We’re back with another Meet the Talent spotlight – this time we’ve honed in on Claire McGhee, our buyer for new menswear label Tailored Saint. Spill it, Claire!
Hi Claire! Great to have you here. Could you tell us a bit more about your job?
Hi! I’m Claire, a buyer for Tailored Saint which is a new menswear brand here at Republic. I work with design team on daily basis, researching trends and checking the shops to see what’s working and what people are buying. The design team always have loads of ideas and it’s my job to make those ideas work in store and online. I work closely with suppliers, in showrooms or out in Hong Kong or China, creating samples that can then be developed for store.
Hong Kong sounds amazing… traveling must be a nice perk of the job?
Definitely. As a buyer you get visit lots of different places – a few weeks ago we were in Hong Kong which was fantastic. Getting to go round the shops for a living is the best! Product development is also brilliant, I love going through rails and rails of product and picking out my favourites. I’m a stickler for the details, too – I’m a button freak!
Tailored Saint is a new brand at Republic – give us all the deets!
It’s a great new brand! Tailored Saint is inspired by the Mod look – we’ve taken two styles – the 60s mod hanging out on Carnaby Street on their Lambrettas, which is all about sharp tailoring (and sideburns!). And the 80s mod, which is very ‘Made in England’ – tougher, with a harder edge. We’ve combined the two to create a look that’s very on-trend, and we’re ahead of the high street, too – it’s just emerging at the moment but for Spring 2013 it’s massive. It’s a bit of a slicker, smarter look for our Republic guys but one that’s really easy to wear.
Love it. So who’s wearing the look right now? Anyone we know?
One Direction, heard of them?! They’ve been wearing mod-style tailoring a lot, while Olly Murs wears it in a more casual way. The Gallagher brothers have been wearing it for a long time, but new faces are catching on too, like Tyler James, who’s very into the suits, and Jake Bugg, who looks great in the mod style.
Mod is hot – noted! What are your favorite pieces from the range?
My fave piece is the polka dot shirt. There’s a fantastic tape detail running down the front, which gives it that edge and makes it a bit different. I love the polka dot polo, too. I’m a bit polka dot mad at the moment! We’ve gone for two color palettes with this range and they both look great – the darker shades like berry and forest green and the sportier ones, like navy and bright red.
Finally, give us a tip for next season – what’s big?
The Harrington jackets are moving on to next season, in a color block style that’s great for spring. There’ll be some new tailored pieces in softer, more relaxed shapes and bright colours – perfect for the warmer weather. Polos are gonna be huge for SS13 too, so we’ve really developed them with woven trims and chambray detailing. Gingham is a key print… and there’s a special bulldog mascot we’ve got coming for summer!
Thanks Claire! We’re loving the sound of Tailored Saint… what do you think? Time to go a bit mod?
Jen x
Social Media Team
