Cult of One

” Cult of One , in many ways is the product of obsession and me trying to find a way to vent against things I don’t agree with in the industry. I always struggled with the lack of accountability in the chain and how the relationship between the wearer and the maker has faded over time. In my ‘batman hours’ I started creating products I was proud of. Pieces focusing on the individual products, driven by the person wearing it, it’s important that all the elements are thought through completely and the inside reflects the outside. Every person I have the privilege of making something for, shapes both their piece and future pieces and I honestly believe that its helped me create a brand that has become my promise.” – Dom Murray

In the last blog we had a look at Maggie’s tattoo artwork from Carvel . I photographed her studio and home that she shares with her husband Dom. This weeks story is a follow up on the young creative duo when Love & Rockets got to meet Dom Murray. He is one of the individuals that is a true passionate creative and one might even think, slightly on the good side of being obsessed with purity of creating personalised items that will be part of your life journey. In a world where humans are obsessed with possessions, endless mass produced, quick fashion pieces that are only valuable for a short lifespan of a few months, your Cult Of One is the original, one off piece with explicit attention to detail, hand made by Dom himself.

Obsession, materialism and fashion seem to have gained a recently attached negative stigma due to the overconsumption and overproduction that leads to tons of clothing being shredded by many leading brand houses and dropping the value of second hand clothing to the point where it’s cheeper to throw it away then recycle. We are standing on the wrong side of consumerism. As part of our human nature we are built to hunt and never stop achieving, which in todays world translates into being obsessed with tirelessly acquiring pieces that have a value for one season or hunting for best bargains from clothes to homes and technology. We place our attention and spend money on things that we don’t need and don’t want after a few weeks or months. Instead we should be obsessing with the quality and longevity of an item that we will treat with care and respect, not the quantity of our material possessions.

That is why there is a unique beauty and a craft in Dom’s timeless pieces that he hand makes, using raw strong materials, techniques studied over generations and traditional stitching like the Japanese “Sashiko” , meaning “little stabs” , which perfectly describes the distinctive running stitch that defines the technique’s style.

His core focus is raw denim. Denim in its purest form, that reflects the life of the wearer, made to get better with time. Latest addition to this timeless collection is a range based on 100% cotton, pieces that look and feel as natural and comfortable as possible. By design Dom works in medium/heavy weight, generally around 13oz, which is higher than most South African bases, but it allows for a more hardwearing and durable piece.

The Cult of One collection is focused on two main sections:

• Custom – a unique profile for the wearer, using their experience and preference to create an identity reflecting their lifestyle. This includes a custom pattern and archive of adjustments and updates. The aim is to create a base to allow for any future builds which hold the ideal fit and feel.
• Capsule – this is a ready to wear offering, something the clients are able to order and wear off the rack, its an accountable small batch range made for those who choose to not go through the extended building phase and are simply looking for a well made, core product.

I spent a few hours admiring and photographing Doms work at his studio. What I found intriguing is the underlying personal attention he invests in all his work, even though he is making art for the clients lifestyle, I felt that it was just as much for his own love of the work and creations that he spends endless hours cutting, stitching, designing and perfecting new pieces.

His obsession and love extend into mindful t-shirts, jackets, pants and the “Cult Repair” service .
“I have the greatest respect for people who look after their pieces. Not throwing things away when they get a little work. All my products are covered by this idea. Simply, while the piece is being loved and worn, I’ll fix the details to keep it going.
This in itself leads to things like the Sashiko stitching detail and traditional darning, small aesthetic touches that make the pieces more unique and add some much needed rejuvenation to the product where necessary.
At the core, I aim to create pieces for everyone, I start with a blank canvas for those who love denim and telling a special story. ” – Dom , Cult of One

Read more about Dom’s devotion to denim in his blog: Denim Cultist

Follow his collection, contact him for custom made pieces or shop online for Cult of One mindfull t-shirts : Cult Of One