Introducing: Heresy SS21

by Ansel Swindells

Hailing from the other side of the Thames but oftentimes seeming more otherworldly than anything else, Heresy is a Peckham-based brand that’s driven by a deep interest in folklore. Its seasonal collections draw from the expansive world of mythic tradition and belief—a world that’s brimming with interesting imagery. The Heresy house style is very much graphic-driven as a result, which is only fitting given that it's being masterminded by two talented illustrators.

Having had no prior experience in fashion design, Dominic Owen and Jasper Dunk set up Heresy in order to continue collaborating like they’d done back in their university days. Both had enjoyed the screen-printing part of their degrees, so the transition from paper to clothing was only natural for two young illustrators trying to get their work out into the world. Although rooted in the occult, the brand has garnered an international following since its conception in 2012 and is perhaps showing signs of becoming something of a broad church. In 2016, Heresy even released a collaboration with the prestigious Beams T—a stamp of approval in the world of T-shirt design if ever there was one.

Clothing may be its main focus, but Heresy functions as a multi-faceted project through which Owen and Dunk can pursue interests in other areas as well, like music and publishing. One of the more unusual projects undertaken by the duo was their involvement in the National Trust’s ‘People’s Landscapes’ programme in 2019. They were invited by none other than Jarvis Cocker and Jeremy Deller to showcase an upcoming Heresy collection in Edale, a small village in the Peak District. Be it the random footage of farm animals or the human camouflaged from head-to-toe in grass, the video evidence of the outdoor fashion show is truly a sight to behold—surreal, to say the least.

If you’re into Heresy’s aesthetic, then their website is well worth a visit. Engineered by the brand’s de-facto third member, Rupert Dunk, the page features some zany look books, many a carefully curated playlist and blog posts ranging from the works of local artists to a reading list with a beer flight to match. The attention to detail is pretty incredible and is a testament to all the thought that goes into every aspect of the brand, not only the garments themselves. Heresy’s latest offering of all things weird and wonderful can be viewed below: