The ‘cool kids’ of London are almost all but gone; we catch up with an artist keeping the spirit of London’s fashion alive.

 

Javan Delon McFarlane-St. Louis better known by his stage name Risky has become what can easily called part of the changing face of Chelsea.

Chelsea has historically been a hub for the fashion misfits. Namely the punks but London's ever-changing cultural landscape has leeched most multiculturalism from central London. Some have still managed to keep the fashion rebel spirit of the less fortunate in Chelsea. In a time when London's seems to be losing it's 'cool' factor due to rapidly inflating housing costs and a politically fuelled deflated job market some Londoners in the famed Royal borough still seen to retain their cool. Bringing a unique brand of amiable London cool factor that can be found nowhere else.

 

These days, Chelsea and its surrounding area, in a fashion sense, has been reduced to what can only be described as ‘Made in Chelsea.’ A far cry from the do-it-yourself style of the punks; Rich kids wearing the most amazing awe inspiring clothing of the time, nothing new for the area, lacking the attitude and authenticity of the movement their clothing represents.

 

A, for lack of a better term, homeboy turned fashionista style has been taken up by the youth of Chelsea be that the rich or the poor. In many ways this is a style that the fashion industry is still trying to accept and make its own. Many designers and brands try and fail to replicate the authenticity of the look, though some mange to get it right. Many of these brands have to be based in areas where there is a huge amount of diversity to justify their very existence and to authenticate the image that they portray. Something that is essential for brands that wish to appeal to younger ‘cooler’ audiences.

 

On such brand that has done this with great success is Kokon to Zai better known as KTZ. Ingeniously, they have chosen to set up their press showroom on Golbourne Road in what appears from the street to be a gaudy knick-knack cluttered Moroccan furniture store that could moonlight as a fortuneteller’s shop. The over the top, insane, Moroccan influenced street wear that the brand has become world renowned for only fits too well here. It only makes sense. In this ‘area of high deprivation’ as the government calls it is the perfect location for this brand. In this every changing usually forgotten area of west London’s most famous and privileged borough a short walk away from one of the most famous doorways in the city children go to bed hungry more often than anywhere else in London. A reality that only serves to further validate the image of KTZ.

When it comes to Risky it only takes one look at his Instagram account to see why people find his image so interesting. From spending time with his family to his performance videos 1900 followers can't be wrong.

 

When we finally caught of with the ever-busy Risky you could tell that everything about him was the real deal. No fakery. It was all there, the look was real, and you could see that he came from the same environment that gave birth to the rebellious nature hip-hop music represents. For this reason we chose to shoot him outside the iconic Trellick Tower. A location that we later found was great to explore around with our new high-energy friend.

 

 Moments later in a lovely little café we spoke to settled down with some coffee to talk to the former television star. Did we mention he used to me a cast member on Channel 4’s docudrama Seven Days?

 

Michael Grant