Ernest W. Baker: EWB For Dummies

'Sometimes when you win, you really lose.

And sometimes when you lose, you really win.

And sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie.

And sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose.

Winning or losing is all one organic mechanism, from which one extracts what one needs.'

- Gloria Clemente (to her boyfriend Billy Hoyle in White Men Can’t Jump (1992)).

This season Ernest W. Baker drew inspiration from a paradox involving competition. They were awarded GQ Portugal’s Designer of the Year, which put them in a pot of overthinking. ‘We had super weird feelings,’ Reid Baker said. ‘As the brand grows, we start to have more press requests for award shows and things. So it was this idea of what does it all mean?’

What resulted from mining introspection was tossing the children from S/S 24’s summer vacation inside a bingo hall for fall. In this age of participation trophies, gold-plated acknowledgements from having ‘B-33!’ are standard fare. So the Baker and Amorim nostalgic formula parks its 1976 Cadillac Eldorado into a lane of stereotype (Isn’t bingo for elderly people?), to question rebellion (Is bingo for young people?) for an idea of youthful classicism — spiked studs and patent leather — for next autumn-winter.

Team Ernest W. Baker’s filmmaker Vladimir Kaminetsky and stylist Mauricio Nardi help translate the material world into a 1970s filmic crimson erotica with the impenetrable style of Lotta Volkova in her Miu Miu era. In short, kinda winning. To quote Reid Baker, ‘I won this award and nothing really changed.’

Now that we get the message of Ernest W. Baker A/W 24, the designers explain key components to define their world to the uninitiated below.

How does the film combine everything into one cohesive world?

‘This is where the message is transmitted. A total collaboration process of the team that's been working together for several years now. We would go to this bingo hall for years, and we knew at some point we wanted to do something in the space because it's unbelievable. And when we go there and play bingo, when you win bingo, they do this little award and give you your prize.’

What was this collection about?

‘Since the brand's origins, we've looked at the foundational element of taking from your grandfather's closet. You know, Ernest W. Baker being my grandfather, but that idea of modernizing it for right now. And this collection, we just simply looked at that concept and focused on taking from your grandfather's closet through the perspective of a kind of youth. Rebellious feelings, a bit punkish.'

'Those feelings were stirring up inside of us, and we honed in on that aspect of comparing contrasting classic-ness with youth, how the youth sees classic-ness and how they reflect back and forth on each other. Taking a classic blazer and injecting it with gold studding. Nothing too deep, but like you see it, you get the reference. I think that's something the brand has been about from the beginning. There are layers to what we do, but at the same time, we want you to get it off first impact.'

'Classic tailoring blends with cinematic touches. Building off that, we did upcycled, vintage tartan that pushes that same feeling of contrasting classic-ness with youth. The Baroque motif in jacquard [coats and suits] has an instantly classic feel. Then we did a track suit in it. So again, something very young yet simply classic. Taking two elements and blending them.’

What are five essential pieces that best explain Ernest W. Baker. and Ernest W. Baker, fall-winter 24?

‘I always think the double breasted blazer. This season, double breasted blazer with the gold studs building off of that. Tailoring is totally Ernest W. Baker. And then the twin set that gives these kind of grandma feelings, but with the gold roses. Roses is our iconic logo. I think the red satin suit is something. When we design, we always think about the total look. So you have the shirt, the blazer, the pants, the tie. It is literally a total look. Or in the snow leopard, it was jacket, pants, shoes and the bag. Head to toe.'

'Last is definitely a handmade crochet piece. The hearts kind of represent the brand and the collection. A kind of DIY crochet feeling made by an 80-year-old woman... Again, playing with the classic-ness concept in the creation itself. The classic-ness, but representing for the youth, for the right now.’

Why should someone buy an Ernest W. Baker item?

‘If they resonate. We put our hearts into the garments. We care about creating a high level of imagery and garments to make something beautiful. If you feel empowered wearing it, have the desire and want it, that is what we want for you. We are not forcing anything. We take it as far as we can, put it in front of you and hopefully it resonates.’