Sean Tran is the designer of Shhorn and works entirely by hand in his Redfern, Sydney atelier, doing it all from the selection of fibres and fabrics, to the drawing of patterns and final construction and detailing of the clothes. His latest menswear inspired collection is beautiful. It’s that simple. 

We first met during the International Woolmark Prize when you were first starting out in 2016, are you still working with Merino Wool?

“Yes, however when I was doing the IWP, we were working with Merino Wool with a purist’s approach, laboriously making an unblended felt by hand and using the resulting (usually very thick) fabric to make the garments. Today I am still using merino, and a variety of different wools generally across the collections, but rather in more knitted and woven forms, and mixed with other natural fibres to express their inherent qualities. I’ve found greater strength and longevity in mixing natural materials.”

What has been the best part of your journey since then?

“That I can discover something new every day from the process makes it the best journey to be on.”

Tell us about your design philosophy.

“This brand is about my love of materials and finding ways to amplify their natural qualities through design and construction. I focus on re-visiting menswear classics to create elongated and slightly awkward silhouettes — in an effort to emphasise both masculine and feminine features in the wearer. The practice is actually pragmatic and revolves much around the rigour and technical thinking of pattern making. I love tinkering with the sewing machinery to discover new methods of construction, and love to experiment with how traditional elements in a garment can be re-interpreted without being frivolous.”

Where did you study?

“I’m actually university trained in Architecture, and studied courses in fine jewellery and traditional woodworking. My first garments were made based on the act of drawing and geometry taught at architecture school. As the pieces grew and I learnt more about the human body, I began finding knowledge through tailoring books, so there's this fusion of the ad hoc vs the educated in the process.”

What music/books were you listening to as you designed this collection?

“Lots of Chromatics — as well as Johnny Jewel’s stuff on his own — Low Life, the 1975, and Nick Cave.”

How has the past year influenced your work?

“I quite enjoyed observing the world this past year - the chaos... the turmoil... all the realism that finally hit contemporary consumers. I feel like the world is a more honest place because of it. 2020 was the first year since inception of SHHORN that we did not release a garment collection. This allowed us to prolong the process of designing the current collection and intensify the amount of experimentation and detailing typically constrained by time. The pandemic also allowed for us to immerse ourselves in other mediums of work - We made a series of fabric relief portraits for an exhibition run by fellow IWP competitor Rong Jake Chen, along with a casted brass incense holder to complement this. We are also working on a chair made of celery shaped members in collaboration with Ester’s head chef Nathan Brindle.”

Who is the best champion of what you do and keeps you going through the best of times and hardest?

“It has to be Stephen Ward, who has photographed our most recent collections. I first met Stephen in mid-2019 and he has been a bit of a mentor for me since. We would catch up frequently about all kinds of things. He is a genuine and honest person, which above all is most important to me. On top of having a wealth of industry experience, he is a serious gold mine of ideas and constantly rethinking the creative process (which is what I think makes his work so compelling).”

What do you admire about his photography?

“Unlike many photographers of our time - who are more concerned about the crispness of an image, and doing something different for the sake of it - Stephen is process-driven and thoughtful, continually questioning the purpose of the shoot, whilst pushing its potentials to create something unexpected, yet inevitable. It's very important to me that the collection pieces and the photographs don’t ever feel dated, and I admire Stephen's ability to take a timeless photo while making it feel modern.”

Photographs by Stephen Ward.

www.shhorn.com