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Written By: Zach Lee | Photos By: Richeille Formento & BJ Formento
Having been a longtime style collaborator with the legendary David Bowie, British designer and singer-songwriter Keanan Duffty has not only made a large impression on the fashion industry, but he has also created waves across the music scene with his band, Slinky Vagabond. He is best known for albums like “Killers in Glitter” and “Total Dragon Pop”, where he covers artists including David Bowie and Katy Perry alongside his original songs. I had the pleasure of speaking with Duffty about his upcoming album titled “The Eternal Return” with Slinky Vagabond and about his music career in conjunction with his fashion career.
Keanan Duffty’s dream was always to get to London to pursue music. He grew up in a small mining town in Northern England, and in high school, started a punk band called Sordid Details and an electronic band called Wonder Stories. After being placed in the University of the Arts London’s fashion program at the renowned Central Saint Martins, he simultaneously began to look for ways to make music whilst selling his designs. “At art college, I released an EDM record called ‘Watersport’ which was record of the week in the big pop magazine at the time, Smash Hits, and my clothes were featured in the coolest style magazine of the ‘80s, The Face. That exposure made me feel like it was possible to make a living as a creative person,” said Duffty. Taking a large creative influence from David Bowie, one can hear and experience the homage that Duffty pays to his native England in “The Eternal Return.” The following segment is the conversation between Duffty and myself about his artistic prowess when it comes to both the music and the fashion:
Q: How do you approach blending streetwear and high fashion in your collections? Is it a conscious effort or more of a natural fusion for you?
A: For me, music and fashion are symbiotic. There is a great exhibition in London at the moment called “Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of ‘80s London.” The exhibition centers around the legendary nightclub Taboo. My clothes are not in the exhibition because most of my designs were either trashed in nightclubs, stolen or lost, but my Watersport record and I are both name checked in the accompanying book by Maur Valance, a big collector of ‘80s fashion. That era of 1980s London was so exhilarating and most of us — designers, nightclub people and performers — were just simply not interested in Gucci, Saint Laurent or Balenciaga. They were labels worn by old aristocratic ladies with blue hair. We were only interested in making our own designs, which today would be classified as street wear. There were no rules and streetwear did not mean just sneakers and athleisure, it meant crazy silhouettes, bold colors and high energy expression. Music and fashion synthesized into one language of pure creativity. Music was the soundtrack to the endless fashion shows that happen on the streets and in nightclubs.
Q: Have you ever faced challenges in breaking into the fashion industry, and if so, how did you overcome them?
A: The fashion industry is ruthless, just like the music industry. There are so many challenges to breaking into both and then staying relevant. To be honest, I think the best thing anyone can do is to find your community of like-minded souls and be kind to and supportive of them, and at the same time be true to yourself and your creative vision. You have to have a clear point of view and be able to balance creativity with commerce. Be clear about why you are doing what you are doing. Being able to live by your creativity brings freedom, and it is important for creatives to be free to express themselves.
Q: Congratulations on your newest album “The Eternal Return.” I can definitely hear a strong Bowie influence as well as a general wave of English rock vibes. What was the process of putting this project together? Tell me about the ups and downs and what you are most proud of.
A: “The Eternal Return” and the previous Slinky Vagabond record “King Boy Vandals” were made in collaboration with my songwriting and musical partner Fabio Fabbri. Without Fabio, these records would not exist. We met in 2017 and have a kinship, sharing so many of the same British musical influences. We have a complimentary style of writing and Fabio is an excellent guitarist, songwriter and producer. His Wolf Mountain studio is where we do most of our recording. He is very much a rock guy, whereas I also have a big interest in electronic music and left field art rock. The biggest challenge over the last few years was working during the COVID pandemic. But musically that allowed us to bring a lot of collaborators on board because no one was playing live, and they had time to record. For “The Eternal Return,” we were able to continue to work with collaborators including Mike Garson and Ava Cherry, who are on Bowie albums. A couple of the songs were co-written by my good friends Earl Slick and Glen Matlock , both of whom were part of the first version of Slinky Vagabond, which began in 2007. Clem Burke of Blondie was the drummer.
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your artistic vision in both fashion and music? For you personally and/or for your band Slinky Vagabond.
A: I feel a lot of gratitude because the people whom I have had the good fortune to work with are also my biggest influences. I collaborated with David Bowie in 2007 on a fashion collection and my experiences of that collaboration are documented in Dylan Jones’ book David Bowie: A Life. I have also worked with the Sex Pistols and so many other musical heroes. I worked with Gwen Stefani on her fashion collection and Midge Ure, who co-founded Live Aid, played on a couple of tracks from our last album along with many other musical guests. Collaboration is a big part of my creative process.
Additionally, I would say that my biggest influences are where experimentation, pop culture and groove intersect. That applies to both music and fashion. Experimentation brings the shock of the new, pop culture is how that will relate to the zeitgeist or spirit of the times, and groove really means the pulse, whether that is the energy of the streets or the beat of a record. Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren had a really great t-shirt (that was actually designed by The Clash manager Bernie Rhodes). It had the slogan, “which side of the bed are you on?”... and then listed on one side of the t-shirt the things that were good, and on the other, things that were bad. That is a great exercise for anyone to try…
Q: “Slinky Vagabond” is a sick name! Is there a story you’d like to share about how that name came to fruition?
A: When I came to New York, I moved here illegally, and in order to get a visa, I incorporated a company [which] in turn sponsored my visa. I chose the name Slinky Vagabond as it is a lyric in Bowie’s “Young Americans,” and the company could not have my own name, or it would be a bit of a give-away. And it worked. Thirty-one years later I am still here … legally. “Slinky Vagabond” is a name I began to use for a fashion collection in the 1990s and then as a band name in the 2000s. So it’s been a pretty useful nom de plume.
Q: How do you balance staying true to your personal vision with responding to industry trends?
A: To be honest, I don’t follow any industry trends, because if you do, you are a follower and not a leader. I prefer to do my own thing. Sometimes that is in synchronicity with what is happening more broadly, and sometimes it is the opposite of the current trend. I actually prefer to be the opposite of what is happening because then I will stand out.
Q: What is your advice for aspiring designers or creatives trying to make their own mark?
A: In the early 2000s, a really nice and bright young guy came to interview me for a magazine article and at the end of the interview he said “I am in a band and our first record is out soon.” And I said “Oh great! Good luck with it, stick to it and keep me posted.” His name was Jake Shears, and the band … Scissor Sisters. You know the rest of the story. Years later, we both performed in Central Park at a Marc Bolan tribute show, alongside Patti Smith, Moby and the New York Dolls. Jake remembered our first meeting fondly. So, my takeaway from that is always be kind and support other creatives.
Q: Is there an area in your work where fashion and music converge? What does that look like, and how do you tackle it?
A: In my music and fashion work, both inform the other. But to be honest, I prefer the term Style to Fashion. I always loved iconic musicians’ style. Whether it is James Brown in an outrageous jumpsuit or Bowie in satin, they set the tone that others follow. In the ‘60s,’ 70s and even the ‘80s, stylists were not yet part of the music industry. That came later. With my fashion shows, each one has a distinct theme. Same with my fashion collections. I do this because I find it easier to work that way.
Q: What’s next for you and Slinky Vagabond?
A: In 2025, I would like to do some live shows with Slinky Vagabond. So that is on the horizon. This year, I worked with my Italian production partner Francesco Michelacci to launch a new fashion collection called University of Failure. The collection made its debut in 200+ stores across the UK and Germany. We began with graphic t-shirts, which make a comment about the cost of higher education, and also that it is important to embrace good failure, by taking creative risks. Why the name University of Failure? Because failure, as thinkers like Samuel Beckett say, it means pushing beyond your comfort zone. If you’re not risking failure, you’re not aiming high enough. I always try to do that in my fashion designs and my music. University of Failure will continue to develop in 2025. I will also be on the road talking about my latest book “The Fashion Entrepreneur: The Definitive Guide to Building Your Brand,” which shows aspiring entrepreneurs how to bring a fashion business idea to life from forming a legal entity and writing a business plan, organizing a structure, scaling a business and strategizing for growth. It includes interviews with Tommy Hilfiger and British designer Jenny Packham, who was my classmate at Saint Martins and designs for A-listers including Taylor Swift, Keira Knightley and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales.
Needless to say, Keanan Duffty is a renaissance artist. By staying true to his roots and finding a balance between his passions for the studio and stage and for the runway, his music rings with a refined, raw angst, and his designs ride the line between elite and down-to-earth. The new Slinky Vagabond album, “The Eternal Return” will be released on January 14, 2025.
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