Hung, Drawn & Quartered
The Quarter Masters takes influence from the Folkestone art scene to create clothes you want in your wardrobe
T-shirt by Quarter Masters / Hair by Fella
A wise man once said that a person should learn something new every day.
Well, time for a quick history lesson kids... did you know that the original role of the quartermaster within an army was to supply the troops with the right equipment to go out and do battle? But, in the navy it was linked to guidance and navigation.
Either way, the name can be beautifully (if not forcefully) applied to the world of the fashion designer – those creative colonels providing us ground grunts with the right clobber to wear and the direction the next trend is facing.
Down in nautical Folkestone, a forward-thinking fashion brand has taken the term right to its heart, calling itself, well, The Quarter Masters.
Led by designer Colin White, the brand has been making waves with the locals and tourists alike, as the harbour town continues to be one of the forerunners in the creative revolution of the Kent coast.
We caught up with the brand during a shoot on the famous harbour arm.
HI COLIN, IT’S F*CKING FREEZING HERE ISN’T IT? TELL US THE STORY OF HOW THE QUARTER MASTERS STARTED AND GIVE ME ONE OF THOSE SWEATSHIRTS WHILE YOU’RE AT IT.
I have always had an interest in fashion and a back ground in graphic design. I come from a family of shop keepers and have milliners (hat makers to you and me) in the family, and they had shops in London. So when I was in secondary school, I used to spend my summers doing work experience in them.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO SUNNY FOLKESTONE?
I am from Ashford originally but went to uni and lived up in London for years. I moved down to Folkestone after my son was born, about seven years ago because I wanted him to grow up somewhere a bit more provincial. It has quickly become home.
WAS THERE A MOMENT THAT THE QUARTER MASTERS IDEA WAS BORN?
I was actually working in Subway at the time and still doing graphic design on the side, but it was a chance conversation with a local tattoo artist who had produced an image that was blowing up all over Instagram. I wanted to put it out somehow. So I created a t-shirt using the image.
That was combined with being sick of working in corporate bullsh*t jobs for other people.
I was wasting away and thought that if I can’t find the job I want, I’ll create the job I want and hoped people will go for it.
Colin White
THE QUARTER MASTERS NOW OCCUPIES NO.37 IN THE OLD HIGH STREET, WHICH ALSO FEATURES IN YOUR BRAND LOGO? HOW DOES THAT TIE INTO THE STORY?
We saw an opportunity there about four years ago, and the high street was still fairly derelict at that point. There were still a few units open that had manage to survive the recession but not a lot.
A friend of a friend knew the owner of No. 37, which I think is a beautiful unit, with bare bricks and loads of character, so I introduced myself.
When I left school I did work placements at magazine’s like The Face and Arena, I just loved putting words and pictures together and creating a sense of narrative.
And I think the clothes should tell a story, and give a person the opportunity to become part of the story. I don’t like churning out stuff that doesn’t say anything.
The logo is an example of that. There are four quarters; the 37 (our door number); the anchor representing Folkestone; the ink droplet is the blood, sweat and tears metaphor; and the scissors is the background in fashion.
The skull in the centre is the human element – the Memento Mori. It is about following your f*cking heart, doing what you want to do and don’t just work a bullsh*t job, you only live once. So it aims to be an empowering type of brand.
YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BRAND PIECES AS WELL AS THOSE THAT YOU WORK ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH LOCAL ARTISTS?
Yeah, my original idea was to take the images from local artists and print them on shirts and sell them. That would give the artists a platform and they would get a commission on sales. It was great to rep something created here, not just generic or mass produced.
HOW HAVE PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THAT?
When people realise that some of the pieces perhaps come from a tattoo artist’s sketch book, they want to wear it and be part of it.
A lot of people can’t collect art, because they can’t afford it, but they can buy a t-shirt, and each time they do that they are buying that artist a coffee. So they are giving a little something back.
T-shirt by Quarter Masters / Hair by Fella
STYLE
IF YOU HAD TO PIGEONHOLE YOUR STYLE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
One of the t-shirt designs nicely sums up the genre: “too cool for the weird kids, too weird for the cool kids”. So I suppose it’s for the people who don’t really subscribe to the popular look, but they are not hardcore alternative, not heavily tattooed or pierced, but they are open-minded free thinkers.
I feel like that describes me and a lot of my customers too. If I had to pigeonhole it, I suppose it would be comfy streetwear.
IS THERE AN AGE GROUP IS AIMED AT?
When we opened it was going to be menswear as our market research suggested there wasn’t really anywhere for males aged 16-24.
But when we opened we were selling just as many things to girls, and the average age of the customer was all over the place. I sold a hoodie to a chap of about 60. The quality is good, and it’s not a disposable piece that someone will wear once and chuck, we want it to be something they will love.
Jumper by Quarter Masters / Hair by Fella
SO THERE IS SOMETHING FOR THE GIRLS TOO NOW?
We are introducing a few pieces of womenswear and we are really embracing the unisex thing, which as fate would have it, is right on trend. A lot of girls come in and buy oversized sweatshirts, which was something I wanted to embrace.
It’s comfortable, wearing something one or two sizes too big, but it still looks cool. It’s like being back in that 90s grunge era. It’s nice that’s a thing again.
AND WHAT ABOUT FOLKESTONE? IS IT ALL HYPE? OR ARE WE SEEING ANOTHER KENT COASTAL TOWN REVOLUTION?
Year on year, the footfall on the street is better. There is a buzz and the development down on the harbour is great. New people are coming to live here and spend money here again. This year has been really steady, with less seasonal peaks and troughs, which is what we want!
T-shirt by Quarter Masters / Hair by Fella