How did your childhood spent in different countries influence your future style?
My tastes are varied and eclectic – a product of my peripatetic childhood living between Canada, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and the UK. While this has made me outgoing, it has also fostered a feeling of being an outsider – that I never truly belong anywhere.
How did working under Vivienne Westwood open your eyes?
Vivienne was half the reason I moved to London from my native Canada in 1983 – I worshipped her and her World’s End brand. She was the first person in the UK to spot my talent and to give me a chance and I’ll never forget her warmth and kindness.
Your Wannabe Loafer was the go-to shoe for millions around the globe in the 90s. What was your inspiration?
The story behind the invention of the Wannabe loafer is multi-faceted. Having lived in Nigeria as a child, I was fascinated by African businessmen wearing exotic leather shoes. The first sample pair of Wannabes were in snakeskin! In the early 90s I was obsessed with the American comedian Peewee Herman who constantly wore white loafers. The second sample pair of Wannabes were in white calfskin! Madonna fans at that time were known as Wannabes. The rest is history.
Patrick Cox
You now live in Santa Gertrudis; a stunning house with immaculate gardens and a view to die for. We hear you are planning changes?
I’m not into the “big white box” modern house look. I’m also not into “finca-fying” everything with exposed wooden beams and wicker everywhere. My place is going to be clean modern and curvilinear with mid-century flourishes like a sunken living room, a double height orange lacquered front door and a domed entrance hall. A bit more Palm Springs than Balearic.
Where did the idea of your new Doors of Perception range come from?
The origins of my new brand Doors of Perception are completely psychedelic! When I first moved to Ibiza almost seven years ago, I was struggling – running from London and the demise of my Patrick Cox shoe brand. While searching for meaning and connection on the island, I was introduced first to micro-dosing LSD and then in 2019 to smoking the secretions of the Sonoran Desert Toad which contains the molecule 5MeO-DMT: known as the God Molecule.
Working with this holy sacrament has completely changed my life. It has helped me heal lifelong issues with my family and myself. I have learned to love myself and to accept the love of others. I have become somewhat evangelical about psychedelics and their ability to heal. The last remaining breach to be healed is linked to my own creativity so I started to design again for the first time in years, channelling all my newfound love and sense of peace into my designs.
Doors of Perception was born. I call it: Feel-good fashion. Consciousness-raising clothing. Entheogenic apparel. (Entheogen is a new term for psychedelics – it means “to reveal the god within”). It’s spiritual sportswear embroidered with love in Ibiza. I source sustainably produced, vintage or army surplus items and then have them embroidered here on the island.
“THE WHOLE POINT OF ME RETURNING TO ‘FASHION’ AND LAUNCHING DOORS IS TO CREATE JOY.”
You being you, I guess there is no five-year plan for Doors of Perception?
Nope. Fuck that. I’m taking it one day at a time. My definition of success is no longer guided purely by turnover and growth for growth’s sake. I had a very big fashion company with constantly-updating five-year plans etc., – it didn’t make me happy. The whole point of me returning to “fashion” and launching DOORS is to create JOY; for me to enjoy being a designer again, creating cool stuff.
And if I can contribute to the conversation about psychedelics and wellness than that’s even better.
Your garden is a beautiful mix of cacti, fruit trees, an organic veggie patch and topiary. I hear your original concept was “Edward Scissorhands meets Pucci”?
Hahaha. Well, I love topiary. If you’ve ever seen the movie Edward Scissorhands then you’ll remember the Johhny Depp character constantly trimming and shaping any trees/ bushes he comes across into surreal outrageous shapes like dinosaurs. I also love colour, so the Pucci comment was referring to the swirling pop-coloured scarf and fashion designs from the Florentine designer Emilio Pucci. My garden is a riot of colour and shape.
Robbie Williams was spotted wearing one of your Doors of Perception pieces on his 50th Birthday earlier this year, he rocked it!
That was funny. I ran into Robbie while I was in Gstaad this past February, I hadn’t seen him since 1998. We instantly hit it off again and we talked for hours. I told him about having launched Doors of Perception and he went to his phone and ordered a couple of items. He’s a great guy and I think he looks fucking amazing in my hot pink DISCOmbobulated hoodie!
And finally, how would you like to be remembered – you have led quite the life!
I used to obsess about my “legacy” but now I really couldn’t care less. When I’m gone, I’m gone. I guess I’ll be remembered by those who knew and loved me and then I’ll be forgotten like most of the mass of humanity when my loved ones eventually pass too. I would hope that I brought some joy to those around me and that my creations, from my shoes in the past to Doors of Perception today, bring joy to those who wear them.
