Anna Ridings
Mojo Man
Mojo Man is inspired by rock legend Jimi Hendrix, and takes influence from his time spent in the armed forces. Hendrix’s legendary hippy, flamboyant style contrasts with this to embody his opposition to war, as he famously expressed with his iconic rendition of ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock in 1969.
This military element influences the choice of fabric, functional and technical fabrics which emulate those used in the 101st Airborne Division. This contrasts with the textures created by hand-crafted pieces inspired by the folk revival which influenced Hendrix in both his style and his music. The folk revival movement helps to contextualise Mojo Man in the present day, as the ethos of craftsmanship and quality over mass production resonates with the current global movement in sustainability.
The sculpture work of Barbara Hepworth drives the silhouette of this collection, which creates a more contemporary look through the juxtaposition to the different sources of inspiration. As well as this, key garments in Mojo Man includes military-inspired jackets and hand-crocheted pieces.
Mojo Man’s colour palette is drawn from recycled 1940s/50s vintage fabric sourced from a vintage festival, complimented with military hues, whilst being offset by bold and vibrant contrast colours drawn from Hendrix’s funky music and style on stage. Print is derived from personal artistic interpretations of Hendrix’s music, encapsulating abstract visual representations of rhythm and soul.