‘We’re Just Kids, We Aren’t Supposed to Be Heroes’

Our debut collection is a poignant reaction of Jamie’s personal journey, growing up in the high-pressure world of academy football and navigating the complexities of adolescence.

The collection embodies his struggle with the emotional aftermath of being released from his dream club. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing and immersion in London’s subcultures, a key reference from this was his childhood teddy bears. Jamie integrates surface design such as tufting and delicate fabrics to create pieces that evoke the comfort of home and the fragility of emotions. The collection is a celebration of his journey from grassroots football to the competitive world of academies. It emphasises that there is life beyond the pitch, a message of hope and resilience for young lads whose be all, and end all is to be a footballer.

Growing up as a young kid playing for his dream football club, Jamie experienced the intense pressure to perform and conform to rigid depictions of masculinity. This collection seeks to break down these barriers, encouraging boys and men to talk about their emotions rather than suffering in silence. By bringing together the contrasting worlds of football and fashion, the collection aims to create a space where it is okay for men to express themselves freely and authentically.

THE FRAGILE 1 SHIRT COMING SOON

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THE FRAGILE 1 SHIRT COMING SOON |

THE FRAGILE 1 SHIRT. 9 VARIATIONS. 9 DIFFERENT STORIES EXPLORED THROUGH JUXTAPOSING FABRICS TO CREATE A TENSION. BALANCED BY A STRONG SILHOUETTE AND A FAMILIAR LANGUAGE OF UNIFORM. BORROWING THE VISUAL CODE INGRAINED IN OUR IDEA OF BELONGING. SUBVERTING IT AND GIVING IT A NEW FORM OF IDENTITY.

THERE'S THIS WAY WE'RE TAUGHT TO BE EARLY ON. US LADS.

WHAT STRENGTH LOOKS LIKE. WHAT WEAKNESS LOOKS LIKE.

WHAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SAY AND WHAT YOU'RE MEANT TO SWALLOW.

IVE SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE WATCHING OTHER MEN, FAMILY AND FRIENDS INCLUDING MYSELF, TRY TO HOLD ALL OF THAT IN AT ONCE.

IT'S THE INNER CONFLICT; THOSE CONTRADICTIONS ARE WHERE OUR WORLD SITS. THE SOFTNESS AND AGGRESSION, HUMOUR AND PAIN, CONFIDENCE AND DOUBT, REGRETS COVERED IN GLITTER.

THE JAMIE BACKSHALL BOYS ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE SAME INTERNAL DIALOGUE. DIFFERENT REACTIONS TO THE SAME MOMENT YANO? SOMETIMES THEY ARGUE. SOMETIMES THEY AGREE. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE IN CONVERSATION.

BUT THEY'RE THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY THEM.