‘This Belongs To Us’: ShyGirl & James Massiah Collab on MCQ’s Genesis II

MCQ's debut collection, Genesis II, emphasises accreditation and collaboration with a new platform led by emergent global creatives, and fuelled by creativity and a ‘test and thrive, test and learn’ mindset.

Interview by Francesca Ricciardi

If having one's name printed on a piece of clothing equals exercising its proprietary rights, having one's words embroidered across it implies the speaker clearly has something to say. And this is just the case for ShyGirl, a London-based vocalist, and James Massiah, a DJ, poet and producer, two of the collaborators behind the making of MCQ's newly launched debut collection, Genesis II. 

The fashion line aims to build a new model for the future where all the creatives involved in the designing, curation and planning behind each collection (or icon, as MCQ calls them) are fully credited for their contributions.

The Genesis II line stands out for its distinctive choice of having no named creative head, giving its collaborators carte blanche in their creative process with minimum direction and maximum freedom. Behind it is a team of five collaborators and three organisations who, as well as James and Shygirl, include Alexandra Lesse, a filmmaker and photographer from Hong Kong, Duncan London, a director from the namesake city, and Ewen Spencer, a British photographer.

James and ShyGirls, who both have lyrical backgrounds, have had their words hand-embroidered on some of the line's garments and accessories. Many of the messages that appear on the items speak out on humans' accountability for climate change with calls for action such as "This Belongs To Us" and "Fast Asleep, Wide Awake" accompanied by colourful bouquets of decorative flowers.