Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration – Page 2

Amelia’s Magazine | Nancy Dee: the ethical fashion range from sisters Tamsin and Seraphina Davis

Emete Yarici by Jenny Lloyd http://jennylloyd.co.uk

It’s impossible to miss the Make Lemonade pop-up shop as you walk up Chalton Street Market, treat with big windows displaying the warm and cosy scene for everyone to see. Even standing across the street you can see Make Lemonade founder Emete Yarici pottering around, ed accompanied by her interns Holly-ann Ladd and Bettina Krohn.

Make Lemonade pop-up shop

Step inside and you’ll find a myriad of treasure, starting with clothes from the Make Lemonade range of one-off vintage finds. As Emete talks me through the contributions from the various designers and artists around the shop it becomes clear this is very much a collaboration. ‘I have been working on getting a shop for over a year, but it’s been a mad rush at putting everything together as I only found out I was getting this shop last week,’ says Emete.

Illustration by Joana Faria

Holly-ann has been collecting vintage charms and made them into necklaces, explains Emete, while more accessories are on display from knitwear designer Louise Dungate. The walls are covered by charity shop finds, as well as prints from graphic designers Dan Sayle and Oschon Wespi-Tschopp. This comes from a tie-up with environmentally friendly printers Hato Press. ‘We will be doing a live screenprinting session here on Saturday, where people can choose a design and have it printed on a bag,’ says Emete.

On Wednesday 26th there will be a free styling evening, followed by a music night on the 28th. Norwegian pop and jazz singer Jenny Moe will provide entertainment, alongside the group The Youth. ‘People can bring their own drinks and there will be lots of cushions, so people can come and talk and chill out,’ says Emete. More details of this and other events, including a film screening yet to be confirmed, can be found on the Make Lemonade Facebook page.

Textile print designer Temitope Tijani has provided a special range of her colourful handmade bags and jewellery, while Supermarket Sarah has created a wall of items from the shop – these will go on sale from Supermarket Sarah’s website from 31st January. In addition to clothing, this includes a 1970s coffee set and a very clever apple-a-day calendar from Ken Kirton, who is also responsible for the Make Lemonade logo.

Temitope Tijani illustrated by Genie Espinosa

‘I wanted the shop to be a platform for many people to show their work, not just for our own stuff,’ says Emete, adding that most of the artists are friends, or friends of friends. Camden Council sponsors Make Lemonade’s rent for the pop-up shop, as part of a scheme to bring new business to Somers Town. This area between Euston and King’s Cross stations isn’t necessarily a retail destination, but the locals have been very welcoming, says Emete.

Make Lemonade will exist mainly on the internet for a while to come, but Emete doesn’t rule out a permanent shop down the line. But the next goal to get the brand into shops as permanent concessions, as well as continuing the collaboration with Asos and focusing on the blog. Along with Bettina, Emete will go to Paris this spring to scout for some higher-range vintage lines, but she wants to stay true to the initial idea of creating a reasonably priced vintage shop – something that isn’t that easy to find in London. ‘We want to make sure we stay close to our roots and remain a brand people want to be part of,’ says Emete, suddenly all shy when she has to be in front of the camera instead of behind the scenes.

Emete Yarici

It’s impossible to miss the Make Lemonade pop-up shop as you walk up Chalton Street Market, click with big windows displaying the warm and cosy scene for everyone to see. Even standing across the street you can see Make Lemonade founder Emete Yarici pottering around, website accompanied by her interns Holly-ann Ladd and Bettina Krohn.

Make Lemonade pop-up shop

Step inside and you’ll find a myriad of treasure, ask starting with clothes from the Make Lemonade range of one-off vintage finds. As Emete talks me through the contributions from the various designers and artists around the shop it becomes clear this is very much a collaboration. ‘I have been working on getting a shop for over a year, but it’s been a mad rush at putting everything together as I only found out I was getting this shop last week,’ says Emete.

Illustration by Joana Faria

Temitope Tijani illustrated by Genie Espinosa

Emete Yarici

Make Lemonade pop-up shop will be at 24 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JH until 1st February – after that find them on their website. For more information see our listing and the Make Lemonade Facebook page.
How do you start to design each new collection?
I usually list ideas that I am wondering about – thoughts about philosophy, cialis 40mg science and how we should live – in my note book. Then I pick out the most interesting of these topics. Maybe some philosopher or artist has already found an answer but I like to discover things through my own ideas and research.

In what way does fashion allow you to combine all your creative ideas?
I create artwork in two dimensions as well as making music and video. Fashion feels more real because it is created in three dimensions, case and I try to make clothes that combine all the dreaminess and fantasy of my other creative endeavours. I work on music at the same time as I work on designs for my clothing so that it will match the catwalk show when I put them together.

Why did you decide to name your collective after yourself?
We work as a team on ideas that mostly come from my brain. I feel as though I am a percolator, stomach I’m inspired by all the feelings that come from my friends which I filter through my own internal world. Satoshi Date is just a device: percolate Satoshi Date machine and breathe out. I believe that I am connected to everyone in the world and I am just a representative.

How do you work with others to complete each collection?
We get the main idea together and do lots of research before we even think about the clothing. We read, write, listen, draw, collage… developing the idea deeper and deeper. Then we start designing and sampling with textiles and prototypes until the final garments are ready to be made.

MaxJenny by June Chanpoomidole.

Wearable art.
Maxjenny Forslund was inspired to create her label when she discovered her mother’s paintings in the cellar. Her mother Margareta Forslund is also a designer and together they create the bright print designs (some of which are based on self-portraits) that characterise her line of Street Sculptures signature waterproof capes. The capes are based on a circular pattern that drapes over the contours of the body, cialis 40mg and are perfect for riding a bike in the rain.

Intelligent sustainable materials.
Maxjenny capes are created from a recycled material made out of plastic PET bottles. Dye sublimation printing is used as an even more environmentally friendly substitute to digital printing. The sourcing of good quality materials is a big part of Maxjenny’s job…

Read the rest of this interview and see more illustrations of Maxjenny’s clothing in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, seek alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Nancy Dee by Kellie Black.

Tamsin and Seraphina Davis are sisters in ethical fashion design. Nancy is a long standing family name and Dee simply stands for the initial of their surname, information pills Davis. They settled on the label Nancy Dee because it is a little bit kitsch and reflects the style of their designs.

How did Nancy Dee come about?
Seraphina is my younger sister by four years and she has the background in fashion design whereas I have worked in the film industry and studied economics and social policy, more about so I am better suited to managing the business side. We started working together because Seraphina wanted to market her designs and she needed a partner. I had just finished my studies and wanted to work on something related to social policy. We launched Nancy Dee in 2008 to create garments that bridge the gap between style, viagra 60mg versatility and ethical production.

How do you manage to keep your designs both retro and up to date?
Fashion is cyclical by nature, and all trends are developments on past ideas. We take the shapes and references that appeal to us from history and update them by using new eco fabrics and modern colours. The prints play a large part; they are designed by us but influenced by older designs.

How did you hook up with the family-run factory in India that makes your clothes?
We were actually approached by them whilst at a trade show which was lucky because it wasn’t working out with another factory, so we were actually searching for someone to take over production. Fate intervened: we met the owner in London, then travelled over to Delhi later that season to check over the factory conditions, meet the staff and work on samples.

How will you further reduce your environmental impact?
Video conferencing and daily phone calls enable both Seraphina and I to work from home (I live in Leicester while she is in London). Skype is an amazing invention that helps us to keep in touch with the factory, reducing the need to visit so often. We’re constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact, such as the use of degradable packaging for the webshop – but it is an ongoing job. We want to start some production in the UK since one of our biggest environmental impacts is caused by the delivery of stock from India. Many UK factories lost a huge portion of their income when it became so much cheaper to produce garments in Asia, so it will be nice to bring some work back here…

Read the rest of this interview with Nancy Dee in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday February 1st, 2011 11:38 am

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Carbon footprint, ,Eco fashion, ,Ethical Fashion, ,India, ,Kellie Black, ,Nancy Dee, ,Seraphina Davis, ,Skype, ,Tamsin Davis

Amelia’s Magazine | New S/S 2013 Season Interview: Michelle Urvall Nyrén of Ever Rêve

Ever Reve by Sine Skau.

Readers of my second book Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration will recognise the name Michelle Urvall Nyrén: in those pages you can find wonderful examples of her beautiful watercolour fashion illustrations. In the years since the book was published Michelle has been busy designing and launching her very first fashion collection, inspired by both her love of watercolour design and her ethical education. Not surprisingly, the Ever Rêve S/S 2013 collection is a beautiful first outing for this talented lady.

ever rêve
Your beautiful inaugural collection was put together in collaboration with Swedish writer Hanna Ricksten. What was the process of meeting and deciding to work together?
At the beginning of my working process there is always a persona. I always use characters and fictional stories as an inspiration to build up a collection as it helps me to create an ambience and gives me a set to work in. My choices of colours, patterns and cuts can be traced in this story or in the character.
Hanna and I have known each other for a long time and she has been writing stories for as long as I have been working with textiles. When I started working with Ever Rêve I talked a lot to Hanna and realised that we share many ideals and dreams, which is why we decided to create a story together. I sent Hanna all of my inspiration work; notes, photos, colour samples and sketches and she based the story on that. It was a very stimulating process of reciprocal creativity.

ever rêve
The model in your look book has a very unique look: how did you come to cast her?
I cast Aleksandra at a distance from photos sent by friends we have in common. She lives in Poland where we took the photos and I didn’t get to actually meet her until the day of the photo shoot. I love her look; she expresses both strength and vulnerability at the same time. I am always looking for something unique in models; Aleksandra was perfect for this collection. She is also very hard working. On the day of the shoot, it was about 35 degrees. We decided to take photos of the knitwear in the late afternoon, but the temperature remained really high. Once I asked her to put the knitted jumper on I could see a look of terror on her face, but she quickly covered it up with a smile. She is a great girl and a very professional model.

ever rêve
What inspired the patterns you have used?
There is a strong yet rough expression in some Polish graphic designs that have inspired me a lot, working with straight lines and simple shapes. I found it challenging to work with strong graphics in combination with the water colours, as the technique automatically softens it up a bit. I have also been strongly inspired by textiles that my grandmother made in the sixties.

Ever Reve by Sandra Contreras.

Can you tell us a bit more about your family’s textile history?
My grandmother was a textile artist and designer and she worked a lot with traditional wax batik in the early sixties. She used this technique to make bright and colourful graphic patterns on pieces of clothing. I have never met my grandmother as she died when my mother was born, but I have been told my whole life that I am like her. I found it very hard to relate to this when I was younger but then I was given a box full of clothes made by her a couple of years ago and I clearly saw the connection.

How did your fashion illustrations inform the creation of this collection?
I was intentionally looking to link my illustration and textile work together with Ever Rêve. I have been working with water colours for as long as I can remember and it is a technique I feel confident with. A couple of years ago I experimented with silk dyes and found that the effect I was searching for was similar to silk painting. I think this has been a quite natural progress: coming out of experiments and a need to explore new materials and surfaces.

ever rêve
How have your ethics affected the making of this collection?
Ethics, environment and sustainability were a big part of my education and are still something I pay a lot of attention to. I looked at every part of the production process and asked myself how I can improve. For example, the parts of the collection that are hand painted are made on an organic silk (a production without insecticides or pesticides) and the knitted garments are made out of recycled silk/viscose yarn. The only tricky part is to find someone who does digital printing on organic fabrics, something that I am still searching for. I was also very careful selecting the printers and the seamstress – they are both small family run businesses which care about their employees. I am still concerned about all the travelling the fabrics need to do before they get a final steam on the hanger, but I have spoken to some charities who advised me on how to reduce and offset our carbon footprint. There is always room to improve!

Ever Reve by Grace Nikobari.

Where are the garments made and by whom?
The Ever Rêve garments are made in Łódź, Poland. My partner has got contacts in the textile industry and they recommended a seamstress and her team. They are very skilled and experienced and they have worked with many international designers before.

Who do you hope will wear these clothes. What will she do in them?
I hope that Ever Rêve appeals to women in many different ages, doing many different things. Because some of the garments are hand painted and very luxurious I don’t expect them to be worn every day; however my friend who has a six month old baby wears her stripy silk shirt for most things, washes it in water with some shampoo and irons it dry. The clothes are made to be worn, living life with their wearers; at work, on holiday, at parties or celebrations.

Who are your dream stockists?
I would love to see the clothes in Liberty, because of their long tradition and history of fabrics and prints. Browns is another dream stockist.

What are your next plans for Ever Rêve?
I am currently working on the A/W 2013 collection. With this collection I am hoping to participate in more events for young designers, competitions and shows during London Fashion Week. I am trying to make a solid ground for Ever Rêve to stand on and to build it up from there, little by little and with patience. Big dreams and fantasies trigger you to work hard, but only when they are mixed with a sensible attitude and realistic goals can they actually come into fulfilment.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/48371973" rel="noopener">http://www.vimeo.com/48371973</a>
All look book photography and film by Sejin Ahn. I can’t wait to see how Ever Rêve develops.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday November 2nd, 2012 10:30 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Aleksandra, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Browns, ,Ever Rêve, ,Fashion Illustration, ,Grace Nikobari, ,Hanna Ricksten, ,liberty, ,Lodz, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,poland, ,S/S 2013, ,Sandra Contreras, ,Sejin Ahn, ,Sine Skau

Amelia’s Magazine | Nina Dolcetti: an interview with ethical shoe designer Elisalex Grunfeld de Castro

Martina Spetlova S/S 2011 by Krister Selin.

Fashion designer Martina Spetlova hails from Bohemia in the southern part of the Czech Republic. She studied Chemistry and Biology at university in Prague before coming to London where she was accepted onto a print design BA at Central Saint Martins, sickness despite the absence of a portfolio. Having recently graduated from her MA she is now working on her second collection. En route she has won several prestigious competitions. Studying for an MA at Central Saint Martins seems to open doors.

During her year out from Central Saint Martins she set up a fairtrade embroidery network with women in Pakistan, stuff spending six months living in the area to network between communities and fashion designers, which was great fun but also a lot of responsibility. There was an exhibition in London but sadly the project didn’t last much longer after she left. I am now busy with my own label but I hope to incorporate similar projects into my work in the future. Thanks to her print design background Martina is able to fund her label from the sale of her printed textile designs and she also teaches pattern cutting to a small group of ladies…

Read the rest of this interview and see more illustrations of Martina Spetlova’s clothing in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Nina Dolcetti by Natsuki Otani.

Were you already considering how to make ethical shoes whilst you were studying at Cordwainers?
Absolutely. I come from a family of ethical fashion pioneers (Orsola de Castro of From Somewhere is my Mum), doctor so it was a no-brainer for me. I know too much about the quantity of waste produced by the fashion industry and the exploitation of people and environment, medicine so of course I was set on running my label as ethically and morally as I could.

When did you first start to work with your signature wedge and what was the process of finding the perfect shape?
The first drawing I did of my signature curved wedge was in a quiet moment at my first Estethica exhibition at London Fashion Week in 2008, when I was eight months pregnant. The wave of inspiration for my next collection had just hit me and I was absorbed in my new designs. It wasn’t until much later that I realised that the curve of the wedge was the exact line, only reversed, of the instep. And thinking about it now, I think the pregnancy definitely had something to do with it too!

Where do you source your materials from?
I source my offcuts from anywhere and everywhere. I’ve found amazing textured leathers in markets in Spain, been given boxes of beautiful offcuts from other designers, and raided bins in factories. I can find a use for even the smallest scraps. The vegetable tanned leather comes from Italy, and the heels and platforms in cork and wood are hand turned in Norfolk…

Read the rest of this interview and see more illustrations of Nina Dolcetti’s shoes in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, alongside interviews with 44 other ethical fashion designers and 30 fabulous fashion illustrators. You can buy the book here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday February 1st, 2011 3:32 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Cordwainers, ,Eco fashion, ,Elisalex Grunfeld de Castro, ,estethica, ,Ethical Fashion, ,footwear, ,From Somewhere, ,Laura Bailey, ,lfw, ,Natsuki Otani, ,Nina Dolcetti, ,Norfolk, ,Offcuts, ,Orsola De Castro, ,spain, ,vegetable tanning

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2011: What’s Hot… and What’s Not.

jenny robins – blog slam – circus – toast and biscuit – thewedordeadwager sketch at the rag factory male dating humour
LFW SS2011-photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

Every London Fashion Week has it’s own particular foibles, stomach it’s own idiosyncrasies – and this September was no exception. So I thought I’d write up a little round up of things that will always remind me of this particular fashion week. In no particular order, sickness here goes…

Teabags, check Jelly Bellys and Ferrer Rocher
Why is it that tea companies love to sponsor fashion week so? Qi Teas, Pure Teas, Tea Pigs, Pukka – they were all at it. Is it because tea can be dispensed in a relatively cheap sachet of one and it inherently contains so little calories? That might make sense, but then weigh it up against the copious quantities of smoothie flavour jelly beans, Ferrer Rocher and Elizabeth Shaw choccies that I also managed to collect at the shows. Not that I’m complaining mind you…

The smiley ice-cream man
Anyone who spent any time at Somerset House will surely have encountered the sweetest organic ice-cream vendor from Laverstoke Park Farm. I’m guessing that plenty of people must have sampled his wares because there was only ever one flavour left when I passed by: liquorice. Shouldn’t work, but so did. Try it, honestly, it was the best thing ever.

LFW SS2011 Laverstoke Farm ice cream

The Phoenix Magazine girls
How many times were you offered this new magazine? It seems like it was thrust into my face every time I went to a show. Because we really need another fashion magazine. Oh yes. That’s what the world is really missing right now. Needless to say I haven’t had a moment to look at it. Has anyone else? Information overload!

LFW SS2011

My Palladium Boots
I was sent a pair of Palladiums a few months ago but I didn’t wear them for ages because I thought they were a bit ugly. But as the weather has got colder and I’ve realised I can’t wear my plastic Melissas through the winter I’ve come to realise that I actually like them quite a lot. Not for me high heels, I’m afraid I need sensible shoes for the shows and whilst my Palladiums might not be the most beautiful footwear in the world they carried me through LFW something fab. Thanks Palladium!

LFW SS2011-Palladium Boots

Great weather
Wow! The weather was gorgeous and as any seasoned fashionista will tell you good weather is a real rarity for the September shows when it usually rains like hell. What a fantastic bonus, especially for cyclists like myself.

LFW SS2011 Menswear Omar Kashoura
LFW SS2011 Menswear Jonno Ovans
A Garden Party atmosphere on menswear day.

Getting between the shows on a bike
Surely the only way to do it: totally carbon efficient, fast and healthy. I don’t understand why more people don’t cycle, but at least I persuaded some of my team to join me, and it was great to cycle around London with them like a latter day Red Hand Gang.

The Gimp Lady
Making an appearance in various latex outfits and a blow up wig, as she did last season. But who is beneath? That’s what I’d like to know…

Charlie le Mindu SS2011 Gimp Lady

Disco ball mannequin at On/Off
…taking over from the papercut and deer sculpture of last season.

LFW-onoff-JOCHEUNG disco mannequin
Illustration by Jo Cheung.

Vitamin bloody water – every bloody where.
I’ve drunk so much of this disgusting sugary Coca-Cola product that I think I may even be a convert. Ugh. And to think my favourite kiwi and strawberry combo owes it’s bright pink colour to the colouring provided by purple sweet potato and purple carrot. Utter madness.

LFW SS2011-Vitamin water

Models falling off their shoes.
Everywhere! All the time. On every catwalk. Ridiculous! Your shoes are too high designers: spare a thought for your poor clothes’ horses.

Holly Fulton SS2011 slip up
A model kicks off her shoes at Holly Fulton. She was just one of many who stumbled.

Hanging out with Tatty Devine.
They always cheer me up when I visit the static stands to view next season’s collections. This time I joined them for an end of fashion week party at their Covent Garden shop and then we all went for paella. It was mostest fun.

LFW SS2011 Louise Harries and Harriet Vine
Louise Harries of Prick Your Finger and Harriet Vine of Tatty Devine model the latest collection.

Gorgeous young girls with big hair and pink lips.
Pink lips are the best. If only I looked like this model on her way out of the Paul Costelloe show… sigh.

LFW SS2011-model

Lots of big rings.
I lost track of the amount of shows that featured big finger adornments: time for me to dig out all those silver rings I’ve hidden in drawers. Pile em on, it’s an easy way to update your look.

David Koma SS2011 Ring Mawi
Mawi for David Koma.

Masha Ma SS2011 rings
Masha Ma.

KTZ SS2011 rings
KTZ.

Men in big statement jewellery
Dangly feather earrings, vast chunky necklaces… you name it and the men were wearing it. In spades.

Earring-Menswear-LFW-S-S-2011-Antonia-Parker
Illustration by Antonia Parker.

My ability to get into shows without queuing.
This year my brazen blagging knew no bounds so even when ticketless I managed to sit front row at almost every show. After all it’s the only way to get decent shots if you’re not in the photographer’s pit (and we don’t want the same pics as everyone else). Over ten years in the business means I know who and how to hustle.

LFW SS2011-queue
See this? I don’t do it.

Performances, presentations, shows.
There’s a lot of muddle about what all these actually are so quite often what one presumes is a rolling presentation actually occurs at a specific time not known to the audience. In this way I missed quite a few. Clearly there needs to be more common parlance about what a performance or presentation means.

Babies at the shows.
Eek! Not sure what I think of this! The music can get pretty damn loud you know, and then there are the naked ladies to consider: I wouldn’t mind if they looked anything like what a real woman looks like…

LFW SS2011-baby

Fashion illustration is HOT.
Thanks in no small part, I’m sure, to the wonderful contributions on this very website. Suddenly everyone is running illustration as part of their fashion blog posts, including Fashion Scout – who had a team of illustrators live sketching at the shows. Bodes well for my upcoming book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

My fabulous team.
You’ve all been beyond brilliant. Sniff. Here’s just a few of them:

LFW SS2011-Matt Bramford
Matt Bramford: my utterly brilliant fashion editor.

LFW SS2011-Satu Fox and Sally Mumby-Croft
Satu Fox, Sally Mumby-Croft and an Orla Kiely cut out. Guess which is which.

LFW SS2011-Naomi Law and Aniela Murphy
Illustrators Naomi Law and Aniela Murphy.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday October 1st, 2010 7:50 pm

Categories ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Aniela Murphy, ,Antonia Parker, ,Elizabeth Shaw, ,Fashion Scout, ,Ferrer Rocher, ,Gimp Lady, ,Holly Fulton, ,Jelly Belly, ,Jo Cheung, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Masha Ma, ,Mawi. David Koma, ,Naomi Law, ,Paul Costelloe, ,Phoenix Magazine, ,Prick your Finger, ,Pure Teas, ,Qi Teas, ,Red Hand Gang, ,rings, ,Sally Mumby-Croft, ,Somerset House, ,Tatty Devine, ,Tea Pigs, ,Vitamin Water

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2011: What’s Hot… and What’s Not.

jenny robins – blog slam – circus – toast and biscuit – thewedordeadwager sketch at the rag factory male dating humour
LFW SS2011-photo by Amelia Gregory
All photography by Amelia Gregory.

LFW SS2011 Laverstoke Farm ice cream

LFW SS2011

LFW SS2011-Palladium Boots

LFW SS2011 Menswear Omar Kashoura
LFW SS2011 Menswear Jonno Ovans
A Garden Party atmosphere on menswear day.

The Gimp Lady
Making an appearance in various latex outfits and a blow up wig, as she did last season. But who is beneath? That’s what I’d like to know…

Charlie le Mindu SS2011 Gimp Lady

Disco ball mannequin at On/Off
…taking over from the papercut and deer sculpture of last season.

LFW-onoff-JOCHEUNG disco mannequin
Illustration by Jo Cheung.

LFW SS2011-Vitamin water

Models falling off their shoes.
Everywhere! All the time. On every catwalk. Ridiculous! Your shoes are too high designers: spare a thought for your poor clothes’ horses.

Holly Fulton SS2011 slip up
A model kicks off her shoes at Holly Fulton. She was just one of many who stumbled.

LFW SS2011 Louise Harries and Harriet Vine
Louise Harries of Prick Your Finger and Harriet Vine of Tatty Devine model the latest collection.

Gorgeous young girls with big hair and pink lips.
Pink lips are the best. If only I looked like this model on her way out of the Paul Costelloe show… sigh.

LFW SS2011-model

David Koma SS2011 Ring Mawi
Mawi for David Koma.

Masha Ma SS2011 rings
Masha Ma.

KTZ SS2011 rings
KTZ.

Men in big statement jewellery
Dangly feather earrings, vast chunky necklaces… you name it and the men were wearing it. In spades.

Earring-Menswear-LFW-S-S-2011-Antonia-Parker
Illustration by Antonia Parker.

LFW SS2011-queue
See this? I don’t do it.

LFW SS2011-baby

My fabulous team.
You’ve all been beyond brilliant. Sniff. Here’s just a few of them:

LFW SS2011-Matt Bramford
Matt Bramford: my utterly brilliant fashion editor.

LFW SS2011-Satu Fox and Sally Mumby-Croft
Satu Fox, Sally Mumby-Croft and an Orla Kiely cut out. Guess which is which.

LFW SS2011-Naomi Law and Aniela Murphy
Illustrators Naomi Law and Aniela Murphy.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday October 1st, 2010 7:50 pm

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Jasper Garvida

Illustration by Andrea Peterson, doctor look aka Artist Andrea.

I was very nervous about Jasper’s show, viagra 40mg as I adored his Spring/Summer collection so much that I was worried my expectations would be too high. But I wasn’t disappointed- the sound of rainfall set the mood for the show, and the slats of the more theatrical pieces replicated this noise as the models walked. One maxi-dress was tied at the waist with a belt hung with oversized keys, which clinked together as she walked. The inclusion of sounds in a catwalk show helps to make it all seem more three dimensional. Reworked, instrumental covers of 90s tunes by the likes of Nirvana also created a great soundtrack.

Whilst a number of the dresses were so ostentatious – and according to reports from friends of mine backstage, so incredibly heavy – that they are unlikely to be worn by the likes of you and me, Jasper cleverly takes the textures of these pieces and works them into accessories like clutch bags and statement ruff-style necklaces that are much easier to integrate into your real-life wardrobe.

Illustration by Andrea Peterson, aka Artist Andrea.

Inspired by the novel ‘Soie’ by Alessandro Baricco about a European man who becomes enchanted with the East, there is a distinct oriental feel to the colour palette and the silhouettes.Lace dresses with thigh-high slits and completely backless, full length evening gowns added to the sensuality of the silk and lace.

Iconic Fornasetti-inspired prints make fantastic statement pieces, as well as a knitted maxi number, the knitwear trend instigated by the likes of Craig Lawrence and Mark Fast showing no sign of dying. The hair was elegantly side-swept in a vintage-inspired up-do; a look complimented by Lucas Jack drop earrings.

It’s no coincidence that my favourite shows on Friday, and so far of LFW altogether, are the two that featured lots of colour, a few show-stopping, theatrical pieces, gorgeous vintage-inspired prints, and silhouettes designed for a womanly shape.I’m referring to Prophetik and Jasper Garvida. However, both shows also share the same single criticism from me – these are sexy designs, can you please put them on women with sexier figures? They would look BETTER. Honest. The corsets of Prophetik were desperate for some heaving bosoms a la costume drama, whilst some of Jasper’s models were painfully thin. It’s something I noticed at his last show too, and I’ve heard the same feedback from a number of people, even the illustrators I sent my photos to were shocked. Jasper is represented by one of the loveliest, most down-to-earth PR companies around, so I really hope they pass thes comments on to him, as its really the only criticism I have of the show.

All photography by Katie Antoniou.

You can see more of Andrea Peterson’s work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. You can read Amelia’s review of the show here.

Written by Katie Antoniou on Sunday February 20th, 2011 1:09 pm

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Artist Andrea, ,fornasetti, ,jasper garvida, ,le baiser, ,London Fashion Week A/W 2011, ,Lucas Jack

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Preview: Ada Zanditon on Sustainability

Oscars – Georgia Coote thumb
Oscars - Georgia Coote
Illustration by Georgia Coote

So Colin and Helena have already won their BAFTA awards. Now all eyes are on them for the Oscars. Particularly Colin Firth, approved who has been vigorously doing the rounds as it were, cialis 40mg on chat shows such as Ellen. I believe in the aforementioned show, abortion Colin was given some Oscar worthy tuxedo pants. Personally I think Colin should have got an Oscar for A Single Man, one of my favourite films…in the world ever. This article is a small run down of 13 films nominated in the Oscars. Lucky 13…

Abby_Wright_Oscars_Natalie_Portman
Natalie Portman Illustration by Abby Wright

Black Swan revolves around Nataliie Portman’s character winning the lead to Swan Lake, leading to madness and obsession. Driven by perfection, she loses grip of reality entirely as you are taken on a heady journey. I accept it is a genre piece, thus obvious and over the top for a reason, but controversially I didn’t love it. Natalie Portman has been nominated for Best Actress, among five other nominations for the film.

Inception is a fantasy thriller with Leo at the forefront. Christopher Nolan produced some incedible scenes for our eyes to devour and the twists and turns were a thrill to behold. It has eight nominations, including Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor.

Helena Bonham Carter by Matilde Sazio
Helena Bonham Carter Illustration by Matilde Sazio

The King’s Speech had people applauding in the cinemas. Everyone has gone mad for this film. And what with Will and Kate getting hitched this year, the Royal family are enjoying a thrust of positive publicity. Colin Firth’s character is a George VI and Helena Bonham Carter, his wife, the Queen Mother have both been nominated for their performances. The film has been nominated for 12 in total.

Colin Firth by Karina Yarv
Colin Firth Illustration by Karina Yarv

Rabbit Hole is about a couple’s life is affected after their young son dies in an accident. Nicole Kidman has been nominated for Best Actress for her role.

The Social Network
David Fincher’s account on the origins of Facebook…

The Kids Are All Right is the story of a lesbian couple whose sperm donor returns into their lives, has four nominations and stars Annette Bening and Julianne Moore.

Toy Story 3 was a sad film in many ways, because it reflected time’s passing and the end of childhood. But Toy Story (1) brings back wonderful memories and has been overplayed to death without inducing even the remotest hatred. Same with Toy Story 2. Toy Story 3 was held in high hopes and it delivered. The film has five nominations, including Best Picture.

Gemma Milly-True Grit
True Grit Illustration by Gemma Milly

True Grit
Joel and Ethan Coen make quite scary, but brilliant films. This remake of the 1969 John Wayne western has received ten nominations in total, these include Jeff Bridges for Best Actor and Hailee Steinfeld for Best Supporting Actress.

Alice In Wonderland sees Alice return to the world of magic and chattering objects, as a 19 year old. She learns of her destiny and meets her old chums. The film, which stars Johnny Depp, has been nominated for three Oscars.

Exit Through the Gift Shop saw Bristol’s Banksy nominated for Best Documenary Feature. The story is about an eccentric French amateur film maker and shop owner trying to befriend Banksy.

127 Hours
Ewww. But also amazing story of overcoming the odds, directed by Danny Boyle. This is a real life story about a climber forced to take extreme action to survive. You all know what I’m talking about I’m sure. James Franco has been nominated for his role as the protagonist and indeed, only character in the film. The film has also been nominated for Best Picture.

Michelle Williams by Russty Brazil
Michelle Williams Illustration by Russty Brazil

Blue Valentine is a stunning and devastating film about falling out of love. Michelle Williams has become numb to her life and husband, whilst Ryan Gosling flails around, trying to save the marriage. Making it all worse. The flashbacks to their falling in love are touching, and the soundtrack by Grizzly Bear made me cry. Michelle Williams has been nominated for Best Actress.

Winter’s Bone
An independent film, Debra Granik’s tale is about a young woman living in a rural community, trying to find her missing father. The film has been nominated for three awards.

Now bring on the pizazz and dresses, quaff, quaff!

Ada Zanditon A/W 2011 Preview by Rebecca Strickson.

For Ada process is everything. “I don’t want to sit at a desk using Illustrator to design clothes that will be made many miles away. I love the hands on process of choosing the fabrics and creating the clothes.” But she does want to conquer the luxury goods market. “I want to make clothes that are desirable and exciting but also ecological.” The luxury goods market is one that is saturated with leathers and furs, ed but Ada will only use leather by products that have been vegetable tanned. “It’s very hard to find good enough quality fake leather and the biggest crime is waste, approved so it is better that skin is used. Things are getting better but we still have a long way to go.” She describes a trip to the Wastesavers deep in Huddersfield as part of an initiative with Jane Shepherdson and Oxfam. There was such a huge amount of waste that it boggled her mind. She dreads to think how much more goes into landfill every day.

Ada Zanditon comission by The Lovely Wars
Ada Zanditon (commission) by The Lovely Wars.

We ponder the ethics of sustainably produced fur where the animals are treated well, but she’s not really interested in fur from a aesthetic point of view, and worries too much about the air miles and poor conditions of most farmed animals.

Ada Zanditon SS 2011 by The Lovely Wars
Ada Zanditon S/S 2011 by The Lovely Wars.

Ada tries to fly as little as possible – preferring instead to find inspiration in the English countryside when she goes on holiday. “My favourite way to travel is by Eurostar!” She is not interested in the idea of being against things, and would rather look at the relevant alternatives and ways in which to do things with purpose.

Ada Zanditon by Avril Kelly.

She is analytical in her approach to sustainable practise. “A lot of the environmental debate comes from an emotional place,” she says. “I used to be both veggie and vegan but now I just try to buy local, organic and free range… I find that meat answers my needs as an adult who needs a lot of energy.” But then her decision to stop eating meat was never based on the killing of animals in itself – she ponders the irony of vegetarians who wear non organic cotton – the pesticides from which have no doubt adversely affected local wildlife.

Ada Zanditon S/S 2011 by Dee Andrews.

She thinks that there is a lot of fluffy thinking in western culture and much prefers to take a scientific perspective. “It takes emotion out of the equation. Emotion is good when it comes to fashion, but sustainable design needs a common sense approach to see ideas with clarity.” With her analytical mind she looks for ways to reduce environmental impacts and ensure positive outcomes within resource management and production.

Ada Zanditon by Dee Andrews.

Even though she is a designer of high fashion she concedes that how to make affordable sustainable clothing is one of the biggest problems that needs tackling. “I have my own part in the wheel, but it would be false for me to design differently than what comes naturally.” Despite the possibility of an adverse “trickle-down effect” whereby her high fashion designs could easily be copied at a cheaper price level without using sustainable materials Ada is hopeful that her values of using sustainable materials and local production will inspire others if she can communicate them strongly and excitingly enough. I am inclined to agree.

Ada Zanditon by Maria del Carmen Smith.

Ada occasionally lectures students, and is about to embark on a project in fashion and sustainability at La Cambre in Brussels. “To teach fashion you have to put a lot in. I love giving one off lectures and working on specific projects but I don’t have time for more.” One of the things she finds most inspiring in ethical fashion is that there are more people who are now coming to ethical fashion from a fashion perspective. “In the past ethical fashion companies were set up by environmentalists, but nowadays designers who come from a fashion background are able to bring a distinct handwriting to their designs.” She classifies herself amongst this new wave of designers, alongside names such as Beautiful Soul, Christopher Raeburn, Goodone, The North Circular and Henrietta Ludgate (all of whom feature in my new book). “We feel supportive of each other and it’s really good to see a relevant aesthetic growing and gaining momentum.”

Ada Zanditon A/W 2010 Pre-Collection by Sarah Matthews.

Most recently Ada has been commissioned for a couple of exciting fair-trade projects: a collective collaboration with ASOS, for which she designed a scarf to coincide with the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight and a project in conjunction with Vogue Magazine to celebrate the release of fair-trade gold. “They rang on Thursday wanting a substantial geometric piece that spoke of luxury: the perfect project for me. And by Saturday it was sorted!” Ada rightly feels that it is really important to show that fine jewellery can be made sustainably and with awareness for the impact of manufacture on human lives.

Ada Zanditon A/W 2010 Pre-Collection by Sarah Matthews.

Her business partner is entrepreneur Philip Levine, who is good at networking and looking out for opportunities. “There is so much pressure on young brands to build a successful business at the same time as being creative,” she says, “but people spread themselves too thinly and can’t always see the best choices in business. Many fashion brands come and go but I want longevity.” She loves evolving illustrations into prints and hopes to expand her prints onto a wide range of products in the future.

At just 28 years old it looks as though Ada Zanditon is already building a brand to remember, and most importantly of all, it is a fashion brand that has ethics at the very heart of it. I look forward to her LFW presentation this Friday with much anticipation. Read our taster of what to expect right here.

Ada Zanditon features in my new book: Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday February 17th, 2011 12:09 pm

Categories ,ACOFI, ,Ada Zanditon, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Ani Saunders, ,ASOS, ,Avril Kelly, ,Beautiful Soul, ,Brussels, ,Christopher Raeburn, ,Dee Andrews, ,Eurostar, ,Fairtrade Fortnight, ,Fur, ,goodone, ,Henrietta Ludgate, ,Jane Shepherdson, ,jewellery, ,La Cambre, ,leather, ,Maria del Carmen Smith, ,oxfam, ,Philip Levine, ,Rebecca Strickson, ,Sarah Matthews, ,Stylist Magazine, ,sustainability, ,The Lovely Wars, ,The North Circular, ,vegan, ,vegetarian, ,vogue, ,Wastesavers

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: Jasper Garvida

Illustration by Andrea Peterson, doctor look aka Artist Andrea.

Illustration by Andrea Peterson, aka Artist Andrea.

All photography by Katie Antoniou.

You can see more of Andrea Peterson’s work in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. You can read Amelia’s review of the show here.

Written by Katie Antoniou on Sunday February 20th, 2011 1:09 pm

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Artist Andrea, ,fornasetti, ,jasper garvida, ,le baiser, ,London Fashion Week A/W 2011, ,Lucas Jack

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Preview: Ada Zanditon

Susan Hiller-Tate-Britain
AmeliasMagazine_LFW_Ada-Zanditon_ArtistAndrea
Ada Zanditon A/W 2011 sneak preview by Andrea Peterson. I asked a variety of illustrators to interpret one piece from the new collection… so read on to see what they did!

Ada Zanditon looks somewhat confused as I pile into her live/workspace at the same time as the morning influx of interns – maybe I’m a new, about it rather overgrown one? She is still in her pyjamas, recipe having recently emerged from the space beneath a cutting table that currently serves as her bed.

This season Ada will not be putting on a catwalk show; instead she will show a film presentation alongside the collection on mannequins. “What you can do on a catwalk is dictated by how big your budget is, ailment ” she explains. “Lagerfield puts on amazing shows but the cost of production is huge. One reason why everyone loved McQueen was because he put on an event; a moment that could be referenced from then on.” Ada feels that a film or presentation can offer a much more immersive experience on a tight budget.

Ada Zanditon LFW Preview by Danielle Shepherd
Ada Zanditon A/W 2011 LFW Preview by Danielle Shepherd.

Last season’s show at Victoria House was intended to be interactive, with people circulating around the models. In fact it became more like a salon show as soon as the pesky photographers formed a bank across the room that guests were afraid to cross. “But the fact that it wasn’t a normal catwalk set was exciting – now it’s time to go to the next stage.” This season movement will be shown on a screen and the audience will be able to feel the details up close without fear of interaction with any live humans. “I’ve learnt that people won’t walk up to a model when they are in full hair and make up because it is too daunting.”

The night before our interview Ada was filming the A/W 2011 presentation at Netil House just off Broadway Market. On the wall above the table where the interns are busy cutting out invitations there is a model – I correctly deduce that Georgiana from Bulgaria is in fact the star of her new film. “It’s much better to fit a narrative around one person,” she says. Ada was able to exactly fit the garments to Georgiana, chosen because of an active interest in her concept and aesthetic. “She also has ability to act and move elegantly and gracefully. I feel she embodies the aspirations of my customers.”

Ada-Zanditon-AW11-by-Yelena-Bryksenkova
Ada Zanditon A/W 2011 by Yelena Bryksenkova.

Ada’s great grandparents were from Ukraine and Lithuania, but her mother was born and grew up in America, with the result that Ada has dual nationality and got to spend holidays in fashionable Martha’s Vineyard, where her parents bought a house before it became popular. “Of course now it’s full of rich yuppies… which in a way is good because they look after the beautiful landscape.” Ada herself was born in Crouch End in north London before the family moved south of the river. Secondary school was by all accounts not a fun experience – even though she knew she wanted to be a fashion designer from the age of 5 her school pushed her in an academic direction that she felt uneasy with. As a result she didn’t do art A-level but instead took photography GCSE and attended life drawing classes.

With the encouragement of an art teacher who spotted her potential she went to Morley College to produce a self generated portfolio which she took to her Art Foundation interview at Kingston University. She was promptly offered an unconditional offer. “They were so warm and impressed that I cried in the interview – I was just so happy that someone finally understood my work.” Afterwards she did a degree at London College of Fashion and then embarked an internship with McQueen where she learnt “a hell of a lot”. She was there for a total of four seasons, working almost all of the time. “It’s a tough industry – you can work 9-5 and achieve something mediocre or you can put 100% in and achieve something beautiful.”

Ada Zanditon A/W 2011 by Dee Andrews.

The new A/W 2011 collection is called The Cryoflux, embodying in its name frozen landscapes and the idea of change. It was inspired by the polar regions, mainly Antarctica, but also the climatic changes experienced by people living in the Arctic. Ada became fascinated by the ice cores that are pulled up to show our climate history in intimate detail, and extremophiles, mostly microscopic organisms which exist in extreme conditions such as the polar regions. “But I didn’t want to be too literal in my translation – after all we’re experiencing extreme conditions both politically and economically as well.”

For further inspiration she looked at the doomed Robert Scott expedition of the early 1900s, for which the explorers were clothed in heritage clothing from great British brands like Mulberry. “I combined the romantic world of beautiful tailoring with an icy modern aesthetic. For instance I looked at broken ice floes in a constant state of flux.”

Ada Zanditon in her studio in Whitechapel.

I wonder if Ada will model a bit of clothing from the collection so that I can get it illustrated but she baulks at the suggestion because she doesn’t design for herself. “I’m quite scruffy… but my designs always come out elegant and polished,” she says. “I want to create wearable stuff for my customer and not myself because I am quite a specific market of one.” Her collections are instead inspired by an interest in architectural design and illustration. She likens it to the work of Monet. “He doesn’t look like a waterlily. And lots of male designers don’t wear the frocks that they design.” As part of the designing process she loves meeting and learning more about her customers although she’s eager to assure me she’s not a slave to them, and concepts will always be important.

Ada Zanditon by Donya Todd
Ada Zanditon in her studio by Donya Todd, who chose to put her in one of her S/S 2011 designs anyway.

The collection features lots of British wool but the silk is not organic because it is much harder to source than good quality organic fair-trade cotton. “Most silk is Chinese even though it often claims to be Indian. I’ve looked into using Peace Silk [which doesn’t kill the silk worms in the process of manufacture] but the trouble is that you only get a smooth continuous unbroken fibre if the worm is killed. My customers want quality and I don’t want to compromise that.” At present Ada feels it is more important to focus on the bigger picture when it comes to sustainability.

There are only a few print designs in the new collection, which were printed locally in Bermondsey. “I feel that winter is usually more about sculptural details, so I tend to explore the cut. Print tends to be for S/S. But you can get sick of tailoring!” Ada can’t imagine living somewhere where the climate doesn’t change on a regular basis and she is looking forward to designing for the next S/S season: think big and loose, “like a million layers of air”.

Ada-Zanditon-S/S 2011 by-Maria-del-Carmen-Smith
Ada Zanditon S/S 2011 by Maria del Carmen Smith.

This season Ada had her choice of slot at LFW, so naturally she chose to show on the first day. The main theme of her presentation remains firmly under wraps but expect a narrative inspired by the solar system and in particular by Europa, which is a moon of Jupiter that experiences particularly extreme conditions. “I like the outside perspective; seeing things from the viewpoint of the other. So I imagined a superwoman extremophile who evolved under the surface of Europa and goes on an exploration of Antarctica.” The film is directed by twins Andrew and William Ho, who had lots of passion and enthusiasm for her subject. “I love their elegant aesthetic.” As well as an “interesting” soundtrack guests can expect a surprise immediately as they enter the venue between 1-2pm on Friday 18th February. I can’t wait… and I shall report back on my findings.

Ada Zanditon features in my new book: Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration. Part two of this interview will go online tomorrow and digs deeper into Ada’s theories on sustainable practice.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday February 16th, 2011 11:50 am

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,ACOFI, ,Ada Zanditon, ,Alexander McQueen, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Andrea Peterson, ,Andrew and William Ho, ,Antarctica, ,British Wool, ,Broadway Market, ,Bulgaria, ,Danielle Shepherd, ,Dee Andrews, ,Donya Todd, ,Europa, ,extremophile, ,Georgiana, ,Ice Core, ,Jupiter, ,Kingston University, ,Lagerfield, ,lfw, ,Lithuania, ,London College of Fashion, ,Maria del Carmen Smith, ,McQueen, ,Morley College, ,Mulberry, ,Netil House, ,peace silk, ,Robert Scott, ,The Cryoflux, ,Ukraine, ,Victoria House, ,whitechapel, ,Yelena Bryksenkova

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week A/W 2011 Catwalk Review: KTZ

Illustration by Antonia Parker

Over at Osman, this sleek silhouettes glided gracefully down the beautiful blue ink-blotched catwalk on models sporting blunt Cleopatra bobs with eyelash-skimming fringes.

Osman Yousefzada showed a sophisticated palette featuring lot of ivory and charcoal in sharp yet flowing shapes. Colour flooded in, information pills taking the form of feature linings and leather trims in rust, scarlet, pale aqua, neon pink and lime. The show opened with a beautiful ivory dress, featuring a v-shaped accent to the bodice in bright cobalt, echoing the beauiful inky stripe printed on the catwalk itself.

Illustrations by Donya Todd

The chic and sharply flared wide leg trousers were particularly prominent, billowing around the models’ legs as they sashayed their way towards the photographers’ pit. I was sitting way back in the sixth row but semi-successfully found a gap in the rows of heads to capture some of the looks. Key pieces seemed to keep on coming; dresses with contrast-lined capelets, black leather with hot pink horizontal stripes, a Morticia-length charcoal wool dress, a leather-fronted blouse with bright orange floor-length tied tails to the back, the list goes on.

Illustration by Madi Illustrates

Photography by Naomi Law

There was a hint of the 1960s with a-line shapes and geometric capped sleeves, but pattern or ornamentation was minimal, save for one striking orange chiffon dress with chocolate brown embroidery. The collection managed to make crayon brights into something more sophisticated – the careful balance of colour and monotone combined with expert tailoring in subtly varyied textures was sharp, modern and crisp.

Illustrations by Rachel Lewis

There were two show-stopping floor-length black dresses with dramatic fluffy sleeves so huge I assumed they must be fake fur (hence asking two of our illustrators to work from these designs). I was disgusted to discover later that Osman has made the vile decision to use real fur in his collections. It’s nasty enough that anyone would choose to use animal fur in the first place, but even harder to understand when they’re going to end up dyeing it a completely unnatural colour anyway. Unfortunately this took the shine off the collection, none of this next season thank you!

Illustration by Antonia Parker

See more of Antonia Parker’s illustrations in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration!

viagra approved aka Artist Andrea” title=”KTZ A/W 2011 by Andrea Peterson, page aka Artist Andrea” width=”480″ height=”595″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-37005″ />
KTZ A/W 2011 by Andrea Peterson, approved aka Artist Andrea.

I wasn’t going to go into Somerset House on Wednesday, I really wasn’t. But the lure of a new Kokon To Zai collection was just too much. And boy was I glad that I did head into town for what turned out to be one of my very favourites shows of the week.

KTZ A/W 2011 by LJG Art and Illustration.

On entering an extremely packed BFC tent (menswear seemed much busier this season) I was left wondering where to sit when Lida Hujic grabbed me and led me to a prime spot near the catwalk entrance, right next to Prince Cassius, Leroy of Diary of a Clothes Horse and, erm…. the Bosnian ambassador. There’s nothing like a bit of diversity on the front row!

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

KTZ A/W 2011 by Kayleigh Bluck.

Building on their monochromatic S/S season KTZ served up a primary coloured delight…. a little bit 80s, a little bit Memphis and a whole lot of fun. Calder-like 80s graphic sculptures rose in whorls out of heads. Huge ball bangles created bold wrist protuberances.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

KTZ A/W 2011 by Maria Papadimitriou.

Earrings, necklaces, brooches and sunglasses were striped, gold, abstracted statements. And for the men? Primary coloured balaclavas with bobbles: part bank robber, part cold small child.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

KTZ groupies by Andrea Peterson, aka Artist Andrea.

But, onto the main course. This was a massive collection that took in easy to wear striped jersey tops and Dynasty meets Mondrian statement dresses with amazing marbled, flounce waists and layered tailoring. For men there were patent leather jackets, striped trousers and zig zag braces. The shoes are most definitely worth a mention – striped and block-heeled for women, platformed and buckled for the men – they were a wonderful complement to the clothing. This collection was by no means for the faint hearted, but that, in my book, is a very good thing.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.
KTZ A/W 2011 by Antonia-Parker-
KTZ A/W 2011 by Antonia Parker.

But then I started to worry, just a little bit, that a dampener was about to be put on my enthusiasm. These days it really is so hard to tell what is real fur and what is not, and without the aid of a press release I presumed the former. Luckily I was put right straight away after the show through the power of twitter when KTZ informed me that only fake fur was used to create the fabulous oversized pompom scarf and killer colour hooded duffle coat.

KTZ A/W 2011 by Kellie Black.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

I think I’m in love… I actually left this show beaming from ear to ear, and I can’t often say that. Major kudos must surely be given to Anna Trevelyan for the styling; she also styled the Alex Noble installation, and Charlie Le Mindu’s show. This lady has got some seriously diverse and wonderful ideas going on. You can follow her adventures on twitter here.

KTZ A/W 2011. Photography by Amelia Gregory.
Kokon to Zai by Dan Stafford.