The Coronavirus, which brought the world to a sudden halt, made the work of creatives that much more difficult - with
manufacturers temporary closing production, and campaigns and product launches being delayed indefinitely. As the
saying goes, however, you can’t keep a good man (or woman) down. Richard and Melissa, who live together in East
London, are two of the most creative people you’re likely to meet, so we set them a task: pick a selection of
clothes from The Rake’s ecommerce offering to create your best #RakesAtHome looks. Of course, they did it with
aplomb, so we got them to break down what they chose, how they styled it, and what they’ve been up to during the
lockdown.
“We both come from a background in the fashion industry,” says Richard. “Melissa is a style and art director and I am
a model and creative. We are used to working with large teams on set or location: from art directors to
photographers, stylists, hair and make-up artists and various assistants. So, to be working from a make-shift set at
home with just each other, was very novel.”
“We wanted to keep everything pared back and simple, so we went for a semi-studio/lifestyle aesthetic, utilising some
vintage furniture and shrubbery, and shot against a plain muslin background with natural lighting. The clothing
reflects our shared taste for relaxed tailoring, neutral tones with contrasting pops of colour and Mel’s obsession
for house coats.”
#RakesAtHome was coined in the early days of lockdown, as a means of ensuring people still took pride in their
appearance, as opposed to letting that element slide due to confinement. We saw a brilliant uptake on the
submissions from everyday people wearing their favourite outfits, and in turn it provided us, as well as the
community, with ideas on how they can be comfortable and still look good whilst at home. On their ‘at home’ look,
Richard discusses their approach, “Melissa and I have been tackling this conundrum in very different ways. Melissa
tends to get up in the morning and dress in a smart-yet-casual manner. She says that it makes her feel “normal in a
time that isn’t”.”
“I have found myself making more practical decisions; focusing more on function than form. That’s not to say I’ve
stopped caring how I look or making an effort, I’ve just found myself choosing to wear items of clothing that have a
different aesthetic value to what I would normally wear. I never thought I would choose loungewear and casual wear
over tailoring but it’s just not practical to wear a three-piece suit to walk the dog or a double-breasted jacket to
do DIY.”
As creatives, the idea of being at home can be quite a daunting thing, so just how do you adapt to the new normal?
“We wake up around 8am and have a (very) leisurely breakfast whilst catching up on the morning news. We tend to take
Vinnie (our miniature dachshund) out for a walk around 10.30am to either Victoria Park or Tower Hamlets Cemetery. On
the way home we will usually stop to pick up some lunch.”
“At home, we are fortunate enough to have the benefit of some outside space, so when the weather allows, we sit on
the balcony to do some reading or listen to music. In the evenings we will more often than not log onto a Zoom chat
with some friends or family or watch a film or documentary… before you know it, it’s time to go to bed and do it all
over again! Although this might sound very frivolous, we have made a conscious decision to try and take the
opportunity to reconnect with the things that are truly important to us. Taking more time to speak with our friends
and family, reading books that will help us grow and develop personally or professionally. Personally I’ve found
myself trawling through books of art and design in an attempt to learn and develop my basic knowledge on the
subject. I’ve also been reading a lot of mid-century Eastern European science fiction — very niche I know. I’ve made
my way through quite a few of Isaac Asimov’s works as well as Stanislaw Lem’s. I would highly recommend Foundation
by the former and Fiasco by the latter.”
Shop #TheRakeSale here now.
