What Artists Wear

martyn cross

Martyn Cross is a fine artist and native Bristolian. He works primarily in oil on canvas but when I met Martyn back in 2010 he was defacing original knitting pattern magazines by painting over the top of photos of models sporting the aforementioned knitwear with things like viking helmets and the occasional phallus. This appealed to my aberrant sense of humour, so we exchanged details and kept in touch.

Martyn was one of my first Customer’s when I moved from London to Bristol. We made his Wedding Suit and during our many meetings learned that we had much more in common than an appreciation of subversive art, also sharing an appreciation for horror films, obscure jazz, eighties pop music and the love of a good pub (read: old man’s pub), a pint of cask ale and a good bar snack.

Over the years we have showcased many of Martyn’s original works both at our home during longest running Bristol art collective, the Totterdown Arts Trail and also below decks in the Brown in Town studio. in 2018 Martyn held his first solo show in Bristol showcasing new work Truth Toggle at local space That Art Gallery. We were not disappointed and coveted many a piece and so horse traded a suit or two to add some of his otherworldly pieces to our collection, making Martyn our first official muse. 

Auspiciously Martyn chose a chestnut brown cloth from local mill Fox Brothers for his 2pc Suit, which we had made at our atelier in Italy owing to its soft and comfortable construction: I had secretly hoped that Martyn would wear his suit whilst painting and get it covered in splashes of paint, Jackson Pollock style. We are are still waiting... 

Then in 2022 Martyn signed to Hales Gallery, London and I thought there may be another opportunity to revisit the idea. So, over beers and bar snacks at our favourite local pub The Orchard Inn (owned and run by another Customer and friend of Brown in Town, Sam Marriott) I broached the subject of crafting Martyn another suit for his auspicious event. As we bounced ideas back and forth, a fellow artist walked-in sporting what I can only describe as a workwear suit, made in khaki cotton canvas.

Martyn was down with the casual nature of the workwear style but I was concerned that cotton, especially canvas may be great for painting on but would not be so utilitarian during the winter months in a huge artists studio with little or no heating, so I suggested cotton corduroy.

Corduroy originally dates back to ancient Egypt but the ribbed fabric we associate with today originates from 19th century Manchester where it was designed as factory wear, the hard wearing fabric had the added benefit of insulating the wearer with its raised pile ribs.

Martyn chose a green 8wale cotton corduroy from Duca Visconti liking the bottle green shade, the soft yet robust handle of the cloth and also its inherent insulating properties. The jacket has no lining, shoulder pads or chest canvas which gives a super casual aesthetic. He also chose patch pockets to carry his pint of beer and paint brushes. His trousers were very classical with waist-adjusters, slanted side pockets, single right back pocket and turn-ups. 

The suit, not to mention his private view at Hales, was a hit not only with Martyn but also with Saffron Darby who subsequently had one made in cotton drill and which became known affectionately as The Darby Suit.

This workwear suit has proved very popular as a unisex style and has even been commissioned as a wedding suit. Of course, you don’t have to be an artist or indeed Saffron Darby to wear the Darby Suit but if you do, would you be so kind as to cover it in paint..