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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2011 Presentation Review: Carolyn Massey

Illustrations by Izzy Lee

Now showing in his fifth season at London Fashion Week, patient pills Mark Fast showed his debut on-schedule show on the British Fashion Council space.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mark Fast, prescription he made his name with electric body conscious lycra knits in 2008 when graduating from the prestigious MA Fashion programme at Central Saint Martins, crafting on his domestic knitting machine in his studio East London.

For S/S 2011 he kept his eye on the lace knitting whilst moving onto heavy fringing and plastic panels, held by hand-manipulated stitches. The result was one of extreme beauty.

Moving on from A/W 2010 where he knitted fabrics and wrapped them up as saris whilst using his trademark lace to craft floaty lower-hip hemmed dresses. S/S 2011 was one for perhaps the more serious woman, something they can and will wear for a more formal affair.

The show opened with a knitted jumpsuit that had fringes running down the leg side seams and underarm seams, creating a vision of destroyed beauty. Referencing from the oil spill where birds have been covered in oil and have lost the ability to fly, this followed with further more black looks where fringing dominated.

Red, pink and turquoise viscose fringes brought bursts of colour to dominant black garments, followed by flashes of yellow, pink, nude and white.

Another key element to the collection was the study of butterfly and insects under microscopes. Using the vivid color from insects and butterflies, knitwear had been encrusted with Swarovski crystals, referencing the study and observation he undertook.

He also continued his take on the “plus size” models he brought into action at London Fashion Week in S/S 2009. The girls looked much more comfortable than in previous seasons.

Mark Fast has made incredible progress over the last few years, bringing knitwear to the forefront of fashion. It’s so exciting to see his collections develop as he cements himself as the pioneer of contemporary knitwear design.

Izzy Lee is the founder of the fashion knitwear blog UrbanKnit

Illustration by Zarina Liew

Hermione de Paula is known for her distinctive screen printing; using hand drawn, doctor painted and embroidered elements she creates beautifully intricate and complex floral textures. Her website describes the signature style of the label as romantic and sultry, sexually charged yet nonchalant and feminine with a twist. The irresistible philosophy in life of Hermione’s girl is ‘I probably shouldn’t, but I will anyway’. If that doesn’t entice you to explore her collections then I don’t know what will.

Hermione’s collections are always centered around a female figure; her debut collection was named ‘I heart Elizabeth Berkley’ and took inspiration from the film Showgirls. A/W 2010 was entitled ‘Polly Crystalline’and featured fabrics printed with pearlised, crystallized and frozen flowers.

http://www.cobaltcafe.co.uk/

S/S 2011 sees de Paula focussing upon ‘the sexual awakening of Flora, the goddess of flowers’. Garments were layered and fluid; sheer printed silks and chiffon were embroidered loosely with gossamery wisps of cashmere and mohair, adding to the weightless movement of the pieces. The palette consisted of the delicate muted pink and mauve hues of petals, contrasting with indigo, taupe and black.

Photographs courtesy Hermione de Paula

Assymetric hems gave a contemporary feel to the collection, along with unfinished, fraying collars and translucent panelling.

So far it sounds very feminine and demure, but on second glance, the flowing floral prints included unexpected hidden details – dry, wilted blooms, octopus tentacles, thistles, blackbirds and ghostly stems and branches.

In contrast to the fluttering layers, fraying denim was used to create neckpieces, ankle cuffs, belts and Macramé overskirts. Chunky black crocheted vests, silk shorts and flimsy printed camisoles with denim halternecks were just seen under blouses and dresses.

http://www.cobaltcafe.co.uk/

The looks were finished with ankle socks in black, taupe and nude, worn with chunky geometric heels by Nicholas Kirkwood. Hermione is currently working on print consultancy with luxury shoe designer Kirkwood, as well as collaborating with Browns Focus to produce bespoke pieces. Plenty to look out for…

Illustration by Zarina Liew

Hermione de Paula is known for her distinctive screen printing; using hand drawn, viagra buy painted and embroidered elements she creates beautifully intricate and complex floral textures. Her website describes the signature style of the label as romantic and sultry, illness sexually charged yet nonchalant and feminine with a twist. The irresistible philosophy in life of Hermione’s girl is ‘I probably shouldn’t, diagnosis but I will anyway’. If that doesn’t entice you to explore her collections then I don’t know what will.

Illustration by Zarina Liew

Photographs courtesy Hermione de Paula

Assymetric hems gave a contemporary feel to the collection, along with unfinished, fraying collars and translucent panelling.

Illustration by Zarina Liew

Illustration by Annejkh Carson

I have absolutely no idea why I’ve struggled so much with this one. It’s no secret that I love Carolyn Massey, pills so I was ecstatic as I dashed up the Portico Rooms’ stairs again to see what S/S 2011 had in store. Massey, of course, didn’t disappoint and this was by far my favourite outing on menswear day.

This season saw Carolyn draw inspiration from picture books, notably – Tibor Kalman’s (un)Fashion and Jackie Nickerson’s Farm. The influence of the stark images in these two publications was clear and Massey had taken the visual culture of these opposing landscapes and fused them together.

Entering the room, Massey’s army of models stood in an arrow-facing shape. At first, attendees bunched together in front of the models, unsure as to what exactly to do, but the show was predictably oversubscribed and they soon started to spill all over the place. I quickly dashed around trying to take photographs so that I wouldn’t have a million people in the background, which was stressful I tell ya. I love taking pictures in the static shows. You can probably tell. I took my eyes off the collection for a while (subconsciously, I think, to prevent myself from de-robing these boys and legging it with a handful of coats) and got a little obsessed with taking photographs of the models’ heads.

This collection was by far Carolyn Massey’s most sophisticated yet. Her unique approach to contemporary tailoring keeps journos guessing season after season as to what each new collection will hold. Moving on from her utilitarian collection for A/W 2010, which featured a muted colour palette, lots of heavy fabrics and military blazers, this time around Carolyn presented a softer, more wearable array: more English, more practical, more fun.

Massey’s sophisticated eye for colour was omnipresent with a gorgeous selection of petrol blue, sand, rust, navy and a burst of bright orange. This dreamy colour palette was applied accross the entire collection; on drawstring sports-luxe trenches, tailored jackets and rolled-up trousers. The onset of stripes used on tailored shirts managed to dilute a generally smooth collection. The influence of Eastern military and battle is evident, too.

Each piece in the collection radiated a timeless feel – and while Massey’s collections couldn’t ever be described as anything less than super contemporary, they also avoid being trend-led and instead focus on more connected, enduring style.

Illustration by Annejkh Carson

This season, to my unashamed glee, also sees Carolyn introduce accessories. Suede desert boots in tonal colours similar to the collection are featured, as are the most desirable black leather cases, which come in varying sizes and are modelled on vintage doctors’ cases.

I’ve been mesmerised by fashion film this season, with many designers producing films to show alongside their static presentations (Craig Lawrence, Sibling and Ziad Ghanem have been my faves). This was no exception – a film directed by Chris Brooks played discretely in the corner, featuring a gent making his way through a green landscape. Beautifully shot and edited, it really enhanced the hour we had to enjoy the collection. See it here.

When I discovered that Massey would be hosting a presentation this season rather than a catwalk show, like many other designers, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. My general feeling after seeing so many, though, is that they’re far more preferable. Catwalk shows are over in a flash; you have literally seconds to view an outfit, photograph it and digest it. With a presentation, though, particularly one with as much style as Massey’s, you have a really good chance to absorb everything. There’s also something quite haunting about stock-still models who avoid eye contact and barely move, and allowing press and buyers to see your work and craftsmanship in so much detail widens their opportunities to criticise. With Carolyn Massey, though, it simply allowed us to see exactly what she’s capable of.

Keep an eye out for an interview with Carolyn in the coming weeks, if I can ever pin her down…!

All photography by Matt Bramford

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday October 5th, 2010 11:07 am

Categories ,accessories, ,Annejkh Carson, ,Carolyn Massey, ,Chris Brooks, ,Desert, ,Doctor’s bags, ,fashion, ,film, ,menswear, ,Portico Rooms, ,S/S 2011, ,tailoring, ,Tibor Kalman

Amelia’s Magazine | Little Shilpa: London Fashion Week S/S 2014 Presentation Review

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Slowly The Eggs

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Slowly The Eggs

Little Shilpa is the eponymous label of Mumbai born milliner and accessory designer Shilpa Chavan, and this was her first ever Fashion Scout showcase during London Fashion Week. I have recently been rather obsessed with eastern religions’ goddess iconography and images of Green Tara, Shakti merging into Shiva or Hathor crowd my desktop, so attending Little Shilpa’s ‘Grey Matter’ presentation was a welcome gift indeed. The five figures standing in front of us looked like five fantastical deities, delightfully adorned with dramatic headpieces and jewellery whose forms had obvious eastern influences. Their bodies were clothed with equally theatrical textile assemblages, some of them referencing the sari and including tulle, brocade, silk and lace. In both her accessories and garments, Shilpa Chavan holds tradition close but gives them a modern outlook. For example, underneath the deconstructed saris she used men’s shirts, and instead of ornamental jewellery being made in gold metals it was presented in perspex. In fact, according to the designer, this indecision between the traditional and the contemporary was behind the title of her first London Fashion Week outing – I hope there will be more!

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Claire Kearns

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Claire Kearns

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Daisy Steele

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Daisy Steele

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Lynne Datson

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 by Lynne Datson

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Little Shilpa S/S 2014 presentation. All photography by Maria Papadimitriou

Written by Maria Papadimitriou on Friday September 20th, 2013 9:26 pm

Categories ,accessories, ,Claire Kearns, ,Daisy Steele, ,Fashion Scout, ,Goddess, ,Grey Matter, ,Headpiece, ,jewellery, ,LFW Presentation, ,Little Shilpa, ,London Fashion Week, ,Lynne Datson, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Mumbai, ,Perspex, ,Sari, ,Shilpa Chavan, ,Slowly the Eggs, ,Tradition

Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Press Day

Makin Jan Ma

Who knew that cocks and ropes could look so good? Chickens, I mean, as we all know how good cocks can look. Makin Jan Ma has reinvented the barnyard favourite by printing it in sky blue and plastering it all over his collared shirts and t-shirts, making it appear almost abstract from a distance. The other most prolific print in this collection is the twirled rope, both in an enlarged worm-like print and a teeny twisted print that makes delicate reference to the now waning gold-chain trend. Jan Ma trained in graphic design at CSM and, in some strange but great turn of events, moved to fashion to create this super-quirky line. The cuts are really sharp and clean, obviously the graphic influence. Very cool.

Le Tigre

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Back with a punch that I couldn’t resist, the label’s collection of colourful shirts screams cuteness. CUTE CUTE CUTE! They are preppy, indeed, but with the mix of stripes, stars and hearts in an array of bright and pastel colours they are more like candy.

Scotch & Soda

Scotch%20and%20Soda%201.jpg

Okay boyfriends, these are the clothes that will get you in our good fashion books. Well, mine at least, so I hope he is reading this. And if you aren’t going to take the initiative to go and check out this line for yourself you can rest assured that it will show up under the tree at Christmas. I think most girls will agree with me that it is too bad there is no ladies line, but hey, we can wait. It is all about the prints in this collection. Some of my favourites were cable-knit print, the scarf-print and the sky/cloud print. But the best by far was the garishly printed zip-up with a team-style logo on the back. Yes, fantastically unfashionable, making it super-cool.

Tata Naka

Tata%20Naka.jpg

I have always found Tata Naka’s shows at London Fashion Week a little lacklustre, lacking in punch, and with a tendency to drag on for longer than they should. And I have always found that the clothes are layered and stacked like they have been pulled out of the dress-up box, not in a good way. But seeing the collection up close for the first time kinda won me over. The rhythmic gymnast prints reminded me of something off an oversized sweatshirt I wore in the 80s, and the mini bodybuilder portraits, scattered over a yellow background, were irresistibly hilarious. And Tata Naka’s collection of garish costume jewellery was straight from the dress-up box in the right way.

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PPQ

I love everything this label does, but most appealing this time round was the black satin bra and underwear set, trimmed in white lace. Totally impractical for any breast size, the loose satin looked like it would hang off your boobs no matter what, offering no support or giving no option to actually wear something on top of it (it would definitely look awkward under anything but a chunky cable knit sweater). However, all this impracticality is the delightful appeal of sexy knickers! I think they would make me feel like a 20s pin up girl, lounging around with nothing to do but lay around, and that sounds like a reasonable expectation for underwear.

Manish Arora

Appealing to the utmost in girlish delights Manish Arora’s clothes are like a walk through wonderland. They are embellished with sequins, rainbows, hearts, wild tropical beasts, petals, birds, and fabrics of every sort. I have always loved his catwalk shows as they are the most colourful and spectacular of London Fashion Week. I could only imagine how wonderful it would feel to wear one of his tiered sequined skirts to a party… the prettiest girl in the room!

Written by Carla Yarish on Friday November 10th, 2006 12:02 pm

Categories ,Accessories, ,Collection, ,Designer, ,Graphic, ,LFW, ,Shirts

Amelia’s Magazine | Fred Butler: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Presentation Review

Fred Butler AW 2012 by Mitika Chohan

Fred Butler AW 2012 by Mitika Chohan

I love Fred Butler. She has been one of my favourite accessories and props designers for a few years now and apart from what she makes I also adore the fascinating and playful way in which she dresses as well as the way she expresses herself in interviews, which reveals a really quite special person indeed. I had seen her props pop up here and there in magazines, like in Amelia’s Magazine Issue 7 for which she made a Noah’s Ark shaped paper hat – in fact Amelia Gregory was one of the first to commission props from Fred. But I think a story I saw in i-D’s The Agyness Deyn Issue from May 2008, titled ‘Attitude’, featuring an inflatable rockets bra by Fred among other striking props, was what made me an official fan.

Fred Butler AW 2012 Charli XCX photo by Maria Papadimitriou

While queueing to see Fred’s live presentation of her A/W 2012 collection at The Portico Rooms in Somerset House on the 20th of February I was extra happy because – apart from the obvious reason – my young friend and budding stylist Isabella Sumner of Secret Danger Sister was texting me from backstage. Isabella became Kim Howells’ assistant for this London Fashion Week season after I forwarded to her a post by Kim I saw on Facebook asking for help! Kim has styled numerous Fred Butler presentations, films and lookbooks. Fred’s presentation took the form of a mini catwalk show which repeated itself over and over to a different audience each time. And there was quite a crowd to get through. During the four times in and out from the Portico Rooms – I saw the show twice – there were queues extending all the way to and down the stairs leading to the ground level of Somerset House. In those queues I spotted an array of some of the coolest, cutting edge creatives around, like Piers Atkinson, Bishi, Alùn Davies and Diane Pernet and filmmaker Konstantinos Menelaou from ASVOF, to name a few, all of whom of course love Fred’s original work.

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou 9

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Refreshingly the show opened with pop singer Charli XCX singing her catchy song ‘I’ll Never Know’ live with a band. Fred Butler, who’s twitter feed is full of #thismorningimlisteningto and other music related tweets, has a special relationship with music. She often DJs, she has made props for musicians such as Patrick Wolf, Nicki Minaj, Beth Ditto, La Roux AND Lady Gaga and, according to her, looking at the way musicians were dressed on album covers when she was little has been very inspiring. So it seems entirely natural that this season Fred, enabled by Red Bull Catwalk Studio, collaborated with Charlie XCX on a bespoke soundtrack for the collection. In general I think that the way Fred uses different art forms to enhance and show her work works incredibly well – for example she has made beautiful fashion films of her previous collections with talented young directors such as Zaiba Jabbar and Elisha Smith-Leverock.

Fred Butler AW 2012 by Nicola Ellen

Fred Butler AW 2012 by Nicola Ellen

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Fred Butler 2012 by Catherine Meadows

Fred Butler 2012 by Catherine Meadows

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Another notable and interesting thing about Fred Butler’s collections is the way she titles them using combined, long and sometimes made up words and phrases that seem to describe an other worldly thing or process in exactly the same intricate and imaginative way her pieces are made. The title of this collection was Tank Top-Ranking, Tong-Tied and Twisted. Her S/S 2012 collection was called Sonic Sinuate Supertemporal Sequestador and a 2011 collection went under the name of Incandescent Meta-morph-incessant.

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Fred Butler AW 2012 LFW by Deborah Moon

Fred Butler AW 2012 LFW by Deborah Moon

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

Following her S/S 2012 collection which featured more round shapes, frills and quite a bit of fabric, I was personally happy that in this collection Fred returned to origami folding techniques and body props with more clear cut, geometric shapes. This time I thought that the four colour goddesses that stepped out looked impeccable from head to toe. Each model had a monochrome base formed by beautiful knitted undergarments – a collaboration with EDE who specialise in English produced hand knits – and a matching colour wig. Placed on top of that base were a quilted, high collar gilet, origami obi belts, a marshmallow hued harness with twisted tubes, more belts and headbands out of twisted strings and more origami inspired, sculptural body pieces. The outfits were completed by colour matching shoes designed in collaboration with Rosy Nicholas. According to the press release there was a sushi related theme under all of this, especially in relation to the colour palette used. Usually I am very intrigued by the designers’ influences and references – and I have fun making up quite a few of my own when looking at collections – but Fred Butler’s work is for me so striking and fulfilling visually that my mind feels too drunk with pure aesthetic pleasure to care for any explanation in other terms.

Fred Butler AW 2012 photo by Maria Papadimitriou

All photography by Maria Papadimitriou

Written by Maria Papadimitriou on Tuesday February 28th, 2012 5:02 pm

Categories ,A Shaded View on Fashion, ,accessories, ,accessories designer, ,Agyness Deyn, ,Alun Davies, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,ASVOF, ,Beth Ditto, ,Bishi, ,Catherine Meadows, ,Charli XCX, ,Collaborations, ,Deborah Moon, ,Diane Pernet, ,EDE, ,Elisha Smith-Leverock, ,Ella Dror PR, ,Fashion Film, ,Fred Butler, ,i-D, ,Isabella Sumner, ,japanese, ,Kim Howells, ,Kimonos, ,Knits, ,Knotted, ,Konstantinos Menelaou, ,La Roux, ,Lady Gaga, ,London Fashion Week, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Mitika Chohan, ,monochrome, ,music, ,Nail Art, ,Nicki Minaj, ,Nicola Haigh, ,Noah’s Ark, ,Obi Belts, ,origami, ,pastels, ,Patrick Wolf, ,piers atkinson, ,Portico Rooms, ,Props, ,Quilting, ,rainbow, ,Red Bull Catwalk Studio, ,Red Bull Music Academy, ,Secret Danger Sister, ,Somerset House, ,Sushi, ,Twisted, ,Zaiba Jabbar

Amelia’s Magazine | Graduate Fashion Week 2012 Gala Awards Ceremony: Part One

Matthew Williamson by Ruth Joyce

Twelve hundred students descend on Earls Court Two for Graduate Fashion Week every year. About a quarter of them get the opportunity to showcase their collections during one of the 16 fashion shows that are held over four days. In a dramatic climax – the Gala Awards show – 10 students are selected to present their work for a second time in the hope of receiving the coveted Gold Award.

All photography by Matt Bramford

So, like the fashion industry itself, chances of making it are pretty slim. 10 incredible collections graced the catwalk in the finale and I honestly couldn’t pick a winner – celebrity judges like Matthew Williamson and Julien Macdonald commented on the incredible standard exhibited of not only those who had been selected as a Gold Award nominee, but every college.

Julien Macdonald by Claire Kearns

Here’s a photographic whistle-stop tour of the awards ceremony:

INTERNATIONAL AWARD

Yvonne Kwok – Amsterdam Fashion Institute

Zhu Liyuanzi – Istituto Marangoni Milan

WINNER: Karen Jessen – ESMOD Berlin, presented by Julien Macdonald, Sara Maino from Vogue Italia & Caroline Burstein from Browns.

STUART PETERS KNITWEAR AWARD

Emma Walsh – Nottingham Trent University

Jousianne Propp – Manchester Metropolitan University

Caitlin Charles Jones – Kingston University

Judges Ruth Chapman from Matches, Erica Peters from Stuart Peters and knitwear designer Mark Fast couldn’t decide, so Caitlin and Jousianne both scooped the award!

ZANDRA RHODES TEXTILES AWARD

Daisy Lowe by Ruth Joyce

Amelia Smith – Northumbria University

Dae-Byn Lee – Nottingham Trent University

Roz Lamkin – Manchester Metropolitan University

WINNER: Xiaoping Huang – UCLAN, presented by Daisy Lowe and Mary Katrantzou

BARCLAYS NEW BUSINESS AWARD

Holly Reid – UCLAN, presented by Tabitha Somerset-Webb (Project D) and Michelle Mone OBE

FASHION INNOVATION AWARD

Ami Collins – UCLAN, presented by Lorraine Candy of ELLE magazine and designer David Koma

MEDIA & DESIGN AWARD

Kerrie Donelly – UCA Epsom, presented by Fashion Editor-at-Large Melanie Rickey and ID magazine‘s Jefferson Hack (swoon)

STAND DESIGN AWARD

Edinburgh College of Art, presented by designer Fred Butler and Harvey Nichols‘ Yuri Nakamura

GEORGE BEST OF BRITISH AWARD

Susanna Yi – University of East London, presented by TV presenter Caroline Flack and ASDA fashion director Fiona Lambert

GEORGE CHILDRENSWEAR AWARD

Harriet Simons – Colchester, presented by singer Louise Redknapp and Fiona Lambert

MULBERRY ACCESSORIES AWARD

Laura Smallwood – Kingston University, presented by Mulberry‘s Tori Campbell

ETHICAL AWARD

Sarah Murphy, Northumbria – presented by stylist Jocelyn Whipple and film producer/eco hero Livia Firth

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Legendary catwalk photographer Chris Moore, presented by designer Jeff Banks

Part Two, featuring the major players and the menswear, womenswear and Gold Award winners, coming soon…!

Written by Matt Bramford on Wednesday June 20th, 2012 10:15 am

Categories ,accessories, ,Amelia Smith, ,Ami Collins, ,Amsterdam Fashion Institute, ,ASDA, ,Awards, ,Caitlin Charles Jones, ,Caroline Flack, ,Caryn Franklin, ,Catwalking.com, ,Ceremony, ,Childrenswear, ,Chris Moore, ,Claire Kearns, ,Colchester, ,Dae-Byn Lee, ,daisy lowe, ,David Koma, ,Earls Court Two, ,Eco Age, ,Elle, ,Emma Walsh, ,Erica Peters, ,ESMOD Berlin, ,Essex, ,fashion, ,Fiona Lambert, ,Fred Butler, ,Gala, ,George, ,Gold Award, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Harvey Nichols, ,Holly Reid, ,ID Magazine, ,international, ,Istituto Marangoni Milan, ,Jeff Banks, ,Jefferson Hack, ,Jousianne Propp, ,Julien McDonald, ,Karen Jesson, ,Kerrie Donnelly, ,Kingston University London, ,knitwear, ,Laura Smallwood, ,Lifetime Achievement, ,Livia Firth, ,Lorraine Candy, ,Louise Redknapp, ,Manchester Metropolitan University, ,Mark Fast, ,Mary Katrantzou, ,matches, ,Matt Bramford, ,Matthew Williamson, ,Melanie Rickey, ,menswear, ,Michelle Mone OBE, ,Mulberry, ,New Business, ,Northumbria University, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Project D, ,Roz Lamkin, ,Ruth Chapman, ,Ruth Joyce, ,show, ,Stuart Peters, ,Susanna Yi, ,Tabitha Somerset-Webb, ,Tori Campbell, ,UCA Epsom, ,UCLan, ,UEL, ,Womenswear, ,Xiaoping Huang, ,Yuri Nakamura, ,Yvonne Kwok, ,Zhu Liyuanzi

Amelia’s Magazine | Eco Fashion by Sass Brown: A Review

Illustration by Abigail Wright

I have always been fascinated with analogue photo booths. I have vivd memories as a child – the excitement and anticipation, malady pulling ridiculous faces, find never really knowing what you’ll get until the old machines clunk and churn out your photographs. So, on a recent trip to Berlin, I was desperate to get back involved, like so many others, with the analogue phenomenon.

A short while after my return, I discovered that the Photoautomat project that exists in Berlin had transferred to London – one of those brightly coloured, glorious booths had been on my own doorstep and I didn’t even realise. A bit of internet research, a blog and a Twitter account later, I met Alex – Photoautomat’s London representative. He’s on a mission to bring back the beauty and art of the old-fashioned photo booth. Me, Amelia and fashion writers Sally and Jemma paid Alex a visit on a crisp Saturday morning to get involved, and have a chat with the man himself…

How did the Photoautomat project start, and where did the booths come from?
Well, it really started about 5 years ago in Germany, where my friends bought one of the booths because they were fascinated with the old analogue machines and the photos they produce. Soon it took over Berlin and the rest of the country. I got interested in the booth when I was over visiting and followed my friends around to look after the booths. We all have our memories from when we were young and fooling around in those booths at the Mall, but seeing them again in Berlin really ignited my passion for them again.

What do you know about the history of the booths?
The photo booth was invented 1925 by a Russian immigrant in New York. He opened his Photomaton Studio on Broadway. For just 25 cents, everybody could get their photograph taken. That was quite a revolution back then as photography was just for the rich and famous; because of the booths, it became accessible to everybody.
From then on they were used as props in movies such as Band Wagon with Fred Astaire, by artists like Andy Warhol and people from all backgrounds for fun or memories and obviously passport photos.

Where are the booths located now?
Our booths are all over Germany. Most of them are in Berlin, but also in Hamburg, Dresden and Cologne. We launched a booth a while ago in Vienna. Then there is my booth here in London. There are also booths in Paris and Italy.

How did this one end up in Cargo?
I thought it would be much easier to get a good location for a photo booth in London, but it turned out to be more difficult than I thought – policies and regulations mean a seemingly straightforward thing as installing a photo booth quite a task. I approached Cargo and they gave me the space in their beer garden straight away; they just liked the idea and it was done.

Photoautomat Cargo. Photograph by Matt Bramford

Why do you think the booths are so popular?
Well, people always like old things: vintage, analogue. The rebirth of Polaroid showed there is still a demand for analogue photography.There is something precious about a photo booth strip. It’s one moment, one photo and it can’t be replicated. No negative, no back up, just like real life. The photos also have a better quality than digital ones. There are apps out there on smart-phones to imitate the effect and I understand that most people don’t want to go through the hassle of having a analogue camera. This is where the photo booths come in. For a few quid, you can take your photo booth strip with your friends and keep that moment forever.

How do you think the qualities of these booths compare to the modern booths we see in train stations/etc?
I guess I answered that question above, but there really is no comparison. The digital ones lack quality and depth and the spontaneity you have in the analogue booth.

Are there any other London locations planned? Or elsewhere in Europe?
I am looking for more locations in London. I would love to get some booths on the Southbank.

Has the booth been used for anything other than people taking pictures with their mates?
I had a photo shoot last year with Mixmag in the booth. It was a fashion special with hats. There were also a few artists who used the booth for their projects. Fionna Banner used the booth for her work twice.

Photoautomat Berlin. Photograph by Matt Bramford

Have you seen/heard any funny experiences concerning the photo booth that you can share?
I had a guy calling me once – he was totally out of it. He took some photos with his girlfriend and they didn’t came out. She got naked and they were concerned that they might get into the wrong hands. I wasn’t in town at that time and couldn’t do anything about it, but he insisted for me to come around. I finally managed to calm him down and sort everything out.

What are you favourite images that the booth has created?
That would have to be all the photos form the exhibition/project we had during Photomonth last year. They reflect what the whole photo booth thing is all about.

Who would be your ideal customer – who would you most like to see use the booth?
Everybody is ideal. Everybody is welcome, as long as they respect our work and leave the booth as they found it for the next to come! Most likely they are probably analogue enthusiasts, students and Cargo guests. I have families, a couple from Lisbon, artists form Nottingham and even Henry Holland taking their photo in the booth!

A Photoautomat booth in Berlin, photographed by Lizz Lunney

What does the Photoautomat project hope to achieve, long term?
Hopefully we’re here for years to come and give people from all backgrounds the opportunity to have their little moment. It’s really all up to the people who use our booths and what they make of it. That is the beauty about it – and always will be.

See more pictures from the booths on the Photoautomat Facebook and Flickr pages.

Eco Fashion Sass Brown cover

Eco Fashion is the first book on ethical fashion design from publishing giant Laurence King. It profiles ethical fashion designers by type, malady embracing Community and Fair Trade, page Ecological and Slow Design and Corporate Initiatives in separate chapters. Author Sass Brown clearly has a good knowledge of her subject; she sells her own ethical collection in the UK and Canada, is Resident Director of the New York Fashion Institute of Technology‘s programme in Florence, and has helped out in women’s cooperatives across South America.

Eco Fashion-Noir

Across 200 pages the book showcases look book and studio shots of designers from around the world in the fields of clothing and accessories design, accompanied by short potted histories. It does what it says on the tin: giving a good all round introduction to ethical fashion design, with just enough technical information to inspire rather than bore. It falls down where all publications from large publishers suffer: books take so long to get to market that the information they contain is already out of date – whilst Sass does well to steer away from too many references to specific collections nothing beyond 2009 is mentioned, and crucially she has missed out some of the most exciting new ethical fashion designers that are now coming to the fore. No Ada Zanditon, no Beautiful Soul, no Henrietta Ludgate and no Christopher Raeburn. In the fast moving world of fashion design this is a real failure – but an unavoidable one when working with the long lead times of a big publisher. Sass Brown also keeps a blog where she features the more recent work of designers that did not make it into her book.

Eco Fashion-Sass Brown

Naturally, if I were to suggest you were to buy one book on ethical fashion then I would recommend that you instead buy mine, featuring as it does the most up to date information of the 45 featured ethical designers which I interviewed barely two months ago, and images from upcoming S/S 2011 collections. Straight from pen to paper, it’s much easier for me as an independent publisher to produce a book quickly. Having said that Eco Fashion is a great introduction to a whole host of ethical designers – many of which I didn’t previously know about – and features a much broader global outlook than my own book which focuses much more on the personal philosophies, inspiration and work practices of European designers. And anything which promotes ethical fashion design should naturally be applauded.

Eco Fashion-Alexandra Faro

Which brings me to the blurb at the start of Eco Fashion from designer Geoffrey B. Small. “A book that for the very first time examines sustainability in fashion and a few of its pioneering practitioners, proponents and concepts is, indeed, a timely thing.” He writes. “Historic and courageous, its effort alone merits both immense applause and support for its author Sass Brown and its publisher Laurence King.”

Eco Fashion-Angela Johnson

If a mainstream publisher with huge financial resources (printing cheaply in China) deserves this kind of hyperbole, then I can only hope my small homespun efforts (printed at great cost in the UK) will attract a tiny amount of praise too. You can buy Eco Fashion here and Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration (featuring the very best in ethical fashion design) here – with a special pre-Christmas discount. AND it features fashion illustration too. It comes back from the printers on Thursday this week. I can’t wait…

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday December 14th, 2010 7:19 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Ada Zanditon, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Beautiful Soul, ,book, ,Christopher Raeburn, ,Eco fashion, ,fairtrade, ,Fashion Institute of Technology, ,Florence, ,Geoffrey B. Small, ,Henrietta Ludgate, ,Laurence King, ,new york, ,review, ,Sass Brown, ,Slow Fashion

Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Interview: Gemma Marissa Designs

Illustration by Jenny Robins

This could become confusing as I’m interviewing the fabulous Gemma Marissa, recipe more about designer of the most beautiful crocheted jewellery and accessories I have ever seen. Gemma (the designer) and Jemma (the interviewer), both from Yorkshire and both in love with all things crafty. I think I could have a newfound friend.

It seems Gemma has always been the creative type “making things with whatever she found in her mother’s sewing box” and was soon whisked off to the big city to attend the Chelsea College of Art & Design. Having worked her way from student to designer (in every position along the way), she started her own accessories label in the summer of 2008 and has been working on the line ever since.

But lets rewind a little bit, how did she manage to get this rising empire up and running?

As soon as I walked in to the knit room at Chelsea College, filled with different coloured yarns and knitting machines, I knew that was where I belong. After university, I worked all over, from the Channel Four Costume Department to designing for Luella Bartley. After leaving there in 2008, I decided I wanted to focus on my own designs and began selling pieces at Spitalfields and Portobello Road Markets. I was luckily spotted and commissioned by the London fashion label Neurotica, to produce their accessories for SS10 (sold at Beyond The Valley and shown at London Fashion Week), which was fantastic!

The nature inspired collection with Neurotica’s fabulous prints was so successful that I was asked to follow on with a range of very different but playful pieces for AW10. I have also just finished my collection of accessories collaborating with designer Michelle Lowe Holder which is a great range that consists of delicate crocheted necklaces and bracelets made with Michelle’s wonderful ribbon weave work that will be available for AW10.”

A busy bee and very clearly someone who is dedicated to her talent, I wondered what inspired Gemma to create these beautiful pieces instead of ‘normal’ jewellery?

As a child, I was brought up in a very inspired environment and my mother and grandmother are both very ‘crafty’. My sister and I were always in clothes made by them from pieces in the sewing box (an odd assortment of everything from fabric and ribbon to wool and buttons.) My life in Yorkshire is another important inspiration; being surrounded by the countryside, with its flowers and wildlife, allowed me to wander off on adventures. I would sketch everything that I saw and most of these things can be seen in my work now which focuses on my love of insects such as bees, butterflies and ladybirds.”

Is it just nature that has been her inspiration then or is there something else behind the Gemma Marissa magic?

“As with any designer I’m constantly looking back at vintage fashions, as these were times of great femininity and the clothing and accessories were elegant and beautiful, particularly in the 1940s and early 1950s. I also take a lot of inspiration from my love of childhood stories (mainly fairytales and poetry) and one of my first collections was greatly inspired by The Secret Garden and filled with crocheted flowers, poppies and daisies; it’s something I hope I can go back to in the future.

I do take other inspirations from my favourite artists for their colour and texture (Gustav Klimt, Monet, Cezanne); illustrators for their simplicity and delicate antique feel (Kate Greenway, Beatrix Potter, Edmund Dulac); photographers for their joy and playfulness (Robert Doisneau, Tim Walker) and movies for the fun and fashion (Funny Face, Amelie) but I can equally find insights from objects seen whilst scouring charity shops, car boot sales and antique markets. I’m always on the look out whether I see embroidery on an old table cloth, a vintage toy or the pattern on a piece of crockery.”

It seems then that there isn’t just one source of inspiration for Gemma’s designs but that ideas can come from anywhere. And it must be a glamorous life, one filled with lavish parties and free bars. Right?

It can be glamorous yeah and I do get invited to shows and parties, which are wonderful and exciting; however it really does mean more to me that I get to live my life each day researching, experimenting and designing as art and creativity have always been part of my life. I don’t know who or where I’d be without it. I love to surround myself with beautiful, inspirational things and being able to design and create my accessories everyday really is a dream come true and I wouldn’t want to do anything else!

Illustration by Jenny Robins

I’m sure we’re not at all jealous (me? Turning green?) but when she’s not designing, does she look to for everyday inspiration in the clothes she wears?

“I like to have simplicity and playfulness in my style so I admire a lot of French designers such as Chanel, Chloe and Sonia Rykiel (three ticks there from me) but I also like smaller designers like Creatures of the Wind (a new one to me but some stunning pieces online) and Erdem (the golden boy at Fashion Week).

There are also many celebrities who have styles that I greatly admire, especially Audrey Hepburn, Maggie Gyllenhal, Kirsten Dunst and Audrey Tatou.

So the girl has impeccable taste as well as a winning jewellery line, but I wonder what her best moment has been so far?

Hmm if I had to choose one I would say that my work for Neurotica has been the most important and significant thing in my career; collaborating on design ethics really makes for exciting projects. It means your work evolves in to something different and brings new ideas and inspirations in your work. It also meant I got to show at London Fashion Week in the Neurotica showroom and was asked back to design a second collection for aw10.”

I think it’s safe to say that the girl from Yorkshire has done more than good in the furious world that we call fashion, whilst managing to keep her feet firmly on the ground. Find out more on her website and if you’ve been inspired to invest then you can find her pieces here. This is definitely a designer to be watched.

Written by Jemma Crow on Monday March 15th, 2010 6:46 pm

Categories ,accessories, ,Crafty, ,Creatures of the Wind, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Jenny Robins, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,The Secret Garden, ,vintage, ,Yorkshire

Amelia’s Magazine | Fashion Interview: Gemma Marissa Designs

Illustration by Jenny Robins

But lets rewind a little bit, how did she manage to get this rising empire up and running?

A busy bee and very clearly someone who is dedicated to her talent, I wondered what inspired Gemma to create these beautiful pieces instead of ‘normal’ jewellery?

Is it just nature that has been her inspiration then or is there something else behind the Gemma Marissa magic?

Illustration by Jenny Robins

I’m sure we’re not at all jealous (me? Turning green?) but when she’s not designing, does she look to for everyday inspiration in the clothes she wears?

There are also many celebrities who have styles that I greatly admire, especially Audrey Hepburn, Maggie Gyllenhal, Kirsten Dunst and Audrey Tatou.

So the girl has impeccable taste as well as a winning jewellery line, but I wonder what her best moment has been so far?

Written by Jemma Crow on Monday March 15th, 2010 6:46 pm

Categories ,accessories, ,Crafty, ,Creatures of the Wind, ,crochet, ,Erdem, ,Gemma Marissa, ,Jenny Robins, ,jewellery, ,London Fashion Week, ,Neurotica, ,The Secret Garden, ,vintage, ,Yorkshire

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Accessory Designer Hope Von Joel from Eye of the World Designs

Eye of the World by Milly Jackson
Eye of the World S/S 2012 collection by Milly Jackson.

Hope Von Joel is a multi-talented knitwear designer, more about stylist, see fashion editor and accessories designer. But just how does she do it all? Read on to find out more about Eye of the World Designs.

Hope, you studied knitwear at Central Saint Martins and have also worked with the likes of Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh and Charlie le Mindu. As a stylist you’ve been a fashion editor for Super Super and now at Fiasco Magazine. What prompted the move into accessories design and was it a steep learning curve?
During my time at Central Saint Martins I worked at the houses of McQueen and Pugh on knitwear and design. These where both invaluable experiences and have definitely shaped by view of fashion to this date. It was a pleasure to see how the Design teams worked on the process behind such imaginative and wonderful collections. Styling wise yes I have previously worked with Charlie Le Mindu on his catwalk collection and Look Book; his creative flair is addictive and he is definitely a very capable and imaginative designer and business man! Styling for me is a great pleasure, I have worked on all sorts of projects from editorials for Elle Girl, Vogue, Oyster etc, to various fashion shows and big creative advertising campaigns – it’s a job with many different dimensions. I am always thrilled to work with clothing and accessories which break boundaries and challenge perceptions of the female form.

Eye of the World Designs created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

WIth this in mind the move over to accessories designing was quite easy. Having studied the concept of design at Central Saint Martins and seeing what is on offer from the bigger design houses I felt there was definitely a place in the market for sustainable, beautifully designed and hand finished pieces that are also made in the UK. What is nice about this sort of design is the fact that people can follow it from the design to the finished piece. Much of our raw materials are recycled or reclaimed and this gives the buyer a personal experience. I had the opportunity to work with Brooke Roberts because I was styling her collections, and it has been a great platform to launch the designs and see them worn with knitwear, which is another one of my passions.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

How do you juggle your different jobs?
It’s about time management and everything has its place. The way I work is very creative but things overlap and that’s the joy of London and the creative scene. I am with an agent in London for my styling: Clicks and Contacts. They are a great creative push in that area and the rest I am learning along the way.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

What’s in a name? How did you come up with Eye of the World designs?
Eye of the World Designs was thought up by my business partner Liam Motyer when we where travelling in South America. It became one of our favourite sayings and can apply to anything and everything. Our love of the organic form of wood seemed to offer a great view point on the world. I like the way it influences everything, very much like fashion; and so our use of wood has stuck.

Eye of the World S/S 2012 belts by Estelle Morris.

What inspires you when you start creating a collection and how do you ensure your ideas are translated into successful accessories. What parameters do you need to consider?
Colour colour colour colour… and wood. We take influences from anything and everything, from organic forms to marbles and glass… really anything that touches us. The colours of wood play a great influence, so if something doesn’t go with wood it’s not for us! This season we have been loving Orchids, Marbles and Wood. We always consider the season, who our customer is and what she is going to wear our accessories for. It’s like playing dress up with your favourite doll, creating a scene, place and style for each particular season.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

Most of your designs use wood – why is this and where do you source your wood from?
All our wood is sustainable, reclaimed or recycled and sourced locally to SE London. The reason we love wood is because Liam is a master craftsmen and his creativity and flair is in his manipulation of wood. We design and hand make every piece together in Peckham, with much love.

Eye of the World Designs S/S 2012.

Your pieces are notable for being extremely bold. How do you think they are best worn?
With a smile and a confidence that belongs to the wearer. I think that you should wear your clothes and accessories instead of letting them wear you.

Eye of the World Designs
Eye of the World accessories created for Brooke Roberts A/W 2012.

Your collection is styled with knitwear by Brooke Roberts – how does this collaboration work, and does it make you miss the world of knitwear? Any chance of a return?
We worked with Brooke Roberts on two collaborations this season and last season. Last season I also styled her collections as I have done for some time. Her knitwear is luxurious and beautifully finished and her organic forms lend themselves to wooden accessories beautifully. I would love to return to knitwear and sometime soon I know I will! It’s a love and once you have the bug and the creative knowledge it’s like riding a bike.

Eye of the World Designs Converse
You recently created a special piece for the Converse Bag range. Can you tell me a little bit more about this project and what inspired your design?
Working with Converse was ace, we where asked to design a bag that reflected our love for Back to School. For us school was about movies, skating and moving forwards with speed. So we referenced the movie Back to the Future and created a real treat – a wooden and red flocked bag that combines music and design. Our signature is wood and so it seemed a perfect combination. The wood was all reclaimed and matched the original bags colour and the flocking is a technique that we are perfecting at the moment. We are also flocking wooden hats for editorials, so watch this space. We had a ball making the Converse bag and look forward to more projects in the future.

Eye of the World Designs Converse bag
What’s next for Eye of the World?
Well the world is our oyster. We hope to make more bespoke accessories because we love making extravagant pieces, which we have done for a few mega editorials that will be out in some big publications shortly. We are also now working on an A/W 2012 collection that will sparkle you all away. Eye of the World Designs continues to collaborate with all sorts of people. Our master craftsman Liam is creating some pieces with furniture makers Hendzel and Hunt for Designersblock and also for Selfridges. Lastly but most excitingly Eye of the World Designs for Brooke Roberts are now available to buy at Browns Focus and bespoke pieces are available directly from us.

You can follow Hope Von Joel‘s exploits on her blog, and don’t forget to take a peek at the Eye Of The World website too.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday October 14th, 2011 7:30 pm

Categories ,accessories, ,Alexander Mc Queen, ,Back to School, ,Brooke Roberts, ,Browns Focus, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Charlie le Mindu, ,Clicks and Contacts, ,Converse Bag, ,Designersblock, ,Elle Girl, ,Estelle Morris, ,Eye of the World, ,Fashion Editor, ,Fiasco Magazine, ,Gareth Pugh, ,interview, ,knitwear, ,Liam Motyer, ,Marbles, ,Milly Jackson, ,Orchids, ,Oyster, ,Peckham, ,Reclaimed, ,recycled, ,S/S 2012, ,Selfridges, ,stylist, ,Super Super, ,sustainable, ,vogue, ,wood, ,Woodcraft

Amelia’s Magazine | Bethan Juliff, Knitwear Designer Extraordinaire: New S/S 2012 Season Preview Interview

Bethan Juliff Knitwear by Sarah Ryan.

Bethan Juliff‘s creative knitwear secured her a place in the finals of the prestigious Fashion Fringe competition, and she is now taking part in the Centre for Fashion Enterprise Market Entry programme with Toby Meadows. This talented designer is going places!

Bethan Juliff Knitted Dress by Janneke de Jong.

What is your design background? Where did you study and what made you decide to go into knitwear design in particular?
I studied Textiles HND at Newcastle College where I specialised in hand knit. I was taught the basics by my Nan at a young age and I decided to try out some new techniques and ideas for my final project after being inspired by Claire Tough‘s CSM graduate collection in 2004 and seeing the Vivienne Westwood 2004 exhibition at the V&A which featured some amazing knitted garments. It was then that my tutor encouraged me to apply for the Fashion Knitwear and Knitted Textile BA course at Nottingham Trent University to which I was later accepted and joined the course in year 2.

Ophelia bridal-Bethan Juliff
Ophelia bridal gown by Bethan Juliff.

Why did you decide to launch your own knitwear collection? It’s definitely not easy to construct an entire collection from knit, but with the likes of Mark Fast doing well do you think it is becoming easier?
After graduating I moved to London and after 2 years of working and designing on computer packages I realised I missed the practical side of knitwear. I find with my own designs that working with the yarns yourself is the only way to know how the knit can be changed and manipulated into different techniques and shapes. I understand why people think it would be hard to have a collection made entirely from knit but I find the opposite to be true and could go on forever! What I love about Knitwear is that there is such a vast range of products and yarns. There’s no reason why a beautiful evening dress can’t be knitted in fine silk or a summer dress sculptured from cotton, yet I have found the general understanding and perception of knit is very limited to cable knit jumpers and socks. In reality the possible products are never ending. I truly love doing it and every day I spend attached to my knitting machine I still look forward to knitting the next day!

Bethan Juliff 2012 by Claire Jones Art
Bethan Juliff S/S 2012 by Claire Jones Art.

Your knitwear is very sculptural, how did you learn to work in this way and do you use any special techniques?
The sculptured shapes which appear in the S/S 2012 collection have been achieved from 4 years of developing my own techniques. I understand my knitting machine really well now and once I decide on a pattern or a shape I like to just sit down and make it 3D. The possibilities available within stitch work in knitwear means there’s always a new way to do something.

Isabella Bethan Juliff
Isabella dress by Bethan Juliff.

The dresses in your latest S/S 2012 collection are inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, why did you choose this as inspiration and how did your research translate into wearable designs for the modern woman?
I always find the question about inspiration quite hard to answer as I think my designs are mostly inspired by the medium of knit rather than outside sources, but at the same time it’s a bit of a running joke in my family that I go through stages of becoming enamored with certain periods of British history such as the Pre-Raphaelites and this influences the way I like the collection to be styled, seen and photographed. Throughout design history there are certain shapes which will always compliment the female body. When designing for the modern woman I try to produce garments that give the perfect silhouette but hopefully in a more contemporary way.

Bethan Juliff By Vicky Fallon
Bethan Juliff S/S 2012 by Vicky Fallon.

What do you suggest that your clients wear with a knitted dress to best show it off?
I would probably just say your best pair of heels. Hopefully they shouldn’t need much else… apart from maybe a Bethan Juliff Poppy broach!

The Lady dress by Bethan Juliff.

Can you let us into any secrets as to what to expect from your upcoming A/W 2012 collection. I hear you have secured an exciting sponsor…
I’ve been really lucky with the support I have received from places such as The Roof Gardens above Kensington High Street and Mannakin London who sponsored my S/S 2012 launch. For the upcoming A/W 2012 collection I have secured a yarn sponsorship from Yeoman Yarns which has been a huge help in the creation of each new garment. I’m very excitedly working on A/W 2012 at the moment and it’s by far the most challenging collection I have produced to date. The techniques from last season have developed further and as always there’s a new technique for the new season which has been quite time consuming!

bethan juliff by hayley warnham
Bethan Juliff S/S 2012 by Hayley Warnham.

What do you think took you to the final stages of the Fashion Fringe competition last year, and what did you learn from the process?
I absolutely loved being part of Fashion Fringe last year. I was really excited to get through to the final stages. I think the best thing that I took from the process was realising that I had confidence and knowledge I didn’t know I had. When faced with a Dragons’ Den like situation and 15 minutes to pitch your business in front of some of the most inspiring people in your industry, it’s surprising how all of the planning and practicing overrides the terror of standing in front of one of your favourite designers, such as Roland Mouret.

Ophelia by Bethan Juliff.

You are currently enrolled on a prestigious course at the Centre for Fashion Enterprise. Can you tell us more about what you will be learning and why it is so important to have this vital support for your work?
The Centre for Fashion Enterprise is such an amazing help for young designers who feel as if there is no support but need to take their businesses to the next level and don’t know the best way to do it. I’m part way through the Market Entry Programme which focuses on a huge range of things from legal advice on how to expand your business and I have found every session to be such a huge help and support. Also, being surrounded by likeminded young businesses makes you feel less alone and that it’s possible to achieve success if you keep at it and work hard.

Bethan Juliff 2012 by Clairejonesart
Bethan Juliff S/S 2012 by Claire Jones Art.

What sort of prices do your garments sell for and where can people get hold of them?
The S/S 2012 collection ranges in price from £449 to £1,350 and currently it is exclusively sold on www.bethanjuliff.com. The upcoming A/W 2012 collection will be launched next month and will be available to stockists.

Bethan Juliff S/S 2012 by Hayley Warnham.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday January 13th, 2012 7:19 pm

Categories ,Bethan Juliff, ,Centre for Fashion Enterprise, ,Claire Jones Art, ,Claire Tough, ,Dragon’s Den, ,Fashion Fringe, ,Hayley Warnham, ,Janneke de Jong, ,knitwear, ,Machine Knitting, ,Mannakin London, ,Mark Fast, ,Market Entry, ,Newcastle College, ,Nottingham Trent University, ,Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, ,Roland Mouret, ,S/S 2012, ,Sarah Ryan, ,Sculptural, ,The Roof Gardens, ,Toby Meadows, ,va, ,Vicky Fallon, ,Vivienne Westwood, ,Yeoman Yarns

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