Kansas City-born designer Jeremy Scott takes fashion very seriously – but he is keen to point out that taking something seriously does not mean it has to be all that serious. Jeremy sees fashion as an opportunity for self-expression and social commentary, and injects his signature sense of humour and references to pop culture into every collection. His runway career began in Paris, after starting out in New York. Since then, he has flooded the world with his signature stylings, which include metallic, winged trainers, pizza slice and burger designs, and one-legged trousers. Yet Jeremy’s work is not about novelty; it’s about being fearless.

Jeremy’s SS12 collection, pays homage to his country upbringing, through an ever-present pop lens. Taking leave from his subculture-inspired AW11 collection, this season Jeremy celebrates thigh-slapping homegrown Americana – meaning that fringing, torn denim, patent leather chaps and cartoon cowboy and graphic prints have all stormed the catwalk. Jeremy has rivalled his independent success through collaborations with established labels, and for Swatch, he has transformed the brand’s now classic design, fusing the distinctive Swatch style with his own. For Jeremy, transformation comes naturally. In what is his second range of designs for Swatch he has built on the success of the first collection, with the wraparound ‘punk’ style bearing a close resemblance to his current catwalk show. The other examples, seen in this shoot, bring to the fore Jeremy’s fascination with, and exploration of, American history and mass culture.

A favourite with performers for his attention-grabbing creations – perhaps most famously for the Muppet diva, Miss Piggy – Jeremy’s work is frequently found shimmying across stages and red carpets. Lady Gaga, MIA, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West – all artists as famous for their style as for their music – have sought out Scott for his innovative, uninhibited ideas. His latest collection for Swatch gives everyone the chance to own a timeless piece of Jeremy Scott design.

The Hunger: Your SS12 collection is very all-American.

Jeremy Scott: It’s inspired by lots of different things: mostly Americana, but I also drew inspiration from grand, glittery French opera, Elvis, and animal prints. I try to think about what I want to wear, and then look at what my friends and the kids in Tokyo are wearing. I like seeing country life through a Hollywood lens – I’d love to dress Dolly Parton, and I guess this collection works for her.

What are your views on consumerist culture?

I’m not at all cynical about it although there is always a tongue-in-cheek element to my work; it comes very naturally to me. Everything is so mixed up nowadays that I don’t know where the line is between ‘pure irony’ and purely selling something. We’re in such a post-post-modern world. I try to just do what comes naturally and not dissect or read into it any further. So it is a natural extension of how I feel.

Fashion has a difficult time understanding humour; people feel much happier boxing themselves into very stoic, intellectual, minimalistic things. To me, minimalism is no different humour; it’s just the opposite end of the scale. It’s boring.

What is it about American pop culture that you are most intrigued by?

I love pop culture and I suppose America is dominant in that area. The biggest pop stars are usually American, and even the best English movie stars end up in Hollywood and become “ours”. America is very good at creating emblems. And, do you know what? The simple truth is that I’m an American farm boy.

You grew up on a farm?

I did; removed from city life. I saw culture through magazines, television and cinema. I thought that was the way the world worked, the glamour of business. Seeing the models, I thought, “Oh my God, that’s the way people walk around in Paris. I have to be there.” Even after having been in the industry for umpteen years, I forget that it takes a team of people to make something look such a way.

When I finally went to London, I was surprised to find that not everyone was an extreme punk. Although London is one place where people dress super free, people don’t bother you. When I was at school in New York, I would have men calling me out all the time about what I was wearing. I was constantly taunted, harassed and thrown weird looks, but I was so obsessed with fashion that I just kept doing it. Maybe it gave me a thicker skin.

Did your upbringing inspire your design?

My last fashion show was very nostalgic, farm-inspired and Western. Everything builds us and creates who we are. If I hadn’t gone through all that I did, and grown up where I did, my style wouldn’t be as extreme. I always loved clothes – I loved sketching them – but I never thought of it as a job. There was a contest in high school to design a pair of shoes for Lady Miss Kier from Deee-lite, and the winner got to meet her in New York. I loved her, so I designed all these shoes, and then realised I’d just designed a hundred shoes. It dawned on me that this is what I was supposed to do: this is what makes me happy.

You’ve been labelled the “Jeff Koons of fashion”. Do you see yourself as an artist?

I love Jeff Koons, so it’s very flattering – I wonder if he has been labelled the “Jeremy Scott of art”. I did art before I did fashion and took every art class in high school, so I definitely see myself as an artist, but I’m not offended by the title ‘fashion designer’. I’m making things to be worn but I’m not trend-led. I’m creating art, because I give clothes emotion and see the body as just a different form of canvas.

People like to put a label on it, put it in a drawer and shut it. Then they feel comfortable because they understand what it is. But culture is changing and things have become a lot more open – people are combining skills. Fashion is meant to be creative but it can actually be very conservative, which is sad. There are a lot of old ideas that don’t seem to fit with the flux of the times as much as people do. I speak to my generation; I’m not solely tied to the fashion world. I fully love fashion, but it’s possible to see faults in what you love.

Would you prefer to move into art?

I don’t see it like that. I’m fulfilling my artistic needs: I’ve made short films, I have my photography – I bring art into what I do. I think differently to other designers, my approach to fashion is more artistic. Without putting other people down, I just don’t go about it in the same manner. People think that if you describe yourself as an artist, you’re taking an air above other people, but I’m just trying to be very pure to who I am.

You work with a lot of brands. Do you ever feel like your art is sacrificed?

Never. I’m on a perfectly balanced tightrope. My friends, and the kids I dress, aren’t out buying paintings. People buy watches, shoes, and pullovers – they are art for our generation, so I design those in an artistic way. What’s exciting about working with brands that are so ubiquitous and global is that it’s a great way to affect culture and get your message out there.

Tell us a little about your designs for Swatch.

The first time Swatch commissioned me, I did three watch designs – the lightning bolt, the gold frame and the white one with wings. It was super exciting to see the reaction from the fans. Growing up, I was obsessed with Swatch. I had them up and down my arms, and had Swatch clothes, backpacks, umbrellas. I sadly never had the Swatch phone but I lusted after it with all my 12-year-old heart!

In an industry that takes itself very seriously, are you pigeonholed as one of the ‘zany ones’, and perhaps underestimated?

I’m really lucky, because there are millions of people who love what I do, so I don’t waste much time thinking about how I’m perceived. I’m fascinated by the compliments that I get. How can they love me? They don’t even know me. But I realise it is that they love and believe in what I do, and they are inspired by it. I don’t think many fashion designers have the same personal connection with the public. It’s something that means a lot to me, and that I take very seriously.

You dress a lot of musicians. Do you believe that music and fashion are interlinked?

Absolutely. I’ve always been excited about how fashion and music relate, not through high fashion, but style. Hip hop has been a huge vehicle for new styles and fashions, from baggy pants to gold chains. When a performer is wearing something I’ve designed, it’s like a megaphone to the world. People who don’t follow fashion in Mumbai might see it and be inspired. Performers have a job that really requires them to have a big personality in their style and I do make some pieces especially for them – I just did Rihanna and Katy Perry’s tour costumes. Who doesn’t want to look like a rock star? It’s a great fantasy, even if it’s just for a night. When I’m designing, I think about the kids in Harajuku, London, or New York, who love my clothes. I love that fashion touches their lives and makes them happy. I love dressing Katy and Rihanna and Gaga, but there’s something more fulfilling about real people showing the world who they are through my designs.

You aren’t afraid to push boundaries. Do you have any limits?

I might be cheeky, but I’m not louche. I don’t do dirty, I’m still a country boy with manners. Personally, I’ve worn anything and everything you can imagine. I make up stories in my head about who I am each day, and I’m constantly seeking out new things to wear. I used to have outfits that were a clash between the 1880s and 1980s: puffed-sleeved Victorian jackets over zipped tops and parachute pants, with platform Doc Martens. That was just office attire. There were people who would scream in my face. That’s what is so different in England and Japan. When it comes to street style, Tokyo wins hands down. Kids go out dressed as bananas. I’m a lot calmer now than I used to be, because I can create outfits for others. I have other avenues to release my extreme ideas, so I have become much tamer. I still have it in me, though.

Do you ever worry that you’ll lose your edge?

No, because I see kids teaming my designs from ten years ago with something from this season. There’s lasting value; my items aren’t thrown out just because they are last season.

I try and stay in my own little world. I always dig into myself and think, “What’s missing?” I look at myself no differently than Lagerfeld looks at Chanel. I go through my design history and think about the emblems and icons that I’ve created. I have a shorter history but I have to look at it in that same way to keep creating things that are uniquely mine.

To see more of the collection, visit the Swatch website.