G: Tell us about Best City Fashion? What did inspire you to start it?
LIV FONTAINE: One sunny day on the streets of San Francisco I was on my way home carrying a beautifully ripe pineapple I’d just bought for my one true love. It was his absolute favourite. But while I was walking I realised I was getting a lot of attention. People were whistling, shouting and stopping me in my tracks to ask things like ‘Hey, where are you going with that pineapple?’ I soon realised that the best way to have sex in this city was to accessorise with fruit. And I thought ‘Oh my God. This is gold. I better get Ned and Shy on the Skype right now and come up with a plan to help others.’
NED ALDERWICK: Me and Shy are brothers, and I’ve been joined at the hip with Liv ever since she screamed out of her window at me when I was minding my own business on my way home from Noodle King on Bethnal Green Road. We knew we should all work together on something but it took Liv’s pineapple experience to spark the bulb.
G: What is unique about this project?
SHY CHARLES: We’re critiquing fashion in a comical way, but also in a very appreciative way a lot of the time. We are giving everyone the inclusive fashion gossip because we like to laugh at fashion, but also obviously we embrace it. We love Eastenders’ Sharon Rickman as much as we love Sharon Stone. People always say even though they might not have much interest in high fashion, they still love our videos. Straight men. Everyone.
LF: Plus, we are all united by a dark secret.
G: How would you describe the fashion scene in Shoreditch/East London? Why is it unique?
LF: People seem to wear a lot of black in this neck of the woods. I wonder if they are all, like us, showing respect for the struggles of Sharon Rickman. There’s also a lot of ‘mum jeans’ which I can’t say I am always very impressed with.
SC: I must say I like how you can go around the place looking extremely glamorous without attracting too much negative attention. I was in another part of London recently and getting all kinds of yelling homophobic harassment and unapologetic, hostile staring. Getting back to Hoxton was quite the nice breath of fresh air.
LF: I love East London. I used to hang out on Redchurch Street with my good friend Jude selling clothes and my style really developed. I used to get all my best clothes on Bethnal Green Road, and then celebrate at Noodle King, or with a alfresco drink in Arnold Circus. Those were the days.
G: Who are your favorite designers in the area?
NA: Unfortunately, we have not been embraced by the local designers in the way that we would have hoped. Of course, Shoreditch has a great deal of talent hiding away but to be honest most of them either won’t talk to us or owe us money. But our good friend Henry Petrides ( https://twitter.com/henrypetrides )is soon launching a wild line of penis T-shirts which we expect the Shoreditch crowds will lap up. The brand will be called Witch Island. Get involved.
SC: We also love Random Bangle (http://www.randombangle.com/ ) , a range of very wild clothes and accessories by our friend Russell Barratt. He hasn’t sent us anything to flounce around in yet, but maybe he will now.
G: What are you working on right now and your future plans?
SC: We have recently done some truly life-changing live performances. One was a collaboration with the Tate Britain last year, another was at our favourite night Debbie at Bethnal Green’s Resistance Gallery. Hopefully the future will give us more opportunities to engage with our thousands of rabid fans.
NA: Hopefully the future will give us more money.
LF: Oh yes, times are very hard. But at present, we are enjoying our resident slot on London Live’s ‘Not The One Show’ where we talk through the fortnight in fashion every other Thursday. We all find it very difficult not to be our usual truly offensive selves.
NA: We are all desperately trying to better ourselves.
Social links:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BestCityFashion
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BestCityFashion
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BestCityFashion
