TALA RAASSI, THE WOMAN BEHIND THE MISS UNIVERSE BIKINIS, STARTED OFF HER FASHION CAREER DRESSING UP HER BARBIES IN IRAN.

When she was little, Tala Raassi used to make clothes for her Barbies. But there was always one problem.

“I always felt like they needed more fabric,” recalls Tala of growing up in Iran, where strict Islamic laws mean ‘indecent clothing’ is illegal. Barbies are banned as they’re said to depict women in a bad light, so Tala used to collect them when she travelled abroad.

“I dressed like any teenager would, except we had to completely cover up in public,” she says.

“However, I kept getting in trouble at school for the type of shoes I wore or the backpacks I carried.”

But even under one of the world’s most brutal regimes, Tala and her other friends still oozed sophistication. Sunglasses and scarves from trendy boutiques in the capital Tehran were must-have accessories.

“Girls in Iran are very creative with the little fashion freedom they have,” Tala says.

“I always felt that the streets of Tehran looked like a fashion show.

“Iranian women actually wear so much make-up because their face is one of the only things shown in public.

“They can also be very creative with their chadors (the traditional long black robe covering the body from head to toe), especially the younger women.”

However, the more fashion-conscious Tala became, the more she earned the wrath of her parents.

She went on thinking she would become a lawyer – “There were only certain occupations suitable for a woman” – but one night in 1998 altered her path.

Arriving at a friend’s birthday party wearing the compulsory uniform, a scarf covering her hair, a black coat, and trousers underneath her skirt, once inside she threw her outfit aside, revealing a black t-shirt and miniskirt.

It wasn’t long into the celebrations that the religious police came knocking on the door, informing Tala and her 30 friends that they had broken the law for not being dressed properly. (They had also committed the crimes of listening to music not approved by the government and having a party with members of the opposite sex). It would later turn out that a friend, who had not been invited to join in the festivities, had reported them.

A police chase around the neighbourhood ensued, before the group was handcuffed and taken to the local prison.

After five days of sleeping on the floor in a squalid jail they were taken to the courtroom and sentenced to be lashed.

The women received 40 strikes, while the men were forced to endure 50 each. Tala’s family waited outside the room of the prison during her punishment, which lasted ten minutes.

“I do still think of what happened to us,” is all she will say when broached on the subject today.

“I think about the woman that go through similar things all the time.”

“I am who I am today because of what happened and I am putting it to good use.”

Despite throwing herself into her studies following her persecution, Tala was still struggling emotionally months later. After graduation, she decided a change of scenery would be good, so she went to Dubai to stay with friends.

Although Islamic dress code is not compulsory there, Tala saw sophisticated women who wanted to wear the traditional abaya, “expressing themselves beautifully”.

“They looked so much more powerful than the women who were forced by law to wear something they didn’t want to,” she recalls.

“Next to them, you would also see other women from the same region in other beautiful dresses and clothes.

“I realized then that I wanted to design clothing that would make women feel free, empowered, and beautiful.”

But upon her move to the US, her birth country, to pursue her new ambition, she ironically found the ‘flip flops, shorts and t-shirt style’ she constantly saw uninspiring.

“To me, women in the States don’t express their fashion sense and freedom as much as they could,” she says.

But getting her clothes stocked in boutiques across the US (Los Angeles, Miami and San Diego) as well as Dubai wasn’t easy. She had to master pattern making and learn how to run a business. However the biggest hurdle was learning English.

She began traveling to find inspiration and it was a Sao Paolo Fashion Week trip that inspired her to design swimsuits for women of different shapes, to make “all kinds of women feel sexy”

Her Dar Be Dar collection, consisting of triangle and strapless bikinis along with one-piece costumes, launched a year ago.

The title means ‘Door to door in Persian’ and is slang for someone who is all over the place to reflect her globetrotting lifestyle.

When her representative approached the Miss Universe officials about sponsorship earlier this year, they had already read her story in the local press and thought it would fit well with the contest’s aim to “empower young women”.

It was a race against time, but in two months she made 400 bikinis. More then 90 girls in the Miss Universe pageant sported her designs on stage at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Centre.

“I respect the women entering these pageants,” Tala says.

“They work hard for it. I think very highly of people that follow their dreams and do not take their freedom for granted.”

She is now working hard on her next project, her Lipstick Revolution t-shirt collection, inspired by Iran’s revolutionary movement. It will be released in spring/summer 2011, with all the profits donated to her charity. She hasn’t ruled out trying to have her swimsuits stocked in Iran.

“Fashion is not everything, there is so much to this world,” she says.

“But I believe fashion is something simple that helps people express their individuality and makes them feel good about themselves.

“When I got persecuted for wearing a mini-skirt, I started thinking of it as freedom. I realised fashion served a purpose for me – it made me feel free.”

To find out more see www.darbedar.net

Words Amy Fallon

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THIS WINTER, HIGH-END JEWELER TATEOSSIAN WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST AND CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS FOR TWO VERY DIFFERENT EXCLUSIVE AND LIMITED EDITION LINES.

They’re usually relegated to the junk drawer, never to be worn again once the designated awareness day of the (insert charity name here) is over.

But now luxury jewellery house Tateossian, are collaborating with HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) to produce an exclusive limited edition bracelet to mark World AIDS Day that they hope will be worn beyond December 1.

The Italian leather and sterling silver unisex bracelet with a THT red enamel link is the brainchild of Tateossian CEO and jewellery designer Robert Tateossian, a THT supporter for many years, and the brand’s head of public relations Adrienne Cline.

“THT is an organization close to all our hearts at Tateossian. I like the idea of items that people will actually use and wear and take away and keep forever,” she said.

If the line is successful, Tateossian is hoping to collaborate with THT every season.

The bracelets will be sold exclusively in their four London stores and online in the lead-up to World AIDS Day, with 30 per cent of the proceeds going to THT.

“I’d definitely like to see more brands doing things like this,” Adrienne said.

It’s a busy time for Tateossian. They are also working also with Central Saint Martins (CSM) on a new ladies and men’s capsule collection designed by the college’s recent graduates.

Six students have been selected for this. Three will design the ladies range and three the men’s range.

Mentoring them is jewellery designer and CSM alumni Hannah Martin. They will be judged by Robert Tateossian, David Furnish, Vogue jewellery editor Carol Woolton, GQ editor Dylan
Jones, The Sunday Times columnist AA Gill, Christie’s Advisory Board Chairman Pedro Girao and Tateossian’s Creative Director, Ariel Thompson.

The chosen designers will be announced on September 9, with the overall winner named on November 24. The successful pieces will be available exclusively in Tateossian stores from December.

“It’s a really interesting and really diverse way of finding new talent that aren’t already working in the industry,” said Adrienne.

“We could have done it with a few other colleges, but CSM was definitely top of my wish list.”

She said that she expected some really inspiring pieces, with some “really interesting plays on the fact that it’s our 20th anniversary.”

“There will be some very masculine pieces, some very innovative pieces, comprising of metals and stone,” she said.

“You can see some statement ladies pieces coming through. We’ve very excited.”

As with clothes, Adrienne said that more people wanted to own something different and post-recession customers were also buying “less rubbish”.

Topshop and Freedom were “for what they are too expensive”.

“It’s so high fashion and it’s so over the top that it’s not reciprocal,” Adrienne said.

“I think when you do something that’s got a bit of an edge, people know there just aren’t millions of, it’s kind of much more exciting and people are much more inclined to spend more.

“The aim with these students is to get them to design something absolutely fantastic and unique and different but to also think about who is going to be their customer – who’s going to wear that, how is it going to sit on someone’s neck, is it going to irritate them.”

“Is it something they can wear at the time or something they can wear now and again that’s for an evening dress, that is really special and really different?”

Tateossian has also recently launched this season’s ladies rare stone collection.

When the brand was established in 1990 it was only for men. But due to demand from clients all over the world, a ladies’ collection was launched eight years ago. However, the men’s collection is still so vast that they do 150 new additions each season to their cufflink range.

Their products now sell in Russia, China and South America, among other places, with famous fans including everyone from models Sophie Dahl and Eva Herzigova (both recently snapped wearing a white Scoubi Dou leather bracelet by the label), to former pop star Sinitta and The Emir of Kuwait.

tateossian.com

Words Amy Fallon

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INSPIRED BY THEIR LATE GRANDMOTHER LILY BLANCHE’S ASSORTMENT OF EXOTIC JEWELS BROUGHT BACK FROM HER DAYS LIVING IN RAJ-ERA INDIA, SCOTTISH SISTERS GILLIAN CRAWFORD AND LYNDSEY BOWDITCH, HAVE LAUNCHED A NEW JEWELLERY COLLECTION NAMED AFTER HER.

For many people, working with a family member would be the making of a nightmare but for Edinburgh-based sisters Gillian Crawford and Lyndsey Bowditch, it is proving a winning partnership.

“We used to fight as kids, but have a very symbiotic relationship now”, explains Gillian. In their relatively short career as jewellery designers — Gillian used to work in media, but launched her first jewellery and gifts collection Tartan Twist with Lyndsey in 2008 — they have already been shortlisted for Jewellery Designer of the Year 2010 at The Scottish Fashion Awards.

The pair are hoping their new range, Lily Blanche Edinburgh, launched at this month’s International Jewellery Show in London, will continue their string of success. Described by Gillian as “glamorous and romantic, with the aesthetic of Audrey Hepburn”, the most distinctive pieces—including the Eternal Pearls — have a strong vintage feel, tieing in to the Hepburn hair seen on girls at Prada’s autumn/winter 2010 show and the nostalgic mood of this season’s make-up.

“The collection is based around our grandmother Lily Blanche, born at the turn of the 20^th century,” explain Gillian. “She was a kind of everywoman: she travelled, had children, lived through the war and was bombed out of her house, and could still knock up a wedding dress from bits and pieces and look stunning.”

Gillian says that as children, she and Lyndsey enjoyed visiting Lily, who was tucked away in a croft in the Outer Hebrides, and sifting through all of her treasures. “She lived in India when she was younger and before that her husband was stationed in China so she had a lot of exotic pieces. We’ve taken vintage designs inspired by her jewel box and given them a modern twist. We have tried to bring something light-hearted and fun.” Embodying this playfulness is the Peapod Necklace.

Made with a mix of sterling silver, British-sourced freshwater pearls, and Italian Murano glass, pieces in the collection will retail from £40 to £200 and Gillian hopes they will give the likes of Dower & Hall a run for their money. “What makes this collection stand out is the element of surprise; so many of the things open up, like the Memory Keeper Sphere.”

lilyblanche.com

Words Hannah Davies

SWEDEN HAS PRODUCED SOME GREAT THINGS; IKEA, ABBA, MEATBALLS AND DALA HORSES. WHAT IT HASN’T BEEN SO RENOWNED FOR, HOWEVER, IS IT’S FASHION DESIGNERS. BUT WITH JOSEFIN STRID, THAT’S ABOUT TO CHANGE.

Strid caused something of a stir when she decided include skirts in one of her collections- for men, that is. And there’s more to come. “The real skirts won’t be revealed until in February. The collection that I showed during (the most recent) Stockholm Fashion Week is a feminine, flowery collection of menswear. The reactions vary a lot, but I think it’s exciting. I have this one at my PR agency now and I can barely wait until the spring when I’ll see it in magazines. I want people to react, to feel something. Not only wanting to just wear the black t-shirt with their favourite jeans.”

A designer of both mens- and womenswear, Strid says it’s not always a conscious decision to design for men or for women. “It depends on my source of inspiration. When I was inspired by flowers, I didn’t even think about womenswear, it would have been too obvious, that’s already done so many times. Sometimes I find it easier with menswear, since I don’t relate to how it is to wear it myself. I find myself a bit more innovative with menswear sometimes.  But I am very interested in the border between masculine and feminine and I like to explore that, working with menswear and womenswear in the same collection and style everything for everyone, without it being unisex.”

Strid has always favoured taking an unconventional approach to fashion. In the past she often opted for creating smaller-scale ‘projects’ in fashion,  rather than putting together entire collections . “I used to do that (the projects) more, but I do still do them. I always do a collection for each season now, you have to do that, and you have to be on time to be a part of the whole press thing with magazines and stylists. But I still do projects and freelance things when I feel like it. I want to be able to decide myself what to do and I want to enjoy my work. I like to collaborate if it tempts me.” Recently, such collaborations have included styling for MODS Magazine, a music film, a dress for Swerea, and tentative plans for a small capsule collection, which will be for sale in December.

Strid also produces custom designs outside of her collections. “It’s good for the economy to do freelance projects. But I only do them if I’ll enjoy it. It’s another challenge to work for someone, to give them what they want and not only what I want. I think it’s a good way to understand other people, to be able to collaborate and not be selfish. When I work for myself I often have a much longer process before I see the end result, much more experimentation, toiling and so on. I always want to know so much and explore the subject I work with, to learn something new. I could do that when freelancing, but I don’t think anyone would like to pay me to read several books, stroll in the nature and whatever else I start my process with,” she smiles.

The start of the process is inevitably drawing inspiration for designs. For her 2008 collection, this included Tim Burton’s films, and inspiration is something which always shows through in Strid’s imaginative collections. “Films are often inspiring, the AW11 collection is inspired by The Piano Teacher. Films and travelling are the most inspiring things for me, and sometimes music.” It’s clear that travel is key to Strid’s collections. “I travel a lot and what I see at my trips often make me want to create something. Nature is fascinating, and I like the break you get when you’re surrounded by nature. Last summer I strolled around a lot in the parks of London and in Kew Gardens. I simply watched the flowers and then I based a whole collection on that. This summer I was in the US, visiting national parks like Yellowstone, Zion and Grand Canyon. It was nice to hike, wear comfortable clothes and just be with my family there. The whole experience influenced me and maybe I’ll do something with all the photos I took.”

Shoulders are always a focal point in Strid’s collections. So why the fascination with an area which, excepting AW 09 and the 80s, so often gets overlooked? “I used to work with big shoulders, like the 80’s siloutte, but I’ve toned it down now. I think it’s based on my foundation as a tailor. I think it’s very important how the sleeve is attached to the garment, how much bearing it has and how it works with the body. You can do both subtle and extreme things with shoulders that make a big difference.”

Strid grew up in a small town called Ulricehamn, spending her summers swimming in the lakes and winters snowboarding. As a child she spent her time playing sports and musical instruments, but this soon gave way to needlework when she bought her first sewing machine aged 15, and “since that day I’ve been kind of addicted.”  This coincided with the development of her own personal style. “When I was 14, I got more money so I could buy my own clothes every month. I started to buy second-hand and styled myself in a very extraordinary way every day.” Though she was studying music at secondary school, all of her spare time was consumed by sewing. This hobby was to provide the foundation for her career as her designer.

“I wasn’t like the other kids at the age of 15-19,” she admits. “I was very serious- I had my first fashion show when I was 15 and after that I had one each season, as the real designers did. I really studied all of the designers and their collections at style.com. I stitched in the afternoons and sometimes during the nights as well.”

Her dedication to fashion soon paid off. As soon as she had enough clothes to form a collection, she put on a fashion show at school, roping in friends to model her designs and contacting the local press to cover the event.  Strid then started to sell her clothes directly to the luxury boutique in her town. By the time she was 19, she had gone on to study sewing and patternmaking at university in Borås and was also selling her pieces in a store there, as well as in the store in her hometown.

Despite the remarkable achievement of having her own business before she had even left university, Strid decided to put her own label on hold at the end of 2006 in order to concentrate on building her portfolio. In spite of her promise as a fashion designer, Strid found herself rejected from both the Swedish School of Textiles and Central Saint Martins in London. In 2007, Strid moved out of her parents’ home and to Borås to spend a year learning men’s tailoring. Strid sees it as a turning point: “It was something different, and it felt like home. I liked to do the hand stitching, to be accurate, to let things take their time. I did lots of creative projects that year- an outfit for the superwoman who’ll save the world, two outfits in steel and leather for a steel company, and of course men’s suits.”

The following year, Strid reapplied for the SSOT and Central Saint Martins. “I did the application for Swedish School of Textiles again, working from 8.30am until 2am every day for three months, to make totally sure I had a good portfolio. I wasn’t accepted at St Martins, but I did the test for SSOT and was accepted. I was happy with that and forgot about London for a while.”

Strid resurrected her business in 2008, after a fashion fair in Gothenburg introduced her to a PR agency and helped her to develop a sales channel. This coincided with the start of her fashion design course at SSOT. Strid juggled studying with running her own brand, putting together an entire collection for her own label whilst studying. Fortunately, it was a success. Stylists based in Stockholm were frequently calling in her pieces for shoots, and Strid’s brand began to grow. Yet just as her career began to take off, she decided to take a break once again; this time to focus on her BA after realising that the pressures of running her own label alongside full-time study were too great. But before long people began to wonder where Strid and her designs were, and as a result came her ‘big boom’; orders started rolling in once again, as did scholarship offers. Finally, Strid got a studio and began to work on projects for UGG and Swerea.

It’s been intense, as the designer herself admits. “This summer I worked full time for around 100 hours per week. I had an intern and a tailor working with me and we finished both the SS and AW ’11 collections, did the photoshoots and shot a film.”

“Sometimes I make a pair of tights in one hour, and sometimes I make couture-like pieces that take 100-150 hours each,” she continues. “Sometimes things just need time. And I like to have ongoing projects. I have one huge dress in the AW11 collection that took me about 130 hours to make, and you can really see it. Then I have one cocktail dress that’s braided, and one crocheted dress from two earlier collections that took the same time, but you wouldn’t guess it.”

But all the hard work has certainly paid off, especially given the reception to Strid’s showing of her collection at Stockholm Fashion Week. “It was great and a good opportunity to be seen. And I had a great day with all my male models, they were so very nice and the atmosphere was very relaxed. But next time I want to have a big ‘boom’ show, a whole concept for everyone and I don’t want a single person walking away without thinking and feeling something. It’s important to inspire people and make them reflect over what they see.”

Strid admits that Sweden’s fashion industry has a long way to go before it can compare to the likes of London or Paris. “Maybe in the future, but not right now. Lots of brands leave Stockholm Fashion Week to show in London and Copenhagen. That’s a pity, since it could be so good (if they stayed). But I think it would be hard for Stockholm to ever become that big. Sweden is a small country and the brands there are quite commercial. If everyone would dare to overstate ten times more than they do now, they could come a bit closer.”

josefinstrid.livejournal.com

josefinstrid.com

Words Kay Weston Images Henrik Bengtsson/Imaginara

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YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF BRYCE AIME, BUT YOU SOON WILL. THE DESIGNER BEHIND RIHANNA’S SPIKY-SHOULDERED ‘HARD’ GET-UP CHATS TO AGENT2’S AMY FALLON ABOUT THE LADY HERSELF, AND WHY GREEN TEA AND FASHION ARE ‘THE SAME’…

Bryce Aime tells me to throw out the Starbucks hot chocolate I’ve been drinking on the tube before we walk into Le Pain Quotidien at Notting Hill Gate.“I’ll get you another one,” he insists.

It’s not just grey today in London, it’s bucketing down. I’m also ten minutes late. Aime only lives around the corner so there are no dramas. But I get the impression that even if he lived on the other side of town, he wouldn’t have made a big fuss. As far as rising designers and accessibility go, he’s pretty laid back, doing his own calls and emails. In fact it was Aime who insisted on having a face-to-face interview. Then again the 2005 Central Saint Martins (CSM) graduate is known to serve customers himself at his shop on Walton Street in Chelsea.

“I’m sure there are some designers who do this, who push the passion to that point of actually coming down to the shop from time to time,” he says, shrugging his shoulders as his green tea arrives.“It’s important for you to see this in your own eyes because when you design, when you create a product, you are hoping it will sell.

“You have to understand that process, so when you design something you have to almost imagine the clothes hanging on the shop floor and how to they look, how are they perceived.

“Then at some point you start to realise that you should be doing this instead of that and this is how you get better in especially in terms of sales.”

Ah yes, sales. When the store first opened in November last year, things were “to be perfectly frank, a bit difficult at the beginning” Aime admits.

“It wasn’t a great time and it was hard as a newcomer,” he says.“But we had this opportunity, this great space, so we kind of jumped into it. After February things started to really pick up and we had some great sales over the summer.”

Of course Aime, 31, who hails from the 17th district of Paris, is in good company. But having your boutique in the same vicinity as Jean Paul Gaultier, Jasper Conran and Joseph also means competition.

“It’s an interesting mix but I must say also say as it’s an upper-class area, it’s (the fashion) very neat. It’s very clean, it’s very elegant,” says Aime of the West London set. “They are classic in the way they dress up. They’re never going to be very eccentric, very individual. It’s only about YSL and Chanel.

“But for other designers such as me – and there’s more than me, there’s a hundred of us – it’s a little bit difficult for us to reach our people basically.”

By “our people” he is referring to east London, where the locals are a “little bit more trendy but have less money”. Aime has just moved his office there. To Old Street, to be more precise.

Despite being so hands-on in some areas he describes his working quarters as resembling an “architect’s office”.

“I have very few rolls of fabric. We are not a factory!” insists the designer, who says he eventually wants to be stocked in the world’s leading department stores, but will first spend a few seasons perfecting his product and cementing its identity in the market.

Aime’s clothes are made in the Loiret in north-central France, where Balenciaga is also produced (an inspiration of Aime’s, along with fellow Francophone Thierry Mugler).

He is currently working on his LFW collection, Asiarama. The inspirations were his Japanese assistant Takashi, the Beijing opera – “it’s amazing” – and the Japanese theatre play Kabuki.

“I really like this region, China, Japan, Thailand,” says Aime, whose trader wife Xiaohui has been based in Beijing but is back in Britain permanently soon. “I think you either hate it or love it.I wanted to do something like this two or three seasons ago but I wasn’t ready as I needed to understand a few things culturally.

“For me it’s important to understand the people. They kind of inspired me to do something, so I had to make a trip there.”

His A/W 10 collection, Egyptology, also appeared to have been based around a particular culture. Models sported structured body con dresses from the range, with big sweatbands around their head transforming them into “mummies”.

Aime has however actually never been to Egypt, will “probably never go there”, and says he wouldn’t base an entire collection around one civilization.

“Generally speaking, it’s not about culture all the time. It just happened like that,” he reveals.“When you start being too rich, especially culturally speaking, you have to be careful because we’re in England, we’re in Europe. We have our own interpretations of things and clichés.

“And frankly I don’t think we’re prepared to associate clothes of everyday wear with something that’s quite strong, culturally speaking.

“You can have one or two pieces here or there, but to do a full collection like that… I cannot risk myself too much.”

His next offering – currently “20 per cent there” – will be “a complete different thing”, he promises.“The title is done, the colour is done, the silhouette we need to define better because it’s just sketched here and there,” is all Aime will say.

As usual it has been created with only has one female in mind: his “fictional woman”.

“It’s more the way she talks, she way she walks, the way she behaves, what she says,” describes Aime, who will only show in Paris again next season.

“I can’t imagine really it depends on your mood. But she’s quite strong generally speaking. She’s not girly. There’s a thin line between masculinity and femininity. I think that she’s like that.”

I must look a bit bewildered, because he elaborates, “We don’t want 100 per cent woman. She doesn’t wear the clothes to be somebody else. The clothes are wearing her. It’s a personality… We don’t transform her every season we just carry on.”

Speaking of the clothes wearing his “fictional woman”, what does he think of stars such as Rihanna wearing his own creations? In her video clip for 2009 single Hard, the singer donned a low cut, lethal-looking “couture-military” creation with spiked sleeves, as she brandished an apparent machine gun.

“I think it’s important. Everyone in the industry will tell you this and the one who says otherwise is a liar. We need, anybody needs, a little bit of an endorsement and nowhere more than fashion because fashion is relying on an image,” Aime says.

“Unfortunately – I hate to say this – the first thing you see is the image. And if you like the image you’re pretty convinced. Anything goes from there. If that person is well perceived or it’s a big A-lister wearing your stuff it’s a tremendous bonus. But it’s a big spectrum and the celebrity thing is only one part…”

For someone now dressing the rich and famous, Aime says it’s actually “really an accident” that he ended up in fashion. He never drew when he was young and was “absolutely rubbish at school”, only caring about philosophy, literature and history.

“I never dressed my dolls. I never wore makeup or played with my Mum’s stuff,” he recalls.“I used to build cities made of cardboard, toilet paper. I used to like to use my hands.”

It was the desire to learn English that brought him to Britain in the summer of 1998 when he was 19. The decision didn’t go down too well with his parents, both doctors. “But I think I had to go away,” Aime says. “I needed some reality checks. I wasn’t a bad kid but I was in my own world.”

After waiting tables and even hitting the decks in some “really shit places that don’t even exist today”, he concluded- while working a double shift in a restaurant- that he had no direction and needed a return to study.

Law and science were not for him. So he applied to do evening classes in fine arts at CSM. Aime was unaware then of the esteemed reputation that the college had.

He decided to stick with fashion, beginning portfolio classes to prepare himself for interviews. “I stuck with fashion and overnight I went from very little…” Aime trails off.

Despite the rag trade being a hard business, he says that it is at least forgiving. And never dull. “The reward is this: you’re allowed to make some mistakes. Every season your try your luck and you try and be consistent also to your work and your beliefs. You’ve got to be prepared to take criticism because as I said it’s all about images and it’s very subjective,” he explains.

“Not everybody likes green tea. Fashion is the same. I quite like that and I like the competition, for most. “There is a competition but it’s not really an in-your-face competition. It’s more about the tension, the adrenaline, the stress inside and out of your studio, the deadline.

“And then it comes again – but in a different manner, in different people, in a different season. It’s a cycle. You can’t get bored.”

And bored is the very last thing you could be when Bryce Aime is around.

bryce-danice-aime.com

Words Amy Fallon Images Andres Reynaga Hair and make-up Justin Williams

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LUCY ROYLE, A MANCHESTER-BASED, LEEDS-EDUCATED BRITISH DESIGNER SHOWED HER GRADUATE COLLECTION DURING GRADUATE FASHION WEEK LAST JUNE. INSPIRED BY THE MEDICAL TEXTBOOK GRAY’S ANATOMY, ANATOMICAL DRAWINGS AND SKELETAL AND MUSCULAR STRUCTURES, HER FIRST SHOW WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF HER BACKGROUND. LYDIA MILLIGAN MET WITH THE DESIGNER TO DISCUSS SPINE AND STYLE.

Your final collection, inspired by the medical world, was beautiful. Where did the idea spanned from?

My dad is a doctor and my mum is a nurse so growing up, I was surrounded by a lot of medical books.  For my final collection, I though it would be really nice to do something that was part of my identity.

Your designs mirror the look of the body very well, especially the spine while looking very contemporary and individual.

Yes, the spine did feature quite primarily.  It just kind of happened.  You just mess about with ideas; one day I had a sample and just literally pinned it to the mannequin.  Then, of course, once you start putting bits together you end up with an idea.  People do comment on how much the draw cords mirror the spinal cord itself.

I noticed a written print design, where did this come from?

These are my dad’s revision notes when he was a student.  Like the textbook, they have always been around the house.  My dad’s handwriting is immaculate, beautiful.  These notes were on anorexia and bulimia and I thought I would use them to add another dimension to my concept.

All your collections appear quite different, yet with a similar darkness to them.  What inspired them?

The idea was to get a variety.   In one collection, I focused on Ancient Greece and Sophia Kokosalaki.  Greek mythology was a fascination of mine for years so I really wanted to look into it.  My Rick Owens-inspired collection was a university-imposed challenge to associate with the designer and to design to their style.  As he is a dark designer, this collection probably ended up the darkest.  These are designers I really like anyway and I always look at their work.

You design primarily for sportswear; do you intend to continue that way?

Yes definitely, I did my work placement with Reebok which was great inspiration.  I never had an interest in it, then while working at Reebok I realised how versatile it was.  I think sportswear is the way we dress now and what consumers look for.  We were talking at uni about how none of us really wear jeans anymore and you wonder if even jeans will fade; we all wear jeggings now!

Why did you go in to fashion?

To be honest, I sort of fell into it.  I didn’t know what I wanted to do at university and by default, as I was doing an English Literature A level I applied to do English; as I filled in the application I just knew it wasn’t for me.  I got rejected from every University I applied to.  I took a year out to do an Art foundation course; it gave me time to think about where I wanted to study.  I ended up following the fashion route.  I drifted in to it, but fate told me that it was right.

You’re going on to do an MA at London College of Fashion, how did you end up there?

Our external examiner came to visit us back in January to have an informal chat.  He came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.  He said, “If you want a place in a MA, you have one!”  When this offer came along I thought, ‘I can’t turn it down.’

Where do you see yourself in five years?

After the MA I definitely would like to be working for a high-end luxury designer because I have never had experience in that field before.  Ultimately, I want my own business. I think working for a more exclusive designer, you would have more engagement with how the company works as a whole and how they work overseas.  In five years, I would like to be based in London and working for a designer.

lucyroyle.co.uk

Words Lydia Milligan

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THE BLISTERING SUMMER ISN’T THE ONLY THING BRINGING A HEAT WAVE TO LONDON. SUSTAINABLE AFRICAN WOMENSWEAR BRAND AKABI SHOWCASED ITS GOOD-NATURED, PRETTY PRINTED COLLECTION IN JULY, JUST MONTHS AFTER LAUNCHING THE LABEL. INSPIRED BY THE STRENGTHS AND ATTITUDES OF THE CONTEMPORARY FEMALE ‘URBANITE’, THE ‘LOVE FROM AFRICA’ COLLECTION IS A FUSION OF THE BRIGHT COLOURS AND THE ENERGY OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. GET IT WHILE YOU CAN AS THIS ETHICAL BRAND ONLY PRODUCES ONE COLLECTION A YEAR.

Akabi means love in Greek. J’Quita, Akabi founder and designer , picked the name because “The foundation of what we do here at Akabi is love.”J’Quita’s passion for social responsibility, international development, sustainability, as well as her love for Africa led her to set up Akabi. She brings ethical intelligence and knowledge to the style of females worldwide and so she birthed the tagline ‘female style intelligence’. Her triple aim is to “promote Africa / empower women / love Earth.”The line has a casual side and incorporates feminine shapes and prints to make the garments fresh for an evening out in the peak of the British summertime. Sculpted skin-tight trousers compliment edgy harem pants. Akabi’s eco friendly collection promotes Africa as a continent with a great future. It raises awareness of the possibilities of trading with Africa and supports existing sustainable businesses presently in Kenya and Ghana by incorporating their work in the Akabi collections.

The organic cotton pieces are sprinkled with batik print work from Ghana. J’Quita also uses war parachutes, creating jackets and outerwear with a military feel. The production is innovative whilst keeping traditional crafts alive and bringing it to new markets.

Akabi supports women from disadvantaged backgrounds, encouraging them to develop skills, such as sewing, to empower them so that they can set up their own businesses. J’Quita is passionate about pushing the eco friendly aspect of the brand, “Our intention is to be a sustainable, desirable and ethically made in Africa fashion and lifestyle brand. It’s our social responsibility to take action where possible and to reduce the environmental impact as much as we can and in all we do.”Environmentally friendly or water-based inks for printing are used on the cotton jersey styles to help reduce the impact on the environment. Many items are made in Bamboo as well as Hemp/Organic cotton twills. The organic cotton is ‘Made in Africa’ and 100% Organic Cotton & Social Standards Certified.

Akabi will donate 10% of sales to the Seed of Hope charity. The organisation works with orphaned, destitute and disadvantaged teenage girls in Kenya, and helping them to have brighter future.

Words Jennifer Butler

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HELEN TURTON HAS JUST LAUNCHED THE DOLL HOUSE, AN INDEPENDENT JEWELLERY COMPANY. EVERY PIECE IS INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED, SOURCED AND HANDMADE USING DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES, CREATING A UNIQUE, KITSCH LOOK. ALMAZ OHENE MET HER TO CHAT ABOUT HER INSPIRATION, HER BUSINESS PLANS AND WHY SHE DIDN’T GIVE ALMAZ A PIECE FOR HER BIRTHDAY; SEE, ALMAZ AND HELEN GO WAY BACK…

We meet at a Sheffield bar. Helen orders pink fruit beer for both of us while I admire her outfit. She’s wearing… well, she places her hands in front of her on top of the bar, so that I can see her jewellery. On three of her fingers, she’s sporting dinner plate rings. Eggs, chips and beans on one hand, and a Full-English Breakfast on the other. About her neck is a rocking horse necklace. Clipped in her hair is a large, pink gingham bow, which, on closer inspection, forms the cloth of a tiny champagne picnic. This woman loves fashion – that much is obvious from her high-waisted tailored hot pants paired with floral print tights. Naturally, I ask her is why she chose to go into jewellery and not clothes.

“I started out modifying my own clothes, getting fridge magnets and gluing them onto shoes and generally trying to modify my own wardrobe.

“I like things to be unique. I’ve always had a passion for jewellery. The Doll House stemmed from having gone down to a little shop which sold miniatures for dollhouses when I was at college. I saw a little telephone and though that it would look amazing if I turned it into a ring. The whole thing just blossomed from there.”

I ask her where she sources all of the fantastic dolls house miniatures.

“I go into dollhouse emporiums, look around and decide which bits will look amazing if I turn them into jewellery. Sometimes, I come up with an idea and hunt down a piece, often through scouring free-ads pages or going to car-boot sales. I also find new and vintage material on eBay.”

As well as the themed collection ‘In The Kitschen’ and ‘The Music Box’, Helen creates individual pieces such as the Grandfather Clock Brooch, the Telephone Fascinator, the Rocking Horse Necklace and Teacup Earrings.

It was time for the inevitable question about her inspiration.

“There was no designer or person who I saw and then said, ‘Oh, right so I need to look like that.’ The people that inspire me are different. They include designers like Vivienne Westwood and like TigerMilk, who are some of my own friends. They spur me on and let me know that it’s cool to keep things different from everything else out there.”

She’s collaborated with photographer Holly Booth on a couple of promotional shoots  which have a very distinctive style.

“We wanted to make the model look like a living doll. I had some crazy make up done by Lucy Engelfield, an amazing make-up artist. Holly and I worked on getting the right angles and the right lighting to make her look just like a Porcelain doll.”

Helen talks animatedly about the second ‘location’ shoot. She mentions a few different people who were part of that project; I wonder what it was like to work with a team.

“For the second shoot, I worked with Lotte Manson and Kirsty Mann, the TigerMilk girls, brainstorming ideas for backdrops. We had an idea for an Alice in Wonderland theme that eventually developed into something involving mirror and chandeliers in the woods.

“Having a crew made it more fun. Holly did some really good work, working out the best camera angles and the best lighting; angling the mirrors so the end product looked really beautiful.”

Helen’s jewellery is currently on sale at Syd and Mallory’s in Sheffield. I wonder how she sees her business developing from there?

“I got involved with Syd and Mallory’s quite recently. That was my first progression to taking the whole thing seriously, rather than just wearing my own jewellery. When I have more time I’m going to expand it, buy the materials in bulk and try to get more pieces finished. I really like little boutique shops but I’d like to branch out to other cities too.”

When pushed on the issue of her particular ethos she replies:

“I really like having clothes and jewellery that look different to what other people are wearing. My main idea is getting something kitsch and unique to everybody that wants to wear the jewellery. No piece of jewellery is exactly the same as any other piece; so when you buy a piece it’ll be completely different from anything that anybody else has.”

dollhousejewellery.co.uk

Words Almaz Ohene

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WHERE DO YOU GO FOR FASHION-FORWARD, ETHICAL CLOTHING? SUSTAINABLE WOMENSWEAR LABEL FROM SOMEWHERE, ON PORTOBELLO ROAD, OFFERS THE BEST GREEN FASHION GARMENTS IN LONDON. LAST MONTH, FOUNDER ORSOLA DE CASTRO, WHO IS ALSO THE BRAIN BEHIND ESTETHICA, OPENED UP HER SHOP TO SOME OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGNERS OF THE MOMENT.

The show celebrated designers who minimise their impact on the environment by using organic, fair trade and recycled materials.

Sonya Kashmiri’s beautifully designed and thoughtfully handcrafted vegetable leather bags sat in the window along with pairs of Nina Dolcetti’s daring, architectural and design led shoes made from up-cycled leather.

You could also find MTLabel’s hand-cut and hand-stitched leather clutches and KAYU’s range of bamboo sunglasses. As part of the label’s ongoing campaign against preventable blindness, every pair sold funds one sight-restoring surgery in a developing country.

Finnish designer Minna Hepburn, recently chosen by the British Fashion Council for the Estethica mentoring programme, explained that the Minna collection includes accessories complementing each outfits, such as a bespoke bird necklace and a removable collar.

“As with all the designers on show, it is about traceability and using every shred of the vintage fabrics. I think it is important to have a UK and handmade element to my clothing line. My dresses are made of vintage lace and this gives it a personal feel. You can really tell the difference between the high street lace and what I use. It has intrigue, subtlety and roots. Some of my materials even come from curtains,” said Hepburn.

The show raised the profile of these green designers in London and Great Britain. The different buying habits in continental Europe means that green labels often do better in France and Germany, where clients buy investment items they can wear to death. Thanks to the pop up show, many designers who don’t have bricks-and-mortar shops in the UK were able to push their garments to the British audience.

Words Jennifer Butler

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MILLIONS OF WOMEN MAY GIVE ALL THE LUXURY LIPSTICKS IN THE WORLD TO LOOK LIKE HER TODAY, SO IT’S PERHAPS PARADOXICAL THAT THE ELEGANT LOOK THAT GRACE KELLY PULLED OFF WAS ALL APPARENTLY DOWN TO A VERY EFFORTLESS APPROACH.

The late actress and princess applied a similar simple attitude to her wardrobe as the set of values that she lived her life by.

Her style is currently the subject of a Victoria & Albert museum exhibition that was nearly two years in the making. It will probably turn out to be the most popular one ever held in the museum’s Fashion Gallery temporary exhibition space.

Grace, who married Prince Rainier III in 1956, was “loyal to her old clothes the way she was loyal to her old friends”, one magazine article in the 1950s reported her as saying.

“I just buy my clothes when they take my eye,” she said.

“And I wear them for years.” Her treasured brown leather Hermes “Kelly” handbag, which collected numerous marks over the years, is probably the most famous example of this.

V&A curator of fashion Jenny Lister says that the Style Icon exhibition, which features mostly items on loan from the Princely Palace in Monaco, is surprisingly attracting, among others, many 20-somethings and younger people born after Grace tragically plunged off a cliff in Monaco in 1982.

“You often see fashion students sketching the dresses, so they are still clearly interested in using Grace Kelly’s wardrobe as a reference and maybe as inspiration for their designs,” she says.

Although her life story was “extraordinary, encompassing the glamour of Hollywood and European royalty,” Grace Kelly became “almost a kind of short-hand or code for that classic, restrained way of dressing that never quite goes out of fashion, in contrast to more outlandish, or overtly sexual styles”, Lister says.

“She loved things that were beautifully made,” Lister says.

“Perhaps things are not made to last as well these days.

“But I think from Grace Kelly we can all learn to appreciate our clothes more, look after them and enjoy them too.”

Of course post-war austerity may have had a lot to do with her demure, sensual style.

But even when she was sporting a diaphanous silk chiffon dress that billowed out into a beautifully flared full length skirt, perfect for dancing with Frank Sinatra, or an elaborate gold headpiece like the one she donned for a 1969 Dier des Testes bash – it was so fancy that Grace had to ride there on the floor of a van – the princess’ personality still outshone any diamond. She wore the clothes, and not the other way around.

“I think it’s important to see the person first and the clothes afterwards,” Grace in fact once remarked.

“I have to choose simple clothes because when I wear anything dramatic I seem to get lost.”

During the 1950s Grace’s face was plastered on hundreds of magazines.

LIFE featured her on an April 1955 cover in the Edith Head pale blue silk satin coat that she’d worn to accept her Best Actress Oscar that year.

Another magazine circa the same carried the headline: “Grace Kelly tells how to travel light”. Can you imagine today’s style icons, the likes of Victoria Beckham, doing the same?

Interestingly, Grace Kelly was the first to admit that she’d never be seen front row at the fashion shows.

In fact, she was the first one to admit that she never attended fashion parades, proving – may we all breathe a collective sigh of relief -  that one can care about more than fashion and still become a style icon.

“Grace had determination and worked hard for her success, and had to make difficult decisions about her career and family,” says Lister.

Although the exhibition, which lasts until September 26, has been a crowd puller for the V&A, the press coverage it’s received hasn’t been all positive. One broadsheet reviewer in fact branded it ”damp squib”. Visitors may also agree that there is far too much packed into two small galleries. While the same critic was apparently disappointed by the worn-out handbags which appeared to have come from a “high-class Oxfam shop”, another broadsheet fashion writer seemed to celebrate Grace Kelly’s ‘thrifty approach’, pointing out that while the royal may have had the same handbag for years, today Victoria Beckham is believed to own more than 100 by the same label. I am inclined to agree with the latter approach.

What I took away most from the exhibition wasn’t really to do with the actual physical items that Grace Kelly carried, but how she carried herself.

vam.ac.ak

Words Amy Fallon

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THE WORLD CUP MAY BE OVER, BUT AFRICA IS HAVING A LONG-LASTING IMPACT ON FASHION.

Tribal Romance, the spring/summer 2010 offering from label Zed Eye is a new take on the ethnic trend, a courtship between tribal prints and chiffons, satin, cotton and floral patterns.

“The combinations, although unusual and unexpected, manage to work together as they woo each other and indeed the audience into believing they should be together,” says the creator of the line, Nigerian-born designer Ngozi Pere-Okorotie, 27.

“I always play around with differences in fabrics, colours, textures and patterns.

“I have always wanted to integrate African prints to my collection but needed to do it without compromising on my style of design.

“This summer provided the perfect opportunity with the celebration surrounding World cup in South Africa.

“My favourite stand out piece is the three quarter sleeve floral print summer jacket. I love it so much and it has been the best buy with the Tribal Romance spring/summer 2010 and also a hit with celebrities like Kelis, Shengei (The Noisettes), journalist Caryn Franklin, celebrity hairdresser Tara Smith, also designer Henry Holland loves it too.”

The London College of Fashion graduate, whose biggest inspiration is Vivienne Westwood, is from the Igbo tribe in Nigeria but now based in Earls Court, London.

Although she actually studied to be an accountant, Ngozi’s mother ran a fashion academy and she was always surrounded by clothes. One life-changing moment that stands out to her is learning how to use a measuring tape when she was six-years-old.

“This aroused my interest enough for me to practice designing outfits for my dolls,” she recalls.

“The rest, as they say, is history.”

Despite being African, and feeling strongly that the industry has a “long way to go” when it comes to embracing black designers and models, Ngozi doesn’t want to be typecast as an African designer.

“I am a designer of African heritage,” she says.

“I am more than happy to cater to both Africans and non Africans alike.

She does still however hope to be part of next year’s South Africa Fashion Week.

“It appears that the fashion industry is booming in Nigeria,” she says.

“There is a huge market as the Africans are known for their exhibitionist behaviour even through clothing.

“This would make for interesting prospective designers as I am sure this will be reflected accordingly in their designs.”

The Zed Eye label will soon be stocked in boutiques and online boutiques, but in the meantime you can check out www.myasho.com or from my website www.zedeye.com

Words Amy Fallon

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DESPITE 7.8% OF THE UK POPULATION BEING CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED, WORKWEAR HAS BEEN COMING BACK AS A TREND FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.  FASHION ALWAYS COMES BACK AROUND BUT NO TREND HAS COME BACK AROUND SO SOON AS ‘90S GRUNGE. IS IT TOO SOON TO BE SPORTING A FASHION TREND OF THE ‘90S AND CALLING IT VINTAGE?

Grunge, described by fashion historians Valerie Mendes and Amy de la Haye as “Punk and Hippie style combined”, first emerged in the ‘80s but did not really come into its stride until the ‘90s. It was a short-lived trend poorly received by both critics and consumers. For some, Grunge never went away. For others, it died with Kurt Cobain.

Grunge stormed New York Fashion Week in 1992 when Marc Jacobs, then Perry Ellis’ women’s ready-to-wear designer, introduced a collection of clothes inspired by music, street fashion and youth culture. Models wore “flannel shirts, thermals re-imagined in cashmere, Doc Martens, layers and layers, all of it topped with a little crocheted skullcap.” Grunge fashion was born, and Jacobs was promptly fired from Perry Ellis.

Grunge fashion mixed Punk style and outdoorwear. James Truman, editor of  US men’s magazine Details, said to The New York Times in 1992: “To me the thing about grunge is it’s not anti-fashion, it’s un fashion. Punk was anti-fashion. It made a statement. Grunge is about not making a statement, which is why it’s crazy for it to become a fashion statement”. Grunge made a non-statement statement thanks to unkempt clothing and hair. Denim, layers, plaid, baggy clothes and chunky shoes were all essential. The trend, even in fashion-terms, was short-lived, and soon became little more then a fancy dress option. Grunge was killed by its own style codes, its distressed jeans and holed tee-shirts. Consumers saw little appeal in paying for garments supposed to look torn and disheveled. However, since the ‘90s, designers have regularly referenced it.

Marc Jacobs, the initial Grunge designer, showed slouchy trousers, work boots and plaid for his autumn/winter 2006 show. Alexander Wang dressed his models in stocking caps, denim and ripped tights for spring/summer 2008. And no one captured better the Grunge feel than J.W.Anderson with his autumn/winter 2010 collection complete with belt necklaces, boots, ripped jeans, plaid and punk vibes. The autumn/winter 2010 ready-to-wear shows were full of what fashion writers named “glamour grunge.”

Fashions change and style stays the same but Grunge has adapted to a fresher look for the autumn/winter 2010 collections. Rag & Bone, Peter Som, Alexander Wang and Rick Owens all sent tougher-looking models down the catwalks. Alexander Wang has made a name for himself with his Grunge style and Grunge-inspired collections courtesy of his muse Erin Wasson who wears his black leather platforms and loose-fitted tees like no one. At menswear and womenswear designer Rick Owens, slouchy sheer pieces, layering and chunky boots were the key ingredients to the fresh grunge look.

Hair is another important element of grunge style seen on the autumn/winter 2010 catwalks. Stylist Guido Palau fashioned morning-after hair for Rag & Bone and overloaded roots with hairspray at Wang for their most recent collections. Dries Van Noten presented a collection with grunge skinhead influences. Off the runway, British models such as Alice Dellal and Agyness Deyn are boldly going bald. The 2010 Chanel haute couture show featured several models with dirty blonde roots, in stark contrast to the collection’s perfectly preened feel.

Words Russell Arkinstall
Images Naomi Campbell (thomasdekluyver.blogspot.com)all other pictures courtesy of Style.com

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METAL ROOSTER AND LADY GAGA INSPIRE DIANE GEVORGIAN WOMENSWEAR AND FOOTWEAR COLLECTION. HER ONE-OF-A-KIND CLOTHES GATHERED RAVE REVIEW AFTER HER UNTOLD CATWALK. AMY FALLON MET THE YOUNG DESIGNER READY TO REVOLUTIONISE BRITISH FASHION.

The eight metal roosters discovered by up-and-coming designer Diane Gevorgian at a Sunday car boot sale were always going to be sacrificed for her spring summer 2010 collection.

A day after finding them, the 23-year-old University of East London 2010 graduate took them to a metal worker and had them “chopped to pieces”.

Holding the ‘remains’ of the ‘dead’ animals in her hands, the designer began taking inspiration from their different shapes for her latest womenswear and women’s footwear collection. The pieces were reshaped to fit different parts of the human body as detailing and decorations on the garments and footwear, which then inspired the designing and making of the entire collection, very aptly titled If Looks Could Kill.

The range, which features a show-stopping metal jacket with wings, has been described by the blog Fashion Foie Gras as a collection that would “certainly intimidate every individual around them”. Gevorgian has also been compared to a young Lee Alexander McQueen.

“It all made sense, killing the roosters and having heavy decorations on the garments which are so heavy and unique that in a way would intimidate people,” describes Gevorgian, who today is wearing silver flip flops with metal flower decorations.

“At the end of the day they are not just clothes they are works of art.

“All the pieces are unique, they all are very creative and different, however the leather jacket with the metal wings is so unique and original that stands out from everything. It just grabs so much attention.

“My clothes are certainly so innovative that they stand out in very many different ways, they could also be intimidating.”

The collection also includes a striking pair of knee-high boots with immaculate gold detailing.

“My six-year old niece once looked at my half leather half metal boots and said, ‘this is like Lady Gaga!’” says Gevorgian, who would love the singer to model her designs in her videos.

Besides inspiration from Gaga for her clothes, Gevorgian looks to her Armenian background.

“ You can always see the Middle Eastern historical and cultural styles in my designs, which is what makes them unique and different.

“For inspiration I always look at the Middle Eastern cultures and history.

“A lot of it I recognise from things that my grandparents kept from their great grandparents. Those images are always in my head, the old dresses accessories and curtains my grandmother kept in her wardrobe.”

Gevorgian’s aunt also owns a shop in Moscow and the pair are currently in Russia, working on Gevorgian’s second line. It will be targeted at the high street, particularly middle aged working women. It’s available in stores from October.

Her website – www.gevorgian.co.uk – is coming soon.

Words Amy Fallon

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AFTER STUDYING ARCHITECTURE AND PSYCHOLOGY AT LONDON UNIVERSITIES, SUDANESE-BORN DESIGNER OMER ASIM THANKFULLY DECIDED TO SWITCH TO FASHION. HIS ACADEMIC BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE WITH THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND ITS PROPAGANDA FEED HIS INNOVATIVE FORAYS INTO THE FASHION WORLD. BEFORE LAUNCHING HIS OWN LABEL JUST OVER A YEAR AGO AND BEING A STAR EXHIBITOR AT LONDON FASHION WEEK’S ON|OFF, ASIM LEARNT THE TRADE AT VIVIENNE WESTWOOD AND AS PART OF THE COSTUME TEAM FOR THE HARRY POTTER SAGA.

After studying architecture as an undergrad, you were going to do a post-graduate degree in psychology before switching to fashion design. What made you change your career paths?

I realised the body is a good compromise for my interests; it is both physic and psyche. Fashion therefore makes sense. I wouldn’t say it was a transition from everything I’ve done, it’s more of a resolution.

You often use unconventional shapes and cuts to striking effect. Does your architectural background inspire you to create such sculptural, avant-garde designs?

I wouldn’t say so! In fact, I don’t think ‘Architecture’ when I’m making my collections at all. Birds, for instance (and I always refer to that example), build the most fascinating structures instinctually.

What moves you most in life, either to enthuse or upset you?

Pointless discussions and absolute cults get to me.

You have pledged to become more involved in sustainable, ethical, fair trade practices. In which ways do you feel that fashion really does matter?

As long as people wear clothes, fashion will matter. I reckon it would even matter in a nudist society, walking around naked is quite a decision!

You worked as an apprentice under Vivienne Westwood. How did it feel to help create the wedding dress in the 2008 Sex and The City film?

That dress was all Westwood’s! I was just an intern at the time. Seeing the impact of it was interesting!

Your ON|OFF collection was inspired by the 1994 Pulitzer Prize winning photograph ‘Vulture Stalking Baby’ by Kevin Carter. Do you feel that the photograph still represents today’s Sudan?

You can never represent everything with one photograph. Every thesis has an anti-thesis. However, two month after I presented that collection, the UNICEF spoke of famine in South Sudan triggered by tribal conflicts and low rainfall. I don’t have anything to say about the elections, or politics for that matter, there are enough cooks on that broth.

You have been accused of pulling publicity stunts by using carcasses as key parts of your pieces. Can you explain the conceptualisation behind the use of dead chickens in your designs?

It wasn’t a publicity stunt. When you first start out, your take on fashion is a bit romantic and you want to do something that is meaningful for you. I saw a photo of the feathered chicken in my friend’s portfolio; he is a photographer – Sipke Visser. I thought the ghastliness of the feathered chicken would make a great emblem for the collection, to inject a realistic perspective of death into something common and somewhat ‘ridiculous’, as well as evoke emotions similar to the ones aroused by Carter’s photograph. Aside from the resin feathered chicken, we also placed the chicken into an uncanny print of what appeared to be flowers.

You are on your way to becoming an international name, so what are your plans for taking the world by storm?

That is very kind of you but I know I have a looooong way to go. I hope I can build a steady body of work to stick around long enough and then, as you put it, ‘take the world by storm’. For my next collection, I will carry on with my narrative on humanity. The first collection was about life nearing death, the second was about life before it begins as we know it – life in the womb. In this collection life is delivered and it’s a girl – the earliest record of human ancestry, which was nick-named ‘Lucy’s Baby’. There will be references to pre-historic fabric and drapes.

Words Almaz Ohene

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HE WAS A DEFINING DESIGNER OF THE ‘80s, IMAGINING ICONIC GARMENTS AND ACCESSORIES RANGING FROM THE TABI SHOES TO DECONSTRUCTED TAILORING. THIS SUMMER, LONDON FASHION-HUB SOMERSET HOUSE IS DEDICATING AN EXHIBITION TO THE WORK OF MARTIN MARGIELA. THE ANTWERP-EDUCATED DESIGNER GREW UNDER THE WING OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER BEFORE CREATING HIS FIRST LABEL IN 1988, MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA. BELOVED OF FASHION DESIGNERS AND CUSTOMERS ALIKE FOR THE OTHERNESS OF HIS DESIGNS, HE MADE HEADLINES LAST DECEMBER WHEN HIS LABEL, NOW OWNED BY DIESEL, CONFIRMED HE HAD LEFT THE COMPANY.

The exhibition, curated for the 20^th anniversary of the Margiela brand, has previously been shown in Antwerp and Munich. “It takes a chronological approach but it really unpicks the themes and concepts of what the Maison is all about”, says Somerset House curator Claire Catterall.

The Embankment gallery was cleansed with a monochromatic palette and clinical white walls, creating an asylum-like backdrop to the row of power-dressing tailored jackets displayed. Architectural-scale models of previous exhibitions show the visitor how the London curators adapted the artifacts to fit the unique spatial characteristics of the Gallery space.

An assortment of catwalk invitations made from plates, chocolate, wishbones, CD’s and cutout numbers and letters scattered in a display case greets the visitor. The minute you step into the silver-spotted and glitter-covered room, you feel that the clothes are as much about the visual language as they are about the garments themselves.

On the ground floor, the multilayered-exhibition parades Margiela’s spring/summer 2009 20^th Birthday Show on a large screen. The pounding music generates the sense of power that these iconic clothes portray. Walking up a spiral staircase to the Mezzanine Gallery, you start recognising shapes of clothes that you wear everyday. The Maison uses every fabric and medium available  to make its creations exciting and visually splendid. Some of the clothes, such as the disco-ball top from the spring/summer 2008 Artisanal Collection, are unwearable and fantastical. However, if you look closely, you can see how they have translated down into the high street. Margiela’s habit of covering garments with paints, for instance, has filtered down to mainstream chains such as Zara and River Island.

The “Incognito” section of the exhibition pays homage to Margiela’s emphatic decision to withdraw from public view. Legend has it that no one knows what he looks like. In extracts of his collections played on old Orion TV sets, the models are made anonymous by having their faces covered by what Sarah Mower described as “stocking scarves and cascades of hair », as if to protect their identity. They are pushed along the catwalk like dummies in a shop window.

Displayed on the Mezzanine Gallery, the spring/summer 1996 “Trompe L’oeil” collection almost makes you feel like you were looking at pictures of clothes, rather than the garment itself. Each item of clothing is printed with the picture of a different garment in black and white, sepia or brown. According to the exhibition catalogue, a cardigan is printed “with photographic print of a safari jacket”, a v-neck dress “with sequined retro evening dress”. A camera in the corner of the room flickers through retro images and flowers and projects them on a dress sculpted from a duvet.

Elsewhere, a bustier dress is the focal point of the dark “XXXL” a side room. It is oversized and would not look out of place on Alice in Wonderland when she nibbles “the eat me” treat and shrinks to the floor.

Elsewhere again, a visual installation shows Maison clients trying on their Margiela clothes. The sofas around the centre of the room provide a comfortable place to spend an hour or two looking at the visual displays that circle the edges of the walls.

This exhibition really makes Margiela’s fashion come to life. This is by far one of the best fashion shows London has hosted so far. It is more than a bunch of clothes on hangers. All the garments are brought to life by all the little added details. You could spend hours going over each piece over and over again, you would still find things that you had missed the first time around. The whole experience is mystifying and gives you a real understanding of how this fashion house creates such wonderful clothing.

Maison Martin Margiela ‘20’ The Exhibition

At Somerset House
Strand
London
WC2R 1LA

Daily 10.00-18.00, until 20.00 Thursdays
Embankment Galleries, South Wing
£6, conc £5, under 12s free

Words Jennifer Butler

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LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES STUDENTS LEONI NEWCOME, KATHARINE GOETZEE AND ELLY ARIF ENTERTAINED GRADUATE FASHION WEEK VISITORS WITH THEIR UNUSUAL GARMENTS FEATURING CLOWNS AND PETER PAN DETAILING. AMY FALLON MET WITH THE THREE GRADUATES TO DISCUSS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THEIR END-OF-UNI COLLECTION.

Coulrophobia, the abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns, could be on the rise, with one circus in Newent, Gloucestershire offering counseling for those who suffer from the illness.

But Liverpool John Moores student Leoni Newcome decided the best way to tackle her phobia was by emblazoning bright images of the objects of her fear on her Graduate Fashion Week pieces.

A bright mustard over-the-knee dress, complete with hood, featuring a full-length clown’s body, teamed with black nautical stripe leggings, is one standout item from her collection.

“My best friend Derrin has an agonizing fear of them, and had to be hypnotized to help overcome this,” explains Newcome, 21.

“This was very inspiring and fascinating for me.”

However, while her designs may cheer some of us up, it may not be the right treatment for coulorphobics.

“The feedback as been quite positive, people usually say it makes then laugh or smile – but it also scares the life out of them,” admits Leoni.

“I love any kind of reaction.”

Fellow graduate Katharine Goetzee also used fun and quirky ways of addressing androgyny in her collection.

Gender Play brings together pinstripe shirts, big bows and glasses.

“Ultimately, male fashion tends to be simple and unadventurous as it adheres to the logic that men’s dress, especially the suit, represents their economic and political power,” Goetzee, 21, says.

“Women’s fashion tends to be more glamorous and adventurous in comparison, as historically they have not directly held any social or political status.

“However, as the economic workforce has changed and women have developed social and political power, there has been a rise in androgynous dress for women.”

The male desire to remain like Peter Pan, perpetually mischievous and youthful, was the inspiration for Elly Arif’s collection.

“To die will be an awfully big adventure,” the 22-year-old quotes from JM Barrie’s story of eternal boyhood.

“It’s (my range) ultimately about immortality and escapism, the everyday man trapped in normality and routine escaping to ‘Never Land’, the childhood dream.”

“I think this idea of staying young has become quite dominant in society, predominantly the focus is on our changing appearance however, and trying to stay looking young and youthful.”

It’s something the upcoming designer worries about himself, particularly in the rag trade.

“I do worry about getting old sometimes,” Arif confesses.

“I think now that I have finished university and will no longer be in education the realisation of getting a job in the real world is quite scary.

“But at the same time I am quite excited for this next step in my life.”

AGENT2 was able to visit GFW thanks to Liverpool One.

Words Amy Fallon

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SOME PEOPLE CALL FASHION THEIR RELIGION. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FASHION AND RELIGION MIX? RELIGIOUS REFERENCES IN FASHION COLLECTIONS HAVE BROUGHT ENDLESS CONTROVERSY, FROM JOHN GALLIANO USING JESUS CHRIST AS A DIRECT INSPIRATION FOR HIS SPRING/SUMMER 2001 COLLECTION TO RICCARDO TISCI’S HEAVILY RELIGIOUS AUTUMN/WINTER 2010 LINEUP. HAS THE LINE BETWEEN WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT ISN’T ALREADY BEEN CROSSED, OR ARE WE SEEING A NEW LEVEL OF BLASPHEMY IN FASHION?

Since his appointment as Givenchy creative director in 2005, religion has been the driving force behind some of Riccardo Tisci’s best work. However, Tisci never delivered religion more blatantly than in his autumn/winter 2010 collection. “Religion is a big part of my DNA and this collection was about my Catholicism and every other religion in a way,” Tisci said about the collection. He believes the clothes of devout men such as the frocks of priests, robes of monks and suits of rabbis, represent “the most chic way, the most pure way of dressing.”

One of my favourite pieces from the collection, that brought everything together, was the golden crown-of-thorns necklaces referencing the Christ’s final moments. Ann Demeulemeester showed similar designs with her black leather thorn necklace and bracelet.

Jewelry is an easy way for designers to infuse religious symbolism into a collection. Antichrist jewelry has become a 2010 staple with necklaces, earrings and rings all sporting the apparent blasphemous symbol. Forever 21’s inverted cross connector ring, which has been seen sported by celebrities such as Kristen Stewart and fashion blogger Rumi Neely at Fashiontoast, originally cost $5 and is now fetching prices of $70 for desperate eBayers.

Even though religious references have now reached the high-street, Tisci isn’t leaving his religious influences behind: his spring/summer 2011 menswear show had a 19^th century Victorian slant. “In a sense it’s my usual obsessions, religion and sexuality, but with a big Victorian moment, which I found pretty religious too,” Tisci said backstage post-show.

Many designers take their influences from Christian or Catholic roots. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, for instance, have been using Catholic references for years.

Jean-Paul Gaultier has used Jewish life as a source of inspiration. The Orthodox Jewish community was far from pleased when Gaultier dressed models, including Naomi Campbell, as Hasidic Yeshiva students for his autumn/winter 1993 collection. However, many Jewish buyers, journalists and customers embraced the collection and its tribute to traditional Jewish aesthetics. “As a Jewish-American princess, I wasn’t offended at all. I just cut through all that Judaic stuff and looked at the clothes. Underneath that was a very commercial collection” explained Ellin Salzman, fashion director of high-end US department store Bergdorf Goodman to the New York Times.

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2011

A year later, Karl Lagerfeld embroidered phrases from the Koran in grey pearls on a black bustier worn by Claudia Schiffer for a Chanel 1994 collection. At the time, the Kaiser denied that the sentence “they are the ones who found guidance” had been lifted from the Koran, arguing he found it in an Indian poem. After complaints from Indonesian Muslim groups, Lagerfeld apologised to the Muslim community. All the controversial dresses along with all catwalk photos and even the photo negatives were destroyed.

The incestuous relationship between fashion and religion isn’t limited to the catwalks. The fashion in Lady Gaga’s latest video for Alejandro has caused quite a stir because of the blasphemous nature of its imagery. Steven Klein, a well-established fashion photographer who has worked with the like of  Calvin Klein, Alexander McQueen and Madonna, directed the video. Gaga is shown wearing a red latex nun outfit with inverted crosses. The cross is a symbol of the Christian faith as it represents Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. In Christianity, the inverted cross is known as the ‘Cross of St. Peter’, in honor of Simon Peter who requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be put to death in the same matter as Christ.

Many interpretations have been made of Gaga’s latest video, from suggestions it is highlighting gay repression in the Catholic community to some calling it a tribute to Madonna. Madonna recently bared all in a photoshoot for Interview magazine which used religion to create controversy.

Words Russell Arkinstall

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LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS ARE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITIES OF FASHION IMAGERY WITH THEIR 2010 CAPSULE #2 GRADUATE SHOW, CURRENTLY ON PUBLIC DISPLAY AT THE RICHARD YOUNG GALLERY.

Edward Barber, course director of London College of Fashion’s BA Hons Fashion Photography wrote in the preface to Capsule #2 that the exhibition “is a collaboration between London College of Fashion and the Richard Young Gallery that aims to promote the talents of these emerging photographers”.

The 51 graduates from the course are showing their work at the Gallery all summer. Shiva Hajiebrahimaraghi’s work ‘Shedding the Skin’, which won the award for the graduate who displays the most creative potential, was placed at the entrance of the exhibition.  Hajiebrahimaraghi’s final project was shot in Iran in Tehran, Taleghan and the village of Abyaneh, questioning whether “fashion is about conformity or about self-expression”, whether there is “any point in being
fashionable if fashion does not reflect core aesthetic and cultural values”. More poignantly, “what can fashion signify, and what can it not?” According to her biography, “The style of women’s dress was a crucial element in Shiva’s final project. The imposition of a dress code on women in Tehran has meant that many of the trends in fashion over the last 40 years cannot be used. Instead, many fashions seem to reflect styles worn by western women in the 1950s, such as the headscarf.”

Images ranged from black and white to colour to Matjaz Tancic’s 3D project, shot in 7 different locations in Slovenia and the UK. “Everything is going 3D now. Cinema, TV, laptops, photo cameras. Football championship is filmed in 3D, as is Burberry fashion shows” said Tancic, who is currently preparing for the biggest 3D fashion exhibition in the world.

“I was always looking for different interesting locations, techniques that have challenged myself and my creativity. I have already done a coupe of underwater shoots, a shoot in a working coalmine 500m below ground, painting with light and now 3D photography,” he added. “I started doing research, testing, research, testing until I got the 3D result I was happy with.”

Overall, the class of 2010 showcased a range of images that reinforces the relationship between fashion and photography, reminding us that the concept of the image is very much at the core of the artistic and commercial sides of fashion.

Capsule #2 will be on show at Richard Young Gallery until 13th August.

Words Phyllis Lui

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ETHICAL FASHION ENTREPRENEUR NICOLA WOODS GAVE UP A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN INSURANCE TO FOLLOW HER DREAM OF BECOMING A DESIGNER. HER BEAUTIFUL SOUL BRAND, SHOWN AT LONDON FASHION WEEK’S ESTETHICA, HAS BEEN WORN BY LILY COLE AND GABBY YOUNG.

Nicola Woods has just moved her ethical womenswear label, Beautiful Soul, to a studio off Portobello Road. Her shelves are filled with copies of Vogues, « great for inspiration », and the backbone of her company: original Japanese kimonos.

Woods’ interest in kimonos came during the trip to Japan that kick-started her fashion career. For 11 years, she worked as an insurance broker. One morning, whilst sitting under a cherry blossom tree in Tokyo, she realised she needed to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer.

Woods enrolled at the London College of Fashion, class of 2008. A pattern-cutting student, she struggled with drawing, instead directly draping her clothes on dummies. During her last year of college, while researching Vivienne Westwood, she discovered that the Dame created most of her collections directly on small-scale dummies. Woods’ graduate collection, Smallprint, was entirely done on such dummies before being produced for the catwalk. It paid tribute to Japan with coats and dresses with highly detailed, exaggerated collars and silhouettes.

In the following seasons, Woods refined the concept. She now takes the kimonos apart to give them a new life. Working with kimonos can be limiting because of the width of each panel of fabric. Since each kimono is unique, each Beautiful Soul garment is a one-off piece. For lining, Woods uses vintage saris and peace silk. She also creates coats in British wool sourced from Izzy Lane.

Woods’ clothes will stand the test of time. For fastening, she favour ties made with kimono chutes, meaning that even if the customer puts on weight, she’ll still be able to wear her outfit in 20 years time. Multi functionality plays a key role and pieces can be worn in a multitude of ways.

For summer 2010, Woods was inspired by Puccini’s Madam Butterfly. The Miss Butterfly collection includes jackets which can be turned into skirts and light, short coats in vibrant colours. The winter 2010 collection, No. 3 is a tribute to Japanese fashion legend Yohji Yamamoto. Heavy coats and dresses will be available in a palette of red, black and white.

Thanks to her new studio, Woods has just launched a bespoke service, Beautiful Soul Bespoke. Customers can visit by appointment and be involved in every step of the garment making, including choosing the vintage kimono personally.

Beautiful Soul’s e-store, Ascension, Junky Styling and the Victoria & Albert museum currently stock the brand. Beautiful Soul has proved popular with V&A visitors, who like seeing historical kimonos in the Asia galleries before buying Woods’ garments in the gift shop. She is looking into new stockists, mostly high-end boutiques and department stores.

For her summer 11 collection, Woods plans to launch a menswear range made of navy blazers. Womenswear will include shades of purple, a recurrent colour in Beautiful Soul clothing, and some vibrant orange.

beautiful-soul.co.uk

Words Lucie Goulet

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AFTER BLOGGING NEARLY EVERYDAY FOR MONTHS ABOUT WHAT REALLY INSPIRED HER, EMERGING MENSWEAR DESIGNER COURTNEY MC DISCOVERED SHE HAD BEEN TRYING TO SAY THE SIMPLE ANSWER FOR YEARS.

“I ultimately wanted to be respected by the men in my life – my friends, my boyfriend, my family,” says the 24-year-old Royal College of Art MA Graduate.

“I never wanted to be one of those pretty girls who had to get their legs out for some attention.”

“I wanted to be admired and respected for my talent, my individuality and my strength, especially because I do like to be one of the boys.”

The result of translating her fascination with lads on the street into fashion terms? Mc’s latest range,’Yard Days Aren’t Over (long live buttoned shirts and whiskey)’, which the designer has dubbed her ‘chav collection’.

Of course it’s not only for ‘young tracksuit-wearing boys’. Mc (pronounced Mac), has also included bold and classy prints, which she hopes will seduce older men.

Her standout items are a printed silk and cashmere tailored hoody and a boned wool jacket. Other strong pieces are a polo shirt and track top, with two versions of a staffordshire bull terrier print, “a gesture to all the boys walking the streets, making a statement, with their staffs”.

“I can look at my collection and see my whole life story word-for-word in front of me,” describes Mc, who also tried to include feminine touches.

“Although others won’t be able to, they will be able to see a conflict between love and frustration in the pieces, which is a great juxtaposition.”

The designer admits that in real life she prefers to don carrot-leg trousers and t-shirts over dresses and skirts. Fashion influences are Japan’s Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas, but Mc also admires Jean-Paul Gaultier for his womenswear circa 1990. And if she had to pick one favourite wardrobe item it would be…?

“Nothing makes me feel more attractive than a plain jersey t-shirt… Silly isn’t it?!”, Mc laughs.

This doesn’t mean that she’s ruled out one day releasing a ladies collection. It’s just that there’s “a lot more space for creativity in menswear than women’s wear”.

“And that doesn’t mean sticking a man in a skirt and calling it a new trend,” Mc insists.

“Suits and jeans and shirts can be far more interesting than ten metres of chiffon and 20 kilos of crystals draped around a model.

“Menswear has the advantage of gorgeous tailoring, artistic simplicity, masculine sexuality, boyish rebellion and undeniable attitude.”

Having modeled from the age of eight for Pierre Cardin and Miss Selfridge, the designer, who originally planned to be a dentist (safer option), is used to the crazy world of fashion. After school came a Diploma in Fashion and Media from the Oxford Business School and a BA Hons (First Class) Fashion degree from UCA Epsom, then the Royal College of Art.

Last year was a big year for the new talent. Besides creating a travel suit which was produced and showcased at an exclusive Milan exhibition and featured in Time Magazine, Mc was lauded by Italian Vogue in their 2009 ‘top 140 emerging designers’. She has an online store, courtneymc.myshopify.com, but desperately wants to get her pieces onto shelves, too. We predict it’s only a matter of time.

courtneymc.com

Words Amy Fallon

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MORE AND MORE MEN ARE TURNING AWAY FROM OFF-THE-PEG SUITS AND RETURNING TO SAVILE ROW TO BE SUITED AND BOOTED. WHAT EXPLAINS THIS MOVE TOWARDS TRADITIONAL BRITISH BESPOKE TAILORING?

The construction of Savile Row, in London’s W1, began in the early 1730s, as the third Earl of Burlington commenced a building programme in the capital. He named the now infamous street after his wife, Lady Dorothy Savile. The street became associated with bespoke gentleman’s tailoring around 1803, as tailors began to move into the Row. The surrounding area, incorporating Conduit Street and Cork Street, became the heartland of British tailoring and the couturier industry.

The reputation of Savile Row soon became so renowned that royalty, politicians and distinguished gentleman from across the world – from French Emperor Napoleon III to Winston Churchill – descended on London to have everything from their morning suits to militarily uniforms made-to-measure. Thanks to those “celebrity endorsements” the small street became known as “the golden mine of tailoring”. Sadly, none of the street’s original tailors have survived. As Michael Bywater aptly describes in his Intelligent Life feature ‘Savile Rogues’, “tailors merge, vanish and amalgamate almost as frequently as the Row reinvents its own traditions”. However, Savile Row is still the embodiment of quality, which is still central to the ethos of this ever-evolving industry and street.

This is perhaps the main reason why people are turning back to Savile Row nowadays. Increasing numbers of gentlemen are drawn to this street as they want the best that world tailoring has to offer. Both young and old are returning to the client books of tailors such as Gieves and Hawkes and Hardy Amies as “they have a feeling they’ve found something nobody knows about”, in the words of the new tailor John Pearse “bespoke is going to come around again, big time.” This juxtaposition of innovation and optimism for the future, with the respect for the traditions and heritage of the street’s reputation is projected through the newly founded Savile Row Bespoke Association which was founded in 2004 to protect “the artistry and craftsmanship” and to promote the “Bespoke tailoring [as] the Haute Couture of men’s style”.

William Hunt's Lavish Interior

Evolution is at the heart of Savile Row’s mentality. After all, fashions change and the tailors have to change too, in order to remain in business. The ‘Nutters of Savile Row’ modernised the archaic approach to tailoring in the late 1960s. This process of modernisation hasn’t stopped since. Well into the 1990s, as the Row was coming under fierce criticism and competition from the Italian fashion houses that began to sell off-the-peg suits, apprentices were still being trained in the traditional methods. Fashion greats such as Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney started their careers learning pattern cutting in the ateliers of Savile Row.

Of course, this tailoring doesn’t come cheap. In a consumer industry that is currently dominated by cheap, disposable fashion, the average price for a standard two-piece suit is £ 3,000. But you are not just paying for the name, but also the quality. You are paying for something that is far from disposable and will last decades if well cared for. If you can afford it, a Savile Row suit will certainly be a wise investment, which with time and retrospect you won’t regret.

Words Tommy D Bridge

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LAST WEEK SAW THE START OF THE FINAL YEAR SHOWS FROM THE CREATIVE POWERHOUSE THAT IS THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART. THE SCHOOL OF FASHION’S 33 POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS PRESENTED THEIR CREATIONS ON THE CATWALK AT THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED SHOW FASHION, BURSTING AT THE SEAMS WITH INDUSTRY FIGURES AND BUYERS JOSTLING FOR A PRIME VIEW FROM WHICH THEIR STYLE HUNGRY EYES COULD DEVOUR EACH COLLECTION, EAGER TO DEIGN A HANDFUL OF DESIGNERS WITH THE ‘NEXT BIG THING’ MONIKER.

There was plenty of talent to choose from. Exquisite embellishment, masterful fabric manipulation and unique concepts characterised this years offerings, which seemed to have been approached from a more commercial savvy angle than in previous years. Far from stifling creativity, this newfound focus on wearability actually heightened the appeal, as reflected by faces in the front row, tensed in concentration as each outfit was assessed, not just on a scale of fashion editorial success or profit margins, but in how-will-that-work in-my-wardrobe mode.

The womenswear collections took direction from a plethora of subjects as diverse as Baroque furniture, music by Bela Bartok, surreal photography, punk and bohemia. Highlights included Poppy Cartwright’s modernist, ice white patent leather mini dresses and sleek suits, laced and adorned with laser cut appliqué detail, Yuli Yuferev’s exquisite fish bone corseting and the elegantly executed, spliced drapery of Caroline Pambakian, already garnering attention as a recipient of the River Island design forum bursary. The ultra clean lines of Victoria Stone’s leathers felt totally relevant, as did the streetwise body con dresses of Cecilie Bahnsen’s collection, teamed irreverently with Fez hats and Yoko sunglasses; millinery also got a nod on the runway in the form of Zara Gorman’s jet black, futuristic head gear. A respite from the monochromatic palette came in the form of Morten Underbjerg Olesen’s flamboyant fur, glitz and ruffling, which came in every colour of the rainbow.

Hip hop, skinheads, Spanish Matadors and J.G. Ballard’s novel Crash composed just some of the inspirations that combined to achieve the enthralling range of menswear on offer. Astrid Anderson’s luxe sportswear was pure rapper’s delight – hot pink velveteen puffa jackets replete with fur trimmed hoods, bejewelled track pants and enough bling to make P.Diddy’s pulse race. The fusion of bold hues and extreme embellishment in Trine Jensen’s collection was brave, with jumpers bedecked with masses of metal hoops and the occasional bum bag or Glengarry hat thrown into the mix, while Alan Humphrey Bennett’s oversized PVC rucksacks, hold alls and voluminous raincoats in acid brights proved attention grabbing. On a more subdued note, Robert Huth presented a great line in understated, deconstructed neutrals while Le Lin Tiffany Tang added a touch of sparkle to traditional tailoring by weaving metal yarn into razor sharp suits.

The MA accessories students presented their wares at the gallery-style static show. Specialising in footwear was Sophia Grace Webster (who already has the title of designer for Browns and Georgina Goodman under her belt) showcasing her vibrant digitally printed satins and Perspex heels inspired by African butterfly wings. Kathleen Connors otherworldly shoe and boot formations, fashioned from PVC and silicone were intriguing, as were Damion Le Cappelain’s starkly industrial, square-toed men’s shoes. Arm candy was supplied by Christianna Ibikunle whose overtly masculine, black leather satchels added a stamp of macho to man bags and sat in stark contrast to Chloe Shinnie’s artisan basket styles, woven into organic shapes. Utterly inspirational, Show Fashion provides the springboard, and sponsorship, to ensure their designers are set for stellar careers to rival those of esteemed ex-alumni such as Christopher Bailey, Erdem, Ossie Clark, Philip Treacy and Holly Fulton; something tells us they’re more than ready.

Words Emma Harding  Images RCA

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BLACK IS THE COLOUR OF CHOICE HERE AT AGENT2, SO WHEN WE CAUGHT WIND OF THE NEW EXHIBITION BLACK: MASTERS OF BLACK IN FASHION AND COSTUME WE JUST HAD TO TAKE A LOOK.  WHAT BETTER LOCATION COULD THERE BE FOR SUCH AN EXHIBITION THAN THE FASHION INDUSTRY’S UNOFFICIAL HOME OF EVERYTHING DARK AND MINIMAL, ANTWERP.

As fashion capitals go, much of the city’s influential status is owed to the Antwerp Six—graduates from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the early ’80s—whose members include Dries Van Noten, Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs and briefly, Martin Margiela whose work is also receiving homage at a new London retrospective this summer.

The city, famed for dyeing fabric black throughout the 16th and 17th centuries has become intrinsically linked with the colour. Antwerp’s Mode Museum now plays host to the exhibition exploring the significance of fashion’s favorite colour throughout history and the different messages it has conveyed.

The exhibition also explores the textures and the potential of the colour black in diverse materials, including fur, leather and lace; drawing masterpiece examples from contemporary designers who, like the city of Antwerp, have a special connection to black.

Mode Museum’s Black exhibition features garments from the likes of Ann Demeulemeester, Olivier Theyskens and Dirk Van Saene, as well as the international couture houses of Givenchy (Riccardo Tisci), Chanel and rapidly rising star Gareth Pugh.

The exhibition runs until August 8.

Words Graham Gartside-Bernier

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ECO-FRIENDLY FASHION IS TAKING OFF IN A BIG WAY AND ELOISE GREY IS KEEPING HER EYE ON HER GREEN CREDENTIALS. THE STORY BEHIND HER CLOTHES IS AS TIMELESS AS THE WRITERS THAT MOTIVATED THEM.

Eloise Grey showcased her summer 2010 Illuminated Garden collection in the fairytale tavern of the Hepsibah gallery.

With the new Doctor Who sharpening up the English gentleman look, this is the best time to get out your tea and crumpets and coin some garden party get up.

Grey’s creations bring together her love of ‘20s and ‘30s writers such as Katherine Mansfield and Noel Streatfield to craft a classical look that time forgot.

“I wanted my clothes to look like a costume drama, with Savile Row finishing.”

Grey gets her inspiration from photographs of fashionable writers. Having found a picture of Samuel Beckett wearing a tweed jacket before the change in fashion in the 40s and 50s, she sculpted an earthy collection of pretty country clothing.

Grey raved about her love of tweed while showing off her own tweed shoes.

“Older ladies remember the original tweeds from the 30s and how much quality and crafting went into them. You fall in love with it and how it continues to look like new. Rain literally rolls off it.”

Isle of Mull weavers  produce her tweeds organically, without a nasty in sight. Never dyed, the breeds are native to the North of Scotland.

The summer collection incorporates pink floral splashes into carbon-footprint-friendly linens. It could not be closer to nature, having been softened in dew-covered spring fields.

Her eco range is gleaming with natural-shaded hemps, bright whites and cotton prints from India that mirror the ‘20s era. Even the blocks are old, the dyes made from plants allowing as little electricity to be used as possible.

Words Jennifer Butler

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MILKO BOYAROV ISN’T A NAME FASHIONISTAS ARE FAMILIAR WITH, NOR DOES IT TRIP OFF THE TONGUE. HOWEVER, THAT MAY BE ABOUT TO CHANGE. THE BULGARIAN DESIGNER’S FABULOUS AND AT TIMES WACKY COLLECTIONS ARE GARNERING A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST FROM THOSE IN THE KNOW. BOYAROV IS CURRENTLY STUDYING JEWELLERY AT THE SCHOOL OF FASHION, IED MILAN. MELANIE JOHNSON CAUGHT UP WITH HIM TO DISCUSS FOLKLORE, FRACTALS AND RECYCLED FASHION!

What attracted you to jewellery over other art/fashion careers?

I believe that a jewellery piece is simultaneously 50% art and 50% fashion. I love that I can work on one project that combines the two.

If you could describe your jewellery in three words, what would they be ?

Attractive, fashionable and strange.

Where did the inspiration for your latest collection come from?

It often comes down to reinventing geometric shapes. For example, my silver ‘collar’ was inspired by the circle. By combining numerous circles of different sizes, I have created a fractal-like figure.

Using the same concept, I created a necklace made of rectangle fractal elements. Each rectangle is different and yet they all look the same, just like people are individuals and different but in fact on a basic level we share a great deal of similarities.

Tell us about this unusual black all-in-one piece?

I tried to make a combination of necklace, diadem and earrings in one piece. I drew my inspiration from a traditional Bulgarian headdress, but the piece still looks contemporary.

Your cylinder red cuffs are more simplistic than a lot of your work. What was the inspiration behind them?

The inspiration comes from cylinders, which are usually boring. I tried to put a fresh spin on them by adding colour. Red achieves a very avant-garde look.

More generally, who or what is your main creative inspiration?

My main sources of inspiration are fractals, circles, squares, folklore, fashion, theatre and music.

Do your Bulgarian roots influence your work?

It serves as a foundation for my art. However, I doubt that my Bulgarian roots are easily recognisable in most of my pieces, even though two of my creations intentionally represent Bulgaria. The country has undergone cultural development for more than 1300 years. Its cultural wealth dates back to its early days. The national folklore, and especially the national costumes, are an endless source of inspiration. It is important to know your own culture and its roots.

Which jewellers/artists do you admire/ aspire to emulate?

For jewellery, Maiko Takeda, a Japanese designer inspired by numbers, logic and space, and Dimitar Delchev, another Bulgarian créateur. In fashion it’s got to be Alexander McQueen, Rowan Mersh, Gareth Pugh and Hussein Chalayan. I also love the Lanvin brand. Art-wise, I really enjoy the work of Egon Shile and Auguste.

Which is your favorite project and why?

Without a doubt, “Today’s Issue-Recycling”, a shredded paper collection with a strong ecological subtext. Creating it was a real challenge, which is probably why it is my favourite. Most people think that it is impossible to make an attractive jewellery piece from old newspapers!

Where do you hope to go from here, both creatively and with your career?

First of all, I have to graduate. Next year, I will go on an Erasmus exchange to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Belgium. After that, I hope to study at Central Saint Martins for a master’s degree. Following my graduation, I’d like to work for a company whose work I admire, like Givenchy or Alexander McQueen.

www.behance.net/milkoboyarov

Words Melanie Johnson

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LONDON-BASED MENSWEAR AND WOMENSWEAR LABEL LU FLUX’S SPRING/SUMMER 10 COLLECTION, THE ECO LIFE OF RILEY, IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE SUPERSWEET SHOP.

The idiosyncratic website Supersweet.org, has handpicked Lu Flux to join the ranks of artistic gold on their unconventional corner of cyberspace. The Eco Life of Riley stands alongside collections by concept designers Noble Youth and Third Drawer Down. The Supersweet Shop features the extraordinary, the strange and the ambiguous, the fabulous, the ugly and the downright weird.

So what’s all the fuss about?

The Eco Life of Riley consists of mesmerising patchwork florals and cutesy, playful quirks created from salvaged, vintage and organic materials. The handcrafted pieces reek of old-school British eccentricity and exude undertones of unperturbed child-like nostalgia.

Bang on trend, Lu Flux’s creations are the epitome of trailer-trash. Reminiscent of hillbilly nonchalance and hippy cast-offs, the pieces will have you daisy-picking and meadow-hopping before you know it. Patchwork, also featured in Roberto Cavalli’s spring/summer 10 collection, adds a texture-rich dimension to Lu Flux’s clothes. The designer’s ability to knit and sew discarded vintage fabric into one-off contemporary pieces will have you truly captivated.

Every stitch oozes Lu Flux’s passion for pre-lived fabrics.

“I’ve always been excited by textiles, that’s why I got into fashion” says Lu Flux.

“It all started when I volunteered at Shelter. I used to sort through all the donated clothes. Now, when I’m looking in the charity shops I take the clothes that are bobbled, ripped or simply aren’t selling.”

Lu Flux’s collections are sustainable fashion at its best and the perfect antithesis to today’s culture of disposable fashion. The Edinburgh Art graduate showed at London Fashion Week’s Estethica exhibition. The Guardian featured the label in its Earth Day Fashion Pick.

“The aim is to make something new out of something old so as to consume less and reduce waste, ” says Lu Flux.

The Eco Life of Riley strikes idyllic harmony between fashion and eco-motives. Caught up in the recent surge towards green practices, eco-fashion has become a buzz word of late with designers clamouring to stamp their creative flair on the movement. Fairly new on the scene, Lu Flux carries a sincerity that gets to the very heart of compassionate fashion. Her collections provide a cruelty-free and eco-friendly fix to fashionistas with a conscience – these are the kind of clothes that will have the fashion pack envious and the eco posse respectful.

All Lu Flux’s collections are characterised by her love of fabrics, off-the-wall eccentricities and eco-tendencies but The Eco Life of Riley will send that extra flutter down your spine. The designs are more wearable and the textures more luxurious.

Words Camilla Duncan

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COCO COCOON, CHANEL’S LATEST HANDBAG COLLECTION MODELLED BY VANESSA PARADIS, IS TO LUST-FOR.

From Karl Lagerfeld’s fertile imagination comes the second collection of Coco Cocoon bags. The line is available in sizes ranging from toiletry case to suitcase, in colours going from neutral grey or black caviar to attention-grabbing gold. Fabric-wise, Chanel went for the big classics: fur and leather, as well as the more modern nylon. All bags are lined in contrasting colours.

After a first, Audrey Hepburn–inspired campaign fronted by Lily Allen, Chanel has chosen Vanessa Paradis to be the face of Coco Cocoon. The French actress and singer is a Chanel-front-row-and-advertising-campaign regular.

The new ads, shot by the Kaiser himself, show a beanie-wearing Paradis hugging various Coco Cocoon bags, which appear as soft and comfy as pillows. She’s the perfect égérie for this easy-to-carry collection set to become a house classic.

coco-cocoon.chanel.com

Words and images Lucie Goulet  Campaign images Chanel

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• Collecting Uncirculated Coins and Proof Coins The unique thing about coin collections is that there is a myriad of different ways to start a coin collection,...

AFTER TWO SEASONS SHOWING DURING FASHION EAST, SCOTTISH WOMENSWEAR AND JEWELLERY DESIGNER HOLLY FULTON IS NOW FLYING SOLO. SHE’S HAD A ROLLERCOASTER YEAR SO FAR, WINNING YOUNG DESIGNER OF THE YEAR AT THE SCOTTISH FASHION AWARDS AND SCOOPING THE ELLE STYLE AWARD FOR NEW DESIGNER.  AFTER A STINT AT LANVIN, A MASTER FROM THE ROYAL COLLAGE OF ART AND A COLLABORATION WITH SWAROVSKI, HOLLY’S RECENT DESIGNS NEEDED TO BE YET ANOTHER STEP UP AND SHE’S MANAGED IT. AGENT2’S NATALIE DAVIES ASKS HOLLY FULTON HOW SHE HAS FOUND HER RAPID ROCKET TO SUCCESS SO FAR.

You’ve come on leaps and bounds in the last few years after winning the Scottish Designer of the Year award and your coveted Fashion East runway shows. How do you feel looking back on everything?

Bloody lucky! And privileged to have met the people who have worked with and helped me along the way.

Who or what have been your main inspirations?

I have always tried to go with my own feeling of what I would want to wear at that time. I suppose I am quite selfish when designing. Big inspirations are art deco; Pop Art,  particularly the work of Eduardo Paolozzi; outsider art like Henry Darger for its surreal, intense qualities; aboriginal art; Jakob Bengel and Jean Despres jewellery. I am a shocking hoarder and collect many things including 60s clocks, Swedish glass, books of any sort and objects shaped like hands – all these things provide a constant source of inspiration.

What was it like working at Lanvin?

I learnt a lot about myself and what I am capable of as a person and a designer. Designing across womenswear and accessories gave me an insight into my own design style and how it had a place in the fashion system.

Do you prefer designing  jewellery or clothes?

Both! The two are inextricably linked for me. I find it impossible to sit down and design a collection without considering all aspects. My ethos is very much rooted in the creation of a total look, partly because I love a top to toe aesthetic and also because it offers several different access points to buy into and makes it more accessible. You might not be able to afford the crystal dress but you can get the earrings. I want people to be able to wear my collections.

What was it like working with Swarovski for your crystallised range last year?

Wonderful. I have a very strong relationship with Swarovski. They never tell me anything is impossible and have supported my career throughout. The establishment of good, enjoyable working practices and relationships is key to what I do and believe in. Everyone in the process should enjoy the experience.

Why did you incorporate NYC skylines into your designs last year?

I love strong, graphic lines. The NYC skyline, with its deco references, is a testimony to this. Also I desperately wanted to go back to NYC as it had been several years since my last trip. The collection includes graphics reflecting my desire.

Which are your favourite pieces from this season?

I always enjoy working on the crystal pieces. I am particularly fond of the snakeskin dress with perspex and crystal neckline detail. The pure volt of colour you get from it excites me.

What is the inspiration behind the autumn/winter 2010 collection?

It is based on a pissed off woman left waiting Gare Du Nord in Paris for her lover. She is not too pleased but he is too hot for her to give up, so she waits. She wants to look like she’s made a bit of an effort but not too much. The cognacs she’s had to stave off the cold had made her a bit blasée, kind of glam but not too much. A sort of contemporary Doctor Zhivago with a twist of cinema du look from the ‘80s.

What can be expected for spring/summer 2011?

More repeat print, new textures, garments that are a true synthesis of texture, surface and form. The collection will include several new directions and offer a complete wardrobe for contemporary surface freaks.

As a former “up and coming” designer who do you think are ones to watch out for this year?

I’m always enjoying the mad shoe styles of Atlanta Weller, who has collaborated with House of Holland, and the lux, bonkers knits of Craig Lawrence. As for forthcoming talents, watch out for Timothy James Andrews!  Knitting never looked so good.

hollyfulton.com

Words Natalie Davies

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WITH A CURIOSITY FOR FENCING AND THE FEMININE FORM, LOUIS- CHRISTIAN PENDEGRASS HAS NOT EVEN BEEN OUT OF UNIVERSITY FOR A YEAR AND HE IS ALREADY MAKING WAVES IN THE FASHION WORLD. AGENT2 MAGAZINE’S JENNIFER BUTLER FINDS OUT HOW MENSWEAR HAS INSPIRED HIS SILHOUETTES AND HOW HIS JOURNALIST MOTHER CARVED HIS LOVE OF FASHION.

How did it feel to work at Mulberry and what did you learn from the experience?

I worked at Mulberry for a school internship program. It was such an eye opener as it was my first step into a professional working environment. I worked alongside the ready-to-wear technicians and the head designer for men’s and womenswear. I was taken out for research trips across London to markets and vintage stores; I also got the chance to sit in on the private view of the new collection, liaising with the buyers and press. It was terribly exciting for a 14 year old. The experience taught me how a large international company operates, how the team correspond and what each of the steps was to putting together a collection, not only of garments but accessories.

Your collection could almost be described as menswear for women. What inspired you to create the streamline shapes we see in your collection?

I am very inspired in my work by menswear silhouettes.  I’m tired of the typical 80’s ideal of womenswear, the idea that women had to look stuffy and boxy to gain respect; this is why I wanted to create a collection which used both strong lines while always accentuating the female form. I paid close attention to the streaming continuity of line which moves through a women’s body, from the circular balls of a shoulder to the square lines of the pelvis. The collection was initially inspired by fencing. Sport is such an elegant form of expression, which represented chivalry and honour, so I wanted to incorporate different aspects of this into my garments. I went to a few lessons and was inspired by the blade clashes and scores. This led me to research into artists who use cutting as a painting method. I came across Lucio Fontana who used a sword to slice open raw canvases at different angles, thus creating a piece of art which is completely organic in its creation. The slashes on the shoulder and down the centre back of my pieces represent deep blade scores; I decided to encrust them with crystals to give the impression of bleeding jewels from a wound.  The 3D aspects to my work were inspired by an artist called Giacomo Balla. Balla made steel formations in the 1900’s. The shapes he used were very precise and clean, but I wanted to keep the shapes in my pieces organic, so I developed my own from origami patterns, which evolved into what you see in my collection.

What inspired you to become a designer?

I don’t think there was any one thing which inspired me to become a designer; it’s just a natural interest, just like any other hobby. I was drawn to womenswear through film and theatre, it was far more interesting to me than any other normal little boy hobbies like sports, therefore my mother encouraged my interest with fashion books and trips to exhibitions, this developed into a strong passion as my knowledge and awareness grew and once I knew I could make a career out of it, I ran with it.

You are quite fresh out of university, how did the experience of going to university influence your clothing line?

University was a life changing experience. It’s not only a place to grow as a person and develop technical skills, it’s also an environment where one gets the opportunity to experiment with so many different methods and styles, allowing you to discover and then hone your personal tastes and signature look, within your work. My design ‘handwriting’ evolved throughout university, yet, just like any taught subject, once you’re in the driving seat on your own, with the absence of instruction, you learn far more.

What are the aspirations for your next collection? Is your dream to eventually showcase at London Fashion Week?

My next collection aspirations are to develop, once again, a small capsule collection, this time perhaps not displayed on a catwalk but in a showroom with look books full of clean, contemporary imagery. The next collection is far more focused on the female form than before. There is much attention paid to print and bold lines, accentuating a sexier and cleaner physique, its highly wearable concept fashion, which is always what a designer strives to provide. Creativity and fantasy yet can be worn in various environments with ease. I do have dreams of showing on schedule at London Fashion Week eventually, but for now I want to experience as much as I can within this industry, before I properly start my own business. Working for different designers I feel is so vital to another creative’s professional education. Seeing how others conduct their work and learning different methods is a challenging and exciting opportunity. Perhaps New York is my next station stop; I would love to see the change in work ethic is over there, it is probably a lot faster over there.

Hemyca produces quite futuristic designs. How has working with them sculpted your collection?

Working for the Hemyca designers truly was an eye opening experience. They have a finely tuned signature look, which is strong and sexy yet very feminine and so considerate. The head designers also borrow inspiration from menswear silhouettes and styles yet construct the designs into beautiful pieces a woman can be proud to be seen in. We worked very well together as I understand the vision Helen and Myra (chief co-designers) have, It was so exciting working on their catwalk collections as the patterns always incorporated folded, 3D almost origami like structures, this helped my imagination when designing my own collection, it gave me the chance to push my ideas further as I knew what could be created and produced on a piece of clothing.

How has your upbringing shaped the way you think about clothes?

My family is very artistic and creative. My mother is a journalist, she used to edit a magazine called Menswear, sister to today’s Drapers, in the 70’s/80’s and also was fashion editor and a stylist on a magazine called Love Affair, therefore spending her working week with designers, stylists, editors and the rest, she had a strong eye for style and well cut clothing. When I was a child she noticed my lack of interest in sports and other typical boy orientated hobbies and pushed my interest in costume and fashion, she bought me books on Versace, Dior and my first Vogue. I would make clothes for dolls and keep files of small patterns and sketches. My great aunts on my mother’s side were also in the rag trade, having spent most of their working life as chief designers and pattern cutters for Edward Molyneux, it was obvious to my parents at a young age that I would want to work in the creative arts and fashion.

You obviously have a strong understanding of the female form, why is this so important in your designs?

Having an understanding for the female form is terribly important, as, put simply, your creating something for a woman. A woman is a strong, sensitive, creative and beautiful creature and to design is not just making something to cover a naked body, it’s to make the most of every natural curve and feature of the female form. Whereas I used to find the idea of a model wearing one of my designs on the catwalk the most exciting idea, I now want to see someone real in my designs. When a woman chooses one of my pieces and wants to wear it out and about town, that’s when the real excitement comes for me.

What is your proudest moment so far in your career?

My proudest moments so far would be an amalgamation of all the interest my graduate collection has received. My garments have been all over London in countless photo shoots, magazines and campaigns, I still can’t believe that it generates so much attention after this many months, it’s a fabulous experience receiving admiration from others for something so close to your heart.

What celebrities wear your clothing and who would you like to see wear them in the future?

No celebrities have as yet worn any of my designs, never say never though. The kind of woman I want to dress is someone who represents true talent and aspiration. The concept of fame and celebrity has evolved into something rather repulsive these days, so I wouldn’t want to endorse anything other than hard work and dedication, as that is what it will take to truly make a career worth having for myself and any other future creative’s in this business.

Words Jennifer Butler

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FASHION BLOGGING IS TAKING OVER AND ZANA BAYNE KNOWS IT.

The 21-year-old fashionista, originally from San Francisco, is currently making the most of the New York fashion scene while living in Brooklyn. With a pile of wild curls on her head and painfully cool ensembles customised within an inch of their lives, Zana epitomises Eastside couture.

Zana runs well-read fashion blog Garbage Dress . The blog was born in 2008. On it, she posts pictures of herself dressed head to toe in designer apparel and some of her own designs, also made under the name Garbage Dress.

Like many other up-and-coming bloggers, people want to know what is coming next from Zana, giving her a massive following in the online fashion world. She said, “I’ve always focused on sharing original content that directly reflects my life and point of view, which means I post about everything from a great party to what shoes I’m wearing to an egg sandwich in Paris. Its a direct lens into my life, probably the closest to “walking in someone’s shoes”.

Fashion blogging has been on the rise for the past few years, with well-known bloggers using their online ramblings to showcase their sartorial knowledge to literally anyone who logs on. Zana landed a job at Lurve magazine last year due to the fashion know-how she shows on her blog. “I view Garbage Dress as an online portfolio of sorts, Lurve found me through it. It has been and continues to be one of the most challenging, inspiring, and ultimately rewarding experiences.”

Zana commented on the importance of a blog to an aspiring stylist or journalist, “ I think that networking is the most important tool to master. A blog is good, but so is actual work experience and getting to know your field of choice.”

Zana’s success through her blog not only lies with her job at Lurve but with her accessories range Garbage Dress. The free publicity of her blog is helping her new project.The accessories vary from belts to harnesses and have found their way to A-lister’s wardrobes. Katy Perry was spotted wearing one of Zana’s harnesses at Coachella, Zana proudly published a photo of on her blog with the ecstatic “YES that really is Katy Perry wearing a Garbage Dress harness!”

With her blog still in full flow, a collaboration with Pleasure Principle for her leather accessories and her position at Lurve magazine constantly evolving, it seems Zana Bayne has a lot on her plate. And she is loving it!

Words Natalie Davies

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“FOR THE LAST 160 YEARS IN THE NETHERLANDS, VLISCO HAS DEDICATED ITSELF TO CREATING HIGHLY DESIRED TEXTILES THAT HAVE BECOME PART OF THE VIBRANT CULTURE OF WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA. VLISCO WAX HOLLANDAISE HAS BECOME A PHENOMENON IN ITS OWN RIGHT. THESE IMPORTED PRODUCT DESIGNS HAVE CONSISTENTLY SURPRISED AND INSPIRED THEIR PASSIONATE AND CRITICAL AUDIENCE, THROUGH THE GENERATIONS. VLISCO’S CRAFTSMANSHIP IS SECOND TO NONE, BOTH IN LOOK AND IN QUALITY. FROM THE BEGINNING, VLISCO HAS CREATED EXCITING AND EXPRESSIVE TEXTILES, WHICH NEVER USE ‘CLICHÉ AFRICAN’ IMAGERY. THIS HAS ENSURED THAT VLISCO HAS NO EQUAL IN THIS MARKET.” © VLISCO 2008-2010

Vlisco – original name; PF van Vlissingen & Co. – was founded in 1846 in Helmand, a town in the South of the Netherlands by Pieter Fentener van Vlissingen. His modest vision was to sell hand printed fabrics at home and eventually expand to exporting a few abroad. So how did a company in a small town in the Netherlands become the major supplier of quintessentially ‘African fabrics’?

To answer that question the ‘C’ word rears its ugly head. Colonialism, that is. In the 1590s, the Dutch began to assert their sea-faring might; trading with the Portuguese on their way to Brazil (eventually declaring a section of South America – present day Suriname – for their own), claiming parts of coastal West Africa as a Dutch colony (the Dutch Gold Coast, from the Dutch Nederlandse Goudkust) and once that was done, looked towards the Indian Ocean and the source of the lucrative spice trade. The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC in Dutch) was set up in the early seventeenth century to maximise Dutch trade interests in the Malay Archipelago. By 1700, a colonial pattern was well established.

In the East Indies the Dutch traders discovered beautiful Indonesian patterned and dyed fabrics, that the Javanese called Batik. Fabrics were created by complex techniques that are now called wax-resist dying. Melted wax (Javanese: malam) is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. The wax will hold to the fabric and wherever the wax has seeped through, the dye will not penetrate. Several colours are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps. The Dutch imported them back to Europe where the technique was modified by Vlisco.

Using two deep engraved copper rollers, with the mirror image of the design, the two sides of the cotton fabric were printed with a pattern of melted wax. After the dying stages, a negative image of the printed pattern remained on the cloth. It was then ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax (although nowadays it’s dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax) and the deep, rich colours and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its character were revealed.

During the 1850s, Vlisco started to export hand printed batiks back to the people in the colony of the Dutch East Indies. As the Dutch had become deeply embroiled in colonial warfare between 1837 and 1872, they enlisted soldiers from their West African territories to serve in the East Indies. Africans also took to the fabrics and brought them back when they returned home. It was greatly admired for the eastern designs and unique crackling effect. By 1876 when Vlisco started shipping products to Africa ‘Eastern batik’ already had been known for a considerable time and had become increasingly popular. Vlisco now had an African clientele.

At the beginning of the 1900s, Vlisco in the Netherlands met tough competition from Indonesian printers after the invention of the tjap (Javanese for ‘stamp’) which lowered production prices. Furthermore the government in the Dutch East Indies tried to protect the local industry by charging high import duty. Africa gradually became the exclusive market for Dutch batik. The designs were adapted to suit African tastes and the demand for it grew. Central and West Africa in particular embraced the fabrics, integrating them into the local culture.

1932 saw the first visit by a Vlisco director to their clientele in West Africa and since then have not looked back. In 1981 Vlisco ceased printing fabrics for European markets. This isn’t to say that Vlisco is only sold in Africa – where ever in the world African communities exist, so Vlisco exists.

On 15^th December 1993 the last hand stamped fabric was produced, but the machines that now implement the intricate wax printing process result in unique effects. In fact, not one single centimetre of fabric is identical to the other! Vlisco’s ethos is that in a constantly changing world of consumer preference, they are committed to remaining at the forefront of African fashion. And so in keeping with this, a new collection of fabrics is launched every quarter, featuring a specific theme in which international trends in a variety of areas are translated into distinctive Vlisco designs.

Twenty-first century customers – who often have their clothing made by a personal tailor, in the same way that they did when Vlisco first emerged on the scene – can take inspiration from the quarterly fashion and accessories collections launched at the Vlisco boutiques in Africa (Lomé, Togo; Cotonou, Benin; Calabar, Nigeria; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; De Kinshasa C/ Gomble, Democratic Republic of Congo). Whether buying by the yard or ready to wear, continuous updates in design mean that women can clothe themselves in Vlisco from head to.toe.

vlisco.com

Words Almaz Ohene

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ACCORDING TO THE PRESS RELEASE FOR RACHEL FREIRE’S A/W 2010/2011 COLELCTION, HER DESIGNS ARE ‘IMPECCABLY ORNATE, ABSTRACT AND UNQUESTIONABLY UNIQUE’. FOR THOSE FAMILIAR WITH HER DESIGNS, THIS IS A FAIR APPROXIMATION. FREIRE HAS BUILT UP A REPUTATION FOR HER UNUSUAL AND AVANT-GARDE DESIGNS AMONGST THE FASHION BLOGGING COMMUNITY. THE CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS GRADUATE MAY HAVE ONLY FINISHED HER COURSE IN 2006 BUT SHE HAS ALREADY FEATURED IN SOME OF THE MOST RESPECTED FASHION PUBLICATIONS IN THE WORLD, COUNTING SHOOTS IN ANOTHER MAGAZINE, DAZED AND CONFUSED,  ZINK AND SUBLIME TO HER NAME. WHAT’S ALL THE MORE SURPRISING IS THAT FREIRE NEVER STUDIED FASHION- RATHER HER INSPIRATION COMES FROM A LOVE OF HISTORICAL COSTUMES WHICH HAS TRANSLATED INTO HER EDGY DESIGNS.

AGENT2’s Fashion Director Kay Weston talks to her about her unconventional approach to fashion…

Are you surprised at how quickly your career took off after your debut collection in 2009?

The response to my work was really exciting, as until recently had no support behind me in terms of publicity so it happened of its own accord. Working in fashion was something I had initially wanted to do from a young age, but for various reasons, had avoided. It was just a continuation of my existing work in a new arena. Its great how the work has been received. It suggests people are looking for something more interesting and challenging in how they present themselves, as my work is hardly conventional.

Why did you decide to turn down a place studying fashion at CSM in favour of doing costume?

I actually studied Design for Performance, not costume specifically. I decided I was more interested in the psychological aspects of how people perceive dress. Making clothes and developing their design is something I can do on my own time, and would anyway. It’s what I am concentrating on now. For me, the fascination with colour, shape and form and how they exist in space to affect both the viewer and the wearer was very much more interesting.

Can you tell me a bit more about your new collection?

For me, it is intending to stylistically combine my most decadent work with wearable pieces. One thing in my work that I am seeking to refine is making clothes as wearable as possible while still keeping their theatricality. I decided this could be done with combinations of pieces rather than making everything more wearable. I love functionality and decadence equally. I’m the most impractical and practical person in equal measure, and I find it interesting that people see my work as highly editorial. I’d cycle ten miles in it in the rain in five inch heels. I do. I want you to as well.

You once described your designs as ‘Period drama meets Bladerunner’. Do you consciously try to combine the two elements in the design process?

That was more of an offhand statement which cut and pasted itself around the internet. It is simply a reference to two time-based influences I like to combine on a regular basis. It could have as easily been The Wild West and The Matrix, Tank Girl and Tudor. I chose those because they feel quite peaceful. I only have two settings really, past and future, where we’ve been and where we’re going. In different increments, depending on my mood.

Is it difficult for you to find inspiration when designing? And do you feel pressure to always come up with completely new designs and move away from what you¹ve done before?

My head is so full of things I don’t usually have a problem. Most of my work builds on past pieces. Usually I find as soon as I’ve made something, especially once I’ve shot it, I then see exactly what I wanted to do in a different light and go about creating that next. Apparently there are these things called trends, and they subconsciously influence us all, like it or
not, but my work comes from whatever fantasy world my head is currently stuck in.

Where do you find materials? You used a reflective fabric that came alive under camera flashes and have also experimented with other unconventional materials…

I love materials which play with your perceptions. I’m big on play value. I use reflective material primarily as I am an obsessive cyclist and most high-vis clothing is boring! I have a thing for UV as it’s not just about day-glo, which I hate. Maybe we’ll do that next. I love plastics and metal as I think they are materials which are much more wearable than is often
expected. I like to use hardy materials which will last forever and incredibly delicate ones which will rot away as I love things to deconstruct themselves and show the passage of time like a lifespan.

Do you think it’s more difficult for avant-garde designers to persuade stores to carry their designs?

I think it’s about choosing the right stores.

Do you think the recession has stifled creativity?

Designers were definitely more cautious this season on the catwalk. The most avant-garde designers were selling much more wearable pieces than I would have expected. I think people are much more open to how they view clothing at the moment and are looking for more special and interesting things to invest in, so hopefully even though we are selling less, the standard of work can stay high and inspiring. God willing, Primark will go broke…

What do you think of celebrities launching their own collections? Can celebrities be credible designers?

It’s interesting. I can’t wait for the celebrity bubble to burst. Regardless of status, some people are capable, some are not. The celebrity culture has removed the need to differentiate between this, and if people are stupid enough to buy things on those terms, more fool them. That’s marketing, and has nothing to do with design or credibility

You designed for N-Dubz. How did that come about?

Through another designer/art director I work with who is so similar to me in many ways, but the absolute opposite in design terms! I loved the idea of working with someone so far from my usual design aesthetic. Having worked in theatre, I have found myself presented with such a diverse range of themes, I thought it would be great to bring that into my fashion work also. They were a blast, I’m not sure if they loved or hated me, but it keeps life interesting.

You showed at Fashion Week in February. How was that? And do you ever worry about the reaction to your designs from the media?

In the past I’ve been somewhat more cautious to present my work in a way I think is more accessible to the media. Not to change it in any way, but just to tone it down a little. This time I decided to just do exactly what I wanted. And it’s paid off beautifully. Good lesson learned! I think there is so much more to be said for being true to what you want to do, and now I have a good excuse to stick to this principle.

Where can you see the Rachel Freire label going in the future, creatively?

I want to ensure I keep the costume side of my work going strong. I want to spilt the label into a couture, costume based specific design company and also maintain a label which makes it accessible to more people. My original intent in launching last February was to create for people who either could not afford custom work or who are intimidated by the idea of commissioning work, which is surprisingly common. Also, I think people like to go shopping (smiles). Personally it’s not something I am into.

rachelfreire.com

Words Kay Weston (thefashionistahasspoken)  Images by Grant Thomas

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WOUTER BAARTMANS AND AMBER SIEGEL ARE A DUO LAUNCHING THEIR FIRST EVER COLLECTION TOGETHER, OIL BIRDS. IT’S A HIGH-END LUXURY AFFAIR WHERE CLASSIC FINE TAILORING MEETS EXTRA-SENSORY CUTTING-EDGE GARMENTS THAT BOLDLY INCORPORATE EXTREME TACTILE TEXTURING TO CREATE A “MODERN TRADITIONAL” LOOK, WHERE THE DEVIL’S ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS. AGENT2’S ALEX JACKSON GETS ALL TOUCHY-FEELY TO DISCUSS INTELLIGENT DESIGN, REAL FUR AND  MEN WITH PANACHE…

What made the two of you come together to form as a duo?

Amber Siegel (AS): We met when we were at Viktor & Rolf together and we’ve been working progressively together since. Technically, we had to separate for our graduation collections and that was a strange process! Actually being together, working together is far more normal.

So, really, setting up as Baartmans and Siegel is rubberstamping the natural state for you both as designers?

AS: We very much guide each other out of our comfort zones. Wouter is more structural and traditional; I’m slightly more avant-garde. In the middle we find what we see as a beautiful garment or collection. So you know, we have a lot of common ground but different comfort zones that we try and rhyme to.

Wouter Baartmans (WB): Amber asks me to go more crazy and I can calm her down. It’s a totally mutually-beneficial relationship.

Is there any particular piece in the new Oil Birds collection that really embodies that working relationship you guys have, where you kept reining each other in?

WB: I think maybe this [brings out an eye-catching aubergine-coloured coat with an incredibly intricate detailing to the fabric – see image] .I came with the more traditional shape in mind and Amber added her more flamboyant touch.

AS: The shape is very classical and it has traditional elements like horn buttons and working pockets inside the linings. It’s very accessible but at the same time it’s more a showpiece because of the extreme nature of the fabric: a synthetic fibre with a wax coating that has a back-ruffle.

WB: It gets pressed flat in different directions and then waxed, catching the light. And this fabric also really tells Amber’s story behind the collection.

AS: Yes, the starting point for Oil Birds was to look at an environment where birds are disconnected from their usual state of beauty and transformed by chemical collision – when birds are affected by oil spills. So the collection explores that interaction between wet, matt, shine and that silent submergence of texture.

That’s exactly it! It’s that look of those poor birds’ feathers when they’re pulled out of slicks – but made beautiful.

WB: We didn’t really want to use feathers for the Oil Birds collections, we wanted to use different fabrics but still achieve that bird feel.

AS: We very much start with very visual themes – as opposed to concepts – and build upon that. Often it’s something quite animalistic, or literal, that has lots of visual references. Looking for silent beauty in a dark subject in Oil Birds was an interesting investigation that allowed for diverse fabric research and trials.

So, what’s the quintessential Baartmans and Siegel look?

AS: We’re always going to be nostalgic for the 1930s – that heyday of formal menswear, of dressing for an occasion, of ensemble pieces, and that sense of pride in men’s aesthetic.

WB: I feel that that’s been totally lost but is coming back, slowly. Men took as much time and pride in dressing themselves as women did back then.

AS: We want to return to a sense of investing in one piece that will integrate and interact with other items in a wardrobe and that can be returned to season after season. Sometimes we have what might be called occasion pieces, but really, they can be interchanged and will interact and simply become very wearable. That’s what we’re all about.

You once said in an interview that you strive to be “modern traditionalists”?

WB: I always try to honour the rules of traditional menswear and really stick with them, but then try and execute it in something that is more modern.

AS: There are very clear rules in menswear in terms of what will be successful or unsuccessful. It’s not like womenswear where every season you’re always looking to reinvent something. In menswear there’s much more of a touchstone that you refer to and that is a huge comfort to us and we enjoy designing around that.

Does that allow you a greater creative challenge?

AS: Certainly it allows for more creativity around detailing. Especially with Wouter’s approach: creating intelligent design and intelligent detailing and attempting to build that interactive relationship where consumers do notice all the internal aspects, as well as the more general external ones. It’s always in the very forefront of his mind. Then I’ll often work on the superficial surface area.

WB: Ha! I think Amber is really gets more interested in the womenswear aspects – the shiny bits!

AS: Actually we’re both quite like magpies who love shiny things. We both appreciate the craft element of luxury goods and items – bespoke furniture, leatherwear, whatever. Anything that’s traditionally very customer-orientated, that really have the customer in mind and a purpose in life that is always clear and part of the beauty of it as a product.

WB: Yeah, if we could we’d like really to build a whole menswear world, complete with everything from suitcases to shoes!

So Oil Birds continues the emphasis on detailing that previous work had?

AS: Definitely. We love bringing the internal details of traditional menswear into the external realm – our collar-stays are engraved and pockets can be embroidered with initials, that kind of thing. It helps bring identity to a garment.

Highly tactile, touchable materials are also everywhere in your pieces. Why this emphasis on interactivity?

WB: I think it’s because we don’t really go too crazy on the actual shape of our garments, so we would like the fabric to do the talking.

AS: Interaction between wearer and garment is an important, immediate, connection. It takes consumer’s quite a lot, these days, to part with a substantial amount of money, and you really want the consumer to feel connected. That’s part of our design process, literally feeling a bond with the garment. It’s all part of our experimenting with a more female-thinking approach to menswear.

Your knitted jumpers are a really good example of that; the elemental aspect seems feminine but the overall garment retains its masculinity.

WB: Well, some of the garments by themselves do have this women’s detailing…

AS:…and finish, a couture practice brought to the menswear…

WB: … the whole picture though, the whole outfit, has a very strong look, very masculine. It works well. Individually though, yeah, you can tell that we are inspired by women’s things.

Your designs quite often incorporate real fur, I guess you’d see that as crucial to implementing that feminine-inspired tactility in your designs?

WB: We aspire to be a brand that has an emphasis on luxury, craftsmanship, innovation and tradition.

AS: We take great care in our fabric selections and always endeavor to source the highest quality fabrics, trims and hardware to deliver quality garments that compliment the considered design. Fur, like leather and suede, is synonymous with luxury, quality, durability and tradition – a consumer would expect all of these qualities in our products.

WB: But of course, buying a product with fur is a decision that each individual consumer must make for themselves and it is an item that’s not right for everyone, but we decided to work with the reputable and prestigious Dutch company FurLab, whose fur is all responsibly sourced and bred in the Netherlands. It was a natural progression for the Oil Birds collection to use fur, as it very directly references animal textures. We do not use synthetic fabrics in the rest of our garments and so felt that faux-fur was would not be in-keeping with our design ethos.

How do you feel about the current state of men’s fashion generally?

AS: It’s interesting. Consumers are more educated and discerning and increasingly people are recognising the importance and place for new menswear. Companies are considering menswear branding just as importantly women’s and trying to create links between the two. Plus, the Brits are big champions of home-grown talent and that’s really important. Even among this generation I believe there is that connection to a tradition of English creation and tailoring.

WB: For sure. I wouldn’t be able to bring a collection like this to the Netherlands. This would be step too far; no one would wear this. In London people like to reconnect with tradition.

AS: There’s that suave, debonair, extravert British quality that I think our fashion schools still channel at least an understanding of. So I think this is a good moment for us to be breaking through. But we feel menswear needs some new role models, guys who will dress with real panache!

Ok, so if you could choose anyone, who would you pick out of the air right now to show off your garments, who fits your ideal?

AS: Actually we were chatting about this just the other day

WB: Yeah and Amber would totally go for her idols!

AS: Well, what I would say is that a huge inspiration for us, though it is a bit of a cliché, is someone like Cary Grant – that kind of a ‘dated’ figure.

WB: For me it would be Paul Newman – but [to Amber] these are just childhood movie idols!

AS: Okay, okay. But it’s hard to find a very distinctive Hollywood kind of figure, of this generation, that has that sense of longevity.

WB: Who would you see wearing it, someone contemporary?

Hang on, I’m meant to be the one asking the questions here! Erm, well I see Vincent Cassel looking pretty good in some of these pieces.

WB: I was just thinking of him! Oh definitely! We’d go with that, he’s so cool.

AS: And gritty too. When we choose models we do tend to go with the Parisian, European philosophy as opposed to the more American, bulky, angular look. We like moody, stormy, filmic looks. We certainly envision the more gritty man in our clothes.

So there you have it- just a small insight into the weird and wonderful world of Wouter Baartmans and Amber Siegel. This is mostly definitely menswear for the unconventional.

Words Alex Jackson

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INSPIRED BY HIGH-END ALTERNATIVE FASHION, GLAM ROCK AND HER SWEDISH ROOTS, LENA QUIST IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON HER FIRST EVER HIGH-FASHION COLLECTION. WITH HIGH HOPES OF SEEING IT ON THE RED CARPET IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AGENT2 MAGAZINE’S JENNIFER BUTLER DISCOVERS THE IMPORTANCE OF STANDING OUT IN A CROWD, LENA’S LOVE/HATE AFFAIR WITH SPANDEX AND WHY SHE IS THE ANTITHESIS OF A TYPICAL SWEDISH DESIGNER.

Where do you get your inspiration from? I understand that 80′s music is something you are passionate about…

The kind of clothes I make always come from somewhere different; I can find inspiration in pretty much anything. But as you said, music inspires me a lot. Mainly music from the 80′s era is the inspiration for my clothing line. I love Kiss, Madonna and Michael Jackson.

What kind of customers do you get and how do you want your clientele to adapt in the future?

Most of my customers are glam rockers, both girls and guys. I get requests for clothes from a lot of musicians and models. It’s people who want to and need to stand out and be memorable. Since I want to make it in high fashion I’m hoping for more fashionistas, magazine people and celebrities.

Which designers do you get your influences from?

I try not to look too much at what other designers do to get inspiration, that’s when you tend to lose your own style, but I always check out the runway reports and the new collections as soon as they’re out. My favourites are pretty much always the same; Marchesa, Alexander McQueen (RIP), Betsey Johnson, Versace. I really like sexy, edgy and glamorous outfits, just like my own designs.

Your collection has moved further into the higher end of fashion, towards couture. Why did you decide to do this?

As much as I love the rock’ n’ roll spandex stuff, the thing I’ve always wanted to do is red carpet gowns and cocktail dresses, so I guess you can say it’s just me living my dream. As an alternative designer you can only reach a certain level and I wanted more than that, so the step into high fashion came naturally.

Are there any celebrities that wear your clothes?

Not like A-list Hollywood celebs, at least not yet. This new couture collection is going to a style house in L.A. so hopefully it’s just a matter of time. Besides that I’ve got some cool rock bands wearing the designs on stage and in music videos, and in the glam-rock subculture they’re big names.

Spandex is not an easy fabric to wear, what made you choose to use it so much in your collection and why do you love it?

That’s true (laughs), but the reason why I chose spandex was mainly because that was what I was missing myself when I, as a glam rock chick in the early 20′s, went out shopping. The kind of spandex in the shops that I found were just bad fitting and low quality, so I simply started to make cool, well fitted, high quality spandex wear and that’s what my customers have continued to ask for. My relationship to spandex is really a love/hate affair. I love it because it can look really hot on the right person and it’s a very pleasing material to work with, but at the same time I can really hate making all those pants. It’s totally uninspiring and doesn’t feel creative at all.

How has coming from Sweden influenced your collection?

Well, I’m pretty much the opposite of the typical Swedish designer. I would never wear jeans and a T-shirt. I love glamour; sequins, studs, feathers and animal prints. I prefer a tight fitting garment before loose fitting clothes. So my collections are pretty much a reaction against the typical Swedish fashion.

Where do you see your collection going next?

Starting with this spring collection, I will make the high fashion line more exclusive. I want to make the high fashion line in beautiful silk fabrics. The Classics line will be inspired by the high fashion collection and but will be similar garments in stretch fabrics. I want them to be cheaper to buy and easier to wear, without walking the red carpet.

Have you any regrets so far in your designing career?

I don’t believe in having regrets. Of course there are things I could have done differently, but instead of having regrets it’s better to try to learn from the mistake you made.

What have the highlights been?

The highlights have been all my shows and all the great people I’ve got to know through my job. I meet so many talented people and that’s inspired me a lot.

How would you like to develop your runway shows, will you be doing London Fashion Week at any point?

London Fashion Week is my long term goal. I know a lot of people who want to see me there and I was hoping to start showing LFW this fall. But I need to be more realistic and wait until at least next spring. Because of all the changes I’ve made to the brand there are other things I need to focus on and other things I must get straight first. I have to be organised before getting on with such a huge thing as a fashion week show.

lenaquist.com

Words Jennifer Butler

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COCA-COLA HAVE HAD A RUN OF COOL, FASHION RELATED COLLABORATIONS OVER RECENT YEARS WITH NAMES SUCH AS PATRICIA FIELD, MATTHEW WILLIAMSON AND PHOTOGRAPHER RANKIN.  NOW THE GODFATHER OF FASHION, KARL LAGERFELD PUTS SOME STYLISH FIZZ IN THE ICONIC BOTTLE WITH A TASTEFUL TINKERING OF HIS OWN.

We have to say at AGENT2 Magazine that this definitely tops the previous efforts and we are sure it won’t be beaten for quite some time.

As to be expected, Karl is front and centre in this simplistic overhaul with his silhouette featured on the striking white bottle.  The Coca-Cola bottle comes with a limited edition box and a beautifully paired bottle-opener hidden discreetly away in a drawer.

The accompanying advertising campaign was shot by Lagerfeld himself.  It features Coca Rocha sipping on Coca-Cola light as the hottest waiter we are yet to come across, Baptiste Giacobini serves from the bottle.  In typical Lagerfeld style, Rocha is dressed in black and white with fingerless gloves to perfectly finish.

The bottle is priced at €3.50 and the boxed set a snip at €60.00.  Both are available at Colette and we at AGENT2 want, want, want, want, need to get our hands on one!

Words Graham Gartside

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THINGS ARE NEVER QUITE WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE- THAT’S HOW TIFFANY GONG AND CHRISTINA RODRIGUEZ, THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CULT NEW YORK JEWELLERY LINE TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA, DESCRIBE THEIR WARES ON THEIR WEBSITE. MEANING THE FEAR OF THE NUMBER THIRTEEN, TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA EXPLORES IRRATIONALITY AND BLURS THE LINES BETWEEN REALITY AND INSANITY. CITING INFLUENCES SUCH AS THE ART WORK OF HENRY DARGER, THE PARANORMAL TV SHOW TWIN PEAKS AND THE MUSIC OF DANIEL JOHNSTON, AGENT2’S ALEX JACKSON SPOKE TO TIFFANY TO FIND OUT MORE…

So, how long have you been going as Triskaidekaphobia?

This is our second season doing Triskaidekaphobia.  We met as interns at Anna Sui and became good friends.  We were each designing jewellery separately but working together throwing parties as (DJ/party-collective) The Six Six Sick Girls.  We were working together making outfits for so long, and we knew we worked well together, so it was almost a natural decision to start a jewellery line together.

Obvious question but important: Why the name?

As I mentioned, Christina and I had already been working together promoting parties as Six Six Sick.  When we started the jewellery line, we wanted to continue on our theme of taking unlucky or “evil” numbers and embracing them.

So do either of you actually suffer from the fear of the number thirteen – any tales of weird accidents, plagues, death?

Ha! How about fire and brimstone? I didn’t have the phobia before, but I might after this recent incident: We were presenting our line at Chictopia 10 and were supposed to help throw the after party at a venue called Baddies, but a massive fire and explosion broke out in the storefront next door. The NYFD had to break down a wall in the club to get to it, and then shut the whole place down for the week.  We had to scramble last minute to find a new venue, but ended up having the party at TriBeCa Grand instead.  True story.

Wow! Well, in the light of that I’m finding myself drawn to words like, “irrationality”, “hysteria”, “dark moments,” on your website’s ‘About’ section and, frankly, I’m inclined to ask: Does trouble follow you around or something?!

Well, trouble sure has been following us around recently but I suppose our philosophy is, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Back to matters couture, how would you describe the Triskaidekaphobia look?

I guess “Grimm-Girly” is pretty dead on.  “Jolie-laid” is also a look I’m fond of.  We enjoy taking things that are typically thought of as being creepy or simply gross and turning them into something beautiful. We’re finishing up our second season now and we have to two groups:  The first is a shipwrecked theme, inspired by The Titanic, The Tempest, and Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.  The second group was inspired by the Showtime series, The Tudors, and Jim Henson’s film The Dark Crystal, all of which feature amazing jewellery.

You clearly relish the juxtaposition of having delicate, beautiful, pieces comprised of shocking and/or macabre elements, what is it about this rather playful relationship that speaks so strongly to you?

I think it’s about creating that perfect balance.  We don’t want to create pieces that are too overtly feminine, or too overtly macabre.  I think we prefer creating pieces that have built-in contradictions that make the viewer look twice – jewellery is very personal, and we try to hide small details within our design that only the wearer might know about or understand the meanings of.

There are also clashes between modern and vintage with your work- you obviously like to keep the observer on their toes. What is it about vintage jewellery that makes you want to sustain its character within your contemporary designs?

Like all designers, we’re naturally influenced by our predecessors, and are particularly drawn to some of the flourishes and details found in vintage jewellery.  At the same time, it’s still important to push things forward, and we try to reinterpret these influences from a modern perspective.  For instance, this season one of our groups was influenced both by the jewellery of The Tudor period, and by the Jim Henson film, The Dark Crystal, and its fantastical muppet creatures, The Skeksis.  So even when we are looking at historical periods, we try to give it a less traditional spin.

Congratulations! You’ve just landed Triskaidekaphobia’s dream commission but what would the piece be and who would it be for?

I think we would both say it would be an absolute dream to make anything for Daphne Guinness.  Maybe a floor-length dress out of chain?

When working as your Six Six Sick alter-egos, you and Christina regularly wear your creations, informally, in front of friends. Do you find that this is a better or a truer measure of what works and what doesn’t, than more formal exhibitions? Is it important to have such regular, intimate interaction/reaction?

Definitely.  We always make sure to get plenty of feedback from of our friends.  Many of them work in the industry or are designers themselves, and have very strong tastes and opinions.  While they’ll never be overtly negative, we can easily gauge what pieces are the best from what they like and order for themselves.  We’re very fortunate to have such a wonderful, supportive group of friends.

The first season collection was quite neck-centric; will you be exploring hands, wrists, ears, and lapels more in the future?

We try to do a little of everything, but women seem to be most concerned with adorning their necks.  We also have a fascination with rings for some reason.  We design plenty of those, even though people don’t buy them as much.  People, you really should wear more rings!

And any plans for us guys?

We’re trying!  I consider some of our teeth necklaces very unisex, and a few of our rings too.  Our male friends have definitely bought all kinds of pieces from our collection, but we find that most men gravitate towards the stick-pins, so we made a few more of those for the boys this season!

triskaidekaphobianyc.com

Words by Alex Jackson

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MORE THAN JUST THE NAME OF A BRAND- IT’S A STATE OF MIND, A WAY OF BEING.

Launched in 1999 by the Brighton based British designer Dan Sullivan, Irregular Choice has challenged everything about the way we see and wear shoes. At 15, Sullivan left home to explore the sights of London, opening his first shoe shop in Covent Garden by the age of 18. At 23, Danny closed the shop to see the world. On returning from his adventures, he had brief stints designing for Everlast and Soviet Clothing. But Sullivan saw a need for something fresh and fun, that above all else maintained imagination and originality. Informed by his travel experiences Sullivan kicked off the first Irregular Choice season with his own take on the traditional Japanese tabi (split-toe) look, which now makes an appearance in each collection to date.

Specialising in unique shapes, utilising innovative touches from the outset, such as curved Heels, bended toes and tactile textures, and bold print Sullivan lets his imagination run wild. His vision always provides a range that is lateral, individual and wearable which has meant that over the seasons Irregular Choice has carved itself a niche and inadvertently found itself a massive cult following.

In 2004 Irregular choice expanded and began a both men’s and accessories lines, which continued to push the boundaries of design. Irregular Choice currently launches over 500 pieces designed by Sullivan per season; women’ lines, men’s lines, ‘Babeez’, clothing releases, and new for S/S 2010, a women’s trainer range titled ‘ICED’. Collaborations with Hollywood design duo Heatherette, Fashion innovator Emma Bell, cult 60s doll Blythe and streetwear company Akomplice, Irregular Choice are being named ‘The Viagra of the shoe industry’.

Irregular Choice provides a niche twist on footwear staples, such as tri-colour suede boots (‘Ayre’) and edgy T-bar flats (‘Duke’). The adventurous shoe-lover might find mid-length, slouchy woollen ‘Longlashes’ boots; moccasin styled fetish pumps; soft, golden flats of all styles and whimsical printed boots and shoes for rainy weather.  Most recent collections include ‘Wicked Western’ (A/W ’09), which is a cowboy-inspired style with an Irregular Choice twist, this time in the shape of laces running up the side of the boot. Other must-haves include signature style ‘Flick Flack’ spat shoe, which is updated every season to feature bold colours and tactile textures.

But it’s in the department of heels that Irregular Choice really pulls out all the stops. ‘Wild Ride’ features a geometrically sculpted powder blue heel with a zebra pint / powder blue upper, fuchsia marbled insole and fuchsia bow tassel. Coloured leather cut-out appliqué flips the conservative court shoe on its head with ‘So Hot Right Now’ and ‘Knock on Wood’ is a vertiginous wedge shoe complete with dazzling hand painted beach scenes.

With stores across the world, the flashing lights, shooting stars, graffitied forests and spaceship rainbows of the topsy-turvy decor, and indeed merchandise, and now be experienced by all.

irregularchoice.com

Words Almaz Ohene

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AT JUST 23 YEARS OF AGE, DEJAN DESPOTOVIC HAS MANAGED TO CRAM A BEYOND-IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF ACHIEVEMENTS INTO HIS RELATIVELY SHORT LIFE. HAVING HIS OWN ACCLAIMED DESIGNER COLLECTIONS, A SUCCESSFUL STINT WORKING AS A STYLIST ON THE SERBIAN EDITION OF ELLE, WINNING NUMEROUS INDUSTRY AWARDS AND INTERNING AT GARETH PUGH AND BIBA ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THE SERBIAN DESIGNER CAN ADD TO HIS CV. NOT BAD AT ALL FOR SOMEONE WITH ONLY FOUR YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE BEHIND HIM.

But for a man whose success has been mostly down to his menswear collections, it comes as something of a surprise that Despotovic started out designing womenswear. “Well, I started with designing for women, but with time I started doing men’s clothes. It’s very interesting, and it’s not harder to be more innovative with men’s clothes. It’s very inspiring for me, because you can have your vision within it and it can be very, very avant-garde and progressive, more so than with women’s clothes.”

The fashion industry quickly began to take note of Despotovic’s creative talents. At the Nokia Awards, he scooped first prize for the Young Designers category and this was quickly followed by winning the Black and White competition at the opening of Belgrade Fashion Week in 2007. In 2006 and 2007, he was nominated for Best Young Designer at the Pantene Beauty Awards.

Despotovic’s passion for clothing is evident, and it’s clear he takes his work seriously, speaking enthusiastically about his designs. “In designing menswear, I really like to play with cuttings and forms, and to put some story into the clothes. It can get you into another world and it can look like some kind of movie scene. For me, it’s always about something romantic, but also dark and mystic.”

“Men are more fashion-conscious now than, say, five years ago,” he continues. “They started taking risks in clothing and being more adventurous which is very good, because there are a lot of designers who started doing these incredibly alternative yet wearable clothes, and men are freer to look at it and to take some elements of those designs and combine them with their own style to create something new. In the next few years I think that men will take all of these designs and wear them without saying, “Is someone going to say something bad about my style?”

But does he really think that men would be brave enough to lift looks straight from the catwalk and wear them on the streets? Is this not just a fashion car-crash waiting to happen? “Today nothing is a mistake,” he insists, “but there is a way of dressing for certain occasions. And men do know what rules there are.” Like what? “Like never wear boots that cut off under the knee. I once saw a man wearing a trench coat with sportswear too, which was little bit odd,” he recalls.

His fledgling fashion career began nine years ago, when as a textiles student, he began styling and designing for local shows which culminated in his first award, a Silver Doe at the Belgrade Fashion Fair in 2003. In 2005, he enrolled at the College for Design, Textile and Management in Belgrade to study fashion design, with his debut individual collection presented a year later in both Berlin and Belgrade.

But studying in Serbia hasn’t been without its problems, as Despotovic himself can confirm. Despite the admission that Belgrade’s fashion schools are “quite good,” lack of money and the inability to get scholarships abroad hampered his chances of trying his luck elsewhere. But he has no regrets about the way in which his career has developed: “The fashion scene (in Belgrade) is great, we have a lot of fabulous, pure fashion designers.

“I’m glad that designers from Eastern Europe have started presenting their work outside their own territories, and that they’ve started becoming really respected in the fashion world. It is harder for us, it’s true, but I believe that our talent will be seen and it has to be, because there are a lot of very talented designers and every time we present something in Paris, London or somewhere else, people are really wowed.”

Despotovic’s own designs are a mix of classic elegance and smart tailoring, complete with gothic undertones. Black is a mainstay in his collections for men and women, along with unusual cuts. Despite working with some of the biggest names in fashion- including the London-based, Austrian model-of-the-moment Florian Pessenteiner, who modelled Despotovic’s SS 09 collection- he has remained low on the fashion radar. At the time of writing, he has no official website (though one is on its way, he reassures us) and no press rep. But perhaps his imminent move to London will change things.

“My plan is to base my work in London and start showing at London Fashion Week. It will happen soon, either at the end of this year or the start of the next. I’m working on it. I’m glad I started presenting my collections in other countries though. Every collection I make is a personal success, because it’s very hard for young designers to find financial support for the collections. It’s hard, but with enough work, you can get what you want.”

Conversation turns to the fashion industry, and the recent scandals which have rocked it- starting with Mark Fast’s decision to use size 14 models in his catwalk shows last year. Would he ever send a plus-size, or even an average-size, model down the runway? “No!” is his emphatic response. “I would not. On the catwalk, never, but it’s a very brave and fantastic idea. In my designs you will always see something oversize, a sleeve or a skirt.” Does he think that weight is as much an issue for men as it is for women in the fashion industry? “Of course! That is a problem, but I think that there are a lot of shops and stores which sell XXL or bigger clothes. Fashion for slim people is changing all the time, and I don’t think that now is the right time to start changing plus-sized clothing, but there will be time…”

Just days before Despotovic is interviewed by AGENT2, news breaks of the untimely and tragic death of Alexander Lee McQueen, one of the most influential and creatively gifted designers in history. It seems only fitting to ask how Despotovic has taken the news. “I really loved Lee and he will remain the only designer who could do something which could take people’s breath away every single time…that’s real fashion. I hope that there will be someone who will keep the Alexander McQueen label the way it was before Lee died.”

Is it possible that the pressures of working in the fashion industry got too much? “When you’re such a genius like he was, it is hard to make something spectacular two times in year. It’s a very big pressure, but I think that we must be strong and creativity is something which you live, and another world, and lot of people think that fashion is just beautiful; a very nice job and way of living, but they don’t know how much pressure we have as designers. It isn’t easy to swim in a sea full of sharks, especially when you’re young designer, and today everyone wants to be designer. I think that you’ll agree with me.”

It’s certainly true that everyone wants to be a designer. Fortunately for Dejan Despotovic, he is living the dream.

dejandespotovic.com

myspace.com/dekyd

Words Kay Weston thefashionistahasspoken.blogspot.com

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INSPIRED BY THE YOUTH SHE NEVER HAD, THE WAR-TORN HOMELAND FROM WHICH SHE HAD TO FLEE AND THE HANDICRAFT HERITAGE OF HER ANCESTORS, LAMIJA SULJEVIC’S FIRST-EVER INDIVIDUAL COLLECTION IS SUITABLY NOSTALGIC, YET ALSO TOTALLY FORWARD THINKING – BECOMING OF A LADY WHO HERSELF HOPES TO ONE DAY TO FLY THE “SAFE” NEST OF STOCKHOLM FOR MORE PARISIAN CLIMES. AGENT2 MAGAZINE’S ALEX JACKSON DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HANDMADE, CHILDHOOD AND “THE NEXT STEP” WITH THIS SWEDEN-BASED UP-AND-COMER

Looking at your FW/10 pieces there seems to be quite a strong Balkan influence, a sort of Byzantine-gypsy feel – and I can’t help but notice your name and the roots it hints at. Surely not a coincidence, can you elaborate?

Well I was born in Bosnia, but had to flee to Sweden during the war in 1992 when I was five. My inspiration for this collection was very personal, I believe it was my way of dealing with everything that has happened. It almost felt like this was my time to tell my story. Also, when my mother was young she actually had this bohemian, gypsy style. I kind of inhered it from her.

Does the collection have a title?

I don’t have titles; I work with a concept instead: Making sure that my garments are something more then just clothes on a hanger. I work with more than just design and the whole process of making my clothes for example I always want to make sure that my look book gets the right feeling. For this shoot, for instance, I also made shoes in paper and jewellery out of small coins, all by hand. I want to give a feeling to my customers, to give almost a little story-my story- so that they understand my inspirations and my process.

On your website you refer to “childhood” and the “playfulness” of youth – does this refer to the story you wish to tell? Why are these things so important to reflect in your work?

As I mentioned, I didn’t have a ‘normal’ childhood. When we came to Sweden we had to start over, we had nothing – only the clothes on our backs. I became almost a grown-up at five years old; I learned and struggled with things I know most of my friends and people around my age still don’t know anything about. Ironically, this ‘lost’ childhood has followed me and will probably follow me my entire life. Maybe that’s why I focus so much on this when I work, it’s my way of finding my youth and letting myself be that little girl that’s still somewhere inside me.

So when did you realise you could rediscover this lost period through designing?

I think it started when I was around 11 years old. I studied fashion design for three years in a small town called Växjö, later specialising in pattern design and tailoring in Stockholm at the Cutting Academy. When I was 17 I started my own fashion company with a friend. But last year I decided to move on, so this is my first collection under my own name.

You only use handcrafted techniques in your work so how does this process affect/influence your work and does it hint at a personal manifesto?

I feel so much nearer my hometown, a place called Foča, when I work with handicrafts. I have so many memories and traditions that involve such techniques. It maybe sounds weird, but I love the process of making my future by going back to my past. My crocheted pieces actually have a lot to do with my grandmother. She worked with luxurious handmade crafts her entire life and I learned at a very early age to value this, my clothes are the result. My mom taught me to knit when I was 11 and crochet came very naturally to me. I never use any patterns, I love to improvise.

With braiding, embroidery, pleats and laces being so central to your work, is texture almost more important to the overall look than form or colour etc?

Maybe not more important, but it’s just as important. If I can’t find the right fabric I usually change my patterns.

You currently produce one-of-a-kind pieces by appointment, which I imagine is a very personal way of working, is this integral to your philosophy as a clothes designer?

Yes, and I wish I could work like this always but I already feel like I need to move on to the next step. I will never work with mass production but I would like to work with more limited collections in the future. For me it’s important to get to know my customers, it’s almost like I need to know that the story will end well. My garments are almost like children and I need to find their parents.

How do you describe the Lamija Suljevic look?

New thinking. A bit crazy but always elegant. Everything that is beautiful but lost.

You bring up the “lost” again, is this another projection of yourself, of a sense of dislocation?

I’m Bosnian born and I think that power is stronger than anything else. I have been back to Foča only once. I visited my old apartment, it was emotional but I think necessary. My parents have an apartment in Sarajevo so I try to visit when I can. But I don’t know, I don’t think about it so much. Most of my friends are from Sweden and I have been here 17 years now!

I also notice that your website refers to “romantic Parisian visions,” so is Paris somewhere you see like yourself working as a designer in the future?

Yes, Paris feels like home. I feel a bit lost in Stockholm, I can work very well here but people in Sweden are mostly too ‘safe’. In Paris they have a totally different vision on how a women should dress and I really like everything about it and feel my personal style is very close so theirs.

lamija.se

Words Alex Jackson

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CARNABY STREET IS ABOUT TO MARK ITS 50^TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS AND EVENTS.

Since the Swinging 60s this iconic street has been synonymous with cutting edge fashion, music and youth culture. John Stephen opened his first shop His Clothes in Beak Street just off Carnaby Street in 1957, which became a Mecca for mods and started its travels as the hub for male fashion.

The first event launches on the 26 February until the beginning of April and is an innovative exhibition and limited edition book of the same title; ‘Carnaby Street: 1960 – 2010’.   The event will be held at 38 Carnaby Street and will put into context the history of Carnaby from its earliest origins in the 16^th Century to the present day with a focus on the 1960s.

The central feature of the show is a unique 3D timeline which illustrates key people, events and happenings in the area. The show will start right from the beginning, 500 years ago, when Carnaby Street was a green field site with a well and a scarecrow.

It will cover the iconic characters associated with Carnaby’s music heritage such as The Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols and Jimi Hendrix.  The limited edition book will feature images from 60s photographer Philip Townshend and exclusive interviews with people who have lived and worked in Carnaby including The Who’s Pete Townsend.

The exhibition and book are the work of curators and fashion historians Judith Clark and Amy de la Haye, who have organised exhibitions at major international museums including the V and A and Mode Museum in Antwerp.  They are readers and joint directors of the MA Fashion Curation course at London College of Fashion, one of the foremost centres of fashion education in the world.

There will also be a number of historical exhibits, many revealed for the first time, including items borrowed from The Museum of Soho, and pictures sourced from The Museum of London, Victoria and Albert Museum, Getty archive and private collections.

One of the most famous residents of Carnaby Street was William Blake, whose powerful imagery of the plague and documentation of social injustices will be featured.

The heritage material will be displayed alongside newly commissioned artwork by documentary photographer Syd Shelton and illustrator Alice Smith, and a short film by James Norton, commissioned for the anniversary will present archive film footage.

The show will be an insightful glimpse into the famous shopping street and its continued relevance today.  The area’s 12 streets are known for unique independent boutiques, global fashion brands, award winning restaurants and nightlife.  More than 60 per cent of the 135 stores in the area today are independent, with new design talent and concepts nurtured in Kingly Court and The Newburgh Quarter.

The exhibition will be followed by a series of events throughout 2010 to celebrate Carnaby’s 50^th Anniversary including a live music weekend in June and a unique fashion show in September.

carnaby.co.uk

Words Jennifer Butler

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THE RECESSION HAS PUT PAID TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF MANY A YOUNG DESIGNER, BUT WITH 2010 SET TO BE A PHENOMENAL YEAR FOR FASHION, IT’S ONLY FITTING THAT NEW LABEL IZMAYLOVA SHOULD CHOOSE TO ANNOUNCE ITS ARRIVAL IN STYLE. WITH SEVERAL DESIGN HOUSES FORCED TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS OR COMPROMISE ON LUXURY, IT’S A RELIEF TO SEE A LABEL BRINGING A HEALTHY DOSE OF GLAMOUR BACK TO THE CAPITAL. AND GLAMOUR IS MOST DEFINITELY IZMAYLOVA’S FORTE.

Founded in 2009 by native muscovite and Creative Director Antonina Izmaylova under the business direction of Parisian-born Nathanael Gam, the label resides at the highest end of the luxury market and combines the grandeur of Russian aristocracy with the decadence of a bygone era, complimented by a fashion-forward London-inspired edge.

With both Antoninia and Nathanael aged just 22, they’ve already firmly established their luxury fashion house in London’s Hanover Square.

Izmaylova launches with its debut womenswear Autumn/Winter 2011 capsule collection titled ‘Edge of Darkness’, a directional, predominantly dress-based collection of modern and dazzling black crystallized eveningwear.

According to the designers, the eight-piece, couture-quality collection is inspired by the vision of a fusion between the opulence and the boldness of Imperial Russia and a futuristic post-apocalyptic world. It consists of luxury handcrafted evening wear, made from materials such as Swarovski crystals, silk and soft leather, combining bold and edgy designs with detailed tailoring.

The collection is made using laser cut leathers, tailored into cuts that give a strong futuristic edge to mini dresses. The unique features are designed to give emphasis on shape and structure. Exquisite finishes compliment the luxurious materials: Swarovski black crystal embellishments, soft body-hugging leather and feathers. The dresses are created with invisible inner support to guarantee perfect body shaping and a flattering fit.

Now you can get a taste of Russian luxury without having to leave the country- or even London. So stay one step ahead of the fash pack and get yourself down to Hanover Square, before the best-dressed descend and claim it for their own.

izmaylova.co.uk

Words Kay Weston  thefashionistahasspoken.blogspot.com

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“MY DESIGNS ARE LIKE WATCHING A HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL ON ACID”

This statement is fairly accurate when it comes to trying to describe Ziad Ghanem’s designs. Branded the ‘Cult Couturier’ for his eclectic mix of streetwear and couture, Ziad creates bespoke creations for clients as well as his ready-to-wear collections and his junior line, Maiden Britain. Working almost exclusively with recycled materials, he has quickly gathered a cult following and tremendous respect in the fashion industry. He has also collaborated with Topman and Firetrap and has worked alongside Random Bangle (aka accessories designer Russell Barratt), and can add Editor to his repertoire since taking the helm at Drama, a fashion and performance magazine available on the i-Phone. Here AGENT2’s Kay Weston speaks to the man himself about the fashion industry and why fur is ‘shit’.

How do you feel about your reputation as the ‘cult couturier’?

I feel good (about it), since I am not a fan of the word ‘Couture’. It gets so misused. My label is exclusive to certain markets and followers, and it will remain that way.

What made you decide to go into fashion as a career?

I always wanted it. I was born with it. I never made the choice, I just let it be.

Your designs are really adventurous. How do you come up with ideas and what inspires you?

London inspires me. People play a big part and the simple things in life can be very dramatic if we pay attention. I love Punks and Chavs.

Why did you decide to focus on producing sustainable and eco-friendly fashion?

Because at the start, I didn’t have money to buy new fabrics so I used what was in my flat, a bit like with the Gone with the Wind curtains dress. Then after that, I wanted to use whatever was available and charity shops can offer a lot of inspiration.

Where do you find the materials you recycle in your designs?

I shop at charity shops, friends send me unwanted clothes and I buy eco-friendly fabrics from a Brazilian company.

You were asked to produce some designs for cigarette packets. Why did you turn the offer down?

I hate smoking.

So do you think the fashion industry is, in general, unethical?

No, I think people mix things up. Fashion is a business. Capitalism is sometimes unethical. When gain is involved we make our own morality.  I am anti-fur, fake or real. I wish people in fashion would stop wearing this shit.

You recently said you cast your models for their personalities, not just their looks. In an industry famed for its superficiality, is there room for personality?

I never force my clothes on people. I want to be inspired by the wearer. I like them to be happy, and understand what they are wearing. I like to work close to my models and share their ideas and thoughts. I refuse to put my clothes on some boring dummy.

Your A/W 10/11 collection is called Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Why did you choose that name? And what can we expect from the collection?

Mr Quayle, my friend’s father, came up with the name at Christmas dinner.  He said that watching my designs is like watching a Hollywood musical on
acid. I wanted to express the glitz and the added glitter in my new collection, and I can see Lucy flying in the sky with diamonds.

Why did you choose to work with Immodesty Blaize (a burlesque artist) for the collection?

The collection is inspired by Fellini, circus and the show of burlesque. It is the art of undressing. Immodesty is intellectual and a great performer. I’m so lucky to have her in my show, I wanted a Burlesque performer and I was surprised when I got the best one in the world.

How did the collaboration with Firetrap come about?

Firetrap wanted a breath of fresh air in their label by collaborating with young designers. I wanted to experiment with denim with financial backing. It was a very great experience with a happy ending.

Why did you decide to focus on denim for the collaboration?

Denim does not crease and it has a thick skin. I wanted to use exciting garments to avoid wasting new fabrics.

Are there any designers you’re championing right now?

Everyone is a hero. I love Comme des Garcons and I respect (Azzedine) Alaia.

What’s the worst fashion mistake a person can make?

Fashion is in the eye of the beholder. I never follow fashion. I love clothes.

ziadghanem.co.uk

myspace.com/ziadghanem

Words Kay Weston  Images Ram Shergill

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STOWERS BESPOKE TAILORS ARE INTRODUCING A LADIES TAILORING AND HAUTE COUTURE SERVICE, AT THEIR ALREADY FAMOUS STORE IN SAVILLE ROW, WITH THE LAUNCH OF THEIR HOLLYWOOD COLLECTION.

There are three expert tailors at Stowers Bespoke who together bring over 120 years experience. Ray Stowers, Brian Jeffrey and Brian Pusey are supported by a number of highly skilled cutters, under-cutters and other experienced individuals. From hemming a handkerchief, to designing for royalty, there aren’t many tailoring situations this team of experts haven’t encountered.

Ray Stowers has dreamed of designing womenswear for some time, but it was the closure of ladies tailoring at Hardy Aimes that was the deciding factor leading to his decision to follow through with his dream.

Together with Alistair Macdonald, who worked with Ray creating intricate bead work for the label at Liberty’s, Stowers Bespoke has created a refined and inspired womenswear collection.

This specialized collection showcases the collaborative talents of Stowers Bespoke designers and will appeal to ladies looking for a tailor who is unique and offers the highest levels of service and the finest hand-tailored garments.

The collection could be worn from red carpet glamour to simple, everyday chic living. Stowers Bespoke do not have a house style. They have an original and individual approach to design and believe in designing clothes around you, not for you.

Alistair and the team at Stowers Bespoke have created a divine range of Hollywood-glamour inspired pieces, including a Greta Garbo inspired two-piece skirt suit in grey hounds tooth tweed with a matching Swarovski crystal clutch bag and a stunning grey hounds tooth headpiece with dark cock feathers and Swarovski crystals.

Other Hollywood fashion pieces include a Pink Harris Tweed trouser suit with Mother of Pearl Buttons inspired by Katherine Hepburn and a matching headpiece with central cream hackle feather spray.

Joan Crawford was the inspiration behind their stunning black beaded cape with Swarovski lead crystals and their black chiffon Marilyn Monroe dress, which has over 8,000 jet black Swarovski crystals covering the gown and over 40 full plumb Ostrich feathers adds even more glamour to an already exquisite catalogue of fashion creations.

Stowers Bespoke pride themselves on fitting around each individual client’s needs. If you need them to visit you they will, and they will even extend their working hours to allow for people who need to visit them late.

Whether you have your own distinct style, or if you haven’t quite found it yet, Stowers Bespoke will work to create a unique garment inspired by you. They will draw on your personality and character and their designs will radiate how you see yourself and how you want to be seen. The creations may be delicate and low key or daring and distinctive, but most importantly, they will be yours.

This Hollywood film-star fashion collection is a mixture of luxury and quality that is sure to appeal to ladies in search of a touch of glamour and class combined.

stowersbespoke.co.uk

Words Sarah Lloyd

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IN A WORLD SATURATED WITH FASHION BLOGS SCOTT SCHUMAN’S THE SARTORIALIST HAS BECOME THE ONLY FASHION BLOG TO LOOK TO FOR EVERYONE FROM THE REAL FASHION DICTATORS TO THOSE SIMPLY WITH A LOVE OF TIMELESS STYLE.

The Sartorialist has become a worldwide phenomenon, with over 180, 000 visits a day. It has been named as one of the top six style blogs by the Sunday Times and is rated by Technorati as the Number 1 fashion blog in the world.

Scott Schuman worked in the fashion industry for 15 years before setting up his blog. The aim was and still is to showcase the varied style of real people on our streets, not only those of the fashion elite.

Although in an ironic testament to his talent and status it is often the fashionistas who clamour to get their picture taken by Schuman, as Cathy Horyn, The New York Times, said: “Everybody loves being photographed by Scott Schuman. If he spots you in the crowd whether in New York, Paris or Milan, it’s kind of a validation.”

In this book Scott has compiled his favourite images, adding the odd comment here and there, but mostly letting the images speak for themselves.  From achingly hip Stockholm to the faded grandeur of Milan Schuman captures the essence of style and distils it in his now world-famous images.

It is his clever, appreciation of individual style which has readers of his blog hooked. He does not include just ‘fashionable’ people, but dapper gentleman exuding a quiet arrogance striding around the streets of Milan, a newspaper casually tucked under one arm.  Or a disparate group of rosy-cheeked teens posing against the dramatic backdrop of the Eiffel tower, each competing with each other to make their own individual style statement.

Images of fashion’s big players, such as Editor-in-Chief of French Vogue, Carine Roitfeld, appear alongside an awkward 13-year-old Parisian boy photographed in his brand new high-tops. It is this contrast of the recognition of high fashion and the perceptive eye for a great image which makes this book work.

He often focuses in on particular quirky details, such as the frayed, worn cuff of a suit in a photograph entitled, ‘His Dad’s suit, Milan’. This poignant caption is all that is needed to spark off thoughts of a man’s long-held respect for an absent father.

The book differs to the blog of the same name in that it does not allow readers to interact with the images. This dimension is removed and perhaps at first sight Schuman’s brief captions may not seem enough but if you require more, you are missing the point. He wants you, the reader, to develop your own thoughts on an image, to draw your own conclusions. It is a picture book of the greatest kind.

The longer comments he does include, however, are so tantalisingly insightful they leave you longing for more. Beside the image, ‘Conflict of expression, Stockholm’, Schuman’s comment makes you study the image of that shy young girl with a kind of arcane, secret knowledge.  He discusses the misconception that you have to be confident within yourself to express personal style and comes to the conclusion that often this dichotomy between, “wanting to remain anonymous and yet dressing in a noticeable way- can lead to equally great expressions of personal style.”

Often the photographer and the subject do not speak the same language so the resulting image retains a certain mystery and the character created is forever suspended.  As Schuman eloquently puts it, “I am totally open to creating my own version of who I think this person is.” Sometimes when you do delve beyond the surface a romantic image is tarnished a little, therefore these images without dialogue are perhaps some of the most special in the book.

Schuman is constantly relevant, including images of those dressed in head-to-toe designer fashion alongside images such as, the young man dressed in a five-dollar doctor’s coat. He remarks that it is wholly about how you wear something, as this guy testifies by pulling off this look, “with a cool nonchalance.”

There are many street style blogs out there, but none with the unflinchingly honest, appraising eye of Scott Schuman. In this way The Sartorialist is unrivalled.

If you require style inspiration on a particularly bleak day or simply want to spend a pleasurable couple of hours lost in far-flung, imagined lives then look no further.

penguin.co.uk

thesartorialist.blogspot.com

Words Ashley Wallis

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FAMED FOR ITS STEEL INDUSTRY, SHEFFIELD IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE LAST PLACES IN THE UK YOU’D ASSOCIATE WITH HIGH FASHION, AN ASSUMPTION BACKED BY FINDINGS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY WHICH RANKED SHEFFIELD AS ONE OF THE WORST-DRESSED CITIES IN BRITAIN. BUT FOR CLAIRE MIDDLETON AND HER SISTER LAUREN, THEIR CLOTHING LINE IS AIMING TO BRING GLAMOUR TO THE CITY AND EVEN FURTHER AFIELD.

Alice Takes A Trip is heavily influenced by Lewis Carroll’s legendary book Alice in Wonderland. This is something evident in their quirky clothing and accessories, drawing design inspiration from vintage and fairytale fantasy. The pair also cite the famous namesake London boutique Granny Takes A Trip as an influence on their designs, which have been rapidly gaining a committed cult following not only in the Steel City but also in fashion capitals such as Paris and Japan.

Claire admits that it can be difficult establishing a fashion brand outside of London. “It can be hard. There seems to be more people wanting to be individual in places like London. Elsewhere people just want to follow the crowd and wear high street.  Alice Takes A Trip label does really well here (Sheffield), we have a good following of regular customers and I think this is because it’s young and fun, and it seems to fit in with the good music scene Sheffield has.”

Each of the pieces from the collection are handmade in their Sheffield workshop to retain an individual look, and Claire and Lauren also produce tailor-made clothing for customers looking for something truly different.  Claire remembers her favourite custom piece:  “We got picked to participate in the Channel 4 programme Frock Me, hosted by Alexa Chung and Henry Holland. We had to design and make one of the competitors an outfit. We made a tartan skinny-fit suit which went on to win him the competition as the best-dressed guy in Sheffield!”

So is it difficult working with your sister as a business partner? “No, not really. Because we’re sisters we can tell each other what we really feel, so there are never any real disagreements, whereas talking about things might be more difficult if it was a just business partner. We both have the same ideas, when we go fabric buying we both pick out the same fabric at the exactly the same time. We both love the designing part but we have individual strengths that pull the business together. For example I’m good at the manufacturing side and transforming the designs from paper to garments and Lauren is good at the website design and designs all the flyers, tags and other marketing products.”

Claire says that her and Lauren have been interested in fashion since a young age. “We got our first sewing machines when we were around 12. When we were younger we weren’t particularly interested in what was in fashion, but more about trying to be individual, and we think this is still reflected in both of our labels today.”

By ‘both’, Claire is referring to their new boutique line, The Tales of Alice Horretta, a slightly more upmarket range launched at an Oxfam fashion show in December. The collection will comprise six dresses a season. “The inspiration behind this label comes from pot dolls, myths and fairy tales and each collection will show this influence,” she explains. “Our current collection has a Victorian twist to it and we used velvet and lace as our main fabrics.”

And what about the cryptic name? “Alice Horretta has a story behind the name! When we were younger, our parents gave me the nickname Alice due to my dippy personality,” Claire laughs. “And they gave Lauren the nickname Horris for Horrible Horris, being the youngest and more spoilt. We put the two together to come up with this name. We plan to do a collection for this boutique label every season.”

There are plans afoot to expand both the Alice Takes A Trip and The Tales Of Alice Horretta labels in 2010. Currently stocked in five stores in the UK after retailers showed an interest in their designs, they are planning to expand their online presence and produce brochures to approach more shops themselves.  The increasing interest in all things vintage has also helped.  “We think it’s because most of the high street shops take inspiration from vintage and a lot of the pieces available on the high street imitate the vintage style. Shopping for original vintage keeps you that one step ahead ensuring that your outfit will not be seen on anyone else.”

But Claire knows that there will always be a demand for their clothes in their hometown, where they regularly sell out entire collections of Alice Takes A Trip at Freshman’s, the city’s biggest vintage store. “People here seem to be less creative with the style than they were a few years ago. But now there are five large vintage shops within a 20-metre radius of each other so hopefully this should change a few things.”

myspace.com/alicetakesatrip

alicetakesatrip.bigcartel.com

Words Kay Weston – thefashionistahasspoken.blogspot.com

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‘AND NOW FOR SOMETHING – AND SOMEONE – COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. MISS GABRIELLA MARINA GONZALEZ. WITHIN THE LAST BATCH OF ART STUDENTS TO GRADUATE FROM CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS COLLEGE, THIS EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG FASHION DESIGNER HAS A LOT TO SHOUT ABOUT, AND SHE’S NOT AFRAID TO MAKE HER VOICE HEARD. BORN IN MANHATTAN, RAISED IN MIAMI, AND EDUCATED IN LONDON FROM THE AGE OF 18, SHE’S NOT AVERSE TO CHANGE. HER BOLD AND DISTINCTIVE STYLE OF DESIGNER HAS EARNED HER MUCH PRAISE OVER THE PAST YEAR, BUT JUST HOW HAS IT COME TO THIS FOR GABRIELLA, AND WHY DOES SHE BELIEVE SHE’S GAINING SUCH SUCCESS? AGENT2 FINDS OUT ALL THE ANSWERS TO THESE BURNING QUESTIONS.

Why all the moving about when you were younger?
I was born in Manhattan but moved to Miami when I was young because my parents, and I quote were living in an A.I.D.S epidemic and were tired of bringing there three year old daughter to their close friends’ funerals.”  By 18 I’d had enough of Miami and decided to move to London to continue my studies. Here I experienced the perfect placement and the worst placement. The perfect placement was at Jean-Pierre Braganza. He was encouraging, realistic and gave me a good understanding of what I was to encounter over the coming year, an all around inspiring individual. The worst placement I will leave unnamed; I left early and never went back without explanation. I’m not one to be treated like a subservient c*nt and well, I was less than grateful about the opportunity in the end. I graduated in July and am planning on staying in London until it’s had enough of me. When it comes to a city as mysterious but predictable as this one, it seems it’s more in charge than I am and will decide when to evict me. Have you noticed I left out my age?

What first interested you in fashion designing?
I have been sewing since I was very young. It must be in the blood because my grandmother was a seamstress and my father was a fashion designer. Art and design was all around me and I was encouraged to be creative while growing up. This is most likely because it was apparent at an early age that I did not care about multiplication as much as I cared about dreaming. I tried a lot of things as a kid, maybe just not to be like my family, but with age I came to realise that maybe the best thing for me was to be like my family and so I allowed my passion, which was of course, clothing design.

You have a clear, bold and recognisable style, which is easy to spot. What gave you this style and how did you develop it over time?

I can honestly say, and call it a cop out, that I have no idea how to explain this question. Some times these images appear, ‘poof’ in my mind, and I if I keep my eyes closed long enough I see the details and then I draw it. It’s like trying to remember a dream. Sometimes the idea does not come and I have to reprimand it for being so cruel. I have no formula; I just make what I draw and draw what I imagined. If anything, the style is a real life materialisation of the drawing.

Those monster platform shoes are quite something! What inspired you to develop such chunky soles?
I drew the shoes on about a million girls in my illustrations while designing the collection without giving them real attention. When it came time to make the clothing I had subliminally convinced myself that it wouldn’t be the complete vision without them. So they crept up on me and weaselled their way into real life.

Is there a type of garment design you find much easier and natural than others?
Yes, the natural kind. Otherwise it looks forced and manipulated to be what you think others want it to be and I think this makes it unsuccessful and stuffy.

So many successful designers have passed through the doors of Central Saint Martins. What makes you different, and how did the place help nurture your talent?
I don’t want to lure people into my brand by subliminally advertising it as something they need to consume because they are told it will make all there dreams come true or help them play the part they want in glamorous circles in society. I want to create clothing that becomes a treasure in the closets of the wearer that they will have for the rest of their lives and makes them feel like it was made just for them. I want it to be a worthwhile keep sake with all the qualities of luxury without the guilt. The place helped to teach me how to survive entirely on my own. Whether that is my doing or theirs I may never know, but I am grateful.

What made you come up with a collection title ‘Clothing for the emotionally dispossessed’? Is it to do with your perception of women?
It’s not to do with my perception of women; it’s to do with my perception of people. They roam daily, trying, but sometimes its just not there and these hollow facades make it impossible to be intimate with others. This causes a lot of grief and makes you feel like the only one on the planet, with only your echo as a companion.

Do you wear the pieces you’ve designed? How does it feel?
A garment has the capability of morphing depending on the personality of the wearer. On me I have experienced the clothes to give me a tough but strangely graceful strength of character.

Is there a particular designer or single person who has particularly inspired you?
Most of my inspiration comes from the state of mind I’m put in when people act just how they really are. The truth is a powerful thing and in the people I encounter and the experiences I share with them, be it good or bad, is were I find most of my inspiration.

What are your hopes for the future?
The future is so vast and the abundance of plans and ideas I have seems endless. The most important thing for me in the future is that I never run out of inspiration, never succumb to complacency and that I am recognised and more importantly respected in the industry for my work.’

gabriellamarinagonzales.blogspot.com

Words Emma Zücker  Images Leon Mark Hotel – leonmarkholt.co.uk

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THERE’S NOTHING THAT OOZES CLASS AND SOPHISTICATION QUITE LIKE THE PERFECT HAT. IT’S A POINT OF COMPETITION AT EVERY WEDDING, IT’S AN OUTFIT-DECIDER FOR CHRISTENINGS AND IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS FASHION CHOICES FOR GARDEN PARTIES, GALAS, AND OF COURSE, SUMMER’S FAVOURITE, THE RACES. BUT IT SEEMS THAT HATS ARE MAKING A RETURN AS A FASHION STAPLE LONG AFTER SUMMER FESTIVITIES DRAW TO A CLOSE. AND THE PERSON WHO CAN HELP YOU MAKE THESE SEASONAL HAT DECISIONS IS NONE OTHER THAN AWARD-WINNING MILLINER, KATHERINE ELIZABETH.

The established designer offers shoppers unique, one-of-a-kind hats, fascinators and headpieces for all seasons and occasions. She handcrafts individual styles and adds her personal touch with intricate details such as delicate beading, ostrich feathers, antique lace and, most exquisitely, Swarovski crystals.

Katherine’s designs allude to eras of classical elegance. Her hats are inspired by the 1920s and ‘40s Hollywood stars with mute and monotone colours, refined arrangement and chic femininity. She bases her designs on a combination of natural elements and classic architectural buildings. Her use of neutral rose-pinks and creamy tones together with her detail to structure and sophistication exemplify these inspirations. The marriage of these two juxtaposing elements creates hats that convey both sharp lines and precision, with earthiness and fluidity. These contrasting qualities make powerful yet glamorous headpieces that sit perfectly on the heads of Dita von Teese and the SoHo Dolls, two of Katherine’s biggest fans.

Having worked with top designers including Galliano and Dior and featuring in this year’s February/March Paris Fashion Week, Katherine Elizabeth is taking the fashion world by storm, whipping up interest wherever she goes. It is not surprising then, that her hats are soon to be stocked in Fenwick, Browns, Harrods and the UK’s largest independent online fashion retailer, ASOS.com.

Everyone needs an excuse to dress up and as the summer season bids us goodbye with a gust of autumnal wind, this milliner can offer you a chance to spruce up an old outfit, revamp your wardrobe and even get a key item in time for the party season. Katherine’s AW09 collection includes neutral shades, from soft apricots to rich browns on a variety of plush materials including silks, satins and Parisian felt. Embellishments vary from delicate beads, silk ribbon and the seductive, Sinamay netting.

If you can’t wait that long for the pre-Xmas parties then Katherine Elizabeth offers shoppers their very own ‘hat parties’. Sipping champagne, this swish setup invites Katherine into your home where she teaches between five and 20 party guests how to make their own designer hat. Bringing her modish materials with her, her vintage-style hats can be replicated to fit and suit you perfectly, at the reasonable price of £25pp. The host also gets a free Katherine Elizabeth handcrafted fascinator (RRP £80) if guests buy some of her designs.

These nights are a great excuse for a girly get-together; Katherine Elizabeth herself saying, “It’s like an Ann Summers Party without the naughty bits.” There may indeed be no naughty bits but a night learning the tricks with Lily Allen and VV Brown’s favourite hat-designer is no bad thing. For the more enthusiastic student, Katherine is also doing designing lessons in Claridge’s Mayfair beginning in the late autumn.

Your creations may not turn out to be masterpieces but Katherine Elizabeth’s most certainly are. Exuding a decadent and understated glamour, these affordable pieces will most definitely give designer quality to off-the-rack dresses, standing you out from the crowds.

Summer may be over and garden parties, regattas and races done for the season, but fascinators and headpieces continue to make a steady presence on evening wear. As the days shorten and the autumnal wind turns frosty, the party season no longer seems so far away. You may not have your Christmas frock yet, but with a Katherine Elizabeth creation you’re sure to be the belle of the ball.

KATHERINEELIZABETHHATS.COM

Words Natasha Al-Atassi

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CALLING ALL TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS, STYLISTS, MAKE-UP ARTISTS AND HAIR STYLISTS – NINETEEN74.COM AND SCHÖN! MAGAZINE NEEDS YOU!

This pioneering, widely renowned fashion publication, backed by fashion frontrunner Nineteen74.com, has hooked up with Spectacular Studios to bring bright innovative talent to the forefront of envisioning of the future of the fashion and styling. Using the theme of the future, the competition is looking for unique individuals to create something that will set the fashion world on fire- by discovering the stars of the future in their ‘Compete. Be the future’ campaign.

The successful candidates will win a contract with the international artist representative agency for the leading fashion and media artists – Spectacular Studios in Stockholm and an exclusive four-page spread in Schön! magazine.

The Spectacular Studios head office in Stockholm consists of their own award winning salon, Studio Black which is sponsored by hair care giants TIGI. They also have two spacious photo studios in collaboration with Studio F.

Schön! Magazine’s tagline is ‘Be Intoxicated’ and is packed with previously unknown spreads from around the globe.

The magazine is looking for photographers, stylists and makeup artists. Full details of the competition are available online.

To enter simply sign up for free at www.nineteen74.com/Members.Register or if you’re already a member just log in at www.Nineteen74.com, then set up your creative online portfolio and join the Project Creative Competition 2010.

The submission deadline is 15 December 2009 and the winning entries will be featured in Schön! magazine Volume 4. The successful candidate will have showcased their work on a global scale reaching over 40,000 influential creative people internationally.

Words Almaz Ohene

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THE LITHUANIAN- BORN DESIGNER LAURA THEISS HAS BEEN BUILDING AN INTERNATIONAL PROFILE AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING NEW DESIGNERS ON THE SCENE RIGHT NOW, THANKS TO HER CREATIVE KNITWEAR DESIGNS. HAVING LIVED AND STUDIED IN HER HOME COUNTRY AND GERMANY, SHE IS NOW RESIDING IN LONDON FOLLOWING A STINT AT CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS. HERE SHE TALKS TO AGENT2 ABOUT HER UNEXPECTED SUCCESS.

Do you think living in three different countries has affected your approach to fashion?

Yes, very much so. In my work I mix together handcrafts from my home country, German practicality and London´s edginess.

What do you say is the biggest influences on your work?

Travelling, culture, the Far East and women of today. My last collection “The World, The Flesh and The Devil” was inspired by Samurai women from 12^th century in Japan and her similarity to today´s women. I let her travel on an imaginary journey from Tokyo to Shanghai, to Vilnius, Frankfurt, London. From each city I picked up different elements. For example, from Japan it was pleats and structure, from Shanghai it was colours and tassels. Vilnius inspired the crochet and stripes. In Frankfurt it was men’s tie fabric and with London it was tartan. The idea was to pay attention on globalization and post feminist women of today showing her girly side.

Why did you choose to focus on knitwear?

My passion for knitwear started at a very young age. I made my first piece, a crocheted tablecloth, when I was seven. In a way knitwear chose me, as it has always been around me ever since I can remember and our house was all decorated in knitted and crocheted cushions, pictures and toys. For me knitwear is comparable to my first language. It is easy to express myself through it. The best part of being knitwear designer is that I can create my own fabric just with a needle and yarn.

Do you find that concentrating on knitwear limits what you can design? Or does it make more adventurous?

Oh, it’s a big adventure! Imagine if you have 15 kg of yarn, all in different colours, and have to create a collection out of it. Knitwear is challenging as it is a slow process. I am making my own fabric and were no limits to my creativity. I can explore many new techniques and create interesting shapes.

Do you have a personal favorite piece from your collection?

The pleated cotton dress and the colourful tasseled hat. There are 700 handmade tassels in it. The hat is only catwalk accessory of course. Funnily enough it gained most attention in German press after the Createurope Academy Award 2009. There I was one of 29 finalists. It was in main online press as a photo of the day.

Does your own personal style affect what you design?

Not anymore. I learned not to design what I would wear myself. It works only for celebrity-designers. The collection has a long way to go until is ready and shown on the catwalk. From the first idea, research, sketches, garment experiments, to knitting, and finally styling. In all that process there is space for a personal taste, but there is no space for a personal style.

Would you ever consider working for the big houses, or would you prefer your own label?

During my time at St. Martins I saw myself working for a big brand. Following an exhibition after my graduation fashion show, some fashion magazines featured my work. Then I had another fashion show, was chosen for Createurope Designer Award Finals, Art-s-talkers best graduates 2009 book and some boutiques asked me to produce some of the pieces. It feels like I accidentally rolled into the fashion world. And I love it. Thanks to my degree in business, I think I could manage into the big world of fashion.

Would you say that you are obsessed with fashion?

What is obsessed with fashion? Let me think….well….I am crazy about yarn, I do crochet in the plane, and went over to Shanghai just to find the right trimmings. I am a junkie of that moment when the models walk down the catwalk, and I spend 24/7 thinking, searching, creating. Is that obsessed?

What is the best style tip you have ever been given?

Mix what can’t be mixed. In our second year we had sustainability competition at St. Martins. It was a group project. We wanted to raise awareness of child labour, as there are 158 million children engaged in child labour worldwide. Our created garments symbolized children’s need to play, toys and happiness. I have to mention that our group won the competition. During this project I researched about the sustainability issues in fashion and realized that actually even with little steps as a designer, I have the opportunity to try and change the world into a better place.

In which ways did you make your own design sustainable?

I am choosing the yarn very carefully, using most natural fibre. The quality of the production is the highest possible, and it’s made with lots of love.

Do you think the fashion industry pays enough attention to the ethical issues?

I think they do. But it is difficult not to fall into the fast and cheap production fashion cycle. Big brands have huge marketing costs to go with each collection. If there is no media presence, the consumer wouldn’t be interested in buying. It is definitely better than 10 years ago, but still there is a need to educate the consumer.

LAURATHEISS.COM or CONTACT

Words Kay Weston

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DEATH BY DRONE. A TERM YOU THOUGHT WAS AN ANALOGY FOR YOUR MOTHER’S INCESSANT NAGGING. BUT FEAR NOT, BECAUSE WE CAN INTRODUCE DEATH BY DRONE TO YOU AS A BODY OF ART WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE KIND OF WHIMSICAL NIGHTMARES THAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT TO BE CAUGHT INSIDE A CHILD’S DREAM CATCHER.

Like the BFG, Tiff and Deb, two Parsons Art school graduates from Brooklyn, New York, have bottled such dark but delightful fantasies to bring us a number of quirky prints, pretty party frocks and accessories, heavily inspired by their own illustrations. A foray into fashion was inevitable, with their artwork now adorning some seriously stylish clothing.

They launched their hand printed clothing line in Spring 09 which saw chic and feminine party dresses along with trendy T’s and other accessories take on ironically named designs such as ‘A Mouldy Brain begets a mouldy tea cup’ and ‘The Mischief of a Bubblegum Blower.

The pair have now launched their Fall 09 line, which doesn’t fail to disappoint. This time with themes called ‘Feast of the Butters’ where face-stuffing tea parties have are an influence along with ‘The Depths of Mastyivus’ and suitably named ‘Enormous Pile of Irrelevance’.

Tiff and Deb met in dorms at art school and while classes failed to stretch the minds in its conventional formats, it set them daydreaming and doodling their way to creating marvellous obscure and dark characters in their artworks which rapidly evolved into a strange and cool twisted world of escapism.

These characters, with names such as ‘Greedy Judy’ and ‘Sneakity and his Loot’ capture a beautiful child-like humour which has the power to amaze, confuse and intrigue all at once. Inspired, they say, by children’s books, illustrators and “people who do weird stuff with a thwarted sense of innocence, like Henry Dargar.” Together with their own lifestyles and things that circle their minds, things they love, hate, fear, fantasise and have a strange obsession about alluding to’ orifices, nature, anatomy, vomit, decay, food and desserts, metamorphosis, folklore and fables, old crooked trees and babies being trampled by unicorns’.

Their  illustrations seem to capture that bizarre inner state of mind we all possess that becomes a sort of bank for storing all our throw away thoughts, the ones that lurk  subconsciously and are often evaporated through our dreams, deja vus, drunkenness and general murkiness of the human mind in order to create more space.

The word drone in this case may well be better off left to your own interpretation as the duo describe it as being a collaboration off sounds and words such as ‘fuzz.’ But it is without doubt that such ideas have been heavily influenced by their tastes in music, phycadellic rock, and is intrinsically linked with what they do.

But their impressive creativity doesn’t stop there. The pair has also expressed that at some point they plan to write a children’s book for adults, which is surely just one of many unconventional marvels they are to pull out from their wondrous box of tricks.

Rather like a Tim Burton remake of Hansel and Gretel, their work is both magical and menacing all at once. Tiff and Deb could certainly never be branded as your average designers. But who wants to be normal anyway?

DEATHBYDRONE.COM

Words Alice Fredenham

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