Amelia’s Magazine | Kingston University Fashion MA Graduate Catwalk Show Review 2013


Elina Priha MA collection by Claire Kearns

With London Fashion Week beginning the next day, graduating MA students from Kingston University commandeered the inspiring Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer to present their collections to a central London audience. The angular, brutalist roof and stone floor were the perfect setting for a show full of forward-thinking fashion.

A dynamic catwalk that formed a triangular shape hosted the collections, appearing from an installation of coloured speakers. Twelve designers spanning menswear, womenswear and knitwear made up the show – here’s a run down.

Barry Jude‘s ‘Artifical Intelligence & Divinity’ launched the show with an innovative and sustainable collection of tailored menswear:

Jen Hope presented a stunning collection of laser cut and embossed patent leathers in wide, futuristic shapes. Models carried carrier bags containing roses:

Julia Skergeth‘s all white collection saw luxury woollen jackets transformed by laser cut plastic embellishments:


I LOVED Minka Lüsse‘s striking menswear with an urban edge – a red, gold and black colour palette with triangular motifs, hip hop bombers and elongated shapes:

I’m pretty sure Eppie Conrad likes Jedward. Her collection of incredibly illustrated womenswear, from jackets to dresses in acid colours, had the crowd squealing.

In contrast, Kristen Mossbacher presented a sensual set of womens pieces in ‘The Game’, a collection inspired by gender identity. Elements of menswear contrasted with sleek silk dresses and sexy leather jackets.

Kristen Mossbacher MA collection by Claire Kearns

Jelena Borsc‘s ‘Estranged Hedonist’ saw men model dandyish tailoring, loaded with period drama. High waisted pants, tartans, low-cut waistcoars and angular jackets all featured.

F A Ball‘s guys and girls appeared all at once, wearing perhaps the most diverse and futuristic collection of the entire show. Armadillo-like jackets eveloped models and the women wore conical bras. The colour palette of grey, yellow and blue perfectly complimented each other.

Elizabeth Gilbey‘s describes her take on knitwear as ‘feminine yet strong’. Models wore knitted braids over their faces like veils, which also transferred to garments. It was the bold colour palette of black and gold and the exemplary use of contrasting fabrics that I’ll remember this collection for.

My favourite menswear came courtesy of C. Duncan, inspired by fisherman’s Ganseys. A combination of oversized knitwear, jackets and capes appeared in blue and yellow.

Elina Priha‘s fusion of fabrics, colours and shapes was a stand out collection. Oversized jackets and elongated knitwear worked effortlessly side by side.

Finally, it was left to Laura Buechner to close the show with her use of a range of fabrics with high aesthetic appeal. Innovative leather cut with a zünd machine, quilted jumpers and metallic jackets were stand out pieces.

Nice one, Kingston!

All photography by Matt Bramford; illustrations supplied by and courtesy of the designers except where stated.

Categories ,Barry Jude, ,C Duncan, ,catwalk, ,Claire Kearns, ,Elina Priha, ,Elizabeth Gilbey, ,Eppie Conrad, ,FA Ball, ,fashion, ,graduate, ,Jelena Borsc, ,Jen Hope, ,Julia Skergeth, ,Kingston, ,Kristin Mossbacher, ,Laura Buechner, ,ma, ,Matt Bramford, ,Minka Lüsse, ,Queen Elizabeth Hall, ,review

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Amelia’s Magazine | Kingston University: Graduate Fashion Week 2014 Catwalk Review

GraduateCollection_StefanieTschirky-4
Graduate Collection by Stefanie Tschirky

It was a predictably brilliant outing for Kingston on Monday at this year’s Graduate Fashion Week. Finally the organisers have had some sense and clocked that the Earl’s Court Two venue, home to the event for a number of years, doesn’t do this showcase of the next generation of fashion designers any favours. Relocated at the Truman Brewery, home of numerous other graduate shows, Graduate Fashion Week felt more current, more exciting and a damn sight bloody easier to get to.

Having said that, and as per usual, I hadn’t been particularly organised in the run up to the event and the only ticket I’d managed to get hold of was for Kingston‘s presentation, thanks to some on-it staff who go to the trouble of inviting you rather than waiting for you to email. Drinks and canapés were served across the road in Corbet’s Place, a bar I try to avoid on account of it being at the heart of the misery that is Brick Lane at weekends. I left there precisely one hour later, blind drunk and stuffed full of duck tagine and chicken skewers. Even if the show itself had been terrible, which it definitely wasn’t, I wouldn’t say a bad word about Kingston.

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_003LaurenLake

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_006LaurenLake

All photography by Matt Bramford

It was down to Lauren Lake (above) to launch the show, with a fresh approach to outerwear. Pale pink coats with fur trims were teamed with hot pink accessories and it set a heady, exciting tone to the proceedings as the booze started to wear off.

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_018MariaBarreto

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_028MariaBarreto

Luckily Maria Barreto (above) was awarded the job of following, doing it in style with a collection of sharp tailored coats and dresses in a more serious, sophisticated palette of blue and black.

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Graduate Collection by Karen Verey

Karen Varey was first up representing menswear, with a mixture of sportwear and tailoring. Unique, shiny jackets had embroidered floral details.

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MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_042KarenVerey

Not dissimilar was Merle Ingram‘s approach to womenswear, making use of futuristic materials, like the plastic jacket with zip detail. Abstract shapes were brought together in pale-coloured separates:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_047MerleIngrama

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_051MerleIngram

Stefanie Tschirky also worked with glossy fabrics, but in a strong palette of black and blue – pencil skirts and wide-leg trousers were teamed with oversized jackets:

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Graduate Collection by Stefanie Tschirky

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_068StefanieTschirky

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_066StefanieTschirky

Jasmine Sellers‘ models were enveloped in soft materials, in beige and salmon:

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MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_101JasmineSellers

Tamsin Pick‘s menswear was fresh and unique, with majestic colours, sportswear shapes and towelling details:

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MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_103TamsinPick

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_115TamsinPick

Abigail Irving-Munro‘s womenswear also used sports elements like varsity jackets and zip hoodies, jazzed up with all sorts of embellishments, like contrasting knits and unfinished strips:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_120AbigailIrvingMunroe

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_127AbigailIrvingMunroe

More menswear came courtesy of Catriona Outram; vibrant sketchy patterns were combined with heavy knitwear, while models wore iPad necklaces:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_166CatrionaOutram

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_177CatrionaOutram

Kanrawee line up
Graduate collection by Kanrawee Vechiboonsom

Kanrawee Vechiboonsom presented a sophisticated collection of striking blue and white separates, one featuring an intricate concertina design:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_194KanraweeVechiboonsom

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_197KanraweeVechiboonsom

Maria Brimelow‘s Scandinivian-inspired collection of elongated coats and cardigans drew loud whoops; I particularly like the knotted orange number:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_272MariaBrimelow

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_263MariaBrimelow

Meanwhile, Susanne Wen‘s truly unique collection featured pleated fabrics stitched together in a haphazard fashion:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_276SusanneWen

My favourite collection of Kingston’s outing was without doubt Hannah Cawley. Voluminous silhouettes featured orange and black prints with silver buckle fastening details. Oversized clutch bags in these rich, loud patterns completed the looks:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_285HannahCawley

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_287HannahCawley

Closing menswear was left in the hands of Isabelle Sallis, showing vibrant green prints and a sinister hooded figure:

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_301IsabelleSallis

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_302IsabelleSallis

And finally, Phoebe Kowalska closed this stunning show with an ethereal, Comme des Garçons-esque collection of long dresses with multiple panels.

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_331PhoebeKowalska

MattBramford_GraduateFashionWeek_Kingston_339PhoebeKowalska

Until next year, Kingston!

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Categories ,2014, ,Abigail Irving-Munro, ,BA, ,Catriona Outram, ,catwalk, ,GFW, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Hannah Cawley, ,Isabelle Sallis, ,Jasmine Sellers, ,Kanrawee Vechiboonsom, ,Karen Verey, ,Kingston, ,Lauren Lake, ,Maria Barreto, ,Maria Brimelow, ,Matt Bramford, ,Merle Ingram, ,review, ,Stefanie Tschirky, ,Susanne Wen, ,Tamsin Pick, ,Truman Brewery

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Amelia’s Magazine | Krystof Strozyna: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Catwalk Review

Krystof Strozyna A/W 2012 by Carol Ryder
Krystof Strozyna A/W 2012 by Carol Ryder.

Krystof Strozyna showed on Friday 17th February in the Fashion Scout salon. I dashed in at the last minute, giving me pole position at the end of the catwalk.

krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
This was a more sombre showing than is usual from the renowned Polish designer, featuring a predominantly neutral colour palette of black, cream, sand and milk chocolate – a flash of royal blue in the form of two sexy silk dresses provided welcome relief.

krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
Krystof Strozyna A/W 2012 by Jacqueline Valencia
Krystof Strozyna A/W 2012 by Jacqueline Valencia.

The collection featured asymmetric shaping that revealed large expanses of thigh, zippered blouse details combined with sheer panels, and draping aplenty. Having spent so much time at Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland over the past few seasons I now recognise all these elements to be the backbone of a typically Polish aesthetic, and unfortunately I felt that Krystof Strozyna was playing it incredibly safe. The demands of commerciality could well be exerting a strong hold over the designer these days: come back, experimental Krystof of yore.

krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
krystof strozyna AW 2012 -photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Categories ,A/W 2012, ,Carol Ryder, ,catwalk, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Fashion Scout, ,Jacqueline Valencia, ,Krystof Strozyna, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,review, ,Salon

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Amelia’s Magazine | KTZ: London Collections: Men A/W 2014 Catwalk Review


KTZ A/W 2014 by Sine Skau

Only if resident LC:M hunk David Gandy has been wheeled in will you find a tedious tailored three-piece suit at a KTZ show – and that’s exactly why I bloody love going.


KTZ A/W 2014 by Mitika Suri


All photography by Matt Bramford

The usual onslaught of chaos occurred outside, but I knew that once inside, it would be relatively empty. In the basement of Victoria House, I was right – rows of empty seats were frantically being filled as I picked a good standing vantage point from which to view this season’s bizarre brilliance.

A KTZ menswear show tends to feel comfortingly familiar, yet entirely different. The ambiguous, evocative symbols that mix Sanskrit with religious symbols with godknowswhat adorned most garments, black and white dominated this collection and the silhouettes were as dramatic as ever. So what do you do to mix things up a bit? Paint the bloody models ice white, of course. This is definitely not a show to appeal to the Harris Tweed brigade.

Pieces seemed to be bigger than ever this season. XXL hoods draped over models past the knee; furs, scarves and thick fabrics enveloped models’ faces and necks; a sort of Arctic exploration on LSD. I was dazzled by caps with metal embellishments, metal headpieces that crept down foreheads, jewels attached to sweatshirts that had been arranged in a precise, mathematical fashion, and skintight jumpsuits that were so low cut that they revealed navels.


KTZ A/W 2014 by Sine Skau

The tribal, cultish vibe remained at this collection’s core, its mix of graphic emblems and experiments with fabric keeping every audience member’s attention all the way through over forty looks. I won’t even attempt to define it, categorise it, or discuss it in terms of how wearable, sellable or functional it is. That would be a mistake. It’s better to sit (or stand) back, revel in the showmanship of it all, then stock up on Snazaroo face paint when you get home.

Categories ,Artic, ,catwalk, ,fashion, ,KTZ, ,LCM, ,LCMAW2014, ,london, ,London Collections Men, ,Marjan Pejoski, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,review, ,Sanskrit, ,Sine Skau, ,sportswear, ,Victoria House

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Amelia’s Magazine | KTZ: London Collections: Men S/S 2015 Catwalk Review

KTZ_SS15_by_Krister Selin
KTZ S/S 2015 by Krister Selin

It was at 9am when I rolled up at the Old Sorting Office for my first show of this season: KTZ. After a few too many Tequila-based cocktails at the Agi & Sam party the night before, I wasn’t in the best of states, but I was pleased (for myself, not for KTZ) to find that the venue wasn’t heaving. A raised standing area occupied one corner of the space and I was pleased that the organisers of London Collections: Men had finally given some thought to this issue.

Fiongal KTZ Amelias mag
KTZ S/S 2015 by Fiongal Greenlaw

Kenny Larkin‘s Drama remix of La Fleur’s Nightflow began pumping through the sound system, reawakening the remains of the previous night’s alcohol binge. I quickly found myself in the mood for what was about to be KTZ‘s best outing yet.

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MattBramford_LondonCollectionsMen_SS15_KTZ_017

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MattBramford_LondonCollectionsMen_SS15_KTZ_026

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All photography by Matt Bramford

Inspiration this season came from Greek Hekatontarchs perfectly married with, as always, elements of street wear and hip hop culture. Pieces seemed infinitely more wearable this time, too – when you remove the sculpted torsos and headline-grabbing headwear. The opening section stayed true with the brand’s monochrome philosophy, starring oversized tops, pleated skirts, translucent shirts revealing bare torsos and basketball shorts. All of the above featured KTZ‘s staple ambiguous patterns; I noticed lightning bolts and elements of Greek architecture hidden amongst these ostentatious designs.

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The latter section introduced a vibrant orange to the rest of the looks. Enveloping jackets, baseball caps, bombers with multiple pockets and tassels and towelling shorts were all highlights as the tangerine warriors drew cheers from the cavalry of KTZ fans inside.

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The final pieces involved plastic weaves and tessellating plastic shapes: modern day armour for the modern day fashion fan. It was an incredible mix of historical references and contemporary styling and set a very high precedent for the next couple of days.

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Categories ,catwalk, ,fashion, ,Fiongal Greenlaw, ,Greece, ,Krister Selin, ,KTZ, ,LCM, ,LCMSS2015, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Old Sorting Office, ,review, ,SS15, ,Tequila

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Amelia’s Magazine | KTZ: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Catwalk Review


KTZ A/W 2012 by Lorna Leigh Harrington

Regular readers of my London Fashion Week reviews (Hi mum, sorry I haven’t called, been busy) will know that I absolutely adore KTZ. If I could only choose one show to see each season it would probably be this – so it was disappointing that both myself and Amelia hadn’t received any tickets this time. The show had been moved from its regular spot on menswear day to fit in with the womenswear schedule – a move not so surprising considering the KTZ womenswear is usually what gets people talking. This also might explain the lack of tickets – but it was thanks to fashion superhero Lida over at The First To Know that I managed to get in.


All photography by Matt Bramford

Inside, it was already approaching capacity with barely enough room to swing a Canon zoom lens. I managed to perch on the end of a row – one cheek on, one cheek off – as the aisles began to fill up also. Now I don’t want to get above my station but I’ve seen some really, really bad fashion etiquette this season. It seems there are more and more people desperate to take photographs, with people standing up in all rows to try and secure a less blurry shot. It makes for a messy looking show, with some people even resorting to lying on the floor. I dread to think what kind of immoral images they take of the poor models.


KTZ A/W 2012 by Warren Clarke

I had just enough time to scan the crowds for celebrities before the show began – I think there was a member of The Saturdays (I could be wrong) who looked like she’d been getting ready since 2004. The lights fell, the infamous eardrum-bursting music began and this season’s KTZ extravaganza opened with a monochrome all-plaid number. I hadn’t had time to survey any show notes in part because I was trying to work out whether Girl From The Saturdays was actually from The Saturdays – and sometimes this makes the show more interesting, when you have no idea what to expect. This opening number featured a loose-fitting jacket in heavy tartan fabric, embellished with silver pearls and worn over matching layers – herringbone and smaller tartans – all brought together at the waist with a deep belt featuring ‘KTZ’ in metal.

The tartans kept a-coming, and I would even be so brave to suggest that tartan might be a trend, if people still really worry about things like that. Gorgeous plaid in bright yellow and rich red appeared, styled similarly in Yohji Yamamoto-esque coats with askew proportions and leather and gold accessories. A little bit punk, a little bit New Romantic (styled with flat, shapeless caps) and a LOT of fun.

On the bottom half, tartans came on pleated skirts – sexier than kilts, cut much higher above the knee. Digital-print skirts carrying constellations almost went unnoticed amongst such vibrant fabrics.

As usual there was a huge element of mystery to this collection – as it progressed, models wore huge capes printed with ambiguous religious symbols and monk-like hoods that managed to be sexy and scary at the same time. This section of the show would most certainly have had Dan Brown soaked.

The offerings for fellas seemed a lot stronger this year and the relationship between menswear and womenswear was the most married I’ve seen from KTZ so far. Tartan caps and puffa jackets carried fur trims, large scarves with said symbols were worn across the chest, and hooded cassocks had a surprisingly masculine effect.

The finale brought a few unusual pieces that came as a bit of a surprise – it made the collection seem a little incoherent, but this is KTZ and they can be as incoherent as they bloody like for all I care – leave orderly collections to the Jasper Conrans of fashion, I say. Pinstripe New Romantic-proportioned blazers were embellished with hundreds and thousands of shimmering stars for the gents; for women this treatment appeared on a body-conscious one-piece. A black cropped-sleeve dress, covered completely in black jewels, brought gasps from the guests on my bench.

Reviewing my photographs, I haven’t even mentioned the Versace-esque printed dress with Baroque and tartan fused together perfectly in print, OR the Chanel-esque twinset and baggy sweater. Oh! It was wonderfully exhausting as always, and a massive relief to see that, even in an age of austerity, KTZ will continue to invite us (ahem) into their weird and wonderful dreams.

Categories ,A/W 2012, ,AW12, ,BFC, ,catwalk, ,chanel, ,Constellations, ,Digital Print, ,Kokontozai, ,KTZ, ,lfw, ,Lida, ,London Fashion Week, ,Lorna Leigh Harrington, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,New Romantics, ,Pinstripe, ,Plaid, ,review, ,Show Space, ,Somerset House, ,Tartan, ,The First To Know, ,Versace, ,Warren Clarke, ,Womenswear, ,Yohji Yamamoto

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Amelia’s Magazine | Latitude Festival 2010: Waterfront Graduate Fashion Shows Preview

A while back I happened to catch a performance by Lissie at the Old Queens Head in Angel. I hadn’t planned on watching her – truth be told, more about healing I was there to check out the band before her ; but my curiosity was piqued as I watched the room fill up with an expectant and excited audience, rx all craning their necks and standing on their tippy toes to get a better view of the girl serenading us. It’s been a while since I saw someone so captivating. Golden haired, this site freckled and just a slip of a thing, Lissie entranced the room who in turn treated her to a hushed and reverential silence, punctuated only by bursts of spirited applause and cheers. I watched the audience watching her. Everyone seemed transported out of their location; away from the top room of a pub on grimy old Essex Road and into the world that Mid-Western native come Californian girl Lissie inhabits, laced with the scent of orange blossom, filled with wide open skies, winding rivers and smokey mountains, and night-times spent on porches with nothing but a guitar, a couple of beers and a pack of Marlboro Reds . No wonder we were all captivated.

A couple of weeks later, I got to meet the busy Lissie. In the time between, Lissie had appeared on Jools Holland, toured around Europe, duetted with Ellie Goulding at The Great Escape, and graced the airwaves, all in the name of the hectic promotion of her debut album, Catching a Tiger (hot on the heels of the release of last years Why You Runnin’ EP). The phrase ‘riding a juggernaut’ comes to mind with Lissie; bursting into our consciousness with the brightest of starts. The day we met was a rare moment of down time; her touring schedule is in a constant state of flux – stretching to accommodate gigs that are being added on a daily basis, and Lissie had only just made it back from the previous nights gigs in Manchester and Newcastle. Curled up wearing her newest acquisition – a red jacket with white piping brought from a charity shop up North which made her look, she remarked cheerily, like “Santa Claus”, she lamented the ever decreasing amount of free time but was laughingly quick to note that it’s “a quality problem- it’s only busy because it’s going well, if no-one liked the music then there wouldn’t be things for me to do!” As Amelia’s Magazine is nothing if not versatile in its roles, I was happy to take on the guise of English Tourist Board representative, and suggest a list of places to visit when she finally gets a day off; though when that day will be, we will never know! ( FYI, Lissie was especially keen on the visit to Hampton Court Palace idea). As she munched on a healthy beetroot salad – my lunch advice was a visit to Mr Jerk in Soho for some fattening salt fish patties; probably best that not all of my suggestions get listened to) – I decided to find out just where this spirited… got her start in life.

I always loved to sing, I was a pretty outspoken, strong willed little kid! I got a little shyer and more introverted when I got older but as a kid I used to stomp my feet when I walked (swings arms in a very determined manner), I was always talkin’… My family were really sweet and encouraging, but at school I would get into a lot of trouble because I would talk back, I always knew what was best for me, and when other people used to tell me what was best for me, I would be like “uh oh! Not gonna do it!” (laughs) I loved to sing, so becoming a songwriter was a great way for me to express my feelings, you know. I wasn’t always great at talking about things, and so I could write these little melodies…. even as a little kid, I would sing my feelings. I sang to my sister; I do recall tape recording this mean song about her, and leaving a tape recorder about her under her bedroom door and then pressing play and running away! (laughs) And then in high school I went through my phase of being more introverted – I pierced my nose, got a tattoo, started smoking,….I did my own thing cause I didn’t really fit in to any particular group. I started writing music, taught myself guitar and then started working at this coffee shop where I could play.

What type of music were you listening to then?
Music wise, when I was younger I was into folk, Americana, musical theatre, and then in high school I was into country and gangsta rap

Those are two very different genres!
You wouldn’t think that these are similar in any way, but when you listen to either country or rap, it’s people telling their story. Indie rock can be more obtuse or obscure. Country and rap is some one speaking in the first person, you know? It’s more like, “this is my story, this is my experience.”

Do you respond to music that is more heartfelt and honest?
Totally, but I like all kinds of stuff. Although I don’t really listen to music to get inspired for my own music.

Did you move to California immediately after high school?
First I went to Colorado, to go to study at Colorado State. I was playing music and sang with a DJ there, and he ended up getting our song placed on tv shows. That was a catalyst for me; I realised that I could make a living making music, maybe eventually a good living! And then I went and did a semester of school (our version of uni) in Paris. I was singing there as well; I met a woman who helped me get shows in bars, and I also got some stuff played on college radio. After that I dropped out of school, and moved to LA – only cause I figured that that’s where you go when you want to be a singer!

Comparisons have been made to the hazy and bohemian rock n’ roll that came out of Laurel Canyon in the 70′s (think Joni Mitchell, The Doors, and Stevie Nicks). Lissie’s 2010 version is honed from living in an area not more than a mile or two away; Beechwood Canyon, a creative hub of artists and musicians and a world away from the plastic glamour and sheen of Beverly Hills. Los Angeles is known for chewing up and spitting up many a wide eyed starlet and ingenue, but strong-willed Lissie was never going to be one of the victims….
I don’t know if it’s me being stubborn, or being from the Mid West, but….I’m not bullshit, I don’t want bullshit in my life. I’m still nice, you know? I was never tempted by (the LA madness.) I always knew what I wanted to do. And I wasn’t immediately successful… I had figured that by 22 I was gonna make a record, and I didn’t make one till I was 26. But I was never like “I’m never going to be successful, maybe I need to be skinnier, or prettier, or I need to start doing drugs!

A year ago (while dealing with the messy end of a relationship) Lissie made a decision – part gut instinct, part cosmic order – to leave LA and head north to the tranquil town of Ojai, a place that she had never even stepped foot in…

Do you get inspired by the peace of Ojai?
Unfortunately i was more inspired to write when I was in Hollywood, because there was more more me to get worked up about. (sighs) There was this guy that I dated…… we broke up and our breakup process was drawn out and painful, which gave me a lot of material (laughs). Part of the reason why I moved was because it felt like my family was broken, and I needed a change. I put it out there; I was on a plane coming back from Tennessee and…. sometimes I just say what I want, and try to have faith that it will happen, and this is the weird thing; I found myself sitting next to two people who lived in Ojai, and I told them that I was heading back to LA, and they suggested I visit Ojai. So I got back to LA and instantly knew that I couldn’t be there; there was something in me that said “you have to move to Ojai, even though I had never been there before!” I went online, and found this house that cost less than my apartment in LA . I put down a deposit and moved, gone! And it was the best thing for me. I totally healed my heart there, and got myself in a position where I could really focus on myself, and what I need to do. I live alone, with my dog, I go for walks. And I make a ton of pie! (laughs)

So you have a summer of touring in England?
Yeah, every day we get a revised schedule. We’re (Lissie and her band) doing festivals for the next few months, and in October, November and December there will be at least one thing a month going on in England, so it’s unclear whether we will just stay here or start our momentum in the States, ’cause I still have to go promote my album over there. I don’t exactly know what’s going to be happening, but it’s all good.

Dee-Andrews-Bethan-Smith
Bethan Smith by Dee Andrews.

This year, thumb for the first time, Latitude Festival will be hosting repeat runs of the graduate fashion shows from Central Saint Martins and Chelsea College of Art and Design: lovingly reproduced on a special catwalk by the lake near the Waterfront Stage.

Don’t miss this opportunity to catch some of the best up and coming fashion designers showcasing their work in such a wonderful setting, so very far from the usual hubbub associated with urban fashion shows.

Of course I couldn’t resist putting a sneak preview of the best designers out to a host of illustrators…

Central Saint Martins

Abi Daker - Sorcha O'Raghallaigh
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh by Abigail Daker.

Check the amazing chiffon head-dressed swirling layers from Sorcha O’Raghallaigh, all based on the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. We particularly loved Sorcha‘s stuff in this previous blog post.

Zoe-Sherwood-lisa stannard
Zoe Sherwood by Lisa Stannard.

or fabulous feathers and dip dyeing from Zoe Sherwood – all based on the different stages of a bird in flight

Dee-Andrews-Anne-Karine-Thorbjoernsen
Dee-Andrews-Anne-Karine-Thorbjoernsen
Anne Karine Thorbjoernsen by Dee Andrews.

or how about Russian Constructivist theory transferred into stunning spiked dresses courtesy of Anne Karine Thorbjoersen?

yuann-shen-felipe rojas-llanos
Felipe Rojas Llanos by Yuann Shen.

not to mention the couture influenced pod shaped menswear from Felipe Rojas Llanos

and from Chelsea College of Art and Design

Dee-Andrews-Bethan-Smith
Bethan Smith by Dee Andrews.

Look out especially for sculptural textiles from Bethan Smith, inspired by Native American ceremonial dress

bethparry_rachelclareprice
Beth Parry by Rachel Clare Price.

twisted knitwear from Beth Parry

Lauren-T-Franks-by-Barbara Ana Gomez
Lauren T-Franks by Barbara Ana Gomez.

contemporary folklore from Lauren T-Franks

Abi Daker - Sophie Parker
Sophie Parker by Abigail Daker.

wide-checked pants and quilted capes from Sophie Parker

donna.mckenzie.nichola.orchard
donna.mckenzie.nichola.orchard
Nichola Orchard by Donna McKenzie.

ruffled and bumped accessories inspired by skin and mountain ranges from Nichola Orchard

ELLEN-CHATELAIN-by-Lisa-Stannard
Ellen Chatelain by Lisa Stannard.

knitted patchwork stripey jumpsuits inspired by 1960s science fiction from Ellen Chatelain

Sine-Skau-Shawana-Grosvenor.jpg
Shawana Grosvenor by Sine Skau.

and creamy circular tailoring from Shawana Grosvenor.

Models will be provided by Elite, which might well excite the man in your life… and this major model agency will also be scouting the festival for the next big thing. Ooo-eeeee. Will you be down by the lakeside this weekend?

Categories ,Abigail Daker, ,Anne Karine Thorbjoersen, ,Barbara Ana Gomez, ,Beth Parry, ,Bethan Smith, ,catwalk, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chelsea College of Art and Design, ,Dee Andrews, ,Donna McKenzie, ,Elite Models, ,Ellen Chatelain, ,Fashion Show, ,Felipe Rojas Llanos, ,Graduate Show, ,Latitude Festival, ,Lauren T-Franks, ,Lisa Stannard, ,models, ,Nichola Orchard, ,Rachel Clare Price, ,Russian Constructivism, ,Shawana Grosvenor, ,Sine Skau, ,Sophie Parker, ,Sorcha O’Raghallaigh, ,Waterfront Stage, ,Yuann Shen, ,Zoe Sherwood

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Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week Interview: Birmingham’s Joseph Turvey

Thumbnail Glastonbury

Illustration by Natasha T

There is no denying Glastonbury 2010 was a really special one. So if, sickness like me, thumb you are still feeling a touch of the post-festival blues read on and let us reminisce about some of the musical moments that made this years festival truly great.
 
In the weeks before the 40th Glastonbury there was an anticipation that everyone down on Worthy Farm would be pulling out all the stops. And sure enough, treatment ecstatic festival-goers arrived to a spruced up site; a beautiful patchwork sign spelling Glastonbury surveyed the beauty of the colossal site from its perch on the hill near The Park; a giant wicker man stood proudly in the middle of the stone circle; and a ravetastic new henge made from glowing cubes provided a place for guys and gals of Glastonbury to come and worship in the dance fields. I’m sure there was much much more but all this added to a general impression that Glasto 2010 was going to be bigger, brighter and better than ever before.

Then, of course, something really magical happened, something that no one could have predicted. The sun shined for the entire festival – and boy did it shine! Umbrellas found a novel new purpose in life protecting their owners not from rain but the unrelenting heat of the sun, and wellies remained slumped in dark corners of tents or abandoned by the very optimistic in cars.
 
As with the extra effort put into everything else, the line up was incredible — too good! Everyday my heart was broken a little as I realised that two, three or four of the bands I would have liked to have seen were on at the same time. The line-up was an eclectic music fan’s (such as myself’s) dream. Neatly summed up, of course, in the festival’s headline acts; Gorillaz, Muse and Stevie Wonder — three acts big enough to hold their own on the famous Pyramid Stage but definitely diverse in their musical stylings. I’m going to end on Stevie but first to another of his namesakes.


Illustration by Gareth Hopkins

Seasick Steve took to The Pyramid in what felt like one billion degree heat in the middle of the day on Saturday. The cider in my hand was hotter than the sun and doing nothing to quench my thirst but Seasick Steve was all the refreshment that the large crowd who had turned up to see him needed. He’s been on the summer festival circuit for a while now but his stripped-down act, wailing three string guitar, and songs about life on the streets in the USA were still as thrilling as ever. ‘Burning Up’ managed to sum up quite succinctly the general atmosphere among the sea of sweating fans but we all stayed with him despite the heat for his tremendous trademark finale of the ever-accelerating bluesy number ‘Dog House Boogie.’

 Then, later that day, Laura Marling’s gig provided one of the most memorable moments of festival. After a blissful and beautiful Saturday afternoon Marling emerged just as the bright ball-like orange sun dipped behind the trees. She said very little but the hush over The Park as everyone stopped to listen to her was such that my friend aimed a “Shhh” at a low flying helicopter above us. Her set was a combination of the now veritable folk standards from the old album such as ‘Ghosts’, ‘My Manic and I’ and the countrified ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ and pretty ditties from new album I Speak Because I Can. She began ‘Blackberry Stone’ to whoops of delight from the crowd and by the end of the delicate guitar-based ballad from her latest work Laura had herself a few new fans and a boy at the front had himself a new fiancé. “I don’t know if you saw, but someone just proposed and got a good answer,” Marling told the mesmerised crowd.


Illustration by Donna McKenzie

 Mumford & Sons caused me a fair bit of heartache, an ill-timed arrival meant that I could barely get near the tent. Recently the Mumford boys have pretty much exploded — planting their banjo-touting and harmony-singing selves firmly at the forefront of the British antifolk scene. Their gig at the John Peel Stage was a monument to how popular they have become. The audience and, really endearingly, the band were completely overwhelmed. As their set saw some of the biggest sing- a-longs of the festival it was all the boys could do to steal glances at each other with looks of utter disbelief. The intimacy of their songs and acoustic nature was not lost among the huge crowd though — proving once and for all that these are folkies who really know how to rock. In fact many were left wondering why the boys had been billed for the John Peel and not The Other or West Holts Stages, they definitely proved they can draw a big enough crowd.


Illustration by Luke Waller

 Dizzee Rascal, a bit of a festival staple these days, was perhaps one of the only acts who could have drawn me away from the Mumfords. Ever the entertainer he bust out his best hits including ‘Bonkers’, ‘Holiday’, new one ‘Dirty Disco’ and a version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ — all unbeatable at geeing up a cider-fuelled rabble for a night of raging away in the dance fields, Shangri-La, their own tent, or whatever it might be. And, of course, his set wouldn’t have been complete without an appearance from Florence for ‘You Got the Dirty Love’ (her own gig on The Other Stage another massive festival highlight for many). After also appearing with The xx, Florence actually sung ‘You Got the Love’ three times this Glastonbury. In fact if you watched Florence at her gig and all her guest appearances and then went to see Candi Staton croon her way through her original version, you could have gotten a whole four renditions — I’m not sure that’s ever happened before at Glasto and surely that’s more than enough love for anybody?


Illustration by Abi Daker

 But it was Stevie Wonder who stole the show for many, proving that 50 odd years in the business only makes you more of a superstar not a washed-up one. Ripping a keytar to shreds, Wonder promised a night of celebrating Michael Jackson’s life as well as 40 years of Glastonbury. Now, I would never have bought a ticket to see Stevie Wonder play but clearly this was going to be a once in a lifetime experience and anyway, his music holds some pretty serious sway in our house (my Mum requested songs by Stevie to be played out on hospital radio after the births of me and my sister!) But even my friend, who couldn’t claim to be a Stevie Wonder fan — “I don’t know any of the songs, sing one to me!” — soon realised that basically everybody knows Stevie Wonder’s music. His songs are all around us and like some kind of musical oxygen have been seeping into our brains via osmosis since the dawn of time! Stevie unashamedly rattled through the biggest hits of his half century-long career, saving ‘Superstition’ until near the end of his set, unleashing a rapturous response among arguably the biggest crowd of the festival.
 
Then the ultimate finale to what has since been reported as the best Glastonbury ever, Stevie’s legendary soul interpretation of Happy Birthday. Glasto founder Michael Eavis was dragged out on stage and serenaded by the superstar — providing the ultimate warm fuzzy feeling in the stomachs of everyone who witnessed it. Even if Eavis’ singing was less than easy on the ears.
 


Illustration by Natasha Thompson

There is no denying Glastonbury 2010 was a really special one. So if, prescription like me, diagnosis you are still feeling a touch of the post-festival blues read on and let us reminisce about some of the musical moments that made this years festival truly great.
 
In the weeks before the 40th Glastonbury there was an anticipation that everyone down on Worthy Farm would be pulling out all the stops. And sure enough, ecstatic festival-goers arrived to a spruced up site; a beautiful patchwork sign spelling Glastonbury surveyed the beauty of the colossal site from its perch on the hill near The Park; a giant wicker man stood proudly in the middle of the stone circle; and a ravetastic new henge made from glowing cubes provided a place for guys and gals of Glastonbury to come and worship in the dance fields. I’m sure there was much much more but all this added to a general impression that Glasto 2010 was going to be bigger, brighter and better than ever before.

Then, of course, something really magical happened, something that no one could have predicted. The sun shined for the entire festival – and boy did it shine! Umbrellas found a novel new purpose in life protecting their owners not from rain but the unrelenting heat of the sun, and wellies remained slumped in dark corners of tents or abandoned by the very optimistic in cars.
 
As with the extra effort put into everything else, the line up was incredible — too good! Everyday my heart was broken a little as I realised that two, three or four of the bands I would have liked to have seen were on at the same time. The line-up was an eclectic music fan’s (such as myself’s) dream. Neatly summed up, of course, in the festival’s headline acts; Gorillaz, Muse and Stevie Wonder — three acts big enough to hold their own on the famous Pyramid Stage but definitely diverse in their musical stylings. I’m going to end on Stevie but first to another of his namesakes.


Illustration by Gareth Hopkins

Seasick Steve took to The Pyramid in what felt like one billion degree heat in the middle of the day on Saturday. The cider in my hand was hotter than the sun and doing nothing to quench my thirst but Seasick Steve was all the refreshment that the large crowd who had turned up to see him needed. He’s been on the summer festival circuit for a while now but his stripped-down act, wailing three string guitar, and songs about life on the streets in the USA were still as thrilling as ever. ‘Burning Up’ managed to sum up quite succinctly the general atmosphere among the sea of sweating fans but we all stayed with him despite the heat for his tremendous trademark finale of the ever-accelerating bluesy number ‘Dog House Boogie.’

 Then, later that day, Laura Marling’s gig provided one of the most memorable moments of festival. After a blissful and beautiful Saturday afternoon Marling emerged just as the bright ball-like orange sun dipped behind the trees. She said very little but the hush over The Park as everyone stopped to listen to her was such that my friend aimed a “Shhh” at a low flying helicopter above us. Her set was a combination of the now veritable folk standards from the old album such as ‘Ghosts’, ‘My Manic and I’ and the countrified ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ and pretty ditties from new album I Speak Because I Can. She began ‘Blackberry Stone’ to whoops of delight from the crowd and by the end of the delicate guitar-based ballad from her latest work Laura had herself a few new fans and a boy at the front had himself a new fiancé. “I don’t know if you saw, but someone just proposed and got a good answer,” Marling told the mesmerised crowd.


Illustration by Donna McKenzie

 Mumford & Sons caused me a fair bit of heartache, an ill-timed arrival meant that I could barely get near the tent. Recently the Mumford boys have pretty much exploded — planting their banjo-touting and harmony-singing selves firmly at the forefront of the British antifolk scene. Their gig at the John Peel Stage was a monument to how popular they have become. The audience and, really endearingly, the band were completely overwhelmed. As their set saw some of the biggest sing- a-longs of the festival it was all the boys could do to steal glances at each other with looks of utter disbelief. The intimacy of their songs and acoustic nature was not lost among the huge crowd though — proving once and for all that these are folkies who really know how to rock. In fact many were left wondering why the boys had been billed for the John Peel and not The Other or West Holts Stages, they definitely proved they can draw a big enough crowd.


Illustration by Luke Waller

 Dizzee Rascal, a bit of a festival staple these days, was perhaps one of the only acts who could have drawn me away from the Mumfords. Ever the entertainer he bust out his best hits including ‘Bonkers’, ‘Holiday’, new one ‘Dirty Disco’ and a version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ — all unbeatable at geeing up a cider-fuelled rabble for a night of raging away in the dance fields, Shangri-La, their own tent, or whatever it might be. And, of course, his set wouldn’t have been complete without an appearance from Florence for ‘You Got the Dirty Love’ (her own gig on The Other Stage another massive festival highlight for many). After also appearing with The xx, Florence actually sung ‘You Got the Love’ three times this Glastonbury. In fact if you watched Florence at her gig and all her guest appearances and then went to see Candi Staton croon her way through her original version, you could have gotten a whole four renditions — I’m not sure that’s ever happened before at Glasto and surely that’s more than enough love for anybody?


Illustration by Abi Daker

 But it was Stevie Wonder who stole the show for many, proving that 50 odd years in the business only makes you more of a superstar not a washed-up one. Ripping a keytar to shreds, Wonder promised a night of celebrating Michael Jackson’s life as well as 40 years of Glastonbury. Now, I would never have bought a ticket to see Stevie Wonder play but clearly this was going to be a once in a lifetime experience and anyway, his music holds some pretty serious sway in our house (my Mum requested songs by Stevie to be played out on hospital radio after the births of me and my sister!) But even my friend, who couldn’t claim to be a Stevie Wonder fan — “I don’t know any of the songs, sing one to me!” — soon realised that basically everybody knows Stevie Wonder’s music. His songs are all around us and like some kind of musical oxygen have been seeping into our brains via osmosis since the dawn of time! Stevie unashamedly rattled through the biggest hits of his half century-long career, saving ‘Superstition’ until near the end of his set, unleashing a rapturous response among arguably the biggest crowd of the festival.
 
Then the ultimate finale to what has since been reported as the best Glastonbury ever, Stevie’s legendary soul interpretation of Happy Birthday. Glasto founder Michael Eavis was dragged out on stage and serenaded by the superstar — providing the ultimate warm fuzzy feeling in the stomachs of everyone who witnessed it. Even if Eavis’ singing was less than easy on the ears.
 


Illustration by Natasha Thompson

There is no denying Glastonbury 2010 was a really special one. So if, remedy like me, visit this site you are still feeling a touch of the post-festival blues read on and let us reminisce about some of the musical moments that made this years festival truly great.
 
In the weeks before the 40th Glastonbury there was an anticipation that everyone down on Worthy Farm would be pulling out all the stops. And sure enough, ecstatic festival-goers arrived to a spruced up site; a beautiful patchwork sign spelling Glastonbury surveyed the beauty of the colossal site from its perch on the hill near The Park; a giant wicker man stood proudly in the middle of the stone circle; and a ravetastic new henge made from glowing cubes provided a place for guys and gals of Glastonbury to come and worship in the dance fields. I’m sure there was much much more but all this added to a general impression that Glasto 2010 was going to be bigger, brighter and better than ever before.

Then, of course, something really magical happened, something that no one could have predicted. The sun shined for the entire festival – and boy did it shine! Umbrellas found a novel new purpose in life protecting their owners not from rain but the unrelenting heat of the sun, and wellies remained slumped in dark corners of tents or abandoned by the very optimistic in cars.
 
As with the extra effort put into everything else, the line up was incredible — too good! Everyday my heart was broken a little as I realised that two, three or four of the bands I would have liked to have seen were on at the same time. The line-up was an eclectic music fan’s (such as myself’s) dream. Neatly summed up, of course, in the festival’s headline acts; Gorillaz, Muse and Stevie Wonder — three acts big enough to hold their own on the famous Pyramid Stage but definitely diverse in their musical stylings. I’m going to end on Stevie but first to another of his namesakes.


Illustration by Gareth Hopkins

Seasick Steve took to The Pyramid in what felt like one billion degree heat in the middle of the day on Saturday. The cider in my hand was hotter than the sun and doing nothing to quench my thirst but Seasick Steve was all the refreshment that the large crowd who had turned up to see him needed. He’s been on the summer festival circuit for a while now but his stripped-down act, wailing three string guitar, and songs about life on the streets in the USA were still as thrilling as ever. ‘Burning Up’ managed to sum up quite succinctly the general atmosphere among the sea of sweating fans but we all stayed with him despite the heat for his tremendous trademark finale of the ever-accelerating bluesy number ‘Dog House Boogie.’

 Then, later that day, Laura Marling’s gig provided one of the most memorable moments of festival. After a blissful and beautiful Saturday afternoon Marling emerged just as the bright ball-like orange sun dipped behind the trees. She said very little but the hush over The Park as everyone stopped to listen to her was such that my friend aimed a “Shhh” at a low flying helicopter above us. Her set was a combination of the now veritable folk standards from the old album such as ‘Ghosts’, ‘My Manic and I’ and the countrified ‘Alas I Cannot Swim’ and pretty ditties from new album I Speak Because I Can. She began ‘Blackberry Stone’ to whoops of delight from the crowd and by the end of the delicate guitar-based ballad from her latest work Laura had herself a few new fans and a boy at the front had himself a new fiancé. “I don’t know if you saw, but someone just proposed and got a good answer,” Marling told the mesmerised crowd.


Illustration by Donna McKenzie

 Mumford & Sons caused me a fair bit of heartache, an ill-timed arrival meant that I could barely get near the tent. Recently the Mumford boys have pretty much exploded — planting their banjo-touting and harmony-singing selves firmly at the forefront of the British antifolk scene. Their gig at the John Peel Stage was a monument to how popular they have become. The audience and, really endearingly, the band were completely overwhelmed. As their set saw some of the biggest sing- a-longs of the festival it was all the boys could do to steal glances at each other with looks of utter disbelief. The intimacy of their songs and acoustic nature was not lost among the huge crowd though — proving once and for all that these are folkies who really know how to rock. In fact many were left wondering why the boys had been billed for the John Peel and not The Other or West Holts Stages, they definitely proved they can draw a big enough crowd.


Illustration by Luke Waller

 Dizzee Rascal, a bit of a festival staple these days, was perhaps one of the only acts who could have drawn me away from the Mumfords. Ever the entertainer he bust out his best hits including ‘Bonkers’, ‘Holiday’, new one ‘Dirty Disco’ and a version of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ — all unbeatable at geeing up a cider-fuelled rabble for a night of raging away in the dance fields, Shangri-La, their own tent, or whatever it might be. And, of course, his set wouldn’t have been complete without an appearance from Florence for ‘You Got the Dirty Love’ (her own gig on The Other Stage another massive festival highlight for many). After also appearing with The xx, Florence actually sung ‘You Got the Love’ three times this Glastonbury. In fact if you watched Florence at her gig and all her guest appearances and then went to see Candi Staton croon her way through her original version, you could have gotten a whole four renditions — I’m not sure that’s ever happened before at Glasto and surely that’s more than enough love for anybody?


Illustration by Abi Daker

 But it was Stevie Wonder who stole the show for many, proving that 50 odd years in the business only makes you more of a superstar not a washed-up one. Ripping a keytar to shreds, Wonder promised a night of celebrating Michael Jackson’s life as well as 40 years of Glastonbury. Now, I would never have bought a ticket to see Stevie Wonder play but clearly this was going to be a once in a lifetime experience and anyway, his music holds some pretty serious sway in our house (my Mum requested songs by Stevie to be played out on hospital radio after the births of me and my sister!) But even my friend, who couldn’t claim to be a Stevie Wonder fan — “I don’t know any of the songs, sing one to me!” — soon realised that basically everybody knows Stevie Wonder’s music. His songs are all around us and like some kind of musical oxygen have been seeping into our brains via osmosis since the dawn of time! Stevie unashamedly rattled through the biggest hits of his half century-long career, saving ‘Superstition’ until near the end of his set, unleashing a rapturous response among arguably the biggest crowd of the festival.
 
Then the ultimate finale to what has since been reported as the best Glastonbury ever, Stevie’s legendary soul interpretation of Happy Birthday. Glasto founder Michael Eavis was dragged out on stage and serenaded by the superstar — providing the ultimate warm fuzzy feeling in the stomachs of everyone who witnessed it. Even if Eavis’ singing was less than easy on the ears.
 

Joseph Turvey created a storm at Graduate Fashion Week last month with his spooky mask-wearing leather-clad models, see compared to serial killers by our very own Jonno. I decided to let Joseph explain what they were all about, and have a chat with him about the rest of his collection – which, forgetting the masks for a second, is bloody good…

What was the process for being selected for the Graduate Fashion Week show? Did everybody from your university take part?
There were over 65 students from my university with only 12 places at GFW. The competition was fierce from the start. There were three different stages of the selection process with students being told they would not continue on to the next stage…a bit like the X Factor, haha!

What aspects of the collections did tutors focus on when making their selections for the final 12?
They looked at the concept behind each collection and how they would work on the runway, as well as the final finish and construction of the garments.

What do you get out of showing at GFW?
It’s an AMAZING feeling seeing your work go down the runway. After working so hard all year long it is the cherry on the cake! Plus if you are lucky you gain media attention and job opportunities. 

Had you shown your work anywhere before?
Never on this scale. It was my first experience of a professional catwalk show.

What drives you to work in fashion?
Fashion is everything and everywhere. Once you start you just can’t stop. It enables me to be creatively free. 

Did you take part in any internships during your course?
I have done some internships last summer, and i intend to take a year out and hopefully work a year in the industry, so i can gain a real understanding of what it takes to be a fashion designer.


What has inspired this collection?
The inspiration for this collection was Margaret Rutherford, the original Miss Marple, mixed with a world of fetishes and eroticism.

What is it about Margeret Rutherford and Miss Marple that inspired you?
I love how Margaret Rutherford managed to be completely tailored and stylish when playing Miss Marple. She didn’t dress in the stereotypical view of a women her age. She wore Classic Chanel-style tailoring, party dresses, sailors uniforms; a woman who had the perfect outfit for any occasion. I loved tackling aspects of her wardrobe and fusing them with studs, leather and rubber.

Your models wore some pretty eery masks. What was the concept behind these?
I love the masks…i have had rather a lot of attention over them. They are printed with Margaret Rutherford’s face… I like to think of them as my army of Miss Marples. The concept continues the idea of fetishes and identity. 

What techniques have you used and why?
There was alot of quilted tweed in my collection – i felt this gave the silhouette a ‘boxy’ feel, which compliments the tight rubber garments perfectly. 

You’ve been compared to Dior and Walter van Beirendonck – who else do you admire in the industry?
I think Mark Fast is amazing, his work is absolutely stunning. i love Katie Eary menswear and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac is a genius.

What kind of woman wears Joseph Turvey?
Strong, powerful, sexy and unafraid women.

What’s good about Birmingham?
From a university prospective it enabled me to develop my own design style, I was never told my ideas were too ‘out there’. I was guided into creating a collection that was concept driven and showed exactly who I am as a designer. Birmingham itself has a good student vibe…it is continually evolving into a more diverse city.

What do you have planned for the coming months? Did you manage to meet industry figures at GFW?
I am moving to London in September where i am working with stylist Nova Dando, and hopefully will be working with other designers. I then plan to do an MA in fashion the following September. 

How did working with Nova Dando come around?
My friend worked with her last summer, I used to go around in the evenings to help out with the Rainbow collection. It was an awesome time. I cant wait to go back.

What do you do when you aren’t thinking about or designing fashion?
I dont think there ever can be a time when I’m not thinking about fashion. I love reading, watching movies, being a typical tourist in London and drawing.

Do you use social networks?
i have a blog www.flashespast.blogspot.com and i am complete Facebook junkie.
 
What advice would you give to the students of GFW 2011, or fashion students in general?
1. Have a strong, concept-driven collection.
2. Be yourself.
3. Enjoy every minute of it.

Categories ,Birmingham University, ,catwalk, ,chanel, ,Dior, ,Facebook, ,fashion, ,GFW 2011, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, ,Joseph Turvey, ,Katie Eary, ,london, ,Margaret Rutherford, ,Mark Fast, ,Matt Bramford, ,Miss Marple, ,Nova Dando, ,Rainbow collection, ,Sailor uniforms, ,Sexy, ,The X Factor, ,Walter van Beirendonck

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Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week Interview: Nottingham Trent’s Phoebe Thirlwall

hold

Knitwear design student Phoebe Thirlwall was an unquestionable highlight of Graduate Fashion Week 2010. Her work demonstrated an impressive level of craftsmanship, story receiving recognition even before the shows when one of her dresses was photographed by Rankin. Phoebe’s final collection, consisting of six looks, was a feast of beautiful and intricate knitwear. I caught up with Phoebe to learn a little more about the work that went into her final collection, and after the chaos of that week, what she plans to do next!

Graduate Fashion Week is a fantastic opportunity for students. How did it feel to have your work selected for the show?
It was really exciting because I had never expected to be selected, and when I found out I was obviously over the moon. It made such a difference to see my work on a raised catwalk, it felt so professional, and although I was really nervous when it went out, it was a great feeling to see it up there and being photographed. It is an amazing opportunity for students and it is a shame that everyone doesn’t get to go.

Why did you choose to study Knitwear Design over a general Fashion degree?
The Knitwear course at Nottingham Trent University involves a sandwich year in industry, which was one of the reasons I chose to study the course. Employers always want experience, so I felt that a year in the industry would be attractive to potential employers. I never particularly preferred knitwear over wovens, but when you are designing knitwear you have so much more freedom to create exactly what you want. If you are making an outfit from woven fabrics, although you can print on them etc, you are still limited by the fabric itself. When you knit an outfit, you can control the whole thing. You can knit the fabric however you want it and create different textures and patterns. Also, I like knitwear because you can knit the pieces of fabric to size. You can approach the whole outfit in a different way.

Where did you complete your work experience and how valuable was it to you?
My year in industry was spent in a family run knitwear factory called GH Hurt and Sons in Chilwel, Nottingham. It is a fairly small factory where lace knit is designed, made and constructed into various pieces. They create baby shawls and christening blankets sold in high end department stores and items of clothing for a number of luxury catalogue retailers. We also produced a lot of items for retailers overseas, such as the USA and Hong Kong. I was able to learn about the first steps of the process – receiving yarns on cones and in big hanks, to designing and knitting the pieces and finally how each item is made and finished to a high standard. It was also nice to see the items for sale and being worn because I always thought -’I made that!’ – which is a great feeling.

Can you explain a little about the techniques that you used? Did you have a lot to learn in terms of advanced skills?
The outfits I made are knitted mostly in silk and bamboo, with an elastic yarn that I used to create the patterns. I developed the technique by experimenting on a knitting machine to see what types of fabric I could create. I knew that I wanted to use elastic because it developed from my concept of skin, and also that I wanted to work with luxury fibres such as silk. I used a combination of rippled stitches, stripes and transferred needles on the front of the bed of the knitting machine to create the fabrics that I made my collection from. These are all techniques that I had learned in previous years, but putting them together required a lot of experimentation, and luck.

Was there much change in your work from the conception of the idea to the work we saw on the catwalk?
Yes. I had worked on the project since Christmas, so there was a lot of time for ideas and concepts to change. Initially, I had no idea what my collection was going to look like and I still didn’t until a few weeks before the show. I had no idea what type of fabric I would use, or what techniques. It wasn’t until I developed a fabric that I was happy with that the collection began to come together. At the beginning, I was thinking about the concept of shedding skin, more than the skin itself. This gradually changed throughout my research and development, into a more specialised study of the skin. I know that if I had stuck with my original thoughts, then the collection would look a lot different. It would probably be a bit more structured, rather than the more subtle and slim-line way it is turned out.

Which of the other graduate collections were you impressed by?
There were so many great collections. It’s good to see other peoples work because it is all brilliant. I loved all of the collections from Nottingham (slightly biased obviously), but there were many other Universities that I liked aswell. I was backstage when the De Montford show was going on, and some of those were amazing!

Nottingham has made a bit of a name for itself as a hub of creativity. What it has it been like for you?
I like Nottingham because it is a small city. It’s more like a town and everything’s quite compact. There are a lot of creative people who come to study here, but everywhere is quite laid back, which I like. It’s not over crowded with arty types. There are lots of students with different interests, and there are good places to go to eat, drink or shop. I suppose it has got a bit of a name for itself, but it’s a fairly down to earth city to live in. I’ve lived just outside the city centre for 2 years, and I’m going to be sad to leave.

You described your collection as ‘based on skin and flesh on the human body’. Where did this inspiration come from, and what else inspires you?
The inspiration for my collection came originally from a general interest in the skin and flesh. I think that this comes from being a vegetarian since I was 11. I have a strange relationship with food. I like things that are untouched. I won’t eat meat. I took this fascination with meat and flesh and developed it into a concept which I could look into for my collection. I get inspired by anything and everything really, usually something small and ordinary because you can look at it in more detail. I think that even something small and boring to others can become inspiring if you look at it enough.

New designers such as Mark Fast have shown us some other unique techniques with knitwear. Have you thought about how you could further your own skills?
It’s strange to think that a technique can be what ‘makes’ a designer. To me, Mark Fast developed this brilliant technique and ran with it. That’s great because I had never thought about design from that angle before. I always thought you had to constantly create different pieces all the time. Designers like Mark Fast are inspirational because they open your eyes to the possibilities of what can be done on a knitting machine. Missoni also creates such beautiful and unique knitwear. In a way, I would like develop my technique further, but I also would like to focus on new tasks and new direction.


Phoebe Thirwall, photographed by Rankin

One of your dresses was photographed by Rankin. How did it feel to learn that your dress was selected?
Amazing. It was sent down to London, but I never expected it to be photographed. Apparently the university sends items down every year and they rarely get selected to be photographed. When I found out that it had been chosen to be photographed I was really happy, by Rankin especially! The fact that Kate Shillingford from Dazed and Confused actually chose the pieces is overwhelming. It was about 2 months later that the pictures were released. Seeing my work on the Vogue website was mental!

You also received praise from the fashion bloggers. How have you found the attention?
It’s been completely surreal having people like Susie Bubble write about my work. She said it was one of her favourites from the photos, and so did Lucy Wood. I used to read about fashion graduates and imagined they had such exciting lives, but I’m just in my room with my cat and not really doing anything. It’s really strange seeing photos and articles about my work. I feel now like it isn’t even mine and I’m looking at someone else’s. It doesn’t seem real.

It has been two weeks since the show. What’s the plan now?
Is that all? It feels like a lot longer ago than 2 weeks. My collection is being sent over to Shanghai in September for Spin Expo, and a few of the outfits are being used in a photo shoot in July. My plans now involve finding a job, going to interviews and hopefully being hired. I want to move down to London to be nearer to my boyfriend. Ideally, I want to see clothes that I have designed, being made. I also really want a long holiday, somewhere nice and hot, where I don’t have to think about knitting!

Categories ,catwalk, ,Dazed & Confused, ,De Montford, ,fabric, ,Fashion Bloggers, ,Fashion degree, ,Flesh, ,GH Hurt and Sons, ,Graduate Fashion Week 2010, ,Hong Kong, ,Kate Shillingford, ,knitwear, ,Lucy Wood, ,Mark Fast, ,Missoni, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Pheobe Thirlwall, ,Rankin, ,Shanghai, ,Skin, ,Spin Expo, ,Susie Bubble, ,Technique, ,usa, ,Work experience

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Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week Interview: Nottingham Trent’s Phoebe Thirlwall

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Knitwear design student Phoebe Thirlwall was an unquestionable highlight of Graduate Fashion Week 2010. Her work demonstrated an impressive level of craftsmanship, story receiving recognition even before the shows when one of her dresses was photographed by Rankin. Phoebe’s final collection, consisting of six looks, was a feast of beautiful and intricate knitwear. I caught up with Phoebe to learn a little more about the work that went into her final collection, and after the chaos of that week, what she plans to do next!

Graduate Fashion Week is a fantastic opportunity for students. How did it feel to have your work selected for the show?
It was really exciting because I had never expected to be selected, and when I found out I was obviously over the moon. It made such a difference to see my work on a raised catwalk, it felt so professional, and although I was really nervous when it went out, it was a great feeling to see it up there and being photographed. It is an amazing opportunity for students and it is a shame that everyone doesn’t get to go.

Why did you choose to study Knitwear Design over a general Fashion degree?
The Knitwear course at Nottingham Trent University involves a sandwich year in industry, which was one of the reasons I chose to study the course. Employers always want experience, so I felt that a year in the industry would be attractive to potential employers. I never particularly preferred knitwear over wovens, but when you are designing knitwear you have so much more freedom to create exactly what you want. If you are making an outfit from woven fabrics, although you can print on them etc, you are still limited by the fabric itself. When you knit an outfit, you can control the whole thing. You can knit the fabric however you want it and create different textures and patterns. Also, I like knitwear because you can knit the pieces of fabric to size. You can approach the whole outfit in a different way.

Where did you complete your work experience and how valuable was it to you?
My year in industry was spent in a family run knitwear factory called GH Hurt and Sons in Chilwel, Nottingham. It is a fairly small factory where lace knit is designed, made and constructed into various pieces. They create baby shawls and christening blankets sold in high end department stores and items of clothing for a number of luxury catalogue retailers. We also produced a lot of items for retailers overseas, such as the USA and Hong Kong. I was able to learn about the first steps of the process – receiving yarns on cones and in big hanks, to designing and knitting the pieces and finally how each item is made and finished to a high standard. It was also nice to see the items for sale and being worn because I always thought -’I made that!’ – which is a great feeling.

Can you explain a little about the techniques that you used? Did you have a lot to learn in terms of advanced skills?
The outfits I made are knitted mostly in silk and bamboo, with an elastic yarn that I used to create the patterns. I developed the technique by experimenting on a knitting machine to see what types of fabric I could create. I knew that I wanted to use elastic because it developed from my concept of skin, and also that I wanted to work with luxury fibres such as silk. I used a combination of rippled stitches, stripes and transferred needles on the front of the bed of the knitting machine to create the fabrics that I made my collection from. These are all techniques that I had learned in previous years, but putting them together required a lot of experimentation, and luck.

Was there much change in your work from the conception of the idea to the work we saw on the catwalk?
Yes. I had worked on the project since Christmas, so there was a lot of time for ideas and concepts to change. Initially, I had no idea what my collection was going to look like and I still didn’t until a few weeks before the show. I had no idea what type of fabric I would use, or what techniques. It wasn’t until I developed a fabric that I was happy with that the collection began to come together. At the beginning, I was thinking about the concept of shedding skin, more than the skin itself. This gradually changed throughout my research and development, into a more specialised study of the skin. I know that if I had stuck with my original thoughts, then the collection would look a lot different. It would probably be a bit more structured, rather than the more subtle and slim-line way it is turned out.

Which of the other graduate collections were you impressed by?
There were so many great collections. It’s good to see other peoples work because it is all brilliant. I loved all of the collections from Nottingham (slightly biased obviously), but there were many other Universities that I liked aswell. I was backstage when the De Montford show was going on, and some of those were amazing!

Nottingham has made a bit of a name for itself as a hub of creativity. What it has it been like for you?
I like Nottingham because it is a small city. It’s more like a town and everything’s quite compact. There are a lot of creative people who come to study here, but everywhere is quite laid back, which I like. It’s not over crowded with arty types. There are lots of students with different interests, and there are good places to go to eat, drink or shop. I suppose it has got a bit of a name for itself, but it’s a fairly down to earth city to live in. I’ve lived just outside the city centre for 2 years, and I’m going to be sad to leave.

You described your collection as ‘based on skin and flesh on the human body’. Where did this inspiration come from, and what else inspires you?
The inspiration for my collection came originally from a general interest in the skin and flesh. I think that this comes from being a vegetarian since I was 11. I have a strange relationship with food. I like things that are untouched. I won’t eat meat. I took this fascination with meat and flesh and developed it into a concept which I could look into for my collection. I get inspired by anything and everything really, usually something small and ordinary because you can look at it in more detail. I think that even something small and boring to others can become inspiring if you look at it enough.

New designers such as Mark Fast have shown us some other unique techniques with knitwear. Have you thought about how you could further your own skills?
It’s strange to think that a technique can be what ‘makes’ a designer. To me, Mark Fast developed this brilliant technique and ran with it. That’s great because I had never thought about design from that angle before. I always thought you had to constantly create different pieces all the time. Designers like Mark Fast are inspirational because they open your eyes to the possibilities of what can be done on a knitting machine. Missoni also creates such beautiful and unique knitwear. In a way, I would like develop my technique further, but I also would like to focus on new tasks and new direction.


Phoebe Thirwall, photographed by Rankin

One of your dresses was photographed by Rankin. How did it feel to learn that your dress was selected?
Amazing. It was sent down to London, but I never expected it to be photographed. Apparently the university sends items down every year and they rarely get selected to be photographed. When I found out that it had been chosen to be photographed I was really happy, by Rankin especially! The fact that Kate Shillingford from Dazed and Confused actually chose the pieces is overwhelming. It was about 2 months later that the pictures were released. Seeing my work on the Vogue website was mental!

You also received praise from the fashion bloggers. How have you found the attention?
It’s been completely surreal having people like Susie Bubble write about my work. She said it was one of her favourites from the photos, and so did Lucy Wood. I used to read about fashion graduates and imagined they had such exciting lives, but I’m just in my room with my cat and not really doing anything. It’s really strange seeing photos and articles about my work. I feel now like it isn’t even mine and I’m looking at someone else’s. It doesn’t seem real.

It has been two weeks since the show. What’s the plan now?
Is that all? It feels like a lot longer ago than 2 weeks. My collection is being sent over to Shanghai in September for Spin Expo, and a few of the outfits are being used in a photo shoot in July. My plans now involve finding a job, going to interviews and hopefully being hired. I want to move down to London to be nearer to my boyfriend. Ideally, I want to see clothes that I have designed, being made. I also really want a long holiday, somewhere nice and hot, where I don’t have to think about knitting!

Categories ,catwalk, ,Dazed & Confused, ,De Montford, ,fabric, ,Fashion Bloggers, ,Fashion degree, ,Flesh, ,GH Hurt and Sons, ,Graduate Fashion Week 2010, ,Hong Kong, ,Kate Shillingford, ,knitwear, ,Lucy Wood, ,Mark Fast, ,Missoni, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Pheobe Thirlwall, ,Rankin, ,Shanghai, ,Skin, ,Spin Expo, ,Susie Bubble, ,Technique, ,usa, ,Work experience

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