Artists often draw their creative nous from singular sources and when it comes to his wardrobe, British artist Mr Conor Murgatroyd is no exception. Like his paintings, which blend figurative and still-life techniques to reference past histories, fashions and the human experience, his sartorial sense is just as variegated. “I like to take something from a specific time and make it feel modern by mixing it with contemporary elements,” Murgatroyd says. “Traditional menswear is one of my biggest influences. It’s so diverse in different countries and cultures – particularly with Italian, Balkan and English dress from the 1970s to the 1990s.”

Growing up in Bradford, West Yorkshire, Murgatroyd studied at Leeds College of Art. “I had a preconceived idea of what an artist needed to be – which I didn’t fit – but this tutor of mine, who was this normal guy from Wakefield with a great sense of humour and a sound knowledge of art, opened up my eyes,” says Murgatroyd. While studying, he worked at his local Homebase garden centre where he honed his skills painting the flowers of his surrounds, reimagining the methods of the great still-life and Dutch masters and French Impressionists – genres that still figure prominently in his works.

Despite Murgatroyd’s feeling that his foray into the arts wasn’t preordained, there’s a certain creative streak to his lineage. His mother was a singer in Goth rock bands Skeletal Family and Ghost Dance – the latter of which also counted Mr Gary Marx of The Sisters of Mercy fame as a member. “She was always a trailblazer and that inspired me,” he says. “I wanted to be like her.”

The confidence instilled in him by his tutor and his mother led him to enrol in London’s Chelsea College of Art in 2013. “I was the first person who went to university in my family – and that was a big thing to me – so I wanted to make a success of that to show it could be done,” he says. “It changed my life in a way. I didn’t have to follow this trajectory that I was perhaps headed for.”

For Murgatroyd, the forced pause caused by Covid-19 was an awakening. “Shortly before the pandemic, nothing in art seemed to catch my attention and I was feeling quite defeated about my work,” he says. “I stopped painting completely. I just really didn’t want to do it anymore. Lockdown provided the opportunity to pick it up again to see if it was something that could make me happy once more – and that’s what happened.”

It turned out to be Murgatroyd’s most prolific period. He produced 60 works in isolation and managed three shows last year, alongside a partnership with vintage clothing company, Too Hot Limited, for the release of archival Stone Island and CP Company pieces, his affinity for vintage apparel making him a natural poster boy for the endeavour.

Murgatroyd’s knack for reimagining the past in a modern context runs like a common thread through both his work and his wardrobe. And we couldn’t help but want to know more about how this rising artist curates his clothes.

“I have a thing for camp-collar shirts – especially knitted ones. I’ve got a lot of them. My style is mainly smart-casual and I wear a lot of tailored trousers. A polo or camp-collar shirt is a great way of mixing the formality up. It looks smart without being too OTT. They’re a staple that always build a strong long whether you’re wearing it with trousers and a pair of loafers or dress it up with a suit jacket.”

“I usually wear beige, brown or green tailoring. I feel like these colours are far more unique and nod to the past. As they’re a less common sight, you stand out in a way that isn’t too garish, especially when there are loads of other people in suits. A subtle point of difference – that’s what my style is all about. I enjoy having the traditional element to what I wear, but I also like it to feel fresh.”

“When I first moved to London, I noticed a lot of quite cockney-looking older men in their sixties and seventies, wearing big leather jackets or macs – sort of like Michael Corleone in The Godfather II – and they’d wear these silk paisley scarves and cravats. It made me start collecting scarves. I like to contrast the base colour of my scarf with my outer layer, but harmonise the tones in the pattern with the rest of my look. I’ll wear it tucked in, so that flash of pattern where it’s just peaking out draws focus.”

“I’ve always been into vintage clothes and many classic staples have a retrospective vibe for a reason. They’re tried and tested, so [they] just work. I like it when new collections reference vintage elements – I find them easy to incorporate into my wardrobe and their classic nature means they will endure. At the same time, I don’t want to look like I’m in a time warp, so I tend to mix older archive pieces with new items. 1980s and 1990s-era pieces are much easier to work with.”

“If you’re interested in watches and you know your thing, it’s something you want to get right. They’re so definitive of your personality. I have a fondness for Rolex and Patek Philippe, but my true love is Cartier. My Santos de Cartier is my most prized possession. It reminds me of the gold dress watches Italians used to wear in the 1960s and 1970s and it complements everything in my wardrobe. Watches are an investment, and you should go for one that suits your character and style of dress – not just because everyone else has one.”