— FASHION — INTERVIEW
FLORENCE KING AKA FKING


→ THE YOUNG DESIGNER BEHIND SOME OF BROOKE CANDY'S MOST GAG-WORTHY/JAW/BOOTY DROPPING LOOKS.

PHOTOGRAPHY
CHRISTOPHER MCCRORY FROM STREAM LONDON
FASHION
OLIVER VOLQUARDSEN
MODEL
FLORENCE KING

WHERE DID YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGIN?

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO WHEN I WAS A KID WAS DRESSING UP, I USED TO TIE BIN BAGS AROUND MY NECK AND RUN AROUND WITH A WITCH HAT AND BROOM, GO INTO MY GRANS DRAWS AND WEAR HER LONG WHITE SATIN NIGHT DRESSES AND TRY MY MUM’S LIPSTICK ON. AS SOON AS MY YOUNGER BROTHER AND SISTER COULD WALK I WAS CREATING FANTASY’S AND DRESSING THE 2 OF THEM UP AS WELL. THEN WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 I FOUND MY MUMS BOOK OF “UNSEEN VOGUE” IT HAD ALL SORTS OF UNPUBLISHED VINTAGE IMAGES FROM THE 40’S TO THE 90’S. I THOUGHT THIS WAS AMAZING, HOW BEAUTIFUL THE PEOPLE LOOKED; THE FANTASY, THE GLAMOUR, THE SHOES. I SHOWED HER AND SHE TOLD ME THAT I COULD ACTUALLY DO THIS AS A JOB IF I WANTED, SO I OWE IT ALL TO HER REALLY FOR RECOGNISING MY INTERESTS AND ALSO MY DAD FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO DO SOMETHING THAT I ENJOYED. IT’S BEEN A REAL BLESSING TO HAVE 2 SUCH CREATIVE CHARACTERS AS PARENTS.

WHAT FUELLED YOUR DRIVE AND INSPIRATION?

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY INSPIRED BY DANCE AS WELL AS FILM, I THINK IT’S THAT INTENSE DESIRE FOR FANTASY. WES ANDERSON, QUENTIN TARANTINO AND DARREN ARONOFSKY ARE SOME OF MY FAVOURITE DIRECTORS. OTHER FILMS I LOVE ARE THINGS LIKE BLADE RUNNER, THE BOOK OF ELI, LORD OF THE RINGS, THE FIFTH ELEMENT. MAINLY AS WELL THOUGH IT’S WHATEVER’S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OR THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AROUND ME, MY WORK HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUITE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL IN THAT SENSE, DOCUMENTING MARKERS IN TIME AND MY EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD. SINCE I WAS 16 I’VE GONE TO ILLEGAL RAVES AND BEEN PART OF THE UNDERGROUND SOUND SYSTEM SUBCULTURE, I’VE ALWAYS ENJOYED BEING A BIT OF MISFIT TO SOCIETY BECAUSE THERE’S SO MUCH WRONG WITH IT AND SO MANY INJUSTICES AND CRUELNESS – INEQUALITY IN RACE AND GENDER, THE CLASS SYSTEM, HOMELESSNESS, POLITICS, CAPITALISM, ANIMAL RIGHTS.

YOU SEEM TO INCORPORATE VARIOUS MATERIALS, ROUGH AND OPULENT, WHAT FUELS YOUR DESIGN NOW?

THE MAIN FOCUS OF MY DESIGN IS TO PUSH FOR A CHANGE, NOT JUST WITHIN THE FASHION INDUSTRY, BUT WITHIN WIDER SOCIETY AS WELL. I’M VERY CONSCIOUS AND ANXIOUS OF THE STATE OF THE WORLD IN TERMS OF THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY, SO A LOT OF THE MATERIALS I WORK WITH NOW ARE THINGS I’VE FOUND, RECYCLED OR SAVED FROM THE BIN. IT’S ALSO THINGS LIKE, CURRENTLY WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING RECENTLY IN PARLIAMENT REGARDING TRANS RIGHTS, DISALLOWING TRANS PEOPLE USING THEIR IDENTIFYING GENDERS RESTROOM/TOILETS AND THE USE OF HORMONE BLOCKERS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 – THINGS THAT ARE EXTREMELY DAMAGING TO MENTAL HEALTH AND ALSO COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF INDIVIDUALS. IT’S REASONS LIKE THIS WHY I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO USE MY WORK AS A PLATFORM TO SPEAK UP, RAISE AWARENESS AND CHALLENGE DESTRUCTIVE CONSTRUCTS WITHIN SOCIETY.

WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS AS A YOUNG DESIGNER TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH? DID YOU ACHIEVE THEM?

TO BE MORE AWARE AND CONSCIOUS OF THE RESPONSIBILITY I HAVE AS A DESIGNER WHEN CREATING AND MAKING. IT’S SOMETHING I’M ALWAYS WORKING ON IMPROVING, BUT CURRENTLY I HAVE A 0 BINNED FABRIC & SCRAPS POLICY IN MY STUDIO – I DON’T THROW AWAY TEXTILES/OFF CUTS, IT’S SOMETHING I’VE BEEN DOING THE PAST 3 YEARS NOW. I’M PLANNING ON UTILISING THESE SCRAPS TO MAKE THINGS FOR SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS I HAVE IN MIND, CREATIVELY THESE ASPECTS AND LIMITATIONS I’M PUTTING ON MYSELF ARE REALLY PUSHING AND CHALLENGING ME IN A GOOD WAY. I FEEL LIKE I’M ON TRACK.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT MISSION?

TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL THE POWER WITHIN THEM AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES, WHICH IS WHY I THINK A LOT OF MY WORK COMES ACROSS QUITE SEXUAL – BECAUSE FEELING SEXY IS NEVER A POWER TO UNDERESTIMATE, IT MEANS SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE DESERVES TO FEEL. TO BE INCLUSIVE AND CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ME, AND TO HELP NORMALISE THE FACT THAT GENDER ISN’T LIMITED TO PHYSICAL APPEARANCES AND CONFORMITY, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLES MENTAL AND PHYSICAL SAFETY WITHIN THE WORLD. I ALSO WANT TO DO MUCH AS I CAN TO RESIST AGAINST CAPITALISM AND DESTRUCTION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AND TO TRY INFLUENCE OTHERS TO AS WELL.

ANY PROJECTS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?

I’M CURRENTLY WORKING ON A NEW COLLECTION, I’VE BEEN ABLE TO OCCUPY A LOT OF MY TIME WITH STITCHING SINCE WE’VE BEEN ON LOCK DOWN FOR COVID SO YOU WON’T HAVE TO WAIT TOO MUCH LONGER FOR ITS RELEASE. IT’S A CONCEPT OF MINE THAT’S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS NOW AND IS VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART AND EXPERIENCES WITHIN THIS WORLD. THERE’S BEEN SOME HOLD UPS AND ALSO DIFFICULTIES DUE TO LACK OF FUNDING BUT I BELIEVE IT’S HAPPENED THIS WAY FOR A REASON.

WHAT DOES 2020 HAVE IN STORE?

A SHOW AND THE RELEASE OF MY UNDERWEAR LINE!

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 2025?

TO OF DONE SEVERAL MORE COLLECTIONS UNDER MY BRAND, AND ALSO TO HAVE SET UP A SAFE SPACE AND FAIRTRADE MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT/STUDIO FOR PEOPLE IN DISADVANTAGED CIRCUMSTANCES SO I CAN GIVE OTHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXCEL, PROVIDE AND SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.