Clifford Jago teams up with Catalogue to create “an absolute devil of a second book”

“Put down these memes and starter packs, the king of the fashion underground is back,” reads the description of stylist Clifford Jago’s latest publication, Clifford Jago & The Ice Queens.

Clifford’s world, which sees him collate together brilliant photographers, beautiful models, and the best graphic designers, reflects the times we live in but pokes fun at it too. Following the success of his first book, 16:20 with a cover displaying an iPhone screenshot, Clifford’s latest venture in print accelerates “the fashion even further with key pieces and styling combinations allowing his characters to reach their final form,” his studio explains.

“Clifford Jago returns with a bang,” it continues. “Jago’s latest journey sees him travel to Iceland to meet ‘The Ice Queens’ during the country’s peak winter season. Iceland made the perfect backdrop for Jago’s latest quest to ascend to the next level. Waterfalls, sheep, hot dogs and lagoons kept the dream alive.” Showcasing a wardrobe of tents, Tesco bags, fluoro leg warmers “by Eric Prydz”, hot water bottles and so much more, the publication fuses together recognisable elements in a high fashion farce context. Thank yous at the back of the publication, for instance, include Easy Camper and Easy Jet, a special thanks to Google Maps for navigation and a shout to Sean Paul.

It also mixes analogue and digital formats in numerous ways too. Although clearly mocked up digitally, all photography featured was shot on 645 film and hand printed in a dark room. Models also jump between real and fake avatars, particularly on the cover where “having failed to secure a supermodel for the cover, Jago brought it upon himself to create the ultimate supermodel, a face of which the world has never seen before but everybody knows…”

The publication’s design, created by Catalogue Design, aptly reflects the purposeful mishmash of styles and references in Clifford’s styling. Each page is an alternate colour, using a different typeface, images are overlaid and the centre spread is even dedicated to announcing its a double page spread. The partnership of Catalogue and Clifford is ideal, delivering in the stylist’s terms, “an absolute devil of a second book”.

As well as a publication, Clifford Jago’s studio is hosting an exhibition, but also its first video game portraying the exhibition virtually featuring music designed by “Japanese virtuoso Hiroki Yamasaki”.

The real-life exhibition will open this evening (15 March) at White Rabbit Studios in Shoreditch, and the magazine will be available to buy here.