Central Saint Martins’s Ed Mendoza reflects back on 2 years of driving menswear’s representation further, and the new step of gaining his independence as a designer.

As a designer, growing up, you often dream about the world of design that you will want to create and execute, and the importance of being seen. For Ed Mendoza, imagination has already become a reality. Ever since graduating from London’s top fashion school Central Saint Martins, his bright designs were met with a message that has been disregarded by most in fashion - seeing men represented in all sizes matters.

As his collection received praise and started conversation about the importance of driving change in menswear, he was awarded the L’Oréal Prize during his graduate show, which signalled how needed his vision was. Now, almost two years later, he reflects back on the experience of being an independent designer driving change from inside out, whilst considering the hard-hitting aspects of creating and developing a business that can grow during fashion’s shrink-flation.

Talking to Perfect about launching the next step of his designer journey - the online side of his business - Mendoza is ready to level up on his own terms and face taking on a global stage by sticking to his independence, which has brought him further than ever before.

Angel: Ed, you graduated from your MA in Central Saint Martins not long ago in March 2022, how has your journey been ever since?

Ed Mendoza: It’s been a fun journey! Graduating from Central Saint Martins was an amazing experience I had studied there for 7 years doing my Foundation BA & MA. So winning the the L’Oréal prize for my MA collection was a cherry on top of a fab journey. After graduating it took me a bit of time to get on my own 2 feet and set myself up. I feel like personally I take things at a pace thats right for me. I don’t believe in rushing things especially with working on my brand. I have been creating pieces for my E-store bit by bit after leaving uni. I believe in doing things and creating them at the right time and not forcing things. I’m super grateful for all the support that I’ve been given by amazing people like Sarah Mower, Berni Yates, Fabio Piras, Stavros Karelis & The Princes Foundation.

Angel: You showcased a part of fashion that has been deeply misrepresented and often forgotten by designers, specifically focusing on plus-size men and designing a bright mix of silhouettes and colour. How did you first begin to find your signature and yourself in fashion?

Ed Mendoza: I guess finding my signature was from learning from the designers in fashion that have really inspired me like Walter Van Beirendonck, Vivienne Westwood & Jeremy Scott. These designers have in my eyes been rebels and ahead of their time and pushed what fashion could be. Thats something thats always stuck with me. To be true to yourself and create things that mean something to you, and rock the boat if you need to. Through looking at my culture and not well known beauties of Peru, Grenada & St Lucia, and reinterpreting Pre-Columbian artefacts and textiles. Merging them with my personal influences. I want to create for people who look like me who don’t feel fully represented yet. I care about how it feels to wear my clothes. For a long time I was making these garments that could never fit me and I never fully understood how it felt for the people I was creating these clothes for.

This was until I did my MA and it was the first time I truly had lessons thinking about why we are creating these clothes and who they are for. I was casting and sculpting these clothes on amazing plus-sized guys. Finding models like James Corbin who was my fit model for my MA collection. The casting was one of the most important things for me, because that is who was representing my clothes, who I was showing as my vision of beauty to the world and I found these guys in lifts, on the tube, through instagram. I feel like the most important thing of creating clothes is how the clothes makes the wearer feel. Is it the texture, the pattern or print or the bright vibrant warm colours that just makes you feel good and betters your day.

Angel: Talking about the business side of things and being an independent designer, what have been the most important parts of your journey, navigating this world since graduation?

Ed Mendoza: I think the most important part has been connecting with the right people who have helped and taught me a lot about business. I’ve also been doing a Creative Business enterprise course with other UAL graduates which has been an amazing insight, and its been great to learning about business with other creative independent designers, or businesses in many different creative fields. we’ve all helped and supported and learned a lot from each other, Also I was part of the Nike x Machine-A Business wellness programme. Which was great experience and getting to meet and speak to amazing industry experts like Martine Rose & Lulu Kennedy. It’s important to understand business but also having a work life balance.

Having something outside of fashion that gets ur creative juices flowing which is ceramics for me. I love creating with my hands and it’s kind of a meditative thing for me to chill and just think about me and the piece I’m working on. Creating colourful sculptures with my wacky characters on them.

Angel: What do you feel needs to change in the business model that will be able to benefit younger and independent designers better?

Ed Mendoza: In my opinion there should be more resources for young designers or help once you’ve graduated. I feel like sometimes the support stops once u’ve graduated. Some amazing creative who are super talented come from working class backgrounds like myself and it’s not as easy to break through if you don’t have the right support, knowledge , guidance and people helping get your foot through the door. The most important thing I’ve learned since graduating is understanding business which is what a lot of young designers really need support with. I personally feel like if we want to continue having the talented young British designers flourishing in our industry - we really need to be creating, padding and adding onto the amazing support we already have like the British Fashion Council.

Angel: What are your future goals? What do you look forward to, both personally and professionally?

Ed Mendoza: My future goals are to be happy to love what I’m doing and keep being inquisitive and explore what inspires me in fashion, ceramics , and art. To be more connected with fans of my brand through my e-store or in person pop ups. Keep representing plus sized people and pushing the beauty standards of the fashion industry. I want to have an art exhibition of my ceramics and other art pieces. I am at a really happy place at the moment with my business and I’m excited to see people visit my website and have a place to finally see and purchase my stuff. I can’t wait to see my pieces on people and out in the wild. I’ve worked really hard on and put a lot of love into. I’m super excited to work on new work and see what happens next with my brand. But the most important goal to me is to make a difference. Check out warpigwonder.com!

Designer, Stylist & Set Designer - Ed Mendoza @warpigwonder

Photographer - Daniele Roversi @dani_rov

Make Up Artist - Sam Walker @samwalkermakeup

Producer- Matilda Dawes @matildadawes