Amelia’s Magazine | About a Boy

Since Ewan MacGregor sang to Nicole Kidman to the light of a Moulin Rouge, viagra information pills or perhaps since Don Quixote tilted heroically over the hills to La Mancha at those giant-like shapes, cialis 40mg they’ve caught our hearts as surely as Windy Miller once did, waving to us from the music box as an episode of Camberwick Green came on telly. Given the topicality of their gleaming three-pronged younger brothers, the turbines bedecking our beloved bemoorlands, eyes turned to Vestas’ factory on the Isle of Wight, I thought I’d glance back a little, to quieter ages.

0729%20jeffrey%20windmills.jpg
Illustrations by Jeffrey Bowman

They were the great technological innovation of the twelth century, at least in Northern Europe. The Persians had been happily pumping water with wind power 1500 or so years earlier, and the Greeks on the Cyclades out-sourced their grain grinding expertise to the mainland, charging a nifty 1/10 of the flour fee. Their three pronged modern successors are the best developed shot at renewable energy we’ve properly developed yet.

When you scratch the surface of windmill history, you come across the attractively-named International Molinological Society, whose members meet every four years or so to talk over anything from ‘oblique scoopwheels’ to industrial espionage – mill technology from the USA in the early 19th century was carried across the ocean by the German spies Ganzel and Wulff to form the start of a new development in european mill technology. Can you imagine the excitement and tension in that debriefing room?

Darrell M Dodge (of Littleton, Colorado)’s Illustrated History of Wind Power Development calls windmills ‘the electrical motor of pre-industrial Europe’. They did all sorts : pumping water from wells, for irrigation, or drainage using a scoop wheel, grain-grinding, saw-milling wood, and processing spices, cocoa, paints and dyes, and tobacco.

0729%20jeffrey%20houses.jpg

To see the first main kind of northern european windmill, you can take a trip down to Outwood, Britain’s oldest still-functioning windmill, built in 1665 by Thomas Budgen of Nutfield. It’s a post mill : the whole body, weighing around 25 tons, rotates on a central post made of a single enormous oak tree, to bring the mill round into the wind.

The post mill was the most common design in the twelfth century, when they were just getting going (the first reference to a British windmill is in 1191). By the end of the thirteenth century, though, the masonry tower mill had been introduced. These had the neat innovation of a turning timber cap, built on a stone tower – so the moving bit was lighter, and the windmill could be built taller with larger sails to get more power.

William Cubitt was a curious engineer from Norfolk, obsessed with the efficient use of energy. He straightened out an unsatisfactory bit of canal north of Oxford, and invented the prison treadwheel, a device which perhaps sums up that mechanical, peculiarly Victorian vision that every cog and wheel of society should find its place, in workhouse, town house or courthouse. He installed the first one in Bury St Edmunds Gaol in 1819, followed enthusiastically by ones at Cold Bath Fields (London), Swaffham, Worcester, Liverpool and probably more besides.

On the more picturesque side of his engineering, in 1807, he invented and swiftly patented a new type of sail, known from then on as ‘Patent Sails’, which combined the innovations of a Scottish millwright, Andrew Meikle (‘descended from a line of ingenious mechanics’ according to his tombstone) and Stephen Hooper. Meikle developed spring sails in 1772 made of a series of parallel shutters that could be adjusted according to windspeed, and had springs which let them open a little more if the wind gusted. Hooper invented a device in 1789 which let the sails be adjusted without ever stopping – he called it the roller reefing sail. Patent Sails became the basis of self-regulating sails, avoiding the need for tiresome constant supervision – and proved successful. Windmills on this design outlasted steam power and the industrial revolution – they were still in use as drainage pumps on the Norfolk Broads until 1959.

So, though grinding grain for bread has mostly been swapped for juicing up the national grid, some of the old guard hold on. And though I’d love to get confused about upwind turbines and Betz limits – why exactly the new wind power is generated from only three pretty fine blades slicing through the sky, we’d best leave it there for now.

0729%20jeffrey%20hand.jpg

 What is the magic formula that the Secret Garden Party have got their bejeweled mitts on? Having just spent a weekend with them – and 6, for sale 000 happy, friendly campers – I would go so far as to say that there are cosmic forces at work which have taken all the ingredients needed to turn a great festival into a glorious one. For those who are as yet uninitiated, The Secret Garden Party is ever so much more than a weekend away listening to top tunes. It’s a soul liberating free fall of wonderment and the bizarre; a playground for grown up children to indulge in fairy tales and fantasy. I succumbed to such an extent that I feared returning to the harsher edges of reality would be a painful bump, but it turned out that the magic dust managed to stick and I awoke Monday morning with a serious dose of the happy’s.

tousepic24.jpg

tousepic26.jpg

tousepic33.jpg

tousepic16.jpg

Our arrival didn’t have the most auspicious beginning. What should have been a mornings car journey turned into a 6 hour stint on the M25 and M11, where roadworks defied us at every turn. By the time we dragged our sorry selves to the camp site we were tired, hot and irritable. “This better be bloody brilliant” I muttered to myself as I hastily assembled my tent. (minor lie – my wonderful Amelia’s Magazine colleagues assembled it; I couldn’t erect a tent if my life depended on it). Yet, as we walked into the site, all grumblings melted away.

tousepic1.jpg

tousepic6.jpg

The afternoons dark clouds had gave way to a glowing sunset which bathed everyone in a soft light. Not knowing what to expect, we were instantly struck by how beautifully visual our new surroundings were. Every inch of the vast grounds are designed in a way that your senses take a direct hit every time you turn your head. The activities take place around a great lake; lit up at dark, and open for swimming by day. At the centre is a floating island, home to the Tower of Babel (which serves a very important purpose later on in the weekend). Feeling very much like a group of Alice’s heading down the rabbit hole to a more peculiar, colourful world, we ventured over bridges, through patches of woodland, past strange sculptures, finding cosy hiding spots wherever we went. And the outfits we saw! It is common knowledge that dressing up is encouraged at SGP, but I wasn’t prepared for the dizzy heights that many had taken their creativity. Thousands of people had clearly had a determined rummage in the dressing up box; glitter adorned most, fairies mixed with pirates who consorted with mythical creatures who hung out with boys in dresses and feathers who were making friends with girls in top hats and tails.

tousepic17.jpg

tousepic11.jpg

tousepic25.jpg

Eventually, our adventures took us to the main stage, which was perfect timing, because Phoenix were headlining, and they were one of the must-see bands on my list for the weekend. Grabbing a delicious dinner to go (think Moroccan Mezze rather than greasy noodles or burgers), we found a patch on the hill to watch the French alternative rockers have such a great rapport with their audience that they invited a couple of hundred to get up on stage and sing along, until the stage was so full that the band had to climb up equipment to make themselves seen.

tousepic31.jpg

The rest of the night was a heady mix of dancing, drinking, sometimes being spectators and sometimes participating. Our packed schedule of what to see gave way to a more relaxed amble, stopping off when something took our fancy. Translated – we stopped every 10 feet. As we found ourselves in the ‘salacious hothouse of Babylon’ (the region south of the lake), it was only to be expected that we were treated to earthy pleasures of the flesh; once we found the pole dancers, we were transfixed. The boys around us were almost too incredulous to be turned on. “My God, that girl must have thighs of steel!” I heard one marvel to his girlfriend.

goodpicpic5.jpg

tousepic32.jpg

It’s hard to recall too much more about the night, but pictures document wild dancing on bales of hay to seventies disco tunes in a heaving tent, and discovering that the party was clearly going on in the wildly popular One Taste venue, home to a mixture of live beat-boxing and ska, cheering crowds, and a bar dispensing deliciously spicy chai teas. We watched night turn into morning on the Eden side of the lake, (also known as the oasis) in the Laa of Soft Things, a tent where straw bales doubled as fluffy clouds and turned us into rag dolls. Limbs entwined, friendships were quickly formed over the common ground of happy tiredness and sensory overload.

tousepic21.jpg

tousepic12.jpg

tousepic23.jpg

Saturday dawned to brilliant sunshine, which made swimming in the lake an extra special and necessary experience. For those who wanted more than music, a multitude of informative events and discussions had been laid on, such as The Bohemian Artists Studio, The Poetry Playhouse, and the Dodge Ball Tournament, to name but a few. Early birds could participate in the yoga sanctuary, ( I think you can guess that we didn’t make that one). Instead, we lazed the afternoon away watching some of our favourite bands; Soku, The Dø, Slow Club (interviewed in Issue 9 of Amelia’s Magazine) and Noah and The Whale, as well as our newest discovery, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, described as acoustic folk rock metal, with a Spanish flamenco twist.

tousepic9.jpg

tousepic.jpg

tousepic34.jpg

The highlight of the weekend had to be the events of Saturday night. As dark descended, Thai lanterns were released into the air, floating away and burning bright. We followed the crowds towards the lake to witness the epic spectacle of The Burn; the wooden Tower of Babel set ablaze and lighting up the night sky. As the organisers of SGP explained, this was the marriage and the end of the divide between Babylon & Eden. The SGP team had obviously learnt a lot from their trips into the Nevada desert to take part in The Burning Man Festival, and this union of art, nature and performance was the perfect example of the box of tricks which the Secret Garden Party have up their sleeve.

finaltousepic29.jpg

finalpic.jpg

The weekend drew to a close for us in the sweetest way possible – getting to watch Au Revoir Simone play their beautifully crafted melodies to a rapt audience. The girls sound more divine with each listen, and treated us to the songs from their sublime new album Still Night, Still Bright. As our regular readers know, Au Revoir bring out the fangirl in Amelia’s Magazine, so I shamelessly sang along at the top of my lungs to their harmonies. Thank God their keyboards were loud enough to drown me out is all that I can say in sober hindsight. By the way, I thought the guy that I was standing next to was absolutely adorable, but I was a little shy about saying hello, so if you were wearing a straw hat and a baggy red jumper, and are reading this, then get in touch!

finalpic2.jpg

All that is left to add is to encourage you all to do whatever you can to get your hands on a ticket to 2010′s SGP. The organisers are already promising that they will ‘blow our minds’ with what they have in store. I don’t doubt that for a moment. From now on, I have complete faith that what whatever the Secret Garden Party organises, it will be like nothing that you have ever experienced. Now if you will excuse me, I’m off to plan my outfits for next years festivities.

tousepic14.jpg
We owe a great deal to the 1970s. I shudder to think where we might be today without the post it note, pill without Punk, symptoms and of course without the phenomena that is The Roller Disco. Every element of the theme has triumphantly survived the three decades since it first hit the dancefloors and is still as much of a thrill today as it was then; pumping nightspot glam pop tunes serenading couples holding hands circuiting the room gripping to each other equal parts lust and fear; the wallflowers carefully inching along the handrails with unsure feet, the solo regulars strutting their fierce routines with every right to be showing off; everyone dressed in all that is spangly and sequined, flared and cropped; fuelled by diner dogs and sugary slushies, it was and still is the perfect night out.

VauxhallSkate1.jpg

Tonight sees a huge homage to the roller disco down at Shoreditch’s top warehouse venue Village Underground, hosted by Vauxhall Skate and it promises to knock our knee high socks off. The all important music accompaniment is in the very capable hands of DJs ex Libertines Carl Barat, Smash and Grab darlings Queens of Noize, recently Mercury Prize nominated Florence Welch of ‘& the Machines’ fame, Alfie Allen, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Richard Jones and a last minute addition to the bill, NYC’s Cory Kennedy.

vauxhallskate9.jpg
Florence Welch

vauxhallskate6.jpg
Queens of Noize

The roller skating part is pitched as entirely optional, but for those who are concerned that having not been on a pair of skates since childhood might result in rather a lot of shameful cringing better watch out for the fabulous Jonny Woo, who will be hosting a ‘car-aoke’ sing song courtesy of Lucky Voice, with a brimming dressing up box full of props. No event would be complete without the option to update or completely overhaul one’s look, so thank the lord that the very talented Lyndell Mansfield will be joining the crew for the night with her ‘pit-stop salon’ for free hairstyling.

vauxhallskate7.jpg
Jonny Woo

vauxhallskate4.jpg
Kate Moross

In terms of visuals the guests are for a real treat. Kate Moross who has designed shop windows for Diesel, poster artwork for Animal Collective and covers for Vice and Fact magazines, has customised her first car, a Vauxhall Corsa, especially for the party in her signature cutting edge style. The Vauxhall Corsa was wrapped in white vinyl while Kate painted directly onto it with acrylic paint and Posca semi permanent markers. The colours were chosen because of the rainbow spectrums and light fields used in SciFi imagery, a key influence in the ‘Vauxhall Skate’ set design. ‘Vauxhall Skate’ extends Vauxhall‘s commitment to driving excitement on four wheels. the car company has also created a unique pair of roller boots, in true Corsa style, which will be showcased in all their glory on the evening. Other cars to be on show include a Car-aoke Vauxhall Corsa adorned with retro green UV wire frames and a rotating mirror-ball Vauxhall Tigra, most recently seen at the Vauxhall Style catwalk shows.

VauxhallSkate10.jpg

Catering includes free hot dogs and cupcakes, and the all important bar is kindly provided by Bacardi Mojito. Tickets for the evening were solely allocated on a lottery basis to all those that RSVPed and entered the draw. If you managed to get your hands on a pair then congratulations are in order. If you were less lucky, then panic ye not- Dazed Digital and Vauxhall have partnered up to give away 35 pairs of free tickets. Click here to enter your email address for a chance to win. Alternatively, have a go here.

vauxhallskate8.jpeg
The Village Underground

Vauxhall Skate

The Village Underground
54 Holywell Lane
London, EC2A

Wednesday July 29th
8pm – 1am

Free, but invitation only.

It might be worth arguing that more than any form of artistic expression, page fashion can be indicative of the societal state of mind. In particular we can witness changing attitudes towards gender norms within different social spheres – this is one of the premises that the exhibition at the Photographers’ GalleryWhen You’re a Boy: Men’s Fashion Styled by Simon Foxton’ grounds itself in, diagnosis and indeed one that Foxton has worked with throughout his whole career.

Knight1.jpg

The fact that it’s rare to for a stylist’s work to be put on show like this denotes that it’s a role that’s underrated by many, diagnosis but here’s a retrospective that vindicates the work of a stylist as a real agent of social commentary, working with ideas as well as clothes. Foxton in particular has admitted to “using clothes as a tool” to make a statement, paradoxically suggesting that while these are examples of photographs that might appear in fashion magazines, they are not necessarily about the clothes themselves.

Evans3.jpg

Taking its title from the David Bowie song, ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ the tight selection of images span Foxton’s collaborations with photographers Nick Knight, Alasdair McLellan and Jason Evans. Addressing issues of gender, race and class amongst others, we see our attitudes mirrored often by sartorial contradiction, through a process of revealing and concealing.

mrandrews.jpg

Take the images from i-D magazine (shot by Nick Knight) under the title ‘English Heritage’, with one showing an image of the traditional English couple ‘Mr & Mrs Andrews’ with the husband standing dutifully behind his wife perched in an armchair. Yet in their place two muscular black male models, wearing leather bondage gear and a gimp suit respectively, subverting our preconceptions of hegemonic masculinity and femininity that are implicitly nothing more than societal constructs.

kittens.jpg

Elsewhere, by continually addressing issues of butchness and effeminateness through the references to gay subcultures, we see the capacity of visual media to reconstruct and recreate by using fantasy (potentially) as a weapon.

Dunbar-Brunton1.jpg

Foxton seems to share with Oscar Wilde a wry amusement about the way masculinity has been appropriated historically, by juxtaposing strange images and affronting us with a sense of disorder and fantasy to ask us questions about what we understand as normal. Race is also explored, with Jason Evans’ ‘Strictly’ series, uncannily presenting black models wearing plus fours and hunting jackets against urban backdrops, posing questions about ethnicity and Englishness, as well as masculinity at the start of the 1990s.

strictly1.jpg

The extensive and indiscriminate cultural references evident in Foxton’s scrapbooks are striking, with torn out images of tribal warriors wrestling in the dust sharing page space with flyers for gay leather club nights. Foxton is definitely a visionary, and one of fashion’s black sheep as somebody who has never followed trends, instead preferring to choose garments with a cultural reference. Styling here proves itself as an intellectual platform, a means of capitalising on what a readership attaches to a particular fashion – questioning our subscription to their ideals by playing on discrepancies. Fashion has been said to be about fiction and fantasy – but Foxton has proven that a far more interesting arena to be explored is, in fact, reality.

Categories ,English Heritage, ,exhibition, ,Fantasy, ,Gay, ,Menswear, ,Punk, ,Sportswear, ,Styling, ,Tailoring

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Agi & Sam: London Collections: Men A/W 2014 Catwalk Review


Agi & Sam A/W 2014 by xplusyequals

As we made our way through Victoria House for Agi & Sam‘s A/W 2014 presentation, models stood on plinths holding placards bearing the slogan ‘Watu Nguvu‘ (people power in Swahili) and oil company logos. They created a sombre atmosphere; part protest, part decoration. They were setting the scene for what would become an incredibly personal collection.


All photography by Matt Bramford

Banished were the vibrant fabrics of London transport of last season; gone were the matchy-matchy suits or block fluorescent colours that the duo have become famous for. In fact, gone was colouring altogether; only two pieces in this collection veered from the monochrome theme. It was a bigger surprise as any from the duo renowned for their worldly and energetic use of colour.

By this stage my camera had pretty much given up altogether. I have probably taken about 300,000 photographs with it, and it’s probably decided that it’s had enough of men and women walking backwards and forwards, so if anybody has a spare £2K to buy me another one that would be great, thanks. Despite this, I really like the shots I got here. There’s something about the soft focus (read: blurred) quality of them that suits this presentation.

The collection combines Western workwear with African tribal features, exploring the exploitation of African society and the stereotypes of the notion we call ‘The West’. Long silhouettes dominated this outing, as did box-shaped shoulders and ankle-length pants. Black cropped blazers and jackets with hidden fastenings toyed with the workwear theme with reflective band details. Traditional patterns like Masai check and African weaves were interpreted across coats and cropped jackets.


Agi & Sam A/W 2014 by xplusyequals

I particularly enjoyed the injection of oversized tees that featured Western oil conglomerate logos, providing a welcome burst of colour, and a long nylon coat that gave a utilitarian aesthetic without diverging from the key themes.

It’s easy to see why Agi & Sam were awarded the Emerging Talent accolade at last year’s British Fashion Awards: in just one season they’ve moved from playful prints to a slick collection with a political message that had been handled in a intelligent, provocative way.

Categories ,Agi & Sam, ,Agi Mdumulla, ,catwalk, ,LCM, ,LCMAW2014, ,london, ,London Collections Men, ,Masai, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,review, ,Sam Cotton, ,Victoria House, ,workwear, ,xplusyequals

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Agi & Sam: London Collections: Men S/S 2014 Catwalk Review


Agi & Sam S/S 2014 by Krister Selin

I love Agi & Sam. A recent collaboration with Topman, ‘The Owls‘, featured a range of football-kit inspired clothing and gave a taster of things to come. I am hoping that ‘The Owls’ was a nod to Sheffield Wednesday. I couldn’t give two hoots (geddit?) about the team, but I love that city.

Two enormous owls sat amongst the crowds at their S/S 2014 show last Sunday. Yes, I know I’m behind. I was genuinely surprised when the show began with mostly all black looks. Agi & Sam are renowned for their glorious use of colour and so it seemed a bit curveball. A speckled black suit worn over a crisp white shirt appeared first, styled with visor shades. An oversized black shirt came next, featuring a discrete monochrome pattern.

It wasn’t before long that the design duo’s inimitable prints appeared, though. This season inspiration had come from public transport seating patterns, the bloody geniuses. If you want to look like the back seat of the number 8 bus, as I certainly do, then Agi & Sam are for you. Rich fabrics carried hallucinogenic patterns in vibrant colours, some discrete, some so obvious that even the models wore large black visors to protect their eyes. All trousers maintained a clean cut with a tapered leg, cropped at the ankle.


Agi & Sam S/S 2014 by Krister Selin

Box-shaped blazers, some with cropped sleeves and others full-length, appeared in block colours, from powder blue to acidic orange.

Accessories included black oxfords embellished with bright stripes (in collaboration with Oliver Spencer) and large black luggage that featured some of the transport soft furnishings patterns.

Categories ,Agi & Sam, ,fashion, ,football, ,Krister Selin, ,LCM, ,LCMSS14, ,london, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Public Transport, ,sheffield, ,SS14, ,The Owls, ,Victoria House

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Alan Taylor, MAN: London Collections: Men A/W 2014 Catwalk Review


Alan Taylor S/S 2014 by Yelena Bryksenkova

London Collections: Men might be the clumsiest branding known to man, but the MAN show does you no favours either. Not only do you find yourself saying aloud ‘I’m going to the MAN show’, but check out #MAN on Instagram shortly after the collections and you’ll get all sorts of unsavoury images mixed with Bobby Abley‘s pink fur or Craig Green‘s psychedelic prints.

I haven’t seen either of the above nor Alan Taylor‘s actual catwalk presentations before, so I was pretty excited about this showcase of London’s most innovative menswear designers. Irishman Alan Taylor was up first. Since starting his own label in 2011, Taylor the tailor has quickly asserted himself as one to watch.


All photography by Matt Bramford

This particular collection was inspired by Henri Matisse and Taylor’s love affair with modern art is well documented. Irish tweeds became the canvas and bursts of solid fluorescent panels became the art. Enlarged overcoats and blazers created the silhouettes – natural colours maintained Taylor’s commitment to his heritage. Most pieces were modernised with the aforementioned vibrant coloured panels – Matisse-like shapes in green and purple transformed sharp tailoring into unique and contemporary looks. Contrasting pieces like a floor-length black overcoat constructed from a heavy, shimmering fabric peppered the collection.

Taylor’s staple kilts featured alongside contemporary Oxford bags and jackets with a-line hems, proving that elements of womenswear can actually work in menswear without making the wearer look like an utter berk. Finally, zingy fluorescent accessories: leather gloves, bags and shoes, added yet another dimension to this outstanding outing.

Categories ,A/W 2014, ,Alan Taylor, ,catwalk, ,fashion, ,Fashion East, ,LCM, ,LCMAW2014, ,London Collections Men, ,Man, ,matisse, ,menswear, ,review, ,tailoring, ,Yelena Bryksenkova

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | An Interview with Designer Joseph Turvey – Part 1


Joseph Turvey A/W 2013 by Krister Selin

While everybody else viewed next season’s collections at the A/W 2013 London Collections: Men shows in January, I spent the week on a rather tedious stint of jury service. For days I sat doing nowt, following the shows and presentations on my iPhone through the usual channels. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram went wild for the latest offerings and it was Joseph Turvey‘s incredible dalmatian-themed collection that I most enjoyed viewing at 640 pixels wide.


Joseph Turvey

Back in 2010 I saw Joseph present his BA graduate womenswear collection at Graduate Fashion Week. Inspired by Margaret Rutherford and complete with ethereal masks, it was a sharp, polished collection with elements of menswear tailoring. I interviewed Joe shortly afterwards; a brief, standard post-GFW interview. Joseph then contributed illustrations to Amelia’s Magazine (amongst many other publications). But it was during Ones to Watch A/W 2012, merging his illustrative style with his talent for tailoring and eye for experimental materials, that propelled him on to the menswear scene. Also, Beyoncé once touched his hand during a performance of Halo.


Joseph Turvey A/W 2013 by Dom&Ink

I meet Joe in the hip offices of Coffin on Cake PR – a labyrinth of rooms above Redchurch Street with all sorts of weird and wonderful objects adorning walls. Joe is waiting in the showroom at the end of a long corridor, with other brands overshadowed by his incredible S/S and A/W 2013 collections. On sight of the dalmatian print enveloping his latest designs, I leap towards it to finally see it in the flesh. I’ve met Joe before but I’d forgotten how tall he was. His gentle personality and new-found confidence are instantly infectious. I launch into a series of typical questions, surmounting the urge to chat about Beyoncé – that will have to wait.


Joseph Turvey A/W 2013 by youdesignme

When I ask him how his day has been, he tells me he’s been rushed off his feet and hasn’t stopped – photoshoots, meetings, and walking his beloved cockapoo. This takes us nicely into chatting about his current collection. ‘I’m obsessed with dogs,’ he tells me, ‘I’m surrounded by dog owners and I love the idea of dog owners dressing like their dogs.’ I ask about the A/W 2013 presentation that garnered so much attention. ‘I got obsessed with having dalmatian puppies at the show… they came up from Devon!’ he says. I play devil’s advocate and ponder what PETA might think. ‘They were very well looked after… they were on rotation, and they’re show dogs – one of the girl pups absolutely loved the attention!’.

Each collection has had a central figure as inspiration and it will come as no surprise to learn that this season’s was Cruella de Vil; the result, a slick collection featuring suiting, bombers, sweaters and t-shirts adorned with dalmatian print. The installation at the AW13 showcase was ‘intense’ – two hours of ‘hardcore’ attention and showmanship. He describes it as ‘overwhelming’ and ‘scary’ and remembers the drama, with hushed whispers of PRs introducing attendees and figures like Natalie Massenet checking things out.

Joe launched himself straight onto the MA at London College of Fashion after graduating from the University of Birmingham. It was a tutor there who commented on the masculine feel of his womenswear collections, and so he decided to move in that direction. I ask Joe if he’d like to return to womenswear. ‘You never know what’s going to happen’, he says, coyly, ‘I just want to make the menswear the best it can be.’

Part two to follow tomorrow!

Photography by Matt Bramford except images of A/W 2013 presentation – courtesy of Coffin on Cake PR.

Categories ,A/W’13, ,beyonce, ,Coffin on Cake PR, ,Cruella de Vil, ,Dalmatians, ,Dogs, ,interview, ,Joseph Turvey, ,Krister Selin, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Ones To Watch, ,puppies, ,SS13, ,Style, ,youdesignme

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | An Interview with Designer Joseph Turvey – Part 2


Joseph Turvey S/S 2013 by Gemma Cotterell

Joe’s MA collection: vibrant orange and magenta lace with transparent panels and translucent trenches was a massive hit. Fake Tokyo completely sold out and they’re backing him again this season, amongst many others. I sense that Joe is pretty busy minded. He’s conquering Asia step-by-step. He opened Shanghai Fashion Week with said MA collection, an experience he’ll never forget. ‘The catwalk was MASSIVE!’ he tells me, ‘it was like a Madonna tour!’

Joseph Turvey MA collection

We take a look through the current Spring/Summer collection – a range of dazzling neon hues married with white t-shirts and his synonymous illustrative portraits. Joe demonstrates the heat-sensitive technique he’s pioneered for spring/summer, so the model’s face becomes clear when worn. I ask if the faces we’re now so familiar with are based on anyone in particular. ‘Not really,’ he says, ‘I merge a few faces together. A bit like Frankenstein’, he laughs. Joe tells me that people always ask the story behind his personal interpretations and influences on his collections. ‘People always look for hidden meanings,’ he says. ‘Maybe I should be more like Taylor Swift and feature exes.’

What else is in the pipeline? ‘I really like collaborations,’ he says, ‘I like the juxtaposition of things.’ Joe’s currently collaborating with Hush Puppies, pioneer of the men’s comfort shoe but currently undergoing a massive relaunch under the creative direction of Jack Hemingway. He’s excited to work with established brands and put his stamp on menswear staples.

I ask how S/S 2014 is going. ‘I’ve nearly finished!’ he says, excitedly. I ask what we might expect. ‘It’s very colourful,’ he tells me, careful not to reveal too much. ‘There’s a central figure, again, and it’s very illustrative.’ He’s obsessed with the aesthetics of fabrics and innovative textures and his ethos is to always move things forward: lace, vinyl-peaked caps, laser-cut florals; the contrast of gloss spots on a black bomber. Joe works closely with acclaimed London textile company Insley & Nash in his constant endeavours to advance fashion techniques.


Joseph Turvey S/S 2013 by Karina Järv

I take a few photographs of both collections as we chat about everything else. What other brands does he admire? Baartmans and Siegel (who are ‘amazing’) and close pal Domingo Rodriguez are high on his list, as is Christopher Kane, who manages to make clothes ‘sellable but with his stamp on it.’

What advice would Joe give to current graduates looking to follow in his footsteps? ‘The best thing I did was the MA,’ he declares. With Savile Row tutoring and free reign on his future, Joe developed his unique approach we’ve become so quickly familiar with. ‘I’d say – don’t rush in to anything. I spent a lot of money doing it, but it really helped me focus. It’s about developing your skills. Make it exactly what you want it to be.’

Categories ,Asia, ,beyonce, ,Fake Tokyo, ,fashion, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,interview, ,Joseph Turvey, ,Karina Jarv, ,lace, ,ma, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Shanghai Fashion Week, ,SS13

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Baartmans and Siegel: London Fashion Week Menswear Day Catwalk Review


Baartmans & Siegel A/W 2012 by Warren Clarke

Working for Amelia’s Magazine – proud pioneer of fresh talent – it’s always a delight to see a label progress through the seasons. It baffles me how designers make it into showcases like Fashion Scout’s Ones to Watch and then simply disappear. So I was delighted to see that Baartmans and Siegel – the dutch/English design partnership we’d enjoyed in the Ones to Watch show last season – had made it onto the menswear day schedule with their first solo outing. They’re stocked by Harrods and met at Viktor & Rolf, so their joint credentials already have them a high profile.


Baartmans and Siegel A/W 2012 by Gabriela Romagna

Unusually I was one of the first attendees into the show space at the Freemasons’ Hall, so I revelled in digging through the goodie bag (I’m pleased to announce I’m fully furnished with Label.M products again, after levels in my bathroom had reached worryingly low levels) and I read through the show notes. This season the design duo sought inspiration from, amongst other things, the Milk Tray man. I was already in love with this collection before everybody had even taken their seats.


All photography by Matt Bramford

Inspiration also came from 1970s British menswear and cinema. Baartmans and Siegel are obsessed with popular culture and it is the Milk Tray man‘s mystery and sense of indulgence that had them captivated in the run up to this show.

The first look featured a meticulously tailored blazer in a rich blue colour, which would become the mainstay. A pocket square of the same colour held the initials B and S, and the jacket was teamed with comfortable grey trousers with silver zips to give a futuristic appeal.


Baartmans & Siegel A/W 2012 by Warren Clarke

More tailoring followed, with loose-fitting tweed trousers and cashmere blazers worn over chunky knitted rollnecks. Then came sportier ensembles included padded puffa jackets – some with zip details, others with contrasting tweed sections.

The blue kept coming, as did a desirable palette of slate grey and, of course, Cadbury purple in honour of their hero. A classic grey jacket was teamed with jersey trousers with contrasting panels for a contemporary look, and sophisticated overcoats show Baartmans and Siegel’s expertise in dressing the modern man.


Baartmans and Siegel A/W 2012 by Gabriela Romagna

This is refined menswear at its best. Baartmans and Siegel expertly marry fashion-forward clothes with traditional techniques. Classic silhouettes, contemporary cuts, luxurious fabrics and deep colours make for an outstanding debut solo show.

Categories ,1970s, ,Baartmans & Siegel, ,Blue, ,Cadbury, ,cinema, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Gabriela Romagna, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Menswear Day, ,Milk Tray Man, ,Ones To Watch, ,Sportwear, ,tailoring, ,Trace PR, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Warren Clarke

Similar Posts: