MERVE TUNA: A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
WITH THE USE OF FUR STILL A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE IN FASHION, IT TAKES A BRAVE LADY TO CREATE AN ENTIRE COLLECTION FROM ANIMALS. STEP FORWARD MERVE TUNA, THE TURKISH-BORN, BOUNDARY-PUSHING DESIGNER WITH A DIFFERENCE.
Incorporating taxidermy into outfits is not for the faint of heart, and Tuna’s MA collection at the London College of Fashion show earlier this year certainly raised more than just a few eyebrows. Feathers, fur, beaks, paws and entire carcasses were in abundance- draped around shoulders, tied around waists and fashioned into entire items of clothing and accessories. This included the now-infamous bag crafted from the head of a boar, complete with jutting snout. The fashion industry was divided. Was this a morally dubious attempt to shock, or the future of innovative fashion?
Tuna herself seems unconcerned by the furore surrounding her use of animals. “I didn’t worry about anyone else’s opinion on the subject, I trusted mine well enough,” she says. As well she might. Tuna has long had an interest in taxidermy and in preparation for her collection, took a short course in taxidermy to better understand the processes required to create her pieces. The result was that her collection was made almost entirely by herself.
“It covered skinning to tanning, and stuffing a mammal. I also got to learn a little about bird taxidermy. It was more about learning to be able to hack the traditional process as I needed to. I had some spare skins from this taxidermist which also defined the main content of my designs. Then I worked with another taxidermist to supply the animals for the rest of the collection, and also to stuff the spare boar skin I had. That was the only time I had professional help. Apart from that, I enjoyed experimenting on my own with very little mentoring.”
The collection explores the boundaries between what is human and what is animal. So where does Tuna see this boundary? “We get to think and we get to make choices differently to animals. I think the fantasies or instincts of humans tend to be seen as animalistic. But I see these as more human.”
Another influence is David Lynch’s films, but Tuna is quick to play down their importance in her collection. “I researched and analysed his films to see how he reflects fantasies and nightmares, since my collection was about the border in between these. I made a time line of his movies which was a kind of line drawn by the doctor in ‘Back to the Future’- just more complicated- and I reflected it on the flow of my collection, like it had a plot. I was attracted to his films before but didn’t actually enjoy them very much. I don’t think they are for fun anyway, so it was more of a technical admiration.”
Tuna’s efforts have attracted considerable international attention. She exhibited at Istanbul Design Week from 2004 to 2007 and at the Copenhagen Fashion Fair. Her taxidermy designs were also selected for the Neo-Couture exhibition, and in 2009 Tuna was awarded a scholarship from English Eccentrics on the basis of her designs, which have generated intrigue and outrage in equal measure.
The burning question is, of course, why Tuna decided to use real fur in her collection. For the most part, faux fur has replaced the use of real fur on the high street. Animal rights groups such as PETA and other activist groups sought to raise awareness of the ethical issues surrounding the production of fur garments in the 90s and the stigma attached to real fur has remained, albeit to a lesser degree. Of the five ‘supers’- Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson- who famously decreed that they would “rather go naked than wear fur”, only Turlington has remained true to her word. The vast majority of objections to real fur stem from those concerned by the often appalling conditions animals forced to endure, and the manner in which they are killed.
Tuna’s specimens were already dead, in most cases roadkill, and she supplied nearly all of the animals used in the collection herself. The rest came from the taxidermist. For Tuna, using faux fur never entered the equation. “I personally don’t like faux fur,” she admits. “Not only because of the way it feels, but also because of the necessity of imitating something. I get more excited when the textures get to speak for themselves, rather than just being faux. However I don’t believe in the need to wear fur either, although I am thrilled by the material itself.
“I prefer people who like fur, and wear fur, knowing what it really is. They didn’t feel disturbed by my vision. Also people who are against fur, and who wouldn’t want to wear imitations either- they also got why I did what I did. I find it unrealistic to talk about the politics of the subject beyond this, as it feels like I’m speaking for others.”
Speaking of politics, this seems an appropriate time to bring up Lady Gaga’s offal attire. What did she make of Gaga’s headline-grabbing meat dress at the VMAs? “Similar things were done before in art which excited me quite a lot. On the other hand, I never got excited about what Lady Gaga wore. Seeing her wearing a meat dress just reminded me of the fact that fashion has the power to suck in everything, including ‘anti-fashion’. It becomes just another ‘dress’ for the sake of provocation.”
Given the emphasis on construction in her designs, it perhaps comes as no surprise that Tuna is actually a graduate of Industrial Product Design. Tuna completed her degree at Istanbul Technical University before moving to London to take up her MA at London College of Fashion. “I had an interest in fashion when I was quite young. However I wanted to learn all that I am capable of, so I studied science in high school and product design in university. These have had effects on my design approach,” she says.
“The reason why I studied product design was because I wanted to have wider knowledge about materials and production methods before focusing on fashion. It was quite technical there, in that maths was more important than drawing skills, for instance. I learned a lot about design methods and I was taught that design is about solving problems. It had a great impact on me, although now I like asking questions more.” What kind of questions? “The questions I ask are mostly self-and body-related, so I’ve ended up doing mostly fashion-related designs now.”
Product design’s loss is undoubtedly the fashion industry’s gain. Fashion needs designers who are keen to experiment, and Merve Tuna is someone who isn’t afraid to rewrite the rule book.
Words Kay Weston Main image Michiel Meewis
THE LOWE DOWN: PEARL LOWE INTERVIEW
AS FAR AS SUCCESSFUL COMEBACK STORIES GO, PEARL LOWE’S MUST BE SOMEWHERE NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST. FEW CELEBRITIES HAVE MANAGED TO BOUNCE BACK FROM CONTROVERSY WITH THE SAME STEELY RESILIENCE AS PEARL, AND FEWER STILL HAVE MANAGED TO TURN THINGS AROUND SO SPECTACULARLY TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES FIRMLY AS A STYLE ICON AND BUSINESSWOMAN. YET THIS STORY IS ONE WITH A HAPPY ENDING. IN FACT, IT’S NOT EVEN AN ENDING- IT’S MERELY THE BEGINNING OF MANY EXCITING THINGS IN STORE FOR PEARL.
Anyone who shops on the high street will be sure to have seen the Peacocks’ window displays, which currently boast a selection of particularly eye-catching, ethereal dresses. What may not be so obvious, or at least not until closer inspection of the label, is that these creations have been designed by Pearl herself. While fashion designer may be a surprising career move for Pearl, who rose to fame as the frontwoman of indie bands Powder and Lodger during the Britpop explosion of the 90s, it’s not as unexpected as you may think. And unlike many celebrity-high street collaborations, this line has real credibility. But if anyone should know a thing or two about the importance of proving yourself, it’s Pearl.
Pearl's latest collection for Peacocks
She has managed to weather storm after storm, including lurid newspaper revelations and unpleasant speculation about her private life, but it’s easy to see how upping sticks from London and moving to Somerset with her husband, Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey, has made her much happier. “When Danny and I lived in London, we nearly split up,” she admits. “Our relationship would not have survived, had we stayed there. When we left we started rebuilding our life together. Leaving London was the turning point for me. I started to create, which is something I could never do there. There were too many distractions.”
For those familiar with Pearl’s history- and if you’ve ever read a tabloid, chances are you will be- it’s not difficult to work out what kind of ‘distractions’ she is talking about. Most came from the use of narcotics, and their use was rife amongst Pearl’s Primrose Hill social circle back in the 90s. Pearl is remarkably open about her experiences with drugs, and it’s easy to see that the woman whose drug habit once earned her the nickname ‘Dyson’- owing to her ability to hoover up copious amounts of drugs- is well and truly back on track.
“I hate drugs, I think they mess up people’s lives. I just wish they were never invented. The world would be a much more beautiful place without them,” she says. The one consolation has been her friends. Whilst her autobiography tells of acquaintances who were quick to drop her once she turned her back on drugs, her ‘real’ friends have been her rock. “They were, and are, incredibly supportive. It was so easy to walk away from the friends that were still using. I felt as though I had been let out of jail.”
Though there have been a couple of minor relapses along the way, you can’t help but admire Pearl’s determination to come through the other side. The tabloids may have splashed on the story that Pearl was spending up to £250 a night on drugs at the height of her habit, but Pearl cleared her debts ,headed to rehab and has been helping others in the same position ever since, as an ambassador for homeless charity Crisis and as an anti-drugs spokesperson. “When I first got clean, I thought it was my duty to help people through my struggles. Part of me is proud to have done that, but there is a part of me that wishes it wouldn’t be mentioned all the time.” Why? “It isn’t who I am anymore.” So what does she wish that people knew about her, instead? “That I’m a great tennis player!”
If there is one thing that Pearl has had to endure that other drug addicts have not, it is constant public humiliation. Few have been subject to the kind of media scrutiny that she has faced. The birthday party she threw for her son Alfie at Soho House in 2002 resulted in a backlash after Jude Law and Sadie Frost’s daughter was rushed to hospital for allegedly swallowing an Ecstasy tablet found on the floor, and intrusion into her private life reached a peak in 2005 when a tabloid ran a story suggesting that she and Danny had been indulging in wife-swapping. Then came the media furore following the discovery that the father of her daughter Daisy was not her first husband, as she had thought, but Gavin Rossdale, the frontman of the band Bush and husband of Gwen Stefani. A lesser woman may have broken down at such continuous media crucifixions. But not Pearl. Her main concern is for her children and the effects the press reports will have on them: “It’s so annoying that they can read everything now, but Danny and I are open with them, so they know. Alfie, our 13 year old, thinks we’re boring old farts, so I guess it gives us a bit of an edge.”
Daisy Lowe
What has been keeping Pearl in the headlines more recently is the success of her clothing range for budget high-street retailer Peacocks. Her current collection consists of gorgeous, vintage-inspired tea dresses modelled by daughter Daisy, which have become an instant high-street hit. She admits that she’d never heard of Peacocks before she was asked to design for the store. “They called my agent and asked if I was interested. I hadn’t actually heard of them before, but I went to Cardiff and met them, and we all got on really well. It was only supposed to be a one-off collection, but it sold so well, they asked me to design for three more years.” Does she worry about whether people will take her seriously as a designer? “No not at all, it’s what comes naturally to me. I think people can see through the fakes. I love designing clothes and interiors.”
It’s not the first time Pearl has turned designer. Back in 2001 she began her own interiors range, featuring lace cushions and curtains, which was followed by a collection of handmade dresses for exclusive London store Liberty’s. She is also working on a new book on fashion, which will be worlds apart from her autobiography. “It’s a book about vintage fashion. I want it to be a vintage bible so it’ll include lots of different things, but I’ve neglected it a bit recently as I’ve been so busy with designing four collections (for Peacocks).”
A film version of her biography All That Glitters is also in the pipeline, “but it’s being held up by lawyers, I just want it to hurry up and get made.” She also reveals she’s not ruling out a return to music. “Danny is writing a solo album and I’ve sung on a few tracks, so I am being pulled back there.” But, she maintains, fashion is where her heart lies, and she lists Chanel, Anna Sui, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and John Galliano as her favourite designers.
This passion seems to run in the family. While Pearl admits to having had a strong interest in fashion from the age of four, Daisy is also a highly successful model who is rarely out of the headlines, albeit for all the right reasons. Is Pearl concerned that Daisy will go down the same route she did? “I don’t think Daisy will go where I went as she saw what happened to me. She learnt from my mistakes.” Then there are Daisy’s contemporaries, such as Peaches Geldof, who became embroiled in a drugs scandal earlier in the year. Does she worry about the drugs culture which seems to be so prevalent amongst young people today? “I can’t comment on Peaches as I don’t know her that well, but when I have met her she seems pretty strong, so I am sure she will be alright.”
This seems like an apt time to ask what the most important lessons are that she’s learned over the years. The response is poignant and sincere. “To love yourself. Not in an egotistical way, just in a loving way. I always had such a low opinion of myself, so I never got anywhere. You have to really like who you are to succeed in life.”
Words Kay Weston
JOSEFIN STRID INTERVIEW
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.”
Words Kay Weston Images Henrik Bengtsson/Imaginara
BRYCE AIME INTERVIEW
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.
Words Amy Fallon Images Andres Reynaga Hair and make-up Justin Williams
LUCY ROYLE’S CLINICAL FASHION
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.
Words Lydia Milligan
MEET FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL DAVID ADAMS
NEW YORK-BASED FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL DAVID ADAMS, 35, ORIGINALLY FROM PENNSYLVANIA, SPILLS HIS SNAP HAPPY BEANS ON LIFE AS A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, A QUICK CAREER CHANGE FROM AN ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR AND HOW IT FEELS TO CALL THE BIG APPLE HOME. HIS WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING VANITY FAIR ITALY, MARIE CLAIRE CHINA, VOGUE NIPPON AND QVEST.
Your work has a very strong feel. Do you plan for it or does it just happen?
I do plan certain things with shoots: the flow of the days shot list, how the makeup and hair and styling work together when working with creative ideas or messy props… But the emotion of the shoot, be it strong or vulnerable, is something that just happens. I can intend on shooting an editorial with a sense of strength (or any other emotion) but, after that initial intent, the rest falls in place….
How did you end up being a professional photographer? Is it something you’ve always envisaged yourself as?
I started seriously considering photography as a career in my 20s. I used photography in my art, predominately black / white and darkroom work, some infrared (that was fun, I miss the darkroom!).
Up until then, I had experimented with a friend’s camera, a Nikon 35mm. I really enjoyed working with it and working with friends to create images that expressed my thoughts and emotions, as well as capturing special moments in time. This quickly led to working with makeup artists, hair stylists, and models from local agencies. At that point, my fate was sealed!
When I came to New York City, I could sense that I was finally “home” and that this is where success as a photographer would manifest itself. From making shoots happen in small apartments to putting in hours conceptualising and organising shoots, the first few years here were a lot of work, but well worth it.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was always intrigued by the many facets of the arts, such as acting, singing and painting. In college, I was studying towards becoming a conductor.
In my 20′s, after enrolling in a photography course, it dawned on me that photography was my true calling. I have always been a natural at it. The photos I took as a teenager all have a great sense of composition. I have a natural gift for concepts and execution. It’s funny how your true calling may not always be obvious to you, but it will hit you over the head when it needs to.
Who has been your favourite client to work for so far?
Always the one who understands photographers as creative people and respects their point of view and decisions. Otherwise, why would they hire me in the first place, as those aspects are crucial to who you are as a photographer, and they become evident in the final images that you see in print or on screen?
What equipment do you use?
I usually use a Hasselblad H2 with a PhaseOne P30+ and CaptureOne. If the lighting situations require it, I’ll whip out the 5DII. Lighting is usually Profoto or ambient with fill reflectors.
Is there a particular style of photography you prefer?
Not really, I love all different styles. Growing as a photographer, you experiment with different lighting, from soft/airy to punchy and vibrant. Soon enough, you find your “voice” and what makes you an individual. Props and various elements that you incorporate into each shot also help define your style.
Which fashion photographers do you admire?
Joyce Tenneson, I love her work! As a budding photographer, it was really wonderful to talk with her. When I was taking my photography course, “Intro to B/W and Darkroom” my professor asked me if I had heard of Joel Peter Witkin due to some of the work I was producing. I did not but he brought in a book of his and I was immediately hooked. A few years later, I discovered Gottfried Helnwien. Many of his photographs are similar to some private work I have done on my own.
What is your life plan so far?
To share my passion with the world around me and hopefully that world will expand year after year.
What is next in terms of photography for you?
The same as what’s happening now, except bigger and better! Plans are to keep shooting and making more amazing work, both in advertising and editorials. I want to keep exploring new ideas, find new amazing locations and travel the world!
Words Natalie Davies Images Michael David Adams
OMER ASIM
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
SIX SCENTS: THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
June 30, 2010 by Editor
Filed under BEAUTY AND GROOMING
AFTER THE TRIUMPH OF THEIR FIRST SET OF FRAGRANCES, SERIES ONE, SIX SCENTS GOT THEIR NOSES STUCK IN TO CREATING NEW WAYS OF TANTALISING THE SENSES.
AGENT2 Magazine’s Jennifer Butler speaks to Kaya Sorhaindo about uncovering the lost art of engaging with perfumes, and how creativity with a conscience has inspired the support of designers.
Kaya has a very strong sense of what story she is telling with the perfumes he creates. His recent exhibition at the Markt Scope Art Show in New York was more than just a viewing for a latest line of fragrances. Visitors were encouraged to interact with the garments and fragrances, even with some people requesting to try on pieces right off the mannequin, politely being refused by curator and supporter of Six Scents Diane Pernet.
The experience is elevated by the designers that apply their talents to these works of art. The project involves bringing artists together from two completely different disciplines. Kaya explains what inspired this concept, “Scent has always been an area of fascination for me. I first thought about the project purely as a multi-sensory exhibition experience; however after discussing with my team we decided to build the experience into a product. Bringing designers and perfumers together is not new, however the type of designers that we commission are quite interesting. Although these designers are somewhat internationally recognised, they would never do a mass market fragrance for a number of reasons. Therefore we wanted to give them an opportunity to apply the ideas that define their collection to a totally different artistic discipline and in doing so they are not only providing a glimpse into of who they are as individuals, but also providing an opportunity for a larger audience to connect with their clothing on a more personal level.”
One of the artists commissioned for Series Two is Japanese artist Azuma Makoto. He has created a series of botanical sculptures for the collection along with a number of video pieces. Every designer was asked to imagine a place and an experience. With the packaging and films the whole experience is slowed down, you interact and contribute to the unfolding of the fragrance story.
Kaya defines the collection as a way to appreciate our surroundings, “The idea was to allow people to share in this experience or fantasy and to help preserve these experiences. Without nature there is no art, for many years artist have been inspired by nature and through the collection we tried to encourage people to appreciate and preserve the thing that inspires us most”.
Kaya has incorporated his love of nature and sustainability by supporting charities through her work. This time around she choose Pro- Natura. Kaya has an unlimited amount of positive things to say about this worthwhile charity. They are one of the most effective green charities basically because they are giving poor people alternative solutions to make money, as opposed to chopping down their forests or overfishing for example. It is amazing, because it is an organization working from the bottom up. It’s not only helping to create environmental solutions, but also symbiotically creating economic and social solutions as well.”
There is such a wide spectrum of people who buy these fragrances. Production was limited to 2,000 bottles per perfume, making them somewhat inclusive, but not producing too much as it would not seem as special. If you buy these fragrances you are genuinely looking for more out of a product, an experience.
Kaya has big plans for the future and high expectations of the fragrances. “The beauty of Six Scents is that it has a little bit for everyone, several touch points and things that you can connect with. This allows us to present the collection in a diverse range of shops from museums and fashion boutiques, to interior design shops, hotels and apothecaries. We are very much committed to the multi-sensory experience, so we will continue to explore new ways for people to appreciate, interpret and engage with fragrance.”
Words Jennifer Butler Images Six Scents
JAMES HOLDEN: PAGAN POST-TECHNO
BORDER COMMUNITY HEAD HONCHO JAMES HOLDEN IS THE LATEST ARTIST TO GRACE THE DECKS AT !K7 WITH HIS OWN EAGERLY ANTICIPATED DJ KICKS MIX. WITH TRACKS FROM THE LIKES OF LEGOWELT, KIEREN HEBDEN (AKA FOURTET) AND MOGWAI, THIS IS AN ALTOGETHER ECLECTIC MIX JOINING THE DOTS BETWEEN EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRONICA, KRAUTROCK, AMBIENT AND TECHNO. THE MIX INCLUDES A BRAND NEW TRACK BY THE MAN HIMSELF AND IS ALREADY BEING DUBBED ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MIX ALBUMS OF THE YEAR.
AGENT2 spoke to James to find out more:
Hi James. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to AGENT2. We’ve been really excited about the release of your DJ-Kicks mix. How would you describe the feel of the mix and what does it mean to you?
I find it quite hard to describe well…. but, I really feel the most happy with this out of all the mixes I’ve recorded. It turned out nice I think – the way it feels so coherent whilst also being made up of such disparate things. What it means, I guess is a suggestion for a sound – a way of looking at things where all this stuff belongs together. Pagan post-techno or something.
The DJ-Kicks series have become somewhat legendary. How did you choose which tracks to include and was there much deliberation?
A lot of deliberation, but mostly in the process of collecting a long list of ’maybes’. The actual choosing from that list and mixing was pretty easy. I think that what’s legendary about the series is the breadth it covers, so that just made me feel quite free and relaxed about just filling it with what I love.
Over the years, you’ve managed to create a sound both in your productions and mixes that is distinctly unique. Where does this sound derive from? Is it an expression of your personality?
Isn’t all music in some way that? I guess so though, I’m quite stubborn. But also I don’t think i would’ve had the strength to spend 10 years fighting to do something that doesn’t quite fit in without the support of everyone at Border Community – both the artists and the people behind the scenes. I think that’s probably the most important influence on where we’ve ended up.
The long awaited ‘Triangle Folds’ is your first production in four years. Can we expect to see more releases in the near future.
I wouldn’t say ‘near’… I’m touring so much for the CD that my synths are going to need a good dusting by the time I next get to play with them.
Your Summer schedule looks pretty crazy with the tour taking you all over the world. Does your music translate well abroad and is there a particular country that you look forward to playing in?
I’m not looking in my google calendar at the moment, out of fear, so I’ll take your word for it! I like quite a lot of different places, for different reasons. It changes, some countries have only taken to me in certain sections of my career, whereas some have always got what we were trying to do. Recently I’ve been quite enjoying my Italian trips and I’m really looking forward to going back to Japan, but really almost everywhere has some cool people who I enjoy playing to.
You’ve remixed the likes of Madonna, New Order and Depeche Mode to name but a few. Is there any artist or a particular track that you would love to get to work on and give the Holden treatment?
No, not at all – I’m so sick of remixing now! I’m taking a break from it…
Your label Border Community puts all it’s releases out on vinyl, a format that seems to face an uphill struggle in a world dominated by digital technology. Do you believe vinyl still plays an important role in the music world or are you an advocate for the digital movement?
I like everything digital brings, the democratisation (though the scene hasn’t quite evolved to deal with that yet), the environmental benefits, the wonderful things you can do DJing with a laptop, but at the same time i still buy a lot of vinyl and record it into the computer because it does sound better (or at least different – depends what you like). I’ll be sad if vinyl ever goes, the magic things a good cut does to the sound are completely unfakeable. I like when we can make a record a beautiful artifact. I think there are still plenty of people who want to own things like that.
Well thanks for your time James. Best of luck with the album – we love it! Have a great Summer.
Words Dan Howell
THE MAKING OF HOLLY FULTON
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.
Words Natalie Davies
