Written By : Tyrese King
No one would be surprised if, when you see the crimson lights emitting from down the basement, you’d turn around and head in the other direction if it wasn’t for the poster by the door which said Elliker.
But once you move past that, you are greeted by another world entirely as Elliker take over the space and brings nature into the inner city as they launch their AW25 new collection on Thursday at Soup, in Manchester.
An entry point into the brand, and what it stands for in a basement in which you have never felt closer to nature and natural history, the interior is considerate of the natural world as Elliker curate an intimate and unique experience, bringing their storytelling to life.
Long white sheets are draped as moving scenes of the wilderness are projected onto their surface, as well as your own silhouettes.
It proved the perfect space to tap back into nature.
At the start of the show, brand new craw zipper tech jackets were on display, alongside tote bags, shell pants, t-shirts, sacoche bags and also backpacks to fill up with all of your essentials.
They are a brand that, at its core, is all about fostering a genuine connection with nature and the outdoors in only the most organic ways
The British-based brand also has a commitment to sustainability as the material used in their products are recyclable and durable, with the desire to have long-lasting
And that’s why their attempt to bring history, myth and the woodlands right in the city isn’t surprising by inviting Common Lore to speak.
Born and grew up in Warrington, but moved to Leeds eight years ago. Liam, also known as Common Lore, runs a storytelling folklore platform. The purpose of Common Lore is to celebrate what’s “common” or in other words, for the “working class people”, believing that folklore should not just be for academics. “It’s common”, he explained “because it’s history that is really at your doorstep.”
Performing at the event, he shared with us “the people’s history” as mic in hand, he sat in front of his awaiting audience.
Expertly, he told us three stories, each different to the other. He is informative, humorous even. Often providing insightful nuggets about the areas around him and highlighting the enriching history of the north of Britain. Complimenting the aesthetic, serenity is constructed from the ambient sounds of Maxwell Owain Reynish, who crouched in the centre of the room, plays drums, other percussion instruments and electronic sonics to create a spiritual atmosphere. The first story detailed an interference from a pig featured in a historical story as a biblical intervention and gestures of God in the building of St. Oswald’s church in Withington. The second was a story of giants, and how they impacted the geographical landscape by building buildings, laying roads, whilst the last story demonstrated how even pop culture, such as Harry Potter, can be influenced by myths like Boggarts.
As he spoke, Gentle synths rose to the top of the room, building a comforting feel as people edged to hear the historic stories. Speaking about the importance of folklore, he said: “Humans do seek a natural connection to their surroundings, which is preserved by folklore. But with human development, we have kind of been stripped of that relationship. “The absence of these cultural elements takes us a way from these connections, which we don’t realise until we start digging into folklore “