Rebellion Refined: The Couture Legacy of John Richmond
LONDON & MILAN — There are designers whose names swell the pulse of fashion, and then there’s John Richmond—Manchester-born, Milan-based, London-revived—who plays rock‑and‑roll couture like the electric guitar it deserves to be. His eponymous label, forged in 1982, has weathered decades of cultural tectonics, only to re-emerge with the same defiant swagger that defined subcultural style in the 1980s. Here is his story: a portrait of rebellion refined, an anthem of heritage and reinvention.
Origins & The Genesis of Rebellion
John Richmond’s journey began at Kingston University, graduating in 1982 before co-founding Richmond‑Cornejo in 1984 with Maria Cornejo and straightaway launching his own lines—John Richmond, Richmond X, and Richmond Denim—by 1987 . Inspired by the unfiltered aesthetics of Manchester’s punk scene and icons like David Bowie and the Sex Pistols—not glossy editorials—Richmond forged a design language built on raw slogans (“Destroy, Disorientate, Disorder”) and leathered defiance . His early success stemmed from these bold riffs: Madonna, Bowie, Jagger, George Michael, Michael Jackson and even Lady Gaga wore his creations, turning them into musical symbols as much as fashion statements .
Milan: Empire of Edge
In 1995, Richmond entered a partnership with Italian entrepreneur Saverio Moschillo, establishing production in Forlì and a retail network across Milan, Rome, Paris, Düsseldorf, and London . The 2000s saw the rise of his cult low-rise “Rich” denim and the expansion into fragrance, eyewear, kids’ wear, beachwear, and home décor—each infused with a universality of British subculture rendered through luxury craftsmanship .
A Homecoming in London: AW25 at Tate Modern
After decades in Italy, Richmond returned triumphantly to London Fashion Week AW25, staging his show at the austere Tate Modern Tanks. On February 22, 2025, the venue became a temple to his ethos: black-and-white projections, stark slogans (“Positive Anarchy,” “To Keep Moving Forward, You Need to Lose the Past”), and hyper-edited rock nostalgia underscored by The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” .
The collection, titled Lost Love, celebrated 80s subcultural codices: oversized leather trenches, distressed denim, bomber jackets, fish-tail skirts, bondage straps, and jacquards that trembled with gothic and new-wave energy . Cuts were architectural yet rebellious; silhouettes were couture-adjacent in their construction yet carried the electricity of street style. Stars came to witness; celebrities and London tastemakers danced long into the night at the show’s after-party, propelled by a DJ set that matched the collection’s analog heartbeat ().
The Designer’s Voice
Richmond, speaking with Because London, described his work as “Couture British Sub‑Culture”—a mantra that speaks to both its roots and its reach . He credits his creative energy to London’s endlessly generative scenes and ambivalent history: “I’m still a punk,” he says simply. His methods reflect this: organic, playful, restless—each collection grows, shifts, mutates in a dialogue between craft and chaos .
Creative Projects: MAKE IT RICH
Richmond’s MAKE IT RICH initiative invites fans and artists like Davide Vavala, Agata Panucci, and L.R.P. Laboratorio Riciclo Pelle to transform John Richmond denim into living art. Embellishments range from doodles to crystal‑studded Gothic patches, even themes like the “Seven Deadly Sins.” The campaign is a manifesto—crowdsourced couture, punk tacked onto sustainability .
Business Frontiers & Cultural Strategy
Now under Luxembourg’s Fashioneast since 2015 and China’s Arav Group since 2017, Richmond’s brand has rebounded: digital growth spiked by 70 percent in 2020, followed by an e-commerce relaunch and showroom launches in Shanghai . Today, his strategy is twofold: cement his European cultural status (London and Milan) while scaling into Asia, where the “RICH” logo and rock aesthetic find ready resonance .
Legacy in Motion
John Richmond’s career is a testament to creative longevity: forty-plus years of unapologetic expression filtered through couture rigour. Whether dressing rock royalty or animating denim into performative art, Richmond has upheld his punk identity while building commercial and cultural relevance. His London comeback isn’t a nostalgic encore—it’s a recalibrated resonance, a beat hit anew.
Why This Matters
In a world wrestling with flash trend cycles and algorithmic obsolescence, John Richmond’s oeuvre reminds us that human rhythm—rebellion grounded in craft—is timeless. This isn’t streetwear sold with a billboard; it’s lived culture, curated with intent. As legacy houses chase heritage, Richmond lives it every season, in every seam.
Final Reflection
John Richmond’s manifesto is simple: remain punk, pursue excellence. More than a designer, he is a cultural cartographer who maps lineage into innovation, past into future. And with AW25, he didn’t merely return—he reasserted.
– Jacques Moreau –
