? Is it the environment? Childhood? Genetic? Perhaps a mixture of everything. With a massive dose of luck thrown in. None of us sat there and thought ‘today I want to be a designer’ really.

―What does London mean to you and what sort of influences has it had on your creation?

London is our home. London to us means friends and although we could possibly have started SIBLING anywhere, being in a city where you have the support of friends and family is important especially at the beginning when everything seems a struggle.

―How would you describe your customer?

Solvent man of no particular age with a GSOH.

―Is there any artists or designers that had strong influence of your career?

Too many to list and this list changes almost daily.

―How do you describe characteristic of your style which makes it difference from others?

Fun, graphic, colourful, sparkly, luxurious.

―What are the sources of inspiration in your fashion design?

We are inspired by lots of different subjects as well as what is happening all around us which is no different to anyone else. We are really good friends so will chat about all kinds of stuff over tea and biscuits which may or may not turn into something.

―What item of clothing (if any) do you wish that more men wore?

Knitwear of course!
Lots of it from head to toe, all by SIBLING.

―Why did you choose menswear design?

Because we all 3 love menswear and men’s knitwear in particular. The constraints of designing for men, which we can fight against and work with, appealed to us. And as Joe pointed out ‘what’s new about producing a sparkly, bright knit for women? Let’s give men that option’.

―What are the most important factors when you approach your work?

The driving catalyst is always to produce something that we are proud of, that makes us and hopefully others smile

―How do you see your brand developing over next few years?

We want to grow the label at a steady and constant pace, listening to our customers as well as keeping the label young and fresh.

2010 has been crazy-busy but super exciting: we were awarded Newgen Men, we have started working with the CFE, trips to NY and Japan, Collection 6 to get ready, designing a casual knitwear collection for menswear brand TWEEN and the launch of SISTER by SIBLING (our first women specific range) through Topshop is imminent.

We all hope that 2011 will be the same and even better, if that’s possible.

Interview:Masaki Takida