As you might know my love to discover new places and intriguing architecture never stops and I recently had the pleasure of exploring Home House, which is London’s most exclusive private members’ club. The club takes space of three Georgian townhouses situated in the beautiful Portman Square which is in the heart of London. I was astonished by the magnificence of the 18th Century architecture and the opulence of the neo-classical design in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere which members and guests can enjoy.
Being in this splendid place of Home House I was thrilled to speak with Omar Al-Janabi – founder and owner of Capture The Throne Clothing. We talked about the history behind the brand and the thin line between fashion and architecture.
You have recently launched your clothing brand which seems to have a lot to tell. What is the story behind the brand Capture The Throne?
It’s quite a straightforward story with CTT if I’m honest. I have always been a fashion lover, from buying into the latest trends to admiring all aspects of the industry. However, the one thing that stuck out to me was that when it comes to street wear brands, they are all generically the same.
The majority of brands tend to play it safe and there isn’t a huge diversity in design. There’s no sense of originality or danger in fashion anymore as there once was around a decade or two ago.
Furthermore, original artwork and graphic design play a big role in CTT, which is a rarity these days amongst most brands in this sector. So really, I wanted to fill this gap in the market with a brand that that was rich in all of these elements I feel have been forgotten.
I suppose the name of the brand kind of sums of my aim and end goal that being there currently is a vacant throne here, and what better way than to make some noise and capture it.
Are designs of Capture The Throne influenced by something specific? What are you trying to tell through these designs?
At this stage, the design we have for our first collection is influenced by Russian history, that being primarily the Soviet era (Chernobyl top) and pre-Soviet/Red October or the Russian Revolution period (Vozhd & Pravda tops) which I have always had a keen fascination on for as long as I can remember. Coincidently, this year being 100 years since the Russian Revolution and the start and rise of Communism. So what great timing than now to launch the brand!
The aim of CTT is to give people a sense of historic value when it comes to experiencing the brand. From our current collection to our future ones, there will always be a historic back story in all our designs. I think it adds a sense of added value knowing that he or she is wearing something that played an important role in history.
Our message is conveyed through strong visuals in the form of original artwork and design by our graphic designer Chris Stringer. He really understands how the brand is portrayed and the message that needs to be put across. The added benefit is he has a lot of input into the designs and to me that’s good.
By from what I’ve seen, your brand seems quite controversial. Has this been a problem for you as of late?
Capture The Throne believes in the crucial power of visuals we are subjected to, especially the ones from difficult times in history. The imagery is meant to provoke discussion and opinion – that is the whole creative motive behind the brand. Some people may question the theme behind our designs but history and politics is a huge aspect of everyone’s worlds, especially in the current political climate we now live in.
We met in this gorgeous 18th-century building of Home House – how important is space you work or spend time in for your creativity?
I think being surrounded by something you admire or are inspired by is very important and collectively fundamental for what I do creatively. It’s also very important for me to not spend too much time in one place and to explore new places as well. I think the one thing in this world is that we all tend to get bored very easily and I’m probably the biggest culprit when it comes to this. So I took this into account with CTT, to always make a conscious effort to not stick to one era of style but to keep spicing things up and exploring new genres, without deviating too much away from the concept/message of the brand. Hence exploring new places adds a huge benefit to me to better further CTT in the long run.
What is special about Home House? Would you say it’s your “secret space”?
I’d say ideally, it’s my way of escapism from the outside world. Being a private members club, to me, it resonates this whole element of it being a kind of secret realm or yes secret space as you’ve so rightly put it.
To me, it seems like a brilliant combination of a place to socialise in but on the flip side, a perfect spot when you just need some time for yourself. Would you say that this place alone gives you that added inspiration behind what you do for Capture The Throne or are there other places that you’d say gives you that creative buzz?
This place included and some others for example in London, like The British Museum, most notably gives me a lot of key inspirations behind the brand. I mean what better way than to be in the presence of something that has a huge history plus collections of past cultures and civilisations too?
When creating fashion – are you ever influenced by some architecture by any means?
For sure. One of my favourite architects was Albert Speer. For those that are not familiar with him, he was a prominent architect during the height of the Nazi party and World War II. He created some of the most jaw-dropping architectural pieces of work that still to this day amazes me. I am really inspired by the architecture created in hard historical pinnacles. I believe they convey the story of their time.
Also, I’m an avid fan of Stalin-era architecture too. What I find so fascinating about those era’s was how everything was so large and god-like in size even going down to the statues and monuments.
What kind of architecture do you like and why?
Imposing yet classy style of architecture. Dubai being my second home is the perfect example for this especially the Burj Khalifa. If it isn’t colossal and eye-catching than I’m sorry it’s not for me.
What connections can you see between fashion and architecture?
In my eyes, I find these two industries bar for the materials used, very similar. When you look into both, they incorporate the elements of designing something that will catch the eye and have people mesmerised by the look, feel and design of the set piece. An architect is no different from a fashion designer, you lay down the concept of what you want to produce and then create the masterpiece that you envisioned.
It seems people can interact or connect with fashion better than with architecture… Do you have some advice how people could identify more with the architecture?
My sole advice would be to make architecture a part of your fashion journey. When you go shopping say at Harrods or Selfridges, admire the building(s)/structure(s) there, take a time to take in the design work displayed and the interior aspect of the place(s). Most notably how things are showcased. Selfridges window display is one of the best I’ve ever had to witness. There is an art in how collections are presented and housed – this is the marriage of architecture and fashion.
Do you feel you can express yourself through fashion? How does your personality resemble in your brand designs and how in what you wear?
Well, I’m very known for being quite outspoken at times and not afraid to express how I feel, so I’d say that my personality filters into the brand very nicely in the sense where CTT itself isn’t afraid or held back to portray the designs and message across.
It sounds like there are exciting times for your brand. What is next for Capture the throne?
Hopefully more controversy!
