First there was Cottagecore, where everyone dressed like prairie girls. Then came Gorpcore, which saw east Londoners bedeck themselves in hiking gear to go get their matcha latte. Now, it is the turn of the seafarer to be core-ified. Think fisherman’s sandals, Breton stripes and heavy knit jumpers.
Fishermancore may be the microtrend du jour, but Alexa Chung has always been a fan. “I’m not really into cores anyway. If you like something you should back it,” she told The Standard at a dinner to celebrate her new collection with Barbour. The range is bang on the money, featuring fishing vests, cable knit sweaters and waterproofs, but Chung insists that “a fisherman’s style is eternal, not just for Christmas.”
As the immortal cool girl, it’s no surprise that Chung drew inspiration for the collection from her own wardrobe. “I just selfishly really wanted to make things that I would like to wear,” she said. The collection blends style and comfort, which is a priority for Chung. “What I love about Barbour is that it’s a performance outerwear company which might sound boring to other people but is quite thrilling to me, because you get to make actual practical stuff.”
In keeping with the theme, the dinner was held at Tollington’s Fish Bar in Finsbury Park, though the all seafood menu spelled trouble for Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor. “I’m vegan,” he whispered as another plate of battered prawns arrived. Nothing if not on brand, Taylor subsisted on chips for the evening, while others tucked into whole brill, sea bass crudo and anchovies.
It was a modern family affair, with Chung’s partner Tom Sturridge there, as well as Sienna Miller (who shares a child with Sturridge) and her boyfriend, actor Oli Green.
