Last week we were invited into the verdant, sartorial wonderland that is fashion house ‘Earl of Bedlam’ to have a mint tea and chat with its founder Caroline Butler. In addition to being a Kennington based designer, she is also the bona fide Doynne of Kennington*, having lived in our hallowed patch for over 40 years.
We have to admit that we don’t know a great deal about fashion. In fact, someone once referred to a male member of the KR team as ‘the muse of Blue Harbour at M&S’. Whatever. Amongst the vast array of mannequins, needles, swatches and swag , Caroline explained that she and partner Mark specialise in bespoke suits for both men and women and have been inspired by the music, club life and characters of their past. Caroline emphasised that the suits aren’t intended to shock, and are rather ‘less showy and more about turning heads’; she used the evocative phrase ‘think Gangs of New York meets Oliver Twist’. Their made to measure wear, Caroline continued, is totally bespoke so it doesn’t come cheap, but is 1/3 the cost of Saville Row.
For those of us not quite in the price bracket to swing a bespoke suit, the Earl also sell scarves and a range of T-shirts and knitwear. A number of these pieces are inspired by their dog Brian, and a canine sensibility permeates this work.
The amount of local good deeds that Caroline and Mark engage in seem limitless, and includes the dog show at Lambeth Palace (which we wrote about over the summer), clothing the staff at the Three Stags Pub, and initiating a campaign to have a local information stall or stone permanently placed in front of St. Anselm’s (we’ll write about this next month). They are also a perennial presence at the Cleaver Square Fete.
Any person who’s lived here for 40 years must be brimming with local recommendations, so I asked Caroline where the Earls go when the needles come down. They have an affection for often missed Indian joint ‘Ishtak’ in Kennington Road, The Kennington Coffee Shop, Windmill Fish Bar (apparently it’s cool again), Windmill Flowers and the Three Stags. In addition to talks at Durning Library.
Viva Earl of Bedlam, and may you long reign over the Kingdom of Kennington!
*There are several people at KR Towers also vying for the title of ‘Doynne’ who might throw us under the #3 bus if they find out we’ve given it to somebody else.
