Amelia’s Magazine | Foale and Tuffin: Made in England

With our current fixation with everything 80s and 90s, ask patient it’s easy to see why the 60s have become a little side-tracked, order a little blasé, drug and so ‘a few’ years ago, when the shift dress silhouette was last in vogue. But what do we know, as a common consciousness, about the 60s anyway? Twiggy was hot, the Beatles were big and sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll were prevalent, right? But isn’t that a little bit one-dimensional and something we could have learnt from Austin Powers?

foale-and-tuffin-spotlightImage courtesy of Fashion & Textiles Museum

Fast forward to 2009 and to the Fashion and Textile Museum, who in their continual efforts to thrill and excite (as well as educate), are exhibiting a retrospective: Foale and Tuffin: Made in England. No doubt the aforementioned names mean very little to those unfamiliar with this great exhibition. However, this design duo was heralded as responsible for “Youthquake”, the creation of a youth movement encompassing teenagers who wanted to dress, shop and live differently from their parents.

Upon graduating from the Royal College of Art, the two designers decided, with only £200 to their names, to open a new shop aimed at a younger clientele. Following their own tastes in constructing simple shift dresses, trouser suits and biker jackets, their clothes were soon selling out. After Woollands stores started stocking their brand, Vogue’s new darling photographer David Bailey shot some of their pieces, and stardom was born, with their clothes gracing the editorials of Vogue, Queen, Honey and Nova.

IMGP1121

All photographs courtesy of Becky Cope

Despite starting out by utilising their RCA background for constructing high fashion garments in high quality fabrics, they soon began to adopt a simpler, stream-lined approach more suited to their customers. Major trademarks of the pair include their creation of trouser suits for women, their use of light lace, their peter pan collars and graphic, pop prints inspired by the art of the period. Particularly famous is their double D pocket shift dress, a reference to Double Diamond ale advertising of the time.

IMGP1111Pieces that feature all of these signature trademarks are well-represented in the exhibition, with its layout mimicking their store off London’s iconic Carnaby Street. Mannequins showcase their most popular and successful designs, such as the navy lace dress with key hole neckline and peter pan collar, as well as some of their most radical, such as “Geoff’s Jacket” inspired by their boyfriends’ clothing. Sportswear was also an early inspiration, reflected in their range of light weight, coloured jersey dresses with white piping detail. Liberty prints were also important, utilising them in their designs through to the 1970s.

IMGP1122The key to their reign of success, from 1962-1972, seems to lie in the fact that they were catering to a previously ignored market and tapping into the consciousness of the period in doing so. Indeed, Tuffin has commented for the exhibition, “We made our own clothes and we realised there was a gap. So it was very much that people would make their own clothes, people would dress themselves and style themselves with bits and pieces… and we sort of jumped in and made the bits and pieces for them.”

IMGP1110When the design duo finally hung up their measuring tape, it was only to pursue families and other personal dreams. This landmark exhibition is highly significant because it dispels the myth of a singular London youth explosion more commonly associated with Quant and Biba, and instead showcases the diversity and range of changes taking place within the decade that brought us so many freedoms.

Foale and Tuffin: Made in England is showing until 24 February 2010.

Categories ,Austin Powers, ,Beatles, ,biba, ,Carnaby Street, ,David Bailey, ,Double Diamond, ,Fashion and Textile Museum, ,Foale and Tuffin: Made in England, ,Honey Magazine, ,Nova magazine, ,Quant, ,Queen magazine, ,Royal College of Art, ,twiggy, ,vogue

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Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week 2010: Northampton

It may have been the first ever International Show at Graduate Fashion Week, erectile but the designers did all they could to leave a lasting impression on London; collections came courtesy of universities spanning Europe with one show from students as far as Singapore.

The show launched with a strong start with Wolfgang Jarnach from the Akademie Mode & Design in Munich, ambulance his dark collection was made up of voluminous skirts and shoulders teamed with striking tailored jackets, cost topped off with a dramatic Count Dracula style cape.

In an equally theatrical fashion came Vicole Lang’s collection, which racked up the most air miles for GFW, coming in from the Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. The show kicked off with a distinctly fetishism theme opening with a PVC bandage body suit, but seemed to become more gradually demure with each outfit, until the stunning Balenciaga-esque spiked and padded dress closed her a collection in show-stopping fashion.

After Vicole’s electrifying garments, a much needed cool off came courtesy of Lidya Chrisfen’s collection which swished down the runway to the calming sounds of an ebbing tide. The neutral palette, twisted rope detailing and seashell embellishments brought to mind shipwrecks and desert islands, whilst the daringly cut, printed maxi dresses injected a touch of red-carpet glamour to the collection.

Wearability was an apparently unimportant factor for a number of the international designers, as spectators at Earl’s Court witnessed recurring ‘head coverings’ as opposed to headwear from several collections. This theme was kicked off by Linda, hailing from Singapore’s LaSalle College of the Arts, who sent a seemingly ‘blind’ model down the runway in a denim hooded thigh-skimming mini dress, which zipped up balaclava style to the top of her head.

Linda, illustrated by Lisa Billvik

The concept continued in Anna Sergnova’s collection, whose medieval-inspired garments were dreamt up in the halls of Saint Petersburg’s State University of Technology & Design. Four of her six garments completely covered the model’s faces with knight style armour, metal visors and chain-mail helmets, teamed with gauntlets and protective Balmain style padded hips and shoulders. Unfortunately the safety of the models was somewhat blighted by the towering heel-less wedges in which they were precariously balancing on as they walked the runway.

Anna Sergunova, illustrated by Aniela Murphy

Things only got stranger when Amsterdam Fashion Institute student, Floor Kolen’s creations took to the stage, she too showed a penchant for covering the eyes, this time through the medium of masks, rather scary looking plastic bird masks to be precise. She also took the acrylic route for a selection of her garments and accessories including a moulded bust style T-shirt, plastic feet shoes and demi-gloves which only covered the front part of the hand, but would nethertheless render the wearer helpless.

It is often the English that are often regarded as the most eccentric people in the world; but maybe it is time to rethink this stereotype, because actually stranger things can and certainly do happen – just ask the international designers at GFW. 

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Garry Butterfield, viagra photographed by Matt Bramford

We are almost at the end of Graduate Fashion Week for another year, viagra but there’s still plenty of talent left to see. 

After hearing that one of the Northampton students, see Garry James Butterfield, had been snapped for Vogue by no other than Rankin I was intrigued to see how the show would pan out.

And it was a right old mix between the neutral pallets and technical draping (grey and navy was everywhere this year) and the ever so slightly eccentric. Perfect! 

Hayley Powell: Powell erred on the neutral side sticking to a delicious mix of chocolates, khaki and creamy silks. Even more enticing was the oversized proportions of the high waisted trousers shown with a tucked in top and tied up with a battered leather belt. Definitely a contender to take Chloé’s throne and a winner in my eyes, if only for featuring a beautiful pair of printed culottes. 


Hayley Powell, illustrated by Abi Daker

Lauren Dewer: Now the first look in this grouping didn’t have such an appeal but as the models waltzed out the bigger picture became clear. Using piping detail to create frills on skirts and structure on dresses, Dewer pulled off the bumblebee pallet and brought each individual piece together. To top it off, models sported yellow socks over their black tights, still a big look for autumn following on from London Fashion Week in February. 

James Cottle: This was the first menswear collection I’ve seen in a while designed by a man. I digress. Cottle pulls together a simplistic uniform of peg leg trousers worn rolled up with romantically bibbed shirts and easy grey marl tops. Finished off with desert boots, the look was so laid back and perfect, the only thing I want to know is what did the badges on the jackets say? A mystery.

Eleanor Burton: A flashback to Dynasty and Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” video aren’t uncommon musings to conjure when watching Burton’s pieces stomp down the catwalk. It was red. It was Black. It was all about shoulders and bodysuits. Simple, yes; but totally wearable all the same. And it shows you don’t need the glitz and glamour to make a statement in fashion.  


Eleanor Burton, illustrated by Krister Sellin

Amy Robinson: Nirvana. One simple word that pretty much sums up Robinson’s nod to the 90s. It was grungy lace intertwined with silky vest tops and….cycling shorts? Ok so maybe that’s a piece best left on the catwalk but I’m ready to get me a pair of net curtains and start sewing… (Sorry Gran)! 


Amy Robinson, illustrated by Naomi Law

What was nice about the Northampton shows was that they had clearly planned the manoeuvres down to a T. Each designers end pose related to the theme and their collection, and the hair was swept cleanly on top of the head and finished intertwined with ribbon. Beautiful show, well done guys. 

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Categories ,1980s, ,1990s, ,Addicted to Love, ,Amy Robinson, ,Chloe, ,Dynasty, ,Earls Court, ,Eleanor Burton, ,Garry James Butterfield, ,Graduate Fashion Week 2010, ,Hayley Powell, ,James Cottle, ,Lauren Dewer, ,london, ,menswear, ,nirvana, ,Rankin, ,Robert Palmer, ,vogue, ,Womenswear

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Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week 2010: Northampton

It may have been the first ever International Show at Graduate Fashion Week, erectile but the designers did all they could to leave a lasting impression on London; collections came courtesy of universities spanning Europe with one show from students as far as Singapore.

The show launched with a strong start with Wolfgang Jarnach from the Akademie Mode & Design in Munich, ambulance his dark collection was made up of voluminous skirts and shoulders teamed with striking tailored jackets, cost topped off with a dramatic Count Dracula style cape.

In an equally theatrical fashion came Vicole Lang’s collection, which racked up the most air miles for GFW, coming in from the Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore. The show kicked off with a distinctly fetishism theme opening with a PVC bandage body suit, but seemed to become more gradually demure with each outfit, until the stunning Balenciaga-esque spiked and padded dress closed her a collection in show-stopping fashion.

After Vicole’s electrifying garments, a much needed cool off came courtesy of Lidya Chrisfen’s collection which swished down the runway to the calming sounds of an ebbing tide. The neutral palette, twisted rope detailing and seashell embellishments brought to mind shipwrecks and desert islands, whilst the daringly cut, printed maxi dresses injected a touch of red-carpet glamour to the collection.

Wearability was an apparently unimportant factor for a number of the international designers, as spectators at Earl’s Court witnessed recurring ‘head coverings’ as opposed to headwear from several collections. This theme was kicked off by Linda, hailing from Singapore’s LaSalle College of the Arts, who sent a seemingly ‘blind’ model down the runway in a denim hooded thigh-skimming mini dress, which zipped up balaclava style to the top of her head.

Linda, illustrated by Lisa Billvik

The concept continued in Anna Sergnova’s collection, whose medieval-inspired garments were dreamt up in the halls of Saint Petersburg’s State University of Technology & Design. Four of her six garments completely covered the model’s faces with knight style armour, metal visors and chain-mail helmets, teamed with gauntlets and protective Balmain style padded hips and shoulders. Unfortunately the safety of the models was somewhat blighted by the towering heel-less wedges in which they were precariously balancing on as they walked the runway.

Anna Sergunova, illustrated by Aniela Murphy

Things only got stranger when Amsterdam Fashion Institute student, Floor Kolen’s creations took to the stage, she too showed a penchant for covering the eyes, this time through the medium of masks, rather scary looking plastic bird masks to be precise. She also took the acrylic route for a selection of her garments and accessories including a moulded bust style T-shirt, plastic feet shoes and demi-gloves which only covered the front part of the hand, but would nethertheless render the wearer helpless.

It is often the English that are often regarded as the most eccentric people in the world; but maybe it is time to rethink this stereotype, because actually stranger things can and certainly do happen – just ask the international designers at GFW. 

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Garry Butterfield, viagra photographed by Matt Bramford

We are almost at the end of Graduate Fashion Week for another year, viagra but there’s still plenty of talent left to see. 

After hearing that one of the Northampton students, see Garry James Butterfield, had been snapped for Vogue by no other than Rankin I was intrigued to see how the show would pan out.

And it was a right old mix between the neutral pallets and technical draping (grey and navy was everywhere this year) and the ever so slightly eccentric. Perfect! 

Hayley Powell: Powell erred on the neutral side sticking to a delicious mix of chocolates, khaki and creamy silks. Even more enticing was the oversized proportions of the high waisted trousers shown with a tucked in top and tied up with a battered leather belt. Definitely a contender to take Chloé’s throne and a winner in my eyes, if only for featuring a beautiful pair of printed culottes. 


Hayley Powell, illustrated by Abi Daker

Lauren Dewer: Now the first look in this grouping didn’t have such an appeal but as the models waltzed out the bigger picture became clear. Using piping detail to create frills on skirts and structure on dresses, Dewer pulled off the bumblebee pallet and brought each individual piece together. To top it off, models sported yellow socks over their black tights, still a big look for autumn following on from London Fashion Week in February. 

James Cottle: This was the first menswear collection I’ve seen in a while designed by a man. I digress. Cottle pulls together a simplistic uniform of peg leg trousers worn rolled up with romantically bibbed shirts and easy grey marl tops. Finished off with desert boots, the look was so laid back and perfect, the only thing I want to know is what did the badges on the jackets say? A mystery.

Eleanor Burton: A flashback to Dynasty and Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” video aren’t uncommon musings to conjure when watching Burton’s pieces stomp down the catwalk. It was red. It was Black. It was all about shoulders and bodysuits. Simple, yes; but totally wearable all the same. And it shows you don’t need the glitz and glamour to make a statement in fashion.  


Eleanor Burton, illustrated by Krister Sellin

Amy Robinson: Nirvana. One simple word that pretty much sums up Robinson’s nod to the 90s. It was grungy lace intertwined with silky vest tops and….cycling shorts? Ok so maybe that’s a piece best left on the catwalk but I’m ready to get me a pair of net curtains and start sewing… (Sorry Gran)! 


Amy Robinson, illustrated by Naomi Law

What was nice about the Northampton shows was that they had clearly planned the manoeuvres down to a T. Each designers end pose related to the theme and their collection, and the hair was swept cleanly on top of the head and finished intertwined with ribbon. Beautiful show, well done guys. 

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Categories ,1980s, ,1990s, ,Addicted to Love, ,Amy Robinson, ,Chloe, ,Dynasty, ,Earls Court, ,Eleanor Burton, ,Garry James Butterfield, ,Graduate Fashion Week 2010, ,Hayley Powell, ,James Cottle, ,Lauren Dewer, ,london, ,menswear, ,nirvana, ,Rankin, ,Robert Palmer, ,vogue, ,Womenswear

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Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week 2010: Nottingham Trent


Danielle Reed, viagra buy illustrated by Gabriel Ayala

The Central Lancashire show was an upbeat, patriotic affair. Models strutted down the catwalk to a stonking soundtrack provided by students from the performing arts department, and we waved collections along with the cute Union Jack flags left on each seat.  

The clothes were a lot of fun too – with the standout students playing around with conventional British icons – from Beefeaters and Big Ben to British school uniforms.  

Kirsty Stringfellow created interesting textures with her whimsical collection of knitted designs. Column dresses in thick, appliquéd floral cream ruched across the models’ chests like a curtain, and were adorned with sparkly crochet, printed lace and gold netting. Whilst some of the curtain-esque dresses seemed a little heavy, Stringfellow is clearly gifted at manipulating different textures – the fine-knit cream designs with intricate layers of ruffles were sheer romance.  


Kirsty Stringfellow, illustrated by Zarina Liew

On the other end of the scale, Danielle Reed and Rachel Wolstenhome both had fun with a tough, urban take on sportswear. Reed paired white bobby socks with black Dr. Martens, black grommet-laced waistcoats with slouchy joggers and manipulated aertex fabric into loose jumpsuits. The effect was a strong collection of grunge-inspired sportswear, with PVC fabrics and a monochrome palette adding a gothic edge.  


Danielle Reed, illustrated by Gabriel Ayala

Wolstenhome created the sole male collection on show, and her futuristic sportswear borrowed shapes and fabrics from a manner of sportswear, a mash up of scuba-esque one-pieces, foam hoods, and deconstructed jersey sweat pants, with cut-out holes and harem-style drapes and folds.  

Rachel Wolstenholme, illustrated by Aniela Murphy

A special mention should also go to Sunny Kular for her attempt to spice up school uniforms with Indian elements. We loved seeing that boring grey fabric we remember from our school days twisted into sari shapes, ties and blazers in Ikat prints and jackets emblazoned with a ‘Ganesh’ school badge.  


Sunny Kalar, illustrated by Donna McKenzie

But UCLAN’s strongest suits are clearly printed textiles, forming the basis of two of the most eye-catching collections.  

Jessica Thompson’s surreal collection of printed designs was full of quirky, cartoonish imagery, manipulated onto a spectrum of designs, from fitted shift dresses to sporty anoraks. Everything demanded attention, from the Beefeater printed slip that made the model into a marching drummer, to the dreamy shifts emblazoned with chimps and birds.

Some images were distorted into unrecognisable shapes and quirky patterns, forcing a closer look.  The final piece was a red, floor length printed mac, that looked like it was printed with moon craters – the coolest cover up for a rainy day.  


Jessica Thompson, illustrated by Gemma Milly

Saving the best till last – Sara Wadsworth’s amazing printed collection chimed with the patriotic mood. The whole collection was crafted in chiffon, printed with British icons – the Union Jack, Big Ben the London Eye and what looked like parts of Trafalgar Square, all blown up, re-sized, and patterned across wisps of fabric.


Sara Wadsworth, illustrated by Abi Daker

Wadsworth let the prints do the talking, choosing almost sheer chiffon in muted shades of grey, white and occasional splashes of olives and teal. Bright yellow bras peeked out from beneath the designs, ranging from floor length kaftans to a Vivienne Westwood-esque draped dress, and a sweet smock top and short combo. Who would have thought our most touristy landmarks could be re-imagined into such wearable designs?

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Danielle Reed, pills illustrated by Gabriel Ayala

The Central Lancashire show was an upbeat, cialis 40mg patriotic affair. Models strutted down the catwalk to a stonking soundtrack provided by students from the performing arts department, and we waved collections along with the cute Union Jack flags left on each seat.  

The clothes were a lot of fun too – with the standout students playing around with conventional British icons – from Beefeaters and Big Ben to British school uniforms.  

Kirsty Stringfellow created interesting textures with her whimsical collection of knitted designs. Column dresses in thick, appliquéd floral cream ruched across the models’ chests like a curtain, and were adorned with sparkly crochet, printed lace and gold netting. Whilst some of the curtain-esque dresses seemed a little heavy, Stringfellow is clearly gifted at manipulating different textures – the fine-knit cream designs with intricate layers of ruffles were sheer romance.  


Kirsty Stringfellow, illustrated by Zarina Liew

On the other end of the scale, Danielle Reed and Rachel Wolstenhome both had fun with a tough, urban take on sportswear. Reed paired white bobby socks with black Dr. Martens, black grommet-laced waistcoats with slouchy joggers and manipulated aertex fabric into loose jumpsuits. The effect was a strong collection of grunge-inspired sportswear, with PVC fabrics and a monochrome palette adding a gothic edge.  


Danielle Reed, illustrated by Gabriel Ayala

Wolstenhome created the sole male collection on show, and her futuristic sportswear borrowed shapes and fabrics from a manner of sportswear, a mash up of scuba-esque one-pieces, foam hoods, and deconstructed jersey sweat pants, with cut-out holes and harem-style drapes and folds.  

Rachel Wolstenholme, illustrated by Aniela Murphy

A special mention should also go to Sunny Kular for her attempt to spice up school uniforms with Indian elements. We loved seeing that boring grey fabric we remember from our school days twisted into sari shapes, ties and blazers in Ikat prints and jackets emblazoned with a ‘Ganesh’ school badge.  


Sunny Kalar, illustrated by Donna McKenzie

But UCLAN’s strongest suits are clearly printed textiles, forming the basis of two of the most eye-catching collections.  

Jessica Thompson’s surreal collection of printed designs was full of quirky, cartoonish imagery, manipulated onto a spectrum of designs, from fitted shift dresses to sporty anoraks. Everything demanded attention, from the Beefeater printed slip that made the model into a marching drummer, to the dreamy shifts emblazoned with chimps and birds.

Some images were distorted into unrecognisable shapes and quirky patterns, forcing a closer look.  The final piece was a red, floor length printed mac, that looked like it was printed with moon craters – the coolest cover up for a rainy day.  


Jessica Thompson, illustrated by Gemma Milly

Saving the best till last – Sara Wadsworth’s amazing printed collection chimed with the patriotic mood. The whole collection was crafted in chiffon, printed with British icons – the Union Jack, Big Ben the London Eye and what looked like parts of Trafalgar Square, all blown up, re-sized, and patterned across wisps of fabric.


Sara Wadsworth, illustrated by Abi Daker

Wadsworth let the prints do the talking, choosing almost sheer chiffon in muted shades of grey, white and occasional splashes of olives and teal. Bright yellow bras peeked out from beneath the designs, ranging from floor length kaftans to a Vivienne Westwood-esque draped dress, and a sweet smock top and short combo. Who would have thought our most touristy landmarks could be re-imagined into such wearable designs?

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Shinsuke Mitsuoka

The world of fashion is notoriously fickle and grabbing the attentions of a fashion crowd for any extended period of time seems tricky. Catwalk shows do their best with an array of light shows and thumping soundtracks which could sometimes do with a warning.

Nottingham Trent have prepared it all for their outing at Graduate Fashion Week with glossy door staff, viagra 100mg designer goody bags and even a rather trendy loitering DJ (wearing a somewhat dubious puffa jacket). They’re raring to go, diagnosis but there’s just one cog in the works; a serious lack of bums on seats. Well, there is of course the age old excuse of being fashionably late, but even the pinched smiles of women ferrying around have started to crumble.

All becomes clear as a dull thudding bass infiltrates the theatre and the sound barrier takes a bashing as the trill of hundreds of screaming girls hit the roof. Apparently Tinie Tempah is a big deal (and from the glimpse I got, genuinely teeny Tinie). He’s had all of one song, which luckily for Nottingham Trent, he dispatches quickly, and soon a bustle of activity swells at the theatre doors. If Tinie didn’t make them ‘Pass Out’ (see what I did there? Here all week folks…) then the efforts of Nottingham Trent’s 2010 graduates will surely do their best to stun the senses. 


Live front row illustration by Lauren Macaulay

Nottingham Trent has a clear passion for encouraging students to experiment with unique techniques and textures in knitwear, producing a modern and varied aesthetic across the course. Their catwalk show oscillates between detailed, intricate knitwear and sleek takes on womenswear with bursts of energy injected at intervals by the likes of Emma Dick, showcasing sharp, graphic prints of televisions and arrows just at home in a museum of Pop Art as the runway. Integrated hoods give the look a futuristic feel but there’s a touch of the retro about her two-tone body con jumpsuit with a classic 1960s palette contrast between red and black.

Nottingham Trent keeps the volume turned up with Claire Hartley’s cutaway knitted one pieces, exposing flashes of green, yellow and red for a futuristic sci-fi look. Hartley’s dedication to forward thinking stretches beyond the aesthetics as she hopes to generate a new innovative, zero waste policy in manufacturing to ensure the sustainability and evolution of the clothes. 

By now Tinie’s long forgotten as each model stalks down the catwalk to puffa DJ’s painfully hip soundtrack. Nikki Lowe dazzles with gold lamé suits complete with built-in gloves worthy of an evil Jackie Collins penned character, but flashlight necklaces add a distinctive disco feel caught somewhere between the 1970s and the 1990s.

Miranda Boucher’s collection is a dark and luxurious celebration of femininity with plush midnight blue coats and velveteen details just obscuring the model’s modesty.  

Emma Philpot’s knitwear seems to grow from the models bodies, twisting and turning upon itself and forming knots and twists likes a chunky chainmail, while Tiffany Williams continues the fairytale edge with her menswear collection in dark, brooding colours and heavy volume that weigh on the shoulders as a hulking, masculine presence. Backs reveal shimmers of gold thread intertwined, adding a lighter side to the depth of her work. 
Jenna Harvey’s dresses change at every turn as each layer of tiny fabric is double printed and loosely set so as it moves a new picture is revealed. At times it feels like 3D glasses are needed just to keep up with the transformation before your eyes.

Meanwhile, Phoebe Thirlwall’s beautiful knitwear dresses, inspired by the intricacies of the skin, show a level of workmanship that is breathtaking under the lights of the catwalk. Each ribbed layer clings to the models with hundreds of different levels working together. Her hard work has clearly not gone unnoticed as her work was also photographed by renowned artist Rankin, a stunning portrait duly displayed in grand terms at Earl’s Court.


 
Izabela Targosz’s equestrian turn on tailoring injects some more colour into Nottingham Trent’s show, with jackets made with horsehair pockets and backs adding a silky but quirky feel. Riding hats are the natural yet perfect accessory to a collection that shows an equal strength in its attention to detail for an upheaval of the British tailored look. 

Shinsuke Matsuoka’s work is saved for the final spot and with the breathtaking effect of the garments, it’s easy to see why. Bondage style zips snake across panels of black hi-shine material; the sound of the clothes are a foreboding presence in themselves, but as six outfits stand together the models are transformed into an unnervingly attractive chain gang from the future. I’m not sure if it was this effect or not, but my camera also spluttered its final breaths at this point, perhaps overwhelmed by the power of Matsuoka’s collection.

In any case, it proved a spectacular way to end things and is not something I can imagine being trumped by Tinie any day soon.

Images courtesy of catwalking.com

Categories ,1960s, ,3D, ,Bondage, ,Claire Hartley, ,dj, ,Earls Court, ,Emma Dick, ,Emma Philpot, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Izabela Tagosz, ,Jackie Collins, ,Jenna Harvey, ,knitwear, ,london, ,menswear, ,Miranda Boucher, ,Nikki Lowe, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Phoebe Thirlwall, ,Pop Art, ,Rankin, ,Sci-Fi, ,Shinsuke Matsuoka, ,Tiffany Williams, ,Tinie Temper, ,vogue, ,Womenswear

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Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing AOFM: the Academy of Freelance Make Up

AOFM by YesGo!
AOFM by YesGo!

AOFM or the Academy of Freelance Make Up (artists) is the brainchild of New Zealander Jana Ririnui and Englishman Jason Mallet, discount who met, viagra like, mere months before they started up in business together – Jason bringing the business nous and Jana the creative spark. I’ve already had a chance to peruse their gorgeous coffee table book Make Up is Art at the Forward PR press day, and last week I had a chance to actually take a look around their Soho studios and learn a bit more about what AOFM does.

AOFM-Jana and Jason
AOFM’s Jana and Jason. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Gathered in one of their airy studios on Dean Street the pair explained to us how they give students the opportunity to work in a real fashion environment backstage at Vauxhall Fashion Scout at LFW. AOFM was set up because Jana was frustrated that fellow make up artists weren’t being trained in the realities of working in the fast paced and often brutal fashion world, so it’s a place where not only do you get a brilliant make up artist training but also real hands on experience of working in the industry.

AOFM Jana and Jason by Jenny Robins
Jana and Jason with their chihuahuas. By Jenny Robins.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory

Despite having been going for under five years AOFM has already garnered huge acclaim and is all set to open up their New York wing this May. In that time Jana’s students have done everything “from X Factor to Italian Vogue” so they are highly rated in the industry, and Lauren Amps (who did my make up again) won make up artist of the year only two years after she left the college.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory Lauren Amps
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory Lauren Amps
Lauren Amps at work. Yes, there is make up in those drawers, there’s a reason why she’s on the floor!

Students are given a realistic view of what to expect if they work in the industry, which Jana says weeds a great deal of them out straight away because they simply aren’t willing to put the hard graft in to get where they want. There is a generation coming up now who expect things to fall into their lap, something I have noticed as well… the me me me middle class generation who’ve never experienced any hardships and are somewhat flummoxed by the cruel workings of the real world. Some students arrive with false expectations of what AOFM can do for them, but if they can’t “do a good smokey eye and a red lip” then they won’t be recommended for shows. I do love a strong look and the classic smokey eyes and red lips are clearly a crucial basis for many other looks.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory bespoke make up brush set
AOFM bespoke make up brush set.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory Make Up is Art
The AOFM bible: Make Up is Art. An inspiring collection of ideas intended for both professionals and beginners.

According to AOFM it usually takes about five years to get an agent, something which can be much quicker depending on a make up artist’s financial position. The sad truth is that like so many jobs it really does depend on whether you are secure, and in the case of make up artists it sounds like lots of people have hubbies who are willing to support them whilst they test and build up their portfolios.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory
Another AOFM make up artist with a fabulous tattoo.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory

After our chat Jana and Jason lead us to their stunning top floor where we were able to enjoy the new pot plants on the balcony far above the bustle of Soho, whilst nibbling on tasty goodies and having our make up done professionally (though a bad idea at the same time, as I discovered) as their two delightful chihuahuas Lily and Lula raced around our feet in an attempt to feed off the canape scraps. Although Jana is keen to add to the chihuahua pack it doesn’t sound like this will be happening any time soon, what with the new concession opening in New York and exciting plans for an even bigger project which I am absolutely not allowed to mention. Watch this space folks…

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
CHIHUAHUAS!

Categories ,AOFM, ,Chihuahua, ,Dean Street, ,Forward PR, ,Jana Ririnui, ,Jason Mallet, ,Jenny Robins, ,Lauren, ,Lauren Amps, ,Make Up is Art, ,new york, ,Soho, ,Studios, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,vogue, ,X Factor, ,YesGo!

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Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing AOFM: the Academy of Freelance Make Up

AOFM by YesGo!
AOFM by YesGo!

AOFM or the Academy of Freelance Make Up (artists) is the brainchild of New Zealander Jana Ririnui and Englishman Jason Mallet, who met, like, mere months before they started up in business together – Jason bringing the business nous and Jana the creative spark. I’ve already had a chance to peruse their gorgeous coffee table book Make Up is Art at the Forward PR press day, and last week I had a chance to actually take a look around their Soho studios and learn a bit more about what AOFM does.

AOFM-Jana and Jason
AOFM’s Jana and Jason. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Gathered in one of their airy studios on Dean Street the pair explained to us how they give students the opportunity to work in a real fashion environment backstage at Vauxhall Fashion Scout at LFW. AOFM was set up because Jana was frustrated that fellow make up artists weren’t being trained in the realities of working in the fast paced and often brutal fashion world, so it’s a place where not only do you get a brilliant make up artist training but also real hands on experience of working in the industry.

AOFM Jana and Jason by Jenny Robins
Jana and Jason with their chihuahuas. By Jenny Robins.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory

Despite having been going for under five years AOFM has already garnered huge acclaim and is all set to open up their New York wing this May. In that time Jana’s students have done everything “from X Factor to Italian Vogue” so they are highly rated in the industry, and Lauren Amps (who did my make up again) won make up artist of the year only two years after she left the college.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory Lauren Amps
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory Lauren Amps
Lauren Amps at work. Yes, there is make up in those drawers, there’s a reason why she’s on the floor!

Students are given a realistic view of what to expect if they work in the industry, which Jana says weeds a great deal of them out straight away because they simply aren’t willing to put the hard graft in to get where they want. There is a generation coming up now who expect things to fall into their lap, something I have noticed as well… the me me me middle class generation who’ve never experienced any hardships and are somewhat flummoxed by the cruel workings of the real world. Some students arrive with false expectations of what AOFM can do for them, but if they can’t “do a good smokey eye and a red lip” then they won’t be recommended for shows. I do love a strong look and the classic smokey eyes and red lips are clearly a crucial basis for many other looks.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory bespoke make up brush set
AOFM bespoke make up brush set.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory Make Up is Art
The AOFM bible: Make Up is Art. An inspiring collection of ideas intended for both professionals and beginners.

According to AOFM it usually takes about five years to get an agent, something which can be much quicker depending on a make up artist’s financial position. The sad truth is that like so many jobs it really does depend on whether you are secure, and in the case of make up artists it sounds like lots of people have hubbies who are willing to support them whilst they test and build up their portfolios.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory
Another AOFM make up artist with a fabulous tattoo.

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory

After our chat Jana and Jason lead us to their stunning top floor where we were able to enjoy the new pot plants on the balcony far above the bustle of Soho, whilst nibbling on tasty goodies and having our make up done professionally (though a bad idea at the same time, as I discovered) as their two delightful chihuahuas Lily and Lula raced around our feet in an attempt to feed off the canape scraps. Although Jana is keen to add to the chihuahua pack it doesn’t sound like this will be happening any time soon, what with the new concession opening in New York and exciting plans for an even bigger project which I am absolutely not allowed to mention. Watch this space folks…

AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
AOFM-photography by Amelia Gregory chihuahua
CHIHUAHUAS!

Categories ,AOFM, ,Chihuahua, ,Dean Street, ,Forward PR, ,Jana Ririnui, ,Jason Mallet, ,Jenny Robins, ,Lauren, ,Lauren Amps, ,Make Up is Art, ,new york, ,Soho, ,Studios, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,vogue, ,X Factor, ,YesGo!

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Amelia’s Magazine | Karen Karam – Hard Cover Candy

Here at Amelia’s Magazine we’re all about nurturing design newbies, particularly if they’re as innovative and inspiring as Karen Karem. We first encountered Karen way back in the days of issue 6. Fresh out of Central St Martins and brimming with ideas, she caught our eye with her funky range of horse shaped bags inspired by childhood dreams of magical fantasy lands. After two long years of hard work and some good ol’ fashioned elbow grease, she’s now back to launch her debut Spring/Summer 09 clothing collection, Hard Cover Candy.

A peak into Karen’s treasure trove of inspirations reveals a concoction of nostalgic teenage memorabilia combined with a haphazard assortment of British items from eras past. Kitch accessories and pastel coloured cupcakes bump shoulders with jars of jellybeans, fluffy cotton candy, 60′s platforms, teenage heartthrobs and images of elegant ladies at brunch.

The collection itself consists of a range of dresses. Each contain a childlike quality but still manage to maintain a sense of femininity and elegance. Like her playful horse bags, Hard Cover Candy is for women who remember raiding their mothers wardrobes and dressing up in pretty frocks for birthday parties at the age of 9. They’re for women who like to daydream and still feel like little girls at heart.

KarenKaram_3.jpg

KarenKaram_4.jpg

With a mixed colour palette of soft pastels and vibrant electrifying tones, Karen’s selection of baby doll dresses and floor length evening gowns use chiffon and ruffles to ensure a high level of grace and movement.

KarenKaram_2.jpg

KarenKaram_1.jpg

With Vogue and Vanity Fair already showing an interest in the collection, it’s likely that Karen Karem will soon be sweeping us all along into her magical daydream world.

KarenKaram_5.jpg

Categories ,Central St Martins, ,Hard Cover Candy, ,Karen Karem, ,Vanity Fair, ,Vogue

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Amelia’s Magazine | Carolyn Massey presents The Gentleman’s Code

TINSEL&TWINKLE_TRAFFIC_WARDENS

The London based duo Tinsel Edwards and Twinkle Troughton will be staging an event all day tomorrow (Thursday 29th) around London as part of their ‘ It Was The Best Of Times, mind It Was The Worst Of Times’ tour. Keep your eye out for a parking ticket on your car – you never know, viagra some lucky chosen few will contain a free signed mini screen print! Be sure to check out their work:http://www.tinseledwards.org/ and http://www.twinkletroughton.co.uk/.

WOOLIES

You’ve known each other since you were 9 years old – how long have work together creatively?

Edwards: We’ve worked together on lots of different creative projects over the years, rx we ran a little fanzine when we were about 10! There’s also the band we used to be in until recently and the record label we have set up.  When we were at college our art work was completely collaborative, we work separately now but often join forces for specific projects and to put on exhibitions.

Troughton: Tinsel has kind of said it all there. I think we are very much on the same wavelength work-wise and have been since we were 9. So ideas bounce off each other quite easily and i think it works really well to help us move things forward.

TINSEL1

Have you had formal training? How has this shaped how you work?

Edwards: We both went to art college in London, at the time it was really good to get regular feedback from tutors and students and that will have shaped the way we work in lots of ways. However we graduated in 2001 so it seems a while a go now! Now the way we work is shaped more so by our everyday lives and observations of our surroundings.

Troughton: It was quite funny because we went to separate art colleges, I went to Kingston which Tinsel was rejected from and Tinsel went to Goldsmiths which I was rejected from yet we ended up collaborating anyway and holding identical degree shows in each college. We had to go to each others crits and tutorials sometimes and so our work had quite a cheeky nature to it as it was a bit of an ‘up yours’ really, I think we still like to be playful in what we create together.

TWINKLE1

How would you each describe your work individually and collaboratively?

Edwards: My work is a wide ranging commentary on all sorts of observations that I make in everyday life, I am interested in challenging and protesting about different things to promote and inspiring positive change.  I love the idea of Do-It-Yourself, and continually promote the idea of personal responsibility in my work.  I see my work as politically active, not because it references particular political events or current affairs, but because through my observations, questions, statements and slogans, I aim to instigate positive action and change on both an individual and wider level.  
The themes in my work vary widely, it can be an honest personal narrative, it can reference the everyday, or highlight social and cultural issues.  I often use humour to deal with these themes.

Troughton: I make work which is heavily influenced by Britain both now and as it was 2-300 hundred years ago. Up until recently my work was predominantly describing British quirks, questioning what we as Brits were modern day slaves to and using humour as a main tool to depict my ideas. While these elements are still running through my work it’s now got more political in many ways, I’m also questioning a lot of our cultural habits which actually stem back from a long time ago. I guess I’m looking at how on the surface everything changes yet underneath many things don’t change at all. 

Collaboratively: Both of our work stems from observation, and although in very different ways, the work is a response to life in Britain today.  The content and theme of each artist’s work is very different, but it stems from similar observations and concern. The approach is also similar, in that we both paint in bold colours and often use humour.

TINSEL2

Where does your inspiration come from? Childhood/training/location?

Edwards: Inspiration comes from all sorts of things, life in London is a massive influence, music and art, people’s attitudes and social observation.  Style and technique wise I love text and all things typographic, I love Pop art, big expressionist style painterly work, vintage graphic design.

Troughton: Inspiration comes from the media, newspapers mainly. I look at both snippets in the papers and the stories that dominate. Currently I am finding so much inspiration from more historical reading, both fiction and non-fiction. I’ve been reading Dickens and factual books about the Victorians and am basing a lot of research on historical reading combined with the scouring of newspapers each day. I also am inspired just by basic observation of day to day life. As an avid people watcher there is plenty of inspiration on the streets of London alone! Visually, I don’t have a list of artists who inspire me, that can pop up at any moment when visiting exhibitions. Just a small example: I got masses of inspiration recently from the historical collections at National Portrait Gallery but was also very inspired by the HUGE Maggie Thatcher painting by Marcus Harvey (although I had already done my Maggie painting I do need to point out haha!) so I think I take artistic inspiration from all over the place.

TWINKLE2

Who are the artists that you most admire?

Edwards:There are soooo many artists I like for lots of different reasons! But if I had to name a couple I would say that I love Bob and Roberta Smith, because he is honest, challenging, funny, political and very frank and open.  And I really like Tracey Emin, also because I really admire her honesty and fearlessness.  I’ve always found her work very compelling.

Troughton: I guess my answer above answers some of this. Artists I really like though… I also love Tracey Emins work for very similar reasons to Tinsel. I love Jeff Koons’ work, especially his paintings which I personally just thought were out of this world, it’s always good to see work which leaves you feeling like you’ve got so much to aspire to! It makes you want to change and move things on and think bigger.

TINSEL3

How important is it to have a presence on the internet these days? Do you use Twitter and other social networking sites?

Edwards: I’m a bit reluctant to get sucked in to Twitter, and it took me a while to join Facebook!  But it is really important to have online presence, its a brilliant way to showcase your work and promote exhibitions, and to find out about other artists too.

Troughton: Urgh I am not too good at things like Twitter…I’m not sure people would want to follow my daily thoughts and actions like that. I don’t mind using those things as a platform to show artwork and to let people know about events, and I also don’t mind them for keeping in touch with friends old and new…but that’s about it…

What would your dream commission be?

Edwards: Erm!!! It would be really funny to be asked to do something for the Queen, or perhaps a bonkers old millionaire rock star, or a politician…. I would love to work on album covers for bands.  On a more serious note it would be absolutely amazing to be commissioned to do something like the fourth plinth, a big public commission which could be used as a platform to voice something really important and relevant to people’s lives.

Troughton: Dream commission?? Haha, yeah something for the Queen would be excellent. At the moment I think I would love to be commissioned to make a very large scale painting for a pubic space which was going to be used as a future insight to modern British life and our social issues. Something which freezes time to show future generations what life in Britain was like in the 2000s-2010s, showing both good and bad elements. 

How did you come up with the idea for your event this Thursday?

Edwards: The screenprint in the parking ticket bags is an image of a Woolworths empty shop-front, across the posters in the windows is written ‘It was the Best of Times It was the Worst of Times’.  The work is talking about how although recession can be very difficult it can also be a time for positive change and growth.  We thought that producing a mini print as a very large edition would help to promote that message.  Disguising each one as a parking ticket tied in quite well, when people find them although they might be initially a bit disappointed, what’s inside is actually a nice thing – some free art!
Our previous gallerist Stella Dore actually helped us to come up with a very initial version of the idea about two years ago. Because of the nature of our work, it is often confined to the gallery space, we wanted to do something which would take our work out of the gallery and to a wider audience.

Troughton: The Traffic Warden part of the idea did come from Steph at Stella Dore. We just didn’t know what to do with it back then. Then along the way little flashes of inspiration came to us, such as from reading Dickens. ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’ is an opening line to one of his novels’ and both me and Tinsel felt that opening line was incredibly descriptive of modern life and was also a direct response to our own feelings about the recession. 

C2

Men designing womenswear is something that appears to dominate the fashion industry. We don’t know why, viagra 100mg but men are often able to create clothing for the opposite sex that oozes sex appeal and sassy beauty. Probably, hospital it’s down to the distance of being able to appreciate something that they are not, alongside the aesthete’s almost iconic hero-worship of the female form. Women designing menswear however, is not a similar occurrence, Menswear extraordinaire Carolyn Massey however is shaking up the status quo. With her creations gallivanting across Parisian runways and her third capsule collection hitting Topman stores, this lady knows a thing or two about how a man should dress; and it should be through wearing her pieces.

C3

Graduating from Royal College of Art four years ago, Massey is known for her attention to detail, tailoring and her menswear is branded as gentlemanly. The clothes are durable and investment-worthy, just like something your granddad would wear. During a recent talk entitled “The Gentleman’s Code”, as part of a fashion lecture series at The Museum of London, Massey discussed her interpretation and inspiration of the gentleman in the past and present.

Trawling through the archives of garment history, Massey accumulated an intense knowledge of how men used to dress from the turn of the century to the war and inter-war period. Bringing historical details back to contemporary design is no easy feat. Despite finding beautiful detailing on buttons and stitches, much of Massey’s research led her to conclude that things like personal designer touches (including errors) were maxims perhaps best left to the Victorians. Details such as hand-sewn embellishments would not be bothered with today on a grand scale. After all, our economy runs on a manufacturing basis, and there is unfortunately little swing for hand-stitching and “one-of-a-kind” designer details, despite the exquisiteness of entirely hand-sewn trousers.

cmassey4

(Photography by Matt Bramford)

Instead of lock-stock reverting to historical design principles, Massey subtly attempts to alter impressions of menswear. Traditionally seen as distinctly “un-fashion”, there is an ongoing debate into whether menswear as a branch of the fashion industry even exists. As Massey persuasively argued, menswear changes less rapidly and more subtly than womenswear, and that this can be used to good cause. Menswear should therefore be durable and long-living. Men should buy a tailor blazer or suit or trousers, and keep them forever. What should be thrown out is our culture’s attitude of “throw-away-ability”, our IKEA spawn of buying something cheap because then we can replace it. Don’t get Massey started on Primark.

C1

Despite being influenced by dandy dressers of the past, who wore impeccably detailed and tailored pieces, Massey insists that the notion of the gentleman comes from within; stating during the talk that it’s an attitude and a style of life, not a 3 piece suit from Armani. Massey cannot create these items as a magic cure-all to transform the average gent into Oscar Wilde. Massey holds a great fascination for silhouettes and shapes; the pieces play within being eccentric but lightweight, vivacious but muted, sharp but comfy. Coding is important, and that’s why the military is highly prevalent in her work.

carolynmassey

Investigating old regulation army jackets and badging rules, Massey incorporated these touches into her own work. In the same way, functionality is a big deal for the boys; if they need a pocket – they want a pocket. Dappling in the ubiquitously difficult ‘man bag’ territory and Massey comes off strong, demonstrating functionality as key. What can’t this woman do?

cmassey

(photograph by Matt Bramford)

Carolyn Massey’s dip into the archives benefited menswear relevance greatly this season. Her SS10 collection was classic but contemporary, an increasingly hard balance to hit successfully. With the rise of metrosexuality and unisex brands, good old fashioned tough, eccentric, granddad clobber is hard to find. However, with designers like Massey taking the time to get into the mindset, clothing born from style’s past creates a functional contemporary gentlemen.

For more talks and events (FREE!) check out the Museum of London

Categories ,Bespoke designs, ,Carolyn Massey, ,London Fashion Week, ,menswear, ,military jackets, ,Victorians

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Amelia’s Magazine | Constructive Studio: London Fashion Week S/S 2013 Preview Interview

Constructive Studio scarves
Constructive Studio is a brand new label launching this season, a collaboration between graphic designer Craig Yamey and fashion designer Ian Scott Kettle, who discovered a mutual love of street art, colourful painterly patterns and photographic collaging, put together and engineered into dramatic shapes for fashion design and beyond. Craig Yamey tells us more about what inspired this unique partnership.

Constructive Studio bow_ties
How did you meet Ian Scott Kettle and what made you get together to create a new label?
Ian and I met at a Central Saint Martins Degree show in 2009 through a mutual friend. We instantly hit it off and it was clear we shared the same approach to designing and similar influences. When I saw Ian’s portfolio I was blown away. He had recently worked as a designer for Alberta Ferretti and I had just returned from a year travelling through Vietnam so I was buzzing with ideas and new sketch books. I could see parallels between Ian’s engineered forms and my own illustration work so we started to investigate ways in which we could marry our skill set. We were both freelancing and teaching at the time so initially we would just meet up to show each other ideas. Ian would give me sketches and I would expand on them or design a print that could be engineered into his ideas. We soon realised that there was a strong aesthetic being born and that’s when we decided to form a new label and get a studio together. It was great to have a dedicated work space and have some set deadlines to work towards.

Constructive Studio lace_face
As a graphic designer how hard is it for you to get your head around fashion and what new things have you learnt recently?
Working in commercial graphic design often requires you to turn around print-ready artwork in an hour. The greatest lesson Ian has taught me is the importance of an incubation period; time to research and develop ideas, materials and processes. I am used to working with pen, ink and computer, my output has always existed in a 2-dimensional realm and I have only been restricted by my own time frames. Now relying on suppliers to send samples of materials, fittings and experimenting with print techniques means I’ve needed to create a much longer time scale to complete work. The other area within fashion that has been a great learning curve is understanding the difference between designing for flat graphics such as posters or CD covers and designing for engineered prints and scarves where fabric drapes and hangs off he body. It’s been great learning how different materials function.

Constructive Studio epaulets
Who do you hope will appreciate the various elements of your collection, eg. the bow ties and the plush dolls?
We have always been interested in creating a range that cuts through the boundaries between high-end luxury fashion and something more ‘street’ in it’s aesthetic; that’s my graphics background coming through! The colour palettes are bold and young and there is a sense of fun to the work. The bow ties are unisex and proving equally popular amongst women and men – I like the idea that certain pieces can transcend gender, an aesthetic we pushed in The Look Book. I always thought the plush dolls had quite a dark edge, using weeping Victorian-etched faces. I pitched the dolls at a KID ROBOTdesigner toy” market but it’s great to see how many young kids love them too.
 
Constructive Studio lazer_cut_tie
What’s the inspiration behind the newest design elements?
The influences for the first collection are a marriage of opposites; we are fusing our own hand-painted brush strokes with computer-generated vector-lines. Juxtaposing the mark-making of street art with photographic images of nature; clouds and flora. We like to mix strong angulated engineered forms with softer painted patterns and conversely enjoy mixing the strength of bold geometric shapes on delicate materials such as Habotai silk. We are very interested in exploring non-fashion materials to create our accessories, using polypropelene and acetates to make our collars. We like the fact that certain pieces such as the acrylic toggles and plastic collars sit somewhere between fashion and product design and our work has been picked up by The London Design Festival which focuses more on homeware and furniture design. 

Constructive Studio pink_collar
How do the graphics work with the complicated pattern cuts, and what is the process of designing together?
Creating engineered prints is an exciting process of passing the ball back and forth to one another. With the bow ties Ian will start with a sketch which we both look at and consider any necessary adjustments to the design. Ian will then create a pattern and make a Calico prototype. When the form is created I can gauge how the shape twists and folds, which areas will be exposed or overlap when worn. I then start designing the direction of the pattern in accordance to the form. Ian will then give me the flat pattern on which will apply my prints. Once sewn we can see which areas of the design need re-adjusting. With the meter silk scarves it’s important to understand how the scarf will be worn and will fold. Sometimes a design will look beautiful flat but when worn we realise the scale of certain elements need re-adjusting to have maximum impact on the body. 2-Dimensional graphics is easy to assess on paper but graphics for fashion prints needs testing and adjusting on the body.

Constructive Studio cleric_collars
What else do you hope to create in the Constructive Studio range?
We will be designing a range of T-shirts for the next collection. Instead of applying a print to a standard T-shirt we will be engineering the designs into the form and creating the Tees from scratch. We will also be introducing the scarves in larger sizes and lazer cut shapes, we are keen to engineer our patterns into more unusual shapes of scarf beyond the standard square format. The bow ties have been one of the most successful items in the collection so we will be applying new prints to our 3 shapes.

Constructive Studio plastic_collar
Constructive Studio launches this fashion week. What has a typical day been like in the run up to such a busy period?
Since the Look Book came back from print, we have taken to the streets, presenting the collection to buyers and the press. We have found that sending emails to buyers is no where near as successful as visiting shops, meeting with buyers and showing key pieces, so the past week we have targeted specific shops in London. A typical day also involves working on production, both to supply our forthcoming on-line retailers and to create stock for the open studio events that happen at Cockpit Arts where we are based. Then we start researching and developing the next collection to stay ahead of schedule, so next week we are off to Premier Vision in Paris to source fabrics and fittings and do some research into the French market. 

constructive studio cushion
What do you hope for over the next twelve months?
The next year its all about developing the collection, sourcing quality suppliers and getting the CONSTRUCTIVE STUDIO label known. London & Paris Fashion Week is on the horizon for the February Collection as this season its all about creating introductions. We have some exciting collaborations ahead of us and will be developing more products to apply the Constructive Studio aesthetic to.

constructive studio bowties
See more from Constructive Studio on their website, follow the label on twitter @constructive2 and facebook. The new collection will be stocked on Culture Label and with other stockists soon. Craig Yamey is also featured in my first book: Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration.

Categories ,@constructive2, ,Alberta Ferretti, ,Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Cockpit Arts, ,Constructive Studio, ,Designer Toy, ,Facebook, ,Habotai silk, ,Ian Scott Kettle, ,KID ROBOT, ,London Design Festival, ,Look Book, ,Plush Toys, ,Plushies, ,Premier Vision, ,twitter, ,Vietnam

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

Corrie Nielsen A/W 2012 by Gaarte
Corrie Nielsen A/W 2012 by Gaarte.

London Fashion Week kicked off for me this year with a brilliant showing from Corrie Nielsen, who looked to the Scottish Highlands for inspiration in Vestiarium Scoticum. Named for an infamous book describing the provenance of Scottish tartans, this collection harks back to Corrie’s long lost heritage: her ancestor John S. Burns emigrated to America during the Revolutionary War and this collection is dedicated to both him and her grandmother Tollie.

Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen A/W 2012 by Gaarte
Corrie Nielsen A/W 2012 by Gaarte.

Vestiarium Scoticum opened with a bold red tartan dress, adorned with asymmetrical panels of black chiffon ruffles. Hair was tied back into a sleek low bun with ‘face lace’ fretwork painted across the side of the foreheads by Phyllis Cohen. Buns are big for A/W 2012, you heard it here first.

Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen by Angelica Moreno
Corrie Nielsen A/W 2012 by Angelica Moreno.

Beautifully tailored creamy blouses were buttoned high at the neck to offset supremely wearable tartan separates with a lady like feeling of propriety. In contrast a girly pleated tartan skirt was paired with a gauzy polka dot blouse, knee high post box red socks and flat shoes.

Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
I was particularly enamoured of the hair pieces by milliner Emma Yeo, which featured fine laser cut wood that echoed the long tapered pheasant feathers.

Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
This season the key focus was on a draped shawl shape that crumpled in waterfall-like waves across the torso, or swung jauntily across shoulders to culminate in finely structured peplums jutting from the waist, a favourite shape of Corrie Nielsen‘s.

Corrie Neilsen A/W 2012 by Sam Parr
Corrie Neilsen A/W 2012 by Sam Parr.

Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Nielsen AW 2012  photography by Amelia Gregory
Corrie Neilsen Check Skirt by Sam Parr
Corrie Neilsen A/W 2012 by Sam Parr.

The last two dresses featured the huge extravagant tumbles of fabric for which Corrie Nielsen has become famed, gloriously theatrical showstoppers with tiny waists and sweeping trains. Not for nothing has Corrie Nielsen become the heir apparent to the Westwood crown.

Corrie Nielson A/W 2012 by Carol Ryder
Corrie Nielson A/W 2012 by Carol Ryder.

All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Categories ,A/W 2012, ,Angelica Moreno, ,BFC Showspace, ,Carol Ryder, ,Corrie Nielsen, ,Emma Yeo, ,Face Lace, ,Forward PR, ,Gaarte, ,Gabriel Ayala, ,Gazelli, ,John S Burns, ,lfw, ,millinery, ,Peplum, ,Phyllis Cohen, ,Revolutionary War, ,Ruffles, ,Sam Parr, ,scotland, ,Sheer, ,Tartan, ,Tollie Burns, ,Vestiarium Scoticum, ,Vivienne Westwood

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