Andrew Higginbotham

Available from The Bureau, Belfast.

Trickers Shell Cordovan Bureau MTO
Trickers X 6876 Suede Derby
Trickers Monkey Boot (Japan only) FOR SALE Size UK 8 but fit more like a 7
Trickers Bureau MTO
Trickers Keswick
Alden Suede 1492

These are my Trickers from The Bureau Belfast.

I must have been about nine years old when these first appeared. I was more drawn to the design than the music. It might have been a bit too grown up for me at the time, but I started to get into it in my late teens. I could draw a Madness logo or the 2Tone rude boy, complete with checker trim if you give me a piece of paper, a biro and a shatterproof ruler. This is what I would have been doing while everyone else in class was learning and paying attention… But I was learning something; identity, continuity, everything must match. It must line up. It must be square. It must be perfect. Black and white, contrast, cool.

I knew little of the origins of the originator David Storey, but to him I am truly thankful.

There have been murmurs that the traditional Northamptonshire bench made shoe is becoming a trend. Lets hope not! Fashionistas stay away.

Kenneth Mackenzie worked with Trickers back in 2002. The recent rise of Trickers and their colaborations are not neccessarily new. Once again, Kenneth was ahead of his time.

I’ve been an obsessive collector of 6876 since 1996. I’ve even collected some press cuttingas along the way.
6876 featured in Arena Magazine October 2003

Six Eight Seven Six has been lying low, much to the chargrin of its disciples. But the detail obsessed menswear brand is back—and set to inspire new reverence.

Kenneth Mackenzie, designer of cult menswear label Six Eight Seven Six, has long defied fashion convention with collections void of bold logos or catwalk presentation, preferring to build a reputation solely by word-of-mouth. From its 1995 inception, his low-key, meticulously cut, military-influenced workwear and sports-accented soft tailoring attracted many dedicated followers (Radiohead, Massive Attack, Arena staffers) and encouraged a slew of bigger name designers to ape his utilitarian look. Cited by Arena in 2000 as one of the 50 people who shaped menswear in the Nineties, Mackenzie was féted within the industry. But then, two seasons ago, a business dispute prompted the Dundonian to put the collection on hold, take a sabbatical and restructure the company. Six Eight Seven Six’s return this autumn is, therefore, something of a highly -anticipated event.

“It was always a specialist brand,” says Mackenzie, now 40. “But I want to make it more so. That’s why I’m keeping it tight, making every garment special in its own right and really getting into the fabric.” This is where detail nerds will get all excited, as everything in the new collection has something definitive that makes it, on close inspection, more intricate than it appears. A classic raincoat has lining that is antibacterial and UV protective. Simple smart pants are 100 percent waterproof and a printed cord jacket is machine washable. Not to mention storm cuffs hidden in sleeves, pockets within pockets on worker jackets and a holster-like lining with pockets (sense a theme here?) attached to the inside of tailored jackets.

The introduction of cashmere for autunm adds to Six Eight Seven Six’s higher-end appeal, while other trademark quirks remain. The duffel-fastening cardi has reverse-knit detailing to highlight pockets and elbow pads; one jumper is finished with a raw seam to look as if it’s inside out. Colours throughout the collection remain subtle – stone, navy, wine, ashen blue and pale raspberry. And everything works effortlessly together, While complementing your existing wardrobe (a relief, unless you’ve stopped buying clothes for the last year or so).

Mackenzie sees Six Eight Seven Six as “an antidote to the big corporate labels” and says “buyers are saying their customers want to get away from big branding”. Nor will the collection fly off in myriad directions each season; its continuity is central to its appeal. “I have people calling me saying, ‘I had this jacket four years ago and I want it again. Can I buy the archive piece from you?’ There’s this whole thing where guys are loyal to brands,” he explains. But only the ones that get it exactly right.

Edited by William Drew. Photography: Neil Stewart

Head Porter Tanker. Macbook Pro. Bose Quiet Comfort 3 Noise Reduction Headphones. Head Porter Black Beauty iphone Case. Head Porter Dog Lead. Red Moon Wallet. Six Eight Seven Six Key Fob. GF Smith Peregrina Majestic Paper Swatch.