It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of the celebrated international fashion Journalist RICHARD BUCKLEY. We met in Paris in the early 1980s (which I have just discovered was the same time he met and fell in love with his future husband Tom Ford).
Richard was then the European Editor of MENSWEAR DAILY a Fairchild Publication that had been created as sort of men’s version of Womens Wear Daily. I was Chairman and Co-Founder of English Menswear Designer Collections: a disparate ad-hoc group of ‘young’ designers with their own labels. In an industry that is reluctant to change, we had banded together as a peer group so that we could share resources and hopefully to become some sort of force in the market place.
Richard immediately became not just our biggest supporter, flag-waver but also something of a sage mentor. Eventually more media took attention of us but we were always aware that it was because we were the novelty act of our day. Richard however was the one who believed in our talents and designed integrity even when so many others in the industry couldnt/wouldnt grasp the concept of street fashion which we were introducing.
Over the next few years wherever/whenever we exhibited at Trade Fairs he was there both encouraging us verbally and generously in print too. It was Richard that persuaded Elise Kroll the Organiser of NY’s exclusive Designer Collective to invite us to participate.
Anne Smith a designer member of EMDC who would eventually end up as Dean of St Martins, said “To be noticed and featured by a journalist and publication of such international standing as a young designer exploring gender neutral designs in the 1980s was pivotal in building my US client base with stores such as Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Saks.”
Although the EMDC has long been disbanded none of us will ever forget the sheer kindness and generosity that Richard showed us all. Whilst we were battling for survival in the conservative and traditional field of menswear, it was such a joy to how someone so qualified as him in our corner.
It was a pleasure to have known him, and an honor for those few years I was able to call him my friend too.
Roger Walker-Dack
Former Chair EMDC
Labels: 2021, Richard Buckley, Tribute
