Stories
The Lucid Collective
2012-2015
The Lucid Collective was formed out of a desire to create, not emulate. Its designers, Chlöe Swarbrick and Alex Bartley Catt, perceived a lack of innovation in the men’s fashion industry.
In seeking to create a range of enduring, timeless clothes, their focus is not on trends or seasons, but on the personalities of the men who might wear their clothes. The Lucid message clearly made an impression – due to high demand, their website crashed briefly after one of their shows.
The Lucid Collective brand was carefully named, each word being chosen for its own specific meaning that ultimately worked together as a whole. 'The', being a word that is often overlooked as having its own significance, denoted the brand’s confidence and singularity. 'Lucid' referred to clear expression. 'Collective', of course, emphasised the collaborative nature of their creativity.
Alex and Chlöe prep for a photoshoot, 2014.
Neither Alex nor Chlöe come from a design background (they studied business and law/philosophy respectively), so they learned through trial and error, studying the histories of their materials to understand how each finished garment would wear. "Everything that we know about making clothes we have learnt from making clothes." They described the 'Lucid Man' as creative and unique, and their clothes are defined through clean-cut lines and subtle colours. At once casual and professional, the brand provided streetwear for those who want something a little different from the norm.
In August 2015 they closed the brand with a novel send-off. Titled, the Goods, they held a final sale with art, coffee, brews and beats at Neck of the Woods, a nightclub on Karangahape Road. Art and coffee are at the heart of their latest joint venture, Olly, a cafe in Mt Eden. Chlöe however has been most visible as a contender for the Auckland Mayoralty in 2016 and as a highly ranked Green Party candidate in the 2017 General Election.
Text by Arielle Walker. Banner photo by Frances Carter.
Last published August 2017.
