A-Cold-Wall Founder Returns to Fashion With SR_A, Samuel Ross_Atelier

LONDON — Samuel Ross, the multidisciplinary designer who sold his remaining stake in A-Cold-Wall to Tomorrow last February, is embarking on a new fashion journey called SR_A, which stands for both Samuel Ross_Atelier and Studio Research_Attire.

The first collection was released Thursday via a look book shot between Ross’ homes in the English countryside and Islington, London.

It features relaxed-fit, wabi-sabi handmade garments produced by British and European small-scale manufacturers. There are also leather goods and accessories, including recycled silver signet rings handmade in the U.K.

Materials are sourced from leading Italian fabric firms, leather tanneries and silk manufacturers.

Ross said the zen-like silhouettes, such as the billowing hoods seen across jersey and outerwear, were a nod to his spiritual and philosophical pursuits.

“There is a monk aesthetic to how the clothes feel. My father was a spiritual teacher and preacher. He had some quite famous figures who trained under him when he was in his early 20s and 30s. Growing up in a spiritual household has taken some of its effect here,” Ross said in an interview.

Ross said SR_A represents a return to wearable luxury.

“We have been doing work with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Apple, Nike, Kohler, and in the fine art space for a few years now, but this is the first real push into wearable luxury. The focus of the clothing is on craft, the idea of leisure, exploration and durability,” he said.

“It’s less about a very full frontal aesthetic, and it’s more about the beauty of living with garments and beautiful fabrics, working with a robust supply chain that isn’t about hyper-growth, and holding those relationships,” added the designer, who was made an MBE in King Charles’ 2024 New Year Honours.

“It fundamentally comes down to questioning what is luxury for the Millennial and Gen Z generations, and where should luxury be going after a streetwear boom,” Ross said.

The designer plans to release one collection a year, with all the items available on a made-to-order, price-on-request basis. Following the online launch this month, SR_A plans to partner with a retailer in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Prices will be dynamic, he said. “People will enquire, and then we’ll all price accordingly. There will be a layer of bespoke considerations that we will take on board. Every label on the back of the garment will be hand-signed and stamped by me in an authentication process,” Ross said.

The brand’s most immediate audience will be the tight-knit community that Ross has formed over the years. “For the first chapter of the brand. It’s really about supporting a community of like-minded friends and peers who will enjoy the product. I am sure that will naturally evolve across the next six months,” he said.

SR_A was born from Samuel Ross & Associates, a vehicle for Ross to do collaborations with brands including Hublot, Nike and Beats.

Ross said the brand is looking to appeal to those who seek comfort in life.

“I want someone to be able to walk into an installation and not have to think too hard about the jacket, the pants or the hoodie because we’ve done the thinking for them. I believe people will be able to assimilate and make these pieces their own quite easily,” he said.

Ross added: “There’s this sense of intimacy. Maybe it feels a little less cerebral than some of my work before, which I think is just a maturing of my voice in fashion and apparel.”

In the eyes of Yi Ng, Ross’ longtime business partner who’s originally from Singapore, who helped A-Cold-Wall scale to $20 million in revenues at its peak, SR_A is “an independent and profitable Veblen Goods atelier,” meaning the price of the garment will increase when demand goes up.

Instead of generating a high gross margin, as they have done with A-Cold-Wall, SR_A will operate under “a lean, profitable commercial model, attaining gross revenues of seven figures, by adopting differing structures and economies of scale attuned to each product category,” she added.