LFW – Page 21 – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Hana Cha: London Fashion Week S/S 2013 Catwalk Review

Hana_Cha-by-Isabelle_Mattern
Hana Cha by Isabelle Mattern.

Korean designer Hana Cha (yet another London College of Fashion graduate) stuck to monochrome for her collection with Ones to Watch at Fashion Scout, concentrating on subtle textures such as applique stars, dip dye, rough edges and sweeping tassels to provide interest. She worked in sheers, glosses and satins, accessorised with wrist bands and even a studded baseball cap.

Ones to Watch hana cha SS 2013 Sept 2012-photography by Amelia Gregory

Hana Cha S/S 2013. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

A glossy plasticised minidress that a sexy nurse might have worn was made demure by a wide buckled belt and a sweeping skirt formed of dangling threads. An oversized white suit with wide trousers worn with gold heels brought an early 80s lounge elegance to the show, but plenty of asymmetric details and elongated back flaps ensured this was thoroughly up to date. The collection finished with a stunning black column dress; white threads dangling from the neckline an impractical but stunning addition that swayed hypnotically as the model moved.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/49505133" rel="noopener">http://www.vimeo.com/49505133</a>

Written by Amelia Gregory on Sunday September 23rd, 2012 11:57 am

Categories ,Fashion Scout, ,Hana Cha, ,Isabelle Mattern, ,Korean, ,lfw, ,London College of Fashion, ,Ones To Watch, ,S/S 2013

Amelia’s Magazine | Hellen Van Rees: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Catwalk Preview Interview

Hellen Van Rees
Helen Van Rees A/W 2013 by Claire Kearns

Up-and-coming Dutch fashion and textile designer Hellen van Rees is presenting her independent collection SQUARE3 ANGLE: THE TRANSFORMATION at London Fashion Week A/W 2013 this weekend. Hellen graduated from the MA in Fashion at Central Saint Martins’ back in February 2012 and then packed her suitcase and moved to the Netherlands to start her own fashion label. Her first collection at LFW was pegged as a ‘One to Watch’ by Fashion Scout and Lady Gaga has since been spotted donning her clobber. She’s known for her hand-made tweed fabrics which are created using factory remnants and recycled threads, and her work has 3-dimensional, sculpture-like elements, as well as a futuristic feel. Complete with a brand-spanking new video to promote her new Chanel-inspired collection, it’s likely that her pieces will receive a lot of interest in the coming weeks.

London Fashion Week
Helen Van Rees A/W 2013 by RoshniBA

Hellen Van Rees is still exploring the ideas from her graduate collection which she developed on in her last show Square2: Exploring Excitement. Although you might expect a sprinkling of déjà vu, this collection puts a tangy new twist on her hallmark tweeds. I spoke to Hellen about her shiny new collection and her plans for the future in advance of her (second) London Fashion Week show.

Video collaboration between Hellen van Rees and Evelien Gerrits of EveMedia

What can we expect from your upcoming collection at LFW A/W’13?
Lots of tweed and colours, contrasting black & white rubber and beautiful quality wool and silk; all arty but wearable.

You released a promo video for your show, how did this project come about?
I was trying to think of a way, other than a catwalk show, to present the new collection; to show the collection moving and in a nice atmosphere so the complete image comes across, as well as the details. This seemed like an exciting way to achieve that.

London Fashion Week

Hellen Van Rees

London Fashion Week

Photography by Kim Buckard

You started your own label in February 2012, what are your greatest achievements of the last year?
The fact that I was able to show my very first independent collection during London and Paris fashion week; and that I am able to do so again.

Do you have a favourite piece in this show?
I like the pieces with the new multi-coloured tweed a lot: the long dress with shiny black sleeves especially. It’s got strange contrasts but is also very elegant and wearable as well.

Do you wear your own pieces?
Not when I work (because it can get messy!) but for presentations, interviews and special occasions, yes.

Hellen Van Rees
Helen Van Rees A/W 2013 by Victoria Haynes

You’re also exhibiting at Paris Fashion Week; do you think the reactions to your show will differ between London and Paris?
I think it will because it attracts a different crowd. London has lots of bloggers and people who are generally interested in fashion that want to absorb new things, so it’s a very excitable crowd. Paris is more serious business, people there are generally looking for something more specific.

You studied the MA in Fashion at Central Saint Martins; did this prepare you for setting up your own label?
CSM was very good for me, to bring out my strong points and help me develop a clear direction within my designs. It doesn’t really prepare you for the whole business side of how it works, for example, how to sell your clothes, but I’m finding out along the way, which is fine.

Hellen Van Reees

London Fashion Week

Hellen Van Rees

Photography by Kim Buckard

You were chosen to be part of Ones to Watch as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s prestigious platform for new design talent; do you think this has helped you?
Yes it has! It has made it possible for me to show my work in a professional way to large number of professionals and I’ve been supported with advice as well. They’ve done all this again for this season, which is great!

Hellen van Rees LFW
Helen Van Rees A/W 2013 by Maya Beus

You’re known for your use of tweed and sustainable materials: is this something you’ve always been interested in?
Sustainability is very important to me because I think it makes sense. I make high-end handmade garments; it makes sense that not only the outside is nice looking, but also that the story behind it is strong. The tweed and the weaving method is something I developed about a year and a half ago, but I keep getting new ideas for it so I’ll keep going with it for a while.

3D shapes are a big part of your work, where do you get your inspiration?
Contemporary art installations mostly, like the cube installations by Rachel Whiteread.

London Fashion Week
Helen Van Rees A/W 2013 by BlackEyed Jack

What is the process behind each of your collections?
I continue with the previous collection, reinterpret it, change colours, look at art and pictures, make fabrics and then make garments. I don’t really sketch; I just start making one thing and from it comes another new idea. Halfway through I do a fitting see what I have and what’s missing. I make more, and in the end there’s suddenly a collection

LFW aside, is there anything else in the year ahead that you’re really looking forward to?
Yes! I’m doing a TED talk in March at TEDx Zwolle.

London Fashion Week

Hellen Van Rees

Hellen Van Rees’ collection can be seen in the Fashion Scout London & Paris Showroom. London 15.02 -19.02 & Freemasons Hall, 60 Great Queen Street. Paris 28.02 – 05.03, 23 Rue du Roi de Sicile, Paris. You can buy her pieces at her store here

Written by Jessica Cook on Thursday February 14th, 2013 6:41 pm

Categories ,3D, ,A/W’13, ,BlackEyed Jack, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Claire Kearns, ,collection, ,CSM, ,designer, ,Eve Media, ,Futuristic, ,Hellen van Rees, ,interview, ,Jessica Cook, ,Kim Buckard, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Maya Beus, ,Ones To Watch, ,OwlandAccordion, ,Paris Fashion Week, ,recycled, ,RoshniBA, ,sculpture, ,Square2: Exploring Excitement, ,SQUARE3 ANGLE: THE TRANSFORMATION, ,sustainable, ,TED, ,Tweed, ,University of Arts London, ,vauxhall, ,Victoria Haynes

Amelia’s Magazine | Hellen van Rees: London Fashion Week S/S 2013 Catwalk Review

Hellen Van Rees S/S 2013 by Kristina Vasiljeva.

I was most delighted to read that Dutch designer Hellen van Rees uses recycled materials to create her innovative tweeds, which are hand crafted into sculptural garments. The Central Saint Martins graduate rounded off this season’s Ones to Watch with easily the most conceptual collection of the four.

Ones to Watch hellen van rees SS 2013 photography Amelia Gregory

Square2: Exploring Excitement melded the commercial and the avante garde in clever harmony: the squares of the title appearing as boxy protrusions on otherwise wearable cute tweed mini dresses. Using a colour palette of lemon, grey, dirty white and pale blue, the wilder creations with box hems or jutting shoulder pieces were surely not meant for everyday wear but I could imagine just about getting away with dresses decorated with smaller plastic appliques. Glossy plasticised tweed and raw edging provided contrasting textures, whilst cocks comb headdresses added further architectural interest. Designers such as Hellen van Rees are particularly exciting to follow, as they traverse the tricky line between artistic brilliance and the wearability that will make their fashion label a success.

Ones to Watch hellen van rees SS 2013 photography Amelia Gregory

Hellen van Rees S/S 2013. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/49505744" rel="noopener">http://www.vimeo.com/49505744</a>

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday September 24th, 2012 12:09 pm

Categories ,Central Saint Martins, ,dutch, ,eco, ,Fashion Scout, ,Hellen van Rees, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,lfw, ,Ones To Watch, ,S/S 2013, ,Square2: Exploring Excitement, ,sustainable, ,Tweed

Amelia’s Magazine | Holly Fulton: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Catwalk Review

Holly Fulton - lfw a/w 2013 - amelias magazine - Isher Dhiman
Holly Fulton A/W 2013 by Isher Dhiman

The line of freezing cold fashionistas standing outside Me London early on Saturday morning clutched Holly Fulton tickets bearing a giant red cartoon heart, like an I Love NY heart. I was almost surprised not to see an I Love HF shirt in the collection this year as Holly Fulton has embraced high kitsch in a big way, albeit without losing any of her signature sophistication and art deco-esque patterns. The place was so packed I barely managed to see a snatch of side view, so was unable to get any good photos. My catwalk sketches and illustrations will have to do for this article, but do seek out the photographic proof of this collection’s brilliance.

holly fulton - lfw - aw13 - jenny robins - amelias magazine
Holly Fulton A/W 2013 by Jenny Robins.

In September it was roses and pin-ups, this season it’s hearts, tigers, polar bears, calligraphy swirls, shiny feathers and lipsticks. Lots of lipsticks. The A/W 2013 collection celebrated a fierce, fun femininity and it made a big impact that was backed up with a sea of detail. I loved it.

1 Holly Fulton by Isher Dhiman
Holly Fulton A/W 2013 by Isher Dhiman

Holly Fulton sees A/W 2013 mostly in black, white and red, with strong geometric shapes offset by more fluid touches – gauzy sleeves and a giant puffy white skirt featuring a pixelated black and white tiger (tigers seem to be everywhere this season). Even the room was drenched in red light, whilst details such as heart shaped earrings and hearts on the back of jackets gave the collection a distinctly Valentine’s vibe. The models emerged from a giant red circle that reminded me of a Japanese flag, and walked in black shoes down a red catwalk. Guess what colour their lipstick was?

holly fulton 2 - lfw - aw13 - jenny robins - amelias magazine
Holly Fulton A/W 2013 by Jenny Robins.

There were yards of graphic repeating prints that included cultural icons such as cassette tapes, safety pins and ring pull can tops. These throw-away commodities were paired with sumptuous fabrics and clean tailoring to create an intriguing mix. I can’t wait to see how this designer continues to develop.

Written by Jenny Robins on Tuesday February 19th, 2013 9:50 pm

Categories ,A/W 2013, ,black, ,calligraphy, ,fashion, ,geometric, ,heart, ,Holly Fulton, ,I love NY, ,Isher Dhiman, ,kitsch, ,lfw, ,Lipstick, ,london, ,London Fashion Week, ,me london, ,polar bear, ,Red, ,Tiger

Amelia’s Magazine | Jasper Garvida: London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Preview Interview, part one

Jasper Garvida S/S 2012 illustration by Aliyah Hussain

There is nothing I love more than a designer that approaches their creations like an artist about to create a masterpiece that’s also flattering and wearable. One designer that does all of this as well as constantly surprise is Jasper Garvida.

A favourite of Amelia’s Magazine with a flurry of adoring reviews such as this last one on his current Autumn/Winter 2011 collection. A graduate of Central Saint Martins and winner of Sky One’s Project Catwalk show, generic Jasper caught the attention of stylists and editors alike. I visited his studio ahead of unveiling his Spring/Summer 2012 collection at London Fashion Week, which is inspired by Fashion Editor legend Diana Vreeland and a painting by artist Frantisek Kupka. We chatted about style, what women want in an outfit and Kate Middleton with a peek at the new collection illustrated by some very talented people.

Jasper in his studio, photograph by Alia Gargum Jasper at the sewing machine by Alia Gargum

You’ve been a real rising star of fashion (with a glowing graduate show review from Hillary Alexander, Fashion Editor of the Telegraph while the complete collection was bought out by Nicola Formachetti, previous editor of Dazed and Confused, and a firm Amelia’s Magazine favourite with your feminine, embellished, yet strong creations. Looking over your career so far and your upcoming Spring/Summer 2012 collection how can you describe the journey of the Jasper Garvida brand?
I was so surprised when Nicola Formachetti, Lady Gaga’s stylist of all people, bought my entire graduate collection. My friend Gareth Pugh introduced me to Nicola, who fell in love with the collection and sold it in Japan as well as using it for different publications at the time, giving my work great exposure that led to bigger things. I was incredibly privileged to have met him and the Dazed team, which made me realise that I wanted to do more. I then started creating collections for Alternative Fashion Week, and as every collection I created sold, I realised ‘there’s something going on here’. So I just kept rolling with the collections, although I originally never had the intention of having my own label.

Past collections hanging in the studio

Studying at Central Saint Martins was an incredible experience, where you are pushed into being more creative, but in terms of commercial design this can’t always be realistic. So I next worked for the high street, designing for different labels such as Evans, Wallis, and Miss Selfridge, creating clothes for different body shapes and age ranges. I took me a while to understand what the average woman looks like and what would flatter them. I learnt about cut, what skirt length that average woman would prefer and things like how a maximum neckline drop of 18cm is sexy, and beyond that is a no-no. I also found out how to flatter a fuller figure, because bigger women need to feel sexy too. This got me into the habit of looking at women on the tube, in the street, asking myself, ‘how can I make it better for them?’ thinking about what they need and what they want. However, working for high street brands made me miss the whole creative process of having your own label, and for a while I felt a little lost as a designer. As you know, the high street relies heavily on trends and I really wanted to do something of my own. I then figured out that the only way to do this was to open my own company and combine all my experiences so far. So I started the brand in November 2008, and it has taken a while to build up the label. In the beginning we thought about figuring out a gap in the market and where we would have liked the label to go, experimenting as we went along. I now feel very positive about S/S 2012 and that this season is our strongest. The collection is the direction in which I want to head and I feel that this is delivering what our customers wanted to see more of.

More previous collections

How does a collection begin in the mind of Jasper Garvida?
I always start a collection based on how I feel at the time, absorbing what’s going on and thinking about what’s going to happen in the future. For some reason I have this intuitive ability to tell what’s going to happen in fashion or what colour will be next. I think you learn that from working in the industry and especially from working for high-street brands where you’ve got to know what the next big thing is. I always ask myself, ‘what do women need now?’ and this is something that always changes, which is good. Fashion is like a cycle, from day to night, always moving. If it doesn’t change it becomes dated, but style is something that always remains.

Jasper Garvida S/S '12 illustrations Illustrations of the S/S ’12 collection by Jasper Garvida.

When I started the S/S 2012 collection I looked at what was happening in fashion at the time, and I noticed a lot of colour. It was also a time in my life where I felt that the absence of colour for summer wasn’t a bad thing, and I felt so strongly about black and white, which isn’t something I’ve done before. For me black and white symbolises purity, and opposites, which has always been a theme in what I do. I never like to be in-between, I always feel like ‘if you’re going to do more, do more, if you’re going to do less, do less’, but never in-between as I feel that it’s average and I like exploring different extremes. Black and white together also create balance, and at this time in my life I’ve found balance. When I came back from Paris, feeling like this, I immediately painted the entire flat black and all my furniture white, so I kind of lived it. I wanted to share that experience with everyone through the S/S 2012 collection. I also find that when I am bombarded with colours it’s hard to think, and sometimes I just want to breathe and have a moment where I can be calm. Afterwards, I can start again and return to colours. So I feel that this collection is not only a reflection of me as a person but me as a designer, and hopefully it is another step forward.

More gorgeously detailed S/S ’12 illustrations by Jasper
There has been an intelligence and depth to every collection you’ve created; inspired by artistic movements, literature, and always a celebration of the female form and femininity. As you have grown as a designer what have you found most inspiring about women?
I grew up with three sisters (six siblings in total) whom I was very close to, as well as my mum, which gave me a great amount of respect for women. And being gay as well, I feel that I have a huge admiration for women, sometimes I want to be one! I feel that the most important thing I discovered about women is that there is strength there. Women have been undervalued for years, and it’s been said that they’re not strong individuals, so I always try to promote the strength of women. For years women have fought for equality with movements like the Women’s Liberation Front and other campaigns towards women’s rights. My mother is such a strong person and is a huge inspiration to me. I didn’t grow up in a rich background; I am from a working class family and I saw my mother bring up my brothers and sisters and me with this incredible inner strength. She’s a real working class woman who managed to look after her family while making the effort to dress up for parties at the same time. I am still in awe of how women find the time to do this; I’m baffled by it. I know as a guy, I wake up, don’t even comb my hair and just throw something on. Women still have a lot of pressure imposed on them to look like they’ve made an effort with their appearance, so my admiration for them continually grows.

Find out more about how the collection came together in the second part of the Jasper Garvida S/S ’12 London Fashion Week preview interview.

Written by Alia Gargum on Thursday September 15th, 2011 6:49 pm

Categories ,Alia Gargum, ,Aliyah Hussain, ,Alternative Fashion Week, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Dazed and Confused, ,Diana Vreeland, ,Evans, ,Frantisek Kupka, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gareth Pugh, ,jasper garvida, ,Kate Middleton, ,Lady Gaga, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Miss Selfridge, ,Nicola Formachetti, ,preview, ,S/S 2012, ,Sam Parr, ,Spring/Summer 2012, ,Wallis, ,Womenswear, ,Women’s Liberation Front

Amelia’s Magazine | Jean-Pierre Braganza: London Fashion Week S/S 2013 Catwalk Review

Jean Pierre Braganza S/S 2013 by Adam Pryce.

This season Jean-Pierre Braganza took a more painterly approach to his usual stark graphics, collaborating with Ukranian artist Zinaida Lihacheva for a collection titled Phoenetheus. Her bold washes of colour adorned relaxed wide sleeved shirt dresses, tie front twist trousers and asymmetric shifts. Braganza‘s trademark tight tailoring took on an Art Deco twist – layered in boxy cuts – with the predominantly monochrome colour palette enlivened by pale turquoise, cerulean and flame orange. I particularly admired one of the final pieces, a cream tuxedo, beautifully fitted and flared. Accessories by Janine Barraclough clanked on wrist and neck, hair slicked in light flicks across the cheeks.

Jean Pierre Braganza S/S 2013 by Jenny Robins.

Jean Pierre Braganza SS 2013 photography by Amelia Gregory

Jean Pierre Braganza S/S 2013 by Adam Pryce.

A prominent note on the program thanks philanthropist Aleksandr Onishchenko. Can this be the same man who competed in the Equestrian section of the Olympics? How thoroughly intriguing.

Jean Pierre Braganza SS 2013 photography by Amelia Gregory

For his last show of the day Snarfle took front row position alongside Angela Quaintrell of the Centre for Fashion Enterprise. Angela was a senior fashion buyer at Liberty and instrumental in kick-starting Alexander McQueen‘s career but naturally this did not phase Snarfle, who proceeded to work his charm on a doyenne of the fashion industry.

Jean Pierre Braganza SS 2013 photography by Amelia Gregory

Jean Pierre Braganza SS 2013 September 2012-snarfle
Jean Pierre Braganza S/S 2013. All photography by Amelia Gregory. (apart from the one above, obvs)

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday September 19th, 2012 4:08 pm

Categories ,Adam Pryce, ,Aleksandr Onishchenko, ,Angela Quaintrell, ,Centre for Fashion Enterprise, ,Janine Barraclough, ,Jean Pierre Braganza, ,Jenny Robins, ,lfw, ,Phoenetheus, ,S/S 2013, ,Ukranian, ,Zinaida Lihacheva

Amelia’s Magazine | Josh & Nicol: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Catwalk Review

Josh & Nicol LFW A/W 2013 by Sam Parr
Josh & Nicol, LFW A/W 2013 by Sam Parr

Somewhere over the rainbow, namely at Charing Cross Hotel, Josh & Nicol presented their LFW A/W 2013 collection. The Promise of the Rainbow is a colourful collection with inspirations including birds of paradise and the Wizard of Oz. A distinctive rainbow-style fabric dominated the collection and in my mind, the pieces are split into two camps: black, elegant, gothic garments contrasting against bright, green-palette, rainbow prints with a tribal feel. The black pieces sport conspicuous zips with sections of floaty, translucent fabric. In some of the garments these two different threads meet and the fresh, colourful print is mixed with the sexier black, tying the pieces together.

Josh & Nicol LFW AW 2013

Held in the Betjeman Suite of the Charing Cross Hotel, the venue was, although a day too late, Valentine’s Day appropriate, with candles leading the way through the corridor and up the stairs. Named after a former Poet Laureate the room came complete with chandeliers, marble pillars and a sculpted ceiling, which provided a stark contrast to the goth-rock feel of the black garments and the flamboyant prints of the rainbow inspired togs that made up this collection.

Josh & Nicol LFW AW 2013 by Louise Smith
Josh & Nicol, LFW A/W 2013 by Louise Smith

Josh & Nicol is a luxury fashion brand established in 2010, Ufuoma Ekpecham is the brands’ Creative Director and believes that “there is nothing more beautiful and sophisticated than a woman that dresses to suit her body shape.” The designer went on to start the label after winning the Planet Africa Red Carpet Dress Challenge in Toronto.

Josh & Nicol LFW AW 2013

There is free champagne, orange juice and wine, which is handed to me in my front row seat. After a day of queues and bobbing heads blocking my view, this is a welcome change. The show starts late, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. I chat to a friend of the designer who has made her way all the way from Brussels to attend, and will leave the next day. This show feels much more personal to me, close-knit friends and family seems to make up the audience, as well as journalists.

Josh & Nicol LFW AW 2013

There are references to Baum‘s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the program and although initially I couldn’t see any sign of Dorothy, the yellow brick road, or red glittery pumps, I speculate that the collection has drawn inspiration from other elements of the story. The green print is perhaps a nod to the Emerald City and the green-tinted glasses that the characters must wear to enter. If I remember correctly, in the original novel, the Wizard and Dorothy fashion a balloon from green silk, which perhaps could be something the designer has taken inspiration from for the colourful print design. Or maybe, the film version with Judy Garland‘s rendition of Over the Rainbow was part of the inspiration to inject colour and life into the fabrics Either way, this collection whisked me away from the bustling streets of London, like the cyclone whisked away Dorothy. Sadly though, reciting, “there’s no place like home,” didn’t work for me, and after this show finished, I had an hour and a half train journey to get back to Bath, my first day of London Fashion Week over with a colourful and stylish bang.

Josh & Nicol LFW AW 2013 by Louise Smith
Josh & Nicol, LFW A/W 2013 by Louise Smith

All photography by Jessica Cook

Written by Jessica Cook on Monday February 25th, 2013 12:44 pm

Categories ,A/W 2013, ,Betjeman Suite, ,bright prints, ,Catwalk review, ,Charing Cross, ,gothic, ,Jessica Cook, ,Josh & Nicol, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Louise Smith, ,Sam Parr, ,Tribal, ,Ufuoma Ekpecham

Amelia’s Magazine | Brooke Roberts: New S/S 2012 Season Interview

Brooke Roberts by Cathryn Nicholson.

We first spoke with fashion knitwear designer Brooke Roberts back in 2009. Here she talks about the inspirations behind her new S/S 2012 collection, which was launched with a spectacular dance presentation at The Hospital Club in September.

Brooke Roberts S/S 2012.

We first interviewed you two years ago – what has changed since then? Are you still working part time as a radiographer and if so how are you juggling everything?
It’s busier than ever! I’ve been stocked at Browns Focus for three seasons, and I’m consulting for a menswear label, while running my label and working part-time as a radiographer. It’s seven days a week at the moment!

Brooke-Roberts-by-Antonia-Parker
Brooke Roberts S/S 2012 by Antonia Parker.

Your collections are created in Italy from the best fabrics – what kind of exciting yarns can you tell us about in the new collection, and what are their properties?
I’ve been experimenting with bio-ceramic yarns, which have metabolic and body temperature regulating properties. I’ve also been using retro-reflective yarns, which are a wool base with microscopic glass beads bonded to the surface. I mix these with luxury yarns like extra-fine merino, cashmere and silk for a techno-luxe effect. All of my knits are unique programmes, so mixing the yarns with the programmes allows me to create really personal and innovative fabrics.

Brooke Roberts S/S 2012. Photography by Akeela Bhattay.

Why did you make the move from science into fashion. What do you miss about that world and what do you not miss at all?! Why did you decide that fashion was more important to you than radiography?
Being a radiographer means you lack autonomy in your work. I find that difficult. The medical images I create are incredibly detailed and textural, and inspire the fabrics I create. I think my science degree has given me a unique perspective on technology and design. I’m not the kind of designer who starts a collection by researching fashion history and other designers previous collections. I develop my ideas through interpreting medical images, creating digital knit programs and yarn experimentation. I then use fashion references to develop silhouettes. Fashion allows me to express my perspective on science and design. I find the two to be harmonious.

Brooke Roberts medical inspired knitwear by Veronica Rowlands.

Why is it important to combine the science and the arts?
Combining the two enhances the understanding and interest in each field. They are inextricably linked. Science gives us the ability to understand and explain the world around us. That is powerful knowledge that can be applied creatively. A great example is the Wellcome Collection and Wellcome Trust, which funds art projects with a basis in biomedical science. Electroboutique at the Science Museum is another great example.

Brooke Roberts S/S 2012. Photo by Akeela Bhattay

What science journals, fashion and music blogs do you recommend for a bit of inspiration?
Science and technology – Wired, New Scientist, the RSNA’s Radiology journal, Suzie Sheehy‘s blog ‘high heels in the lab‘, Google! I love looking up strange materials and gadgets on the net to develop ideas for my collections. Fashion – Vogue Italia, Stylebubble, Dazed Digital, ShowSTUDIO. Music – I’m a big Radio 6 fan – not so much a music blog reader.

Brooke Roberts S/S 2012. Photo by Akeela Bhattay
For your S/S 2012 collection you put on a dance performance in collaboration with Riccardo Buscarini at the Hospital Club which I was sadly unable to attend. What prompted this idea and what was the best part of the performance?
This idea came out of a video of a knitting machine made entirely of lego, which I found on Youtube. Riccardo Buscarini choreographed the piece from this, and Elspeth Brooke composed the score, which she and I recorded at one of the hospitals I work at. I operated the x-ray machines and she recorded the sound. The collection was a commentary on woman and machine, and encorporated high-tech Italian industrial knitting techniques with hand knit, crochet and hand-lacing.

Brooke Roberts S/S 2012. Photo by Akeela Bhattay
The current collection is for sale in Browns Focus (including some collaborative accessories with Eye of the World), how is that doing and do you have any more plans for new stockists or designer collaborations?
The collection looks great. I’ve seen it in store and one of the styles has already sold out, so that’s great. I just returned from New York where I visited three retailers – more on that next season! I am hoping to work with Riccardo and Elspeth again, and looking forward to seeing what we can create next season.

Brooke Roberts S/S 2012. Look book image.

What is your muse for the new collection? Any sneak ideas of what to expect, and can we expect anymore exciting shows?
I don’t have a muse. Next season will be a textural delight. Technical cables, geometry and luxury. The rest is top secret.

We can’t wait to see what Brooke Roberts does next season! Catch up with our previous interview with Brooke Roberts in 2009 here and here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday November 28th, 2011 11:45 am

Categories ,Akeela Bhattay, ,Antonia Parker, ,Bianca Wendt, ,Brooke Roberts, ,Browns Focus, ,Cathryn Nicholson, ,Dazed Digital, ,Electroboutique, ,Elspeth Brooke, ,fashion, ,High Heels in the Lab, ,Hospital Club, ,New Scientist, ,Radio 6, ,Radiographer, ,Radiology Journal, ,Riccardo Buscarini, ,RSNA, ,S/S 2012, ,science, ,Science Museum, ,Showstudio, ,stylebubble, ,Suzie Sheehy, ,Veronica Rowlands, ,Vogue Italia, ,Wellcome Collection, ,Wellcome Trust, ,Wired

Amelia’s Magazine | Carmen: A Life in Fashion at the Fashion Space Gallery

Carmen Dell’Orefice by Joanna Gniady

I can’t bear having my photograph taken. That’s why I’m not a model. That’s the only reason. But imagine having your photograph taken consecutively for sixty years, by some of the greatest photographer that ever lived. It’s quite the achievement when you really think about it.

I’m taking about Carmen Dell’Orrefice, affectionately referred to as ‘the world’s most enduring supermodel’. A new exhibition at the London College of Fashion‘s Fashion Space Gallery proves why Carmen deserves that accolade.

All photography by Matt Bramford

It’s rare to find exhibitions that celebrate the career of a model rather than the photographers that document them. In recent years, grand masters like Avedon and Penn have been honoured with mammoth exhibitions, so this collaboration between LCF and David Downton is a welcome break, and it’s been put together with feeling (Dowton is a close personal friend of Dell’Orefice) and no stage of her career is left unrepresented.

Carmen Dell’Orefice by Celine Elliott

Carmen Dell’Orefice was born on Welfare Island in 1931 to an Italian father and Hungarian mother. Her first modelling duty was at the age of 13 – Carmen is now 80 and still modelling. As she moved around the room, talking to Colin McDowell, Frances Corner OBE (head of the LCF) I simply couldn’t take my eyes off her. She’s one of those lucky buggers that have matured with grace and elegance and maintained her unique looks without going anywhere near Wildenstein.

Looking around the room at the works is like an encyclopaedia of the great fashion photographers – Penn, Beaton, Coffin, Avedon, Derujinsky, her second husband Richard Heimann, Parkinson; it’s wonderfully exhausting. Reporductions of Vogue and Harper’s covers are mounted on some walls, while others hold photographs ranging from her frolicking in the Bahamas (shot by Parkinson) and basking in Hawaii (shot by Derujinsky).

The crescendo is a stunning selection of portraits commissioned especially by LCF and photographed by Ali Mahdavi. I’ve purposefully omitted any images of these photographs in the hope that you’ll go along and view the exhibition yourself. They are fresh and classical at the same time – there’s something intimately special about them. Please go.

Written by Matt Bramford on Saturday November 19th, 2011 5:25 pm

Categories ,Carmen Dell’Orefice, ,Cecil Beaton, ,Clifford Coffin, ,Colin McDowell, ,David Downton, ,exhibition, ,fashion, ,Fashion Space Gallery, ,Frances Corner OBE, ,Gleb Derujinsky, ,Harper’s Bazaar, ,Irving Penn, ,LCF, ,London College of Fashion, ,Norman Parkinson, ,photography, ,review, ,Richard Avedon, ,Richard Heimann, ,vogue, ,Wildenstein

Amelia’s Magazine | Corrie Nielsen: London Fashion Week S/S 2013 Catwalk Preview Interview

Interview with Corrie Nielsen, Illustration by Rosa ad Carlotta Crepax, Illustrated Moodboard
Corrie Nielsen S/S 2012 preview by Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, Illustrated Moodboard.

Fashion designer Corrie Nielsen has been wowing us here at Amelia’s Magazine for a number of seasons so we were very excited to discover that for S/S 2013 she has worked in close partnership with Kew… here she describes how the collaboration came about and what we can expect from the new Kew inspired collection.

I am very excited about your upcoming S/S 2013 show, which was done in conjunction with Kew Gardens: how did this relationship come about?
I knew that I wanted to base the season on plants and flowers, so the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was the natural first port of call. It is one of my favourite spaces in London. The whole studio went to Kew together and we took countless photos, which are plastered all over the studio walls. My PR, Courtney Blackman, ended up meeting Kew’s Chairman of the Board at an event and if you know her, she makes things happen. The rest is history. They were really excited that my collection would be all about Kew.

Corrie Nielsen Corrie thinking about plants on a bench under a tree at Kew
Corrie Nielsen Peony 038_Pae_dau_ - from KEW ARCHIVE
Your interest in history is well known, how did you take inspiration from the original documentation of Charles Darwin’s journeys, which are stored in the Kew libraries?
After the first studio trip to Kew, I took a secondary trip with my business partners and that’s when we got to explore the seed libraries, browse through Darwin’s original letters, etc. I’m fascinated by the concept of Darwin’s ‘The Origin of the Species’ – seeing his letters was an unbelievable honour. I’ve taken that concept and really explored it by researching actual blueprints of plants and flowers. The complexity is staggering and in tranfering the research into the clothes, I’ve really had to employ serious engineering to some of my more sculpted pieces .

Corrie Nielsen Swarovski Collective by Catherine Moody
Corrie Nielsen S/S 2013 preview illustration by Catherine Moody.

Can we expect to see any other influences from Kew – for example are there any particular seeds, flowers, trees or other plants that have inspired the new collection?
Tulips, peony roses and even the Victorian glass houses of Kew influence the range.

Corrie Nielsen Stairs in a glass house at Kew
Corrie Nielsen One of my favourite shapes at Kew
How do you process this information? eg do you take photos and then create mood boards?
Photos, photos, photos and I study individual specimens. My studio walls are one giant mood board. I also research a lot online for further development once I have the concept in mind.

Corrie mood board
Corrie Nielsen The Peacock
How often have you visited Kew in preparation for this season’s catwalk show? Any particularly fond memories that you can share with us…
I’ve gone a couple of times and had a very friendly experience with one of the garden’s peacocks. Being able to go into the seed libraries and seeing all the varied specimens that Kew works with was staggering.

corrie mood
What kinds of fabrics feature in the new collection and where were they sourced from?
I’m working with a lot of silk: metal-infused silks, gradient silks and cotton and lightweight wool. I source most of my fabrics from France.

Corrie Nielsen Team Corrie Nielsen at Kew
What else can we expect from the show in terms of styling and production?
Rebekah Roy will be styling the show and for a second season, Emma Yeo will be creating headpieces. She’s so talented. AOFM Pro’s Yin Lee is doing the makeup again – I love working with her. She really gets the brand. TONI&GUY are doing the hair and we are working exclusively with M&P Models, so every single model on the catwalk will be from M&P. And lastly, once again my collection will be named after a Medieval Latin word…

Corrie Nielsen by Zulekha Lakeca.

Corrie Nielsen shows at the BFC space on Friday 14th September 2012. After London Fashion Week Corrie Nielsen will be exhibiting in Paris at Vendôme Luxury Tradeshow at Le Meurice Hotel, 75001.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 11th, 2012 9:31 am

Categories ,AOFM Pro, ,Catherine Moody, ,Charles Darwin, ,Corrie Nielsen, ,Courtney Blackman, ,Emma Yeo, ,Illustrated Moodboard, ,Kew, ,Le Meurice Hotel, ,M&P Models, ,Rebekah Roy, ,Rosa and Carlotta Crepax, ,Royal Botanic Gardens, ,The Origin of the Species, ,Vendôme Luxury Tradeshow, ,Yin Lee, ,Zulekha Lakeca

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