Lux Life magazine: Trevor Pickett Interview – Prive Collection
Pickett launches the Pickett Prive Collection
Trevor Pickett, the eccentric Mayfair gentleman, launched his brand in 1988 and his experience of the retail industry spans almost four decades. Trevor’s love for retail began at the age of 16, as a management trainee for the Army and Navy stores Victoria.
As firm advocates of the British leather goods industry, Pickett are one of the last remaining stores to ensure all of their leather goods are made in England from start to finish. They take great care to produce ranges with small specialist workshops and individual craftsmen, some of whom have worked with for more than twenty-five years.
In his own words, Trevor sees himself as an editor of his collections. He has a very close working relationship with his makers – he knows what he wants and believe in the process that gets him there. Trevor is a true creative. He thrives in on playing with colour and textiles in new and exciting ways. He is always going, doing and seeing – a flauner that seeks inspiration from his surrounding. Trevor has a keen eye for style and design. He has always possessed an unparalleled send of how to maintain a loyalty to tradition and heritage, whilst continuing to be inventive and push certain boundaries to keep his market intrigued.
This year, as part of Pickett’s 30th anniversary celebrations, he has Pickett Prive – a one off collection that is really for the last quarter of the year approaching the gifting season, personally selected by Trevor. Each item is individual, available from their emporium in Burlington Gardens a warren of the rooms, where you can browse the core collection and capsule selection of Prive products as you explore the store.
We spoke to Trevor about what makes this collection quite special….
What inspired you to launch Pickett one off Prive?
‘When I go around buying, there’s often striking products that catch my eye that wouldn’t technically work in store as part of our seasonal collections, whether it be the design of the price barrier, but common sense tells me i shouldn’t be buying all these things they are just for myself, so launching the Pickett Prive collection the title is tongue and cheek it gave me a chance to share these products with Pickett customers last season was a success and fun.
What distinguishes this collection?
‘It tends to be something that’s glamorous, has occasion about it for a discerning client. We can think of glamour several different ways, in this case its not necessarily black tie and ball gowns but there is an eccentricity to the collection. It gives Pickett another dynamic to its personality.
Which products particularly stand out to you in the collection?
‘The beaded clutch is one of my favourites. It’s so ridiculously expensive and sold out, but this isn’t about money, its indulgence of mine to share with everyone else. If you go to YSL museum in Paris you’ll see an amazing jacket made by one of the worlds greatest embroiderers, Lesage. I have this love for outstanding embroidery, so this jacket really stood out to me and when i saw this beaded clutch at a later date, it stood out for the same reasons. It’s frivolous, wacky, perfect for the summer and the embroidery is exquisite. Ok, its not Lesage but who has that? There is no word for its feeling.
We also have five limited edition William Crighton scarves which are particularly special as William is no longer producing scarves. Williams and I have known each other since he was a student with Georgina Von Etzdorf artist jacket or this season the pearl sating robe in the Ranunculus or conversation design, I love Georgina’s work so this is a great opportunity for me to support her. Georgina and I are all about life-experiences, we’re actually off to Paris together very soon to see painter and pioneer of abstraction, Kupka, before Georgina exhibits her work once agin in Pickett. This for me jaunt is much like the collection, sold out of passion rather that commercially. In fact, I’m so uncommercial – theres a confession’
Amongst these exclusive pieces you’ll discover Pickett’s ostrich leg and crocodile wallets. True to Pickett its unusual eclectic and stands alone pieces they are cohesive as a collection theme, the unique one-off pieces on reptile wallets are particularly special to ass a shine for our men’s collection as they add ‘individuality’.
In true Pickett style, it’s about being an exciting experiment as Pickett reaches a milestone of 30 years in business there will be more items joining the little bit of exclusive to a brand that us for consistency and quality.