red or dead

[fash]

is red or dead still around?

[dumb5]

it's an accessories brand now.

here's the time line

Red or Dead was started by Wayne Andrew Hemingway Esq and his good lady wife, Geraldine Hemingway back in 1982. They had no money, so they emptied their wardrobes and sold them on Camden market one Saturday and before they knew it they had 16 stalls.


Red or Dead was a reference to Wayne's Red Indian background and the fact that the first collection that Geraldine did was Russian inspired and so Red or Dead was started.

Before long they had a decent sized company and then they stumbled across Dr Martens and changed them from just being a work-wear item into something that became fashionable all around the world.

The public liked Red or Dead as a remedy even though the rest of the industry didn't and at first Red or Dead were not allowed to be part of London Fashion week. The fact that people wanted to buy Red or Dead forced the industry to accept Red or Dead as part of the fashion establishment and as a result started doing catwalk. The first collection was in 1989 and that was Space Baby and then it was just onwards and upwards. In the mid 1990's Red or Dead won Street Style Designer of the Year for three years on the run.

Red or Dead is a lot more than a fashion label; it was never about spending a lot of money, it was more about ideas and trying to make things as affordable as possible. Basically being creative with the materials you have, the early eco warrior!

There are lots of messages that we try to get across in our products that other designers have never tried to tackle before. Red or Dead is a brand that is for everyone.

Whilst a lot of high fashion is taken very seriously, we don't think it should be taken seriously; fashion is about fun and Red or Dead has always been about fun.


Timeline


In 1961 Wayne Hemingway was born in Morecambe, Lancashire. In that very same year his Red or Dead cofounder and future wife Geraldine was born in Padiham, Lancashire. Two decades later in 1981, Wayne and Geraldine's eyes meet across the room at a local disco and love blossomed.

In 1982 Wayne and Geraldine empty their wardrobes onto a small market stall in Camden, London and by the end of the year they had 16 stalls with shipments of second-hand clothing and footwear brought in from all over the world.

By 1983, they had opened an outlet in fashionable Kensington, London selling Geraldine's self-made clothes. That same year the first Red or Dead collection, inspired by Russian peasant clothing, was launched and was an immediate success with large orders from US department store Macy's. To meet demand, Red or Dead opened a small production unit and the first ever Red or Dead shop opened in Blackburn, Lancashire. Red or Dead also began to sell Dr. Martens work-wear shoes as a fashion item.

In 1984 footwear becomes a major force at Red or Dead, first with old stock of 1950's and 1960's canvas and then canvas sourced from the Far East. Stores opened in Camden and Manchester in 1985 and in 1986 stores opened in Soho, London selling the first Red or Dead footwear range. The Neal Street store in London opened in 1987 and regular queues outside the shop appeared due to the success of the Red or Dead 'Watch' shoe as sported by teen band 'Bros'. The design team began to build in 1988 and in 1989 the first catwalk collection 'Space Baby' (for Spring/Summer 1990) was shown to world-wide acclaim.

1990, Autumn/Winter collection 'Animals' launched and the following year stores opened in Copenhagen, Birmingham and Kensington, London selling the Spring/Summer 'Shopping' and Autumn/Winter 'Librace' collections.

In 1992 stores opened in Leeds and work began on the concept of Dr Martens clothing. The Spring/Summer 'Mad on England' and the Autumn/Winter 'Spy' collections were launched.

Further stores opened in 1993 and Red or Dead signed a deal to be the first designer shoe company to advise Marks & Spencer. The Spring/Summer 'Russian Dolls' and Autumn/Winter 'Skeleton' collections were launched.

Stores opened in Tokyo in 1994 and Red or Dead launched the 'Dead Basic' diffusion range. The Spring/Summer 'Sunflower' and Autumn/Winter 'Keyhole' collections were launched. In 1995 Red or Dead won the British Fashion Council's inaugural 'Street Style Designer of the Year' award. The Spring/Summer 'Butterfly' and Autumn/Winter 'Ski' collections were launched.

In 1996, Red or Dead won the 'Street Style Designer of the Year' award for a second time. The Spring/Summer, 'New York Dolls' and Autumn/Winter 'Ism' collections were launched.

In 1997, Red or Dead won the 'Street Style Designer of the Year award for an unprecedented third time. The Spring/Summer 'Indian Summer' and Autumn/Winter 'Geography Teacher' collections were launched.

In 1998, stores opened in Prague and Tokyo. The Spring/Summer 'Beautiful Freaks' and Autumn/Winter 'A Road Movie Across the State' collections were launched. In 1999, the Spring/Summer 'Brush Strokes' and Autumn/Winter 'Champagne Anarchist' collections were launched and in 2000 the Spring/Summer 'Africa' was launched.

In 1996 Pentland Brands Plc buy Red or Dead and the business today includes footwear, designer optical frames, sunglasses, watches and fashion bags.

[tony_stark]

Good info, since I've never heard of the brand...