CREP CHECK: CALLUM MULLIN TALKS CREATIVITY & FOOTWEAR
Footwear can make or break a fit – especially when the heat means you’re somewhat restricted in what you can wear. Someone who knows this all too well is CULTED favourite Callum Mullin, aka @lilcallo. Catching up with him on a sweltering day in London, we talked through all things footwear, style and creative endeavours.
One of London’s most active creatives on the scene, you can catch Callum at various parties, events and fashion-based happenings in London, Paris and Milan. “I do a lot of modelling, but as a creative, I really like directing shoots and orchestrating projects” he told me when we caught up after the shoot. “Especially when working with brands who give me full creative control, so I can do some weird and wacky stuff”. So how big is the powerhouse team, and is it the same every time? “Nah, it’s literally just my best friend from school – I kinda direct him. We got a kinda Juergen Teller vibe going on – I can go a certain direction and he’ll just know. We got a really good synergy” he laughs.
Weird and wacky may just be his forté – in personality, approach to projects and (sometimes) taste in fashion and footwear. “There’s two sides to the spectrum. I’m a massive fan of really weird footwear design, shoes that you could put on a pedestal and just look at. Then there’s the other side – footwear which is super comfortable and wearable and goes with everything”. Insisting that both sides are equally considered when it comes to copping new footwear, there is one defining factor that can swing it – “all my wearable adidas shoes are super thin soled which makes me like 5’6. But when I wear my Tabis, I’m a straight 6 ft demon”.
THE CLASSIC SNEAKERS
Taking to Holland Park, Callum put a selection of classic sneakers to the test. From Gucci runners, channelling equal parts Dad-trainer and equal parts fashion icon (same thing, anyway), to Moncler gorpcore kicks, it was only fair that we leaned into the chunky trainer hype for this guide.
A Gucci boy through-and-through, these were some of Callum’s favourites from the selection: “I loved the red Gucci’s in this shoot, and the styling was sick for this too actually”. Check out the sneaker styles Callum tried here.
THE QUIRKY STYLES
Heading up the other side of things are the quirkier footwear options. In this department, Loro Piana’s colourful loafers make an appearance, alongside a pair from Jordan Luca featuring a padlock on the front. Speaking about the more outlandish offerings of the footwear world, “I really think some footwear is pure art – I’ve got these Raf Simons adidas Response Trail 2’s from like 2013 – one of the OG chunky sneakers. I’ve worn them once for a shoot, and never again, because they’re hard to style but because they’re just really nice to look at. I also mostly buy my footwear if it hits sales, and it’s often only the super-wacky styles that hit sales anyway – so it’s a win win”. Check out the quirkier side of things here.
Rounding off proceedings, we hit Callum with a couple of footwear quickfires.
Colour or neutral?
Neutrals. Not trying to do up ASOS with a pink shirt and pink shoes.
Trainers or loafers?
Trainers.
High or low silhouettes?
Low. Unless I’m going Soho and feeling cheeky.
Gucci or Margiela?
Ooh….. Gucci. But that pains me to say.
Photography by: Jack Chipper
Styling and Creative Direction by: James Loach
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See also: FORGET HOT GIRL SUMMER, IT’S A THERMAL SPRING
See also: THE DISTRESSION OBSESSION
