Seán McGirr is all about Soho legends in the new McQueen campaign
We hit the McQueen creative director with some hard-hitting questions about scampi, pork scratchings and his local pub. His pre-AW25 campaign is set in Soho, after all…
Style
Words: Eni Subair
Seán McGirr’s affinity for the past is no secret. Take, for example, his recent AW25 show, where models climbed out of a mirrored portal boasting overspilling ruffles on shirts, lace numbers and overzealous pointed boots – a direct reference to gothic Victorian silhouettes and neo-dandyism.
Now, Seán’s got his sights set on London’s Soho. For his pre-AW25 collection, the designer enlisted two local legends and permanent fixtures of the area’s cobbled streets: George “Soho George” Skeggs and jazz musician Florence Joelle. Naturally, the campaign was shot inside the landmark The Coach and Horses pub (by Theo Sion), but that’s not all. A limited run of 100 T‑shirts slapped with George and Florence’s faces lands today, which is the perfect excuse for Séan to tell us six things about the new collection and his pub order. Why six? Well, why not six?
Hey, Séan! Tell me your first memory of visiting Soho.
Soho has always been an inspiring place for me. It’s where I first came when I started coming to London as a teenager and worked in bars there.
How do Soho George and Florence fit into the McQueen world?
Both Florence and George are inspiring people who are central to the beating heart of Soho’s energy. Lee McQueen studied at the old Saint Martin’s building in Soho, so, for me, it’s a lot about the birthplace of strong creative ideas.
If you were to go on a night out to the Coach and Horses, what classic McQueen look would you style George and Florence in?
George in look 26, FW08, Mens. Florence in look 1, FW06.
Where are we most likely to find you having a pint besides the Coach and Horses?
The Old Coffee House.
What’s your go-to pub order? Pork scratchings or Scampi Fries?
KP peanuts.
Controversial! What are you putting on the jukebox?
Something from the ’80s.
Want more Florence and Soho George? Head over to the McQueen site to grab a T‑shirt featuring the faces of Soho’s living legends. Don’t say we don’t spoil you.
