Inspiration Olmes Caretti

I grew up in Stoke; now it might sound crazy to start a piece about an Italian clothing designer with memories from my hometown. 

We were really lucky because we had some amazing independent shops bringing in some brilliant clothes. The state of the independent retail market in the UK is not great at the moment. 

Looking back, we were really lucky in the early 80s to have the likes of Gemini, Review and Sportscene. The list of independents grew with the likes of Trilby, Palladium, Oatis (a shop with no name). In the nineties, the list grew even further that I can’t remember all of the names, but Terraces, launched back then, is still going. 

I have an older brother; he started bringing home these amazing clothes, and obviously, I did not want to miss out. Being four years younger, a lot smaller, I was more limited to Lacoste, Sergio Tacchini and the odd piece of Armani. 

I can still remember my brother bringing home a Best Company sweatshirt and some shorts, with embroidery as I had never seen before and the most amazing use of colour and pattern. I had no idea who Olmes Caretti was at the time or how his clothes would stay with me through my life and influence the shop so much. 

Just to give you an idea, the first piece I bought for the shop was an 80s Best Company cardigan.  Yes, there is an element of nostalgia; the clothes reflected the time perfectly, especially with the influence of Wham and The Pet Shop Boys in the early to mid 80s. 

I would say the clothes were the zeitgeist of the time, probably a little bit more forward than most of the UK. Through music, independent shops, magazines like The Face, casual and Paninaro subcultures, we were treated to the best of European design. 

Let’s talk about the clothes. In today's world of beige and black, Olmes Caretti's designs can look quite bonkers. The use of pattern and colour goes much deeper than the whole ‘Dopamine Dressing’ trend. 

Olmes Caretti's clothes are about the fabrics (technical garments such as the Henri Lloyd Round The World Jacket), pattern and the use of colour. Be it the contrasted stitch details on a Best Company sweatshirt or the pattern on a piece of Devold knitwear. It always has a point. 

Dopamine is a chemical messenger produced in the brain that helps nerve cells communicate.  Yes, it makes you feel good, and the clothes you choose can help you feel happy, but it’s about more than being colourful. 

A well-designed piece of clothing makes you feel good. Brightly coloured clothes that are essentially a load of cheap junk do not. Design comes from fresh ideas; it has a point, and that's what makes Olmes Caretti pieces stand out. 

A purple Around The World Jacket with contrasting green and pink lining makes people go wow that is an amazing jacket. It also helps to keep you really warm and dry; the purpose is still there. 

I was back home in Stoke, having a wander around the shops whilst chatting to someone who is still working in men's fashion. He said, ‘People are more interested in what's on the clothes these days.’

There was a lot on the clothes back then; in many ways, you can see the design influence from Olmes Caretti in modern fashion. The difference is that it is at a surface-level aesthetic but lacking depth in terms of fabric, pattern and technical construction. 

Looking back at the older pieces, this is what gives it the lasting legacy.  There is a depth of thought behind the garment that can be sadly lacking these days. 

That is what inspired us back then, and still today, it’s why we hunt down the pieces in our archive.  It’s looking back and understanding history that helps us move forward. 

Inspiration is a motivational state, a creative spark that helps you to act, solve a problem and move forward.