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DESIGNER CHRISTOPHER SHANNON FINDS HIS WAY BACK TO LIVERPOOL
- destinedliverpool
- Aug 6
- 2 min read
Christopher Shannon is widely known for his streetwear, but were you aware of his Scouse roots?
Shannon has long translated the nuances of working class British youth into runway moments, always rooting his designs in culture. The Mossley Hill native has been stocked internationally at Machine A (London), Anonioli (Milan), 10 Corso Como (Milan + Shanghai) and Opening Ceremony (NY, LA, Tokyo) to name a few, as well as having his own place on the London Fashion Week schedule after his MA graduation from Central Saint Martins in 2010.
Since then, the menswear designer has successfully made his mark in the fashion world, you’ve definitely seen his pieces being worn by celebrities, especially from 2010-2015 on names like Rhianna, Drake, J Hus, Stormzy, Kylie Minogue, and many more…
Heavily inspired by the bold fashion of 1980’s Liverpool, some of the inspirations behind Shannon’s designs can clearly be traced back to the athletic wear culture of his home city. “Even if I’m not looking at references that relate to Liverpool, it’s innate to the way I design… Somewhere in my head there’s a Liverpool lad that nudges decisions.” He told YM Liverpool in his 2019 magazine interview. Shannon even vocalised his admiration for Liverpool fashion designer Felix Blow when answering who he looked to when designing.
“Liverpool is tiny but it has a lot of impact”
That boyish nostalgia pulses through his collections from tracksuits with slogan tracksuits, detachable ruffle sleeves, patchwork puffers, folklore embroidery paired with grimey edges. His A/W 2015 show saw supermarket plastic bags transformed into accessories, and knitwear broadcasting economic despair with slogans like ‘Broke’.
He even took things a step further in Spring 2015, dropping a limited womenswear line full of sporty silhouettes, silk bombers, and deconstructed tailoring for the girl who grew up 'cool'. And somewhere along the way, Reebok, Eastpak, River Island, Kickers tapped him for collaborations, proving his appeal across fashion high, low, and in-between.
After remaining in London for the height of his career, Shannon has recently returned home to Liverpool, telling 1granary his experience with the fashion system in London and now that he's back up north he has ‘‘no desire to leave’.
Shannon has well and truly proved that no matter where the fashion industry moves to, his work will forever hold its heartfelt, storytelling British nostalgia.
The Christopher Shannon Website:
By Aleisha Petafi
