Womenswear – Page 13 – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Eugene Lin: London Fashion Week S/S 2014 Catwalk Review

Eugene_lin_by_Novemto_komo
Eugene Lin S/S14 by Novemto Komo

Eugene Lin’s interest in Mythology has not dwindled and neither has his talent: for his S/S 2014 collection he set out to create his own fable with Valkyrie; named after the Norse myth that female spirits of battle become swans with the aid of feathered cloaks. Returning once again to the Fashion Scout catwalk, for this latest battle he offered a much cleaner and less embellished collection, sending his own kind of modern warrior women down the runway. Pure white pieces came first, before a burst of unexpected orange turned things up a notch. Strong tailoring included high waists, feathers and pleats and provoked much delight, my own included. Lin provided his signature sharp lines and much loved screen prints; this time including some minimal digital printing techniques that worked well with the structured pieces. Themes and references can be tacky if overdone but Eugene Lin managed to modernise the myth and create a collection that showed the execution of an idea done well, plus the power of top class tailoring.

eugene_lin_ss14

Photography by Christopher Dadey

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/74624848" rel="noopener">http://www.vimeo.com/74624848</a>

Written by Kerry Flint on Monday September 23rd, 2013 9:11 am

Categories ,Eugene Lin, ,Fashion Scout, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,London Fashion Week, ,prints, ,S/S 2014, ,tailoring, ,Valkyrie

Amelia’s Magazine | Alice Lee: London Fashion Week A/W 2012 Catwalk Preview

Alice Lee SS12 by Gemma Cotterell

Alice Lee S/S 2012 by Gemma Cotterell

The Vauxhall Fashion Scout ‘Ones to Watch‘ show is undoubtedly one of the highlights on the London Fashion Week calendar. It’s an opportunity for new designers to present their work, hand-picked because of their extraordinary designs, and for us fashion-hungry fans to witness the best of new talent.

For S/S 2012, design team, and in-real-life husband and wife, Lee Farmer and Alice Smith were chosen to showcase their collection. They had already received recognition for their work. In 2002, they had won the New Generation Sponsorship, and had previously received orders from Browns and Harrods. They re-launched Alice Lee as part of the VFS line up, after taking some time out from the label to focus on their family.

AW12 Sketch courtesy of Alice Lee

A/W 2012 Sketch courtesy of Alice Lee

Alice Lee is all about exceptional knitwear – a mix of intricate designs that for S/S 2012 were woven with strips of leather, in a simple palette of white, pale green, black and a splash of red. The collection was formed of modern shapes – deep cut and body con dresses, knitted trousers and varying hemlines, with a refined finish and detailing. There was an element of the futuristic to this collection, and I can remember Georgia Tackac’s review of the VFS ‘Ones to Watch‘ show, where she compared the Alice Lee collection to something Princess Leia would have had in her costume wardrobe.

Alice Lee SS12 by Jo Ley

Alice Lee S/S 2012 by Jo Ley

I spoke to Alice a few days before the chaos of LFW started, about inspirations, the new collection and the dominance of knitwear.

What impact did being chosen as one of Vauxhall Fashion’s Scout’s ‘Ones to Watch‘ last year have?
We got to do a catwalk show and got some good press then this led to orders, so in all a very good impact from being named as one of Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Ones to Watch. From this we were chosen as one of the 5 Womenswear designers selected by Selfridges for their Bright Young Things project. This came hand in hand with an order for S/S 2012, and a window display for 2 months. This was an amazing opportunity to display the pieces in a way we wanted, and get the public to see our designs on Oxford Street, with it’s 1 million people a day passing by Selfridges.

Alice Lee coil-dress
A/W 2012 Coil Dress Fitting courtesy of Alice Lee

What have you been up to since then?
Since then we have been working on the orders we have received, which we made this time in our studio, as well as working on our window for Selfridges. We’re now working on our A/W 2012 collection.

Alice Lee sketch
A/W 2012 Dress Sketch courtesy of Alice Lee

What can we expect from your new collection?
We have been thinking about colours for winter. We do love black, but have just added a splash of colour here and there. There are some longer lengths in the dresses, and skirts. We have some outerwear with fur, faux of course as we never use real fur, or sheepskin. It’s just not our cup of tea.

Alice-Lee-By-Kris-Keys
Alice Lee S/S 2012 by Kris Keys

What were the inspirations and influences?
Many, too many to put down. A feeling from a poem by Dante. A feeling of being protected and armoured, and a continuation of the leather work combined with knitwear that we started to develop for S/S 2012.

Can you explain a little about your passion for design, and explain how you moved into fashion design.
Alice – I always loved making things and sewing as a child. I come from an ‘arty’ family, my dad is a photographer and my mom is a fashion designer, so I was inspired by them. Also I grew up from the age if 10 to 14 in a travelling theatre company touring Europe, with my dad, so I was surrounded by things and people that inspired and nurtured my creativity.

Alice Lee sketch dress
Alice Lee A/W 2012 Dress Sketch

Can you tell me a little about the process of your designs – perhaps a little about the materials and techniques that are used?
Well we both work through the ideas together, but Lee is more of the sketcher and I’m more of the knitter. So I knit swatches and Lee sketches. Then as are doing this we try shapes out on the mannequin, see what works then we usually go from that stage in to knitting the garment. At the moment we are using all natural yarns for winter, mostly wool and then hand threaded and stitched with leather stripes. A very time consuming process but we think it’s worth it. All pieces are hand made and fully fashioned.

You put the label on hold for a while to focus on family. How are you finding the balance with working now, especially with the lead up to LFW?
Well we have two children, so it is quite a juggling act. They are at nursery and school now so we have time to work. But they do come to the studio sometimes.

Can you explain why knitwear is such an integral part of your label?
It just kind of happened that way. I did my degree and MA in fashion knitwear. Also it’s probably a lot to do with making our own fabric from a cone of yarn and being able to knit it in to any shape and form we want to. Also the embellishment is very prominent. It’s very 3D, from the stitches to the end shape of the garment. We like to make something truly our own and with knitwear you can do.

Alice Lee will be showing their new A/W 2012 collection on Saturday 18th February at 14.45 at Somerset House, as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout at Freemasons Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AZ.

Written by Miranda Williams on Friday February 17th, 2012 11:09 am

Categories ,Alice Lee, ,AW12, ,Bright Young Things, ,Faux Fur, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,Georgia Tackacs, ,Jo Ley, ,knitwear, ,Kris Keys, ,leather, ,Ones To Watch, ,Selfridges, ,SS12, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with British fashion designer Samantha Cole

Illustration by Gabriel Ayala

British fashion is normally typified by its quirky features, this web but Samantha Cole of Samantha Cole London is a stand out star in her own rights. Having presented her collection Identity III: A New Dawn at the London Fashion Week On|Off Presents… show and winning Best Womenswear Designer at New York Fashion Week for Spring Summer 2009, buy more about she is truly a force to be reckoned with. In an interview with her, malady I got to know the inner workings of her creative mind, and pick her brains (er…not literally) about her unique style.

Your Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, Identity III: A New Dawn, made heavy use of your smocking technique, giving the fabrics a beautiful texture. Do you think that this is a key element in the feeling of “coming out, coming through, a fresh start and something new” that you had?

The feeling of coming out and coming through was more from a cleansing point of view and starting over with a clean slate which, in its purest state, was emphasised through the use of white. It was a re-birth into something new that felt almost alien-like and surreal in approach, which can be seen from the styling images of the collection to further enhance this point. ?It is my love of structure, detail, texture and architecture that produced the smocking techniques inspired by the pyramids of Egypt used to create the textured feel to the collection.

Besides your smocking technique, there is an elegance and grace in your clothing, which is arguably difficult to find when using your unique and exaggerated silhouettes. How would you define the style your line exemplifies?

Thank you for that, it’s the first time my work and the words “elegance and grace” have been used in the same sentence. ?My style stems from a definitive point of view, very rarely subtle or subdued. It can be aggressive to further emphasis a point and for the most, be part fearless in its approach. This can be seen in more detail through the styling of my work, it goes beyond the garments to produce a complete overall look of my inspiration which, for the most part, is a combination of both fantasy and reality.

Your previous two collections Identity: A Journey of Self Discovery and Identity II: Warrior, as well as A New Dawn, both feature quite voluminous and textured aspects, especially in the tailored yet feminine qualities. Would you agree in saying that these techniques create an haute-couture element to your designs?

To some degree yes it does, I love detail and textures which does give that couture feel but still like to keep the silhouettes simple at the same time.

Your collections tend to only draw very little influence from modern trends. Every designer in the industry is unique, but do you feel that your collections, such as A New Dawn, allow you stand out like many designers before you, such as the late Alexander McQueen?

I don’t know that I stand out as such, but there are a plethora of creative minds doing similar things who are also unique in their approach. I just do what I want to do regardless of what’s going on around me. ?In regards to my influences, it’s really what I’m drawn to at that time. Though having said that, there is so much to pull from the past, which I find more interesting as a designer to do.

Illustration by Gabriel Ayala

You worked on the design team at Burberry before your venture into your own label, leaving that uniquely British imprint on your designs. Do you feel that your designs exemplify what British fashion is all about?

British fashion for me has always been about creativity, individuality, eccentricity, rebellion and the freedom to explore your skills and talent to the fullest. It’s the complete and total abandonment that you can only get here in the UK, which is why I love this country so much and why it’s such a perfect fit for me. So in answer to your question, yes, I do believe that my designs exemplify what british fashion is all about.

Arguably, there is a lack of popularity among British brands in the market, with the exception of the likes of Burberry, and that consumers aren’t really aware of other labels. Do you feel that, as an award-winning British label, there is a need to promote the rebellious and eccentric natures? Do you feel that Samantha Cole London could be a potential front-runner in promoting these British natures?

I don’t look to what the industry wants, expects or requires. It’s not intentional to rebel or to be seen as different, and I’m personally so overwhelmed with the outpouring of so much commerciality, that I’m sometimes bored to tears. I’m not here to raise the flag or be a front runner but just to be me and express my thoughts and ideas through what I do. It’s why I got into the industry in the first place – I have something to say, it may be considered rebellious, but it’s just an opinion. Something I don’t go out of my way or ethos to express, and definitely wouldn’t, is consider myself a poster child or otherwise to what you call “British natures”….I’m just me, doing me.

Illustration by Gabriel Ayala

With the head scratching, questions out of the way, I took it upon myself to ask Miss Cole a few quick fire questions:

Do you prefer sketching designs or actually constructing them?

Constructing them for me is the fun part, the first garment mostly sets the path for the rest of the collection and i never end up with what I sketched anyway, so it is sometimes a waste of my time

What do you like the most about designing your clothes?

Experimenting with textures and details

How would you define your personal style in three words?

Dark, understated, confused

What does fashion mean to you in three words?

Creativity, rebellion, individuality

What advice would you give to anyone who would like to follow in your footsteps and do fashion design?

I think if it is their dream and passion they should go for it. It will be stressful, tiring, exhausting, most days feel like an emotional rollercoaster and it can be disheartening but as long as they stay true to the dream and the passion they started with and are in it for the right reasons, then I say great!!…The fashion industry is an amazing place to be, and design is the hub of creativity.

You can see more of Samantha Cole’s collections on her website, and read our review of the On|Off Presents… show here.

Written by Colin Dawidziuk on Wednesday May 26th, 2010 3:11 pm

Categories ,A/W 2010, ,British Fashion, ,Burberry, ,Colin Dawidziuk, ,Gabriel Ayala, ,London Fashion Week, ,onoff, ,On|Off Presents…, ,Rebellion, ,Samantha Cole, ,Smocking, ,Texture, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with fashion designer David Longshaw

Latitude 2010-Ivo Graham Blind Date by Amelia Gregory

James Acaster by Kathryn Jones.

Over the course of Latitude I saw numerous comedians, online some of whom appeared as comperes on other stages when not performing to surely one of their biggest ever audience (of thousands) in the Comedy Arena. The Cabaret Arena was much favoured, cialis 40mg as of course was the Literary Arena – hanging out with Robin Ince and his fabled posse.

Kevin Eldon, sildenafil Phil Jupitas, Josie Long… they all dropped by, frequently.

Latitude 2010-Phil Jupitas by Amelia Gregory
Phil Jupitas. Photography by Amelia Gregory.

Robin Ince by Stacie Swift.

My favourite part of the longstanding Book Club was a guide to one of Robin Ince’s favourite bad books: Mens’ Secrets, set to a duelling musical accompaniment.

Latitude 2010 James Acaster by Amelia Gregory
James Acaster.

James Acaster was one such novice who I saw happily entertaining pre-act literary crowds with clever improv. Teenage wonder Ivo Graham kept the Cabaret crowd thoroughly entertained with his impromptu rendition of Blind Date – amusingly he is so young he had to be told of Cilla’s name. Weird to think of Blind Date already consigned to ancient TV history.

The main Comedy Arena was my favourite place to hang out in 2007, and it’s popularity continues to grow. Despite additional wing tents on each side of the huge central marquee, the arena remained unable to contain the enthusiastic crowds, who kicked up huge volumes of dust with every new exodus and influx.

Abi Daker - Ivo Graham
Ivo Graham by Abigail Daker.

One of the biggest draws of Latitude is the chance to discover new talent. Ivo Graham is a mere 19 years old, which made his ability to engage a massive audience all the more impressive. With jokes centred around Facebook, pesky younger brothers and getting in trouble with mum, he still struck a chord with the older folks.

Eric Lambert by Gareth A Hopkins.

Eric Lambert was winner of the Latitude New Act of the Year 2010, although from what I heard Ivo would have been way more deserving…. or James. Eric’s winning performance centred around an improv routine that wasn’t always quite up to scratch.

Latitude 2010-Eric Lambert by Amelia Gregory
Eric Lambert.

He was cheeky and sexual, no doubt a hit with the ladies. It’s proved nigh on impossible to do any research into Eric since he seems to have zero internet presence… but I would guess from his demeanour that he’s a big fan of Russell Brand.

docbrown_by_iamanoctopus
Doc Brown by Iamanoctopus.

Of the better known comedians I really enjoyed the guide to slang courtesy of Doc Brown, who was formerly a rapper and just happens to be younger brother of Zadie Smith. Sucking snot out of his small child and inappropriate comments on packed buses define his descent towards the normality of family life.

stephen-k-amos-suziewinsor
Stephen K. Amos by Suzie Winsor.

Following him on Friday South Londoner Stephen K. Amos was suitably un-PC, berating his previous Yorkshire audience for its lack of diversity, ripping the piss out of posh people, bemoaning his old age (he’s 35. there’s no hope for me) and generally causing loud if somewhat uncomfortable chuckles across the arena.

On Sunday we caught the tail end of Rufus Hound, who was indeed face-painted up like a dog, if somewhat lacking of a tail. He spoke of the trials and tribulations of marriage and babies… which led onto the misogynistic diatribe of Richard Herring, a 43 year old singleton who made jokes about tit wanks and gay sex, accompanied by a signer for those hard of hearing. Or perhaps just to afford the opportunity to make yet more lewd jokes.

Richard Herring by Sine Skau.

He also over-milked an incredibly tedious tirade about Mars Bars that met with a fairly frosty reception… that became part of the act… that increased it’s tediousity. I think he was my least favourite comedian at Latitude.

ANDREW LAWRENCE Faye Skinner
Andrew Lawrence by Faye Skinner.

Next up Andrew Lawrence was really quite sinister but also strangely endearing, geared as his jokes were around his all round lack of appeal. Hey, why the sadness? I’ve always had a soft spot for scrawny gingers! Leaning back at a jaunty angle and grinning demonically he spoke of his semi-autistic relationship with his current (long-suffering) girlfriend. Hey, doesn’t that cover most men?

Lastly, Deborah Francis White put on a genius show on Sunday in the Cabaret Arena. “Every actor wants to be in a sitcom, every man wants to be in a woman,” she informed us, talking us through a series of pie charts that showed the different state of mind for women. Whilst we’d like practically every man we meet to want to sleep with us (approximately 95% according to Deborah) the reverse is true when it comes to the amount of men we actually want to sleep with.

Deborah Francis White Oversees a Bra Fight by Gareth A Hopkins.

To a chorus of knowing laughter from women, slightly nervous laughter from the men, she talked us through the best way to pull the opposite sex. “Be a Scorsese movie!” she opined, extolling the virtues of confidence. “You’re probably not going to get a part in me…” But the point is that every man should want to. Even if the reason they’re so fixated on lesbian porn is simply “two tits good, four tits better.” She persuaded the women in the audience to stroke themselves on the breast to turn the men on, pulled people out of the audience to follow her instructions on how to tell a girl on the tube she’s gorgeous, and finished with a bra wrestling match between two men. Because who wants to sleep with a man who can’t get a bra off with one hand?

The comedy at Latitude Festival is undeniably one of its biggest selling points… now if only they could figure out how to accommodate the heaving numbers of people that yearn to be amused.

David Longshaw, patient illustrated by Abigail Wright

David Longshaw is a man of many talents. Aside from designing his own label, look he is passionate about writing and illustrating not only for various publications but as part of the creative process behind his collections.

After his passion for fashion lead him to an open day at the famous Central St Martins, try where all his favourite designers had attended, before even completing his GCSE’s, he decided to go ahead with A Levels at his local Grammar school whilst taking Wednesday afternoons off to study pattern cutting at an Adult education centre as his first step onto that ladder towards success. It worked.

Now, with an impressive resume boasting a degree, an MA, various awards, work with designers such as Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara and his own label, he is as motivated as ever and yet to satisfy that inner taste for success in the fashion industry.

AW10, illustrated by Krister Selin

How did you get from such humble beginnings, attending just one pattern cutting class a week, to working with such big designers and creating your own label?
During the summer that followed my A Levels, I did a work placement with Adam Entwisle, working on his LFW debut collection. I then studied Art Foundation at Manchester Metropolitan and carried on my pattern cutting, studying the advanced course. Then, during that summer I did work experience at Clements Ribeiro and Hussein Chalayan before starting at St Martins, where I studied BA (Hons) Fashion Design Womenswear.

The fabric for my graduate collection was given to me by Richard James after doing a work placement there on Savile Row during my second year and the collection won the Colin Barnes Drawing Prize and the Esme Fairburne Award.

After St Martins I went straight on to the Royal College of Art studying (MA) Fashion Design Womenswear. I was asked to design for Alberta Ferretti before I finished my graduate collection but said I wanted to finish my MA, so the day after graduating I moved to Italy to design for Alberta. It was great being offered the job before graduating as it meant I could concentrate on my collection and I knew I’d get great experience from designing in Italy.

My MA collection was selected for the Final of ITS#6 (Trieste) and Le Vif Weekend (Belgium) and I then went on to design for Max Mara in Italy before coming back to start my own label.

David Longshaw at Ones to Watch, AW10, photographed by Matt Bramford

Where do you get inspiration from for your own label?
I’m inspired by short illustrated stories I create specially for each new season. My last collection was called ‘Escaping Emily’, it was about a puppet who was discovered by a slightly disturbed fashion designer called Emily who had moved to work in Italy.

Some of the illustrations I then turned in to prints for the dresses – and the cogs that were in some prints and sewn on to some garment, came from the section where Emily finds the puppet in a hamper style basket that’s full of camera and watch parts. The colours, shapes and prints all come from the story.

Illustration from David’s sketchbooks

Are there any designers that you would compare yourself to or that you admire?
I wouldn’t compare myself to any one really but I really admire a variety of designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada and Ricardo Tisci at Givenchy. Kirsty Ward is a really exciting designer who’s launching her own label this September, after working for Alberta Ferretti and doing jewellery for my collections.

Are there any pieces from your collections that you are particularly fond or proud of?
I have a few favourites. One of them is a cog print cropped jacket from my last collection that wasn’t actually on the catwalk in the end as I felt there was enough going on with the dresses and it would have detracted from the total look. I also like the pleated dresses from the last collection as they were the trickiest to construct but after a severe lack of sleep, wither out how I wanted.

Illustration by David Longshaw

What else do you get up to in any spare time that you manage to have? Is there anything other than designing that you like to immerse yourself in?
I also do some writing and illustrating for different magazines which you can find links to on the press section of my website. There’s also a section called ‘Maudezine’ where I’ve interviewed Holly Fulton and JulieVerhoven. I’ve also written about up and coming designers with fictional character Maude for Disorder magazine which is quite amusing.

Other than that, I really love going to galleries and the theatre with my girlfriend when we both have the time! I also really like watching rugby and football, especially live. I’ve not had much time to go since starting working for myself but I get the odd match in with my dad or friends.

AW10, illustrated by Krister Selin

So, what’s next for David Longshaw?
Well short term I’m working on my new collection for September, which I’m planning on exhibiting in London and then Paris. I’m expanding my collection to include some more, simpler pieces using my illustrations as prints so they are more accessible for shops and customers. That will also mean I can have a few more extreme pieces in the collection to balance it all out which should be fun. I’ll also be continuing writing and illustrating.

Where do you see yourself in the future?
Hopefully still being as creative as possible – designing , writing and illustrating, just hopefully on a bigger scale with my own larger creative company.

David Longshaw at Ones to Watch, AW10, photographed by Matt Bramford

Written by Siobhan Fagan on Thursday July 22nd, 2010 11:50 am

Categories ,Abigail Wright, ,Adam Entwisle, ,Alberta Ferretti, ,Central St Martins, ,Clements Ribeiro, ,David Longshaw, ,Disorder Magazine, ,Emily, ,Givenchy, ,Holly Fulton, ,Hussein Chalayan, ,JulieVerhoven, ,Karl Lagerfeld, ,Kirsty Ward, ,Krister Selin, ,London Fashion Week, ,ma, ,Manchester Metropolitan, ,Maudezine, ,Max Mara, ,Miuccia Prada, ,Ones To Watch, ,paris, ,Pattern Cutting, ,Ricardo Tisci, ,Richard James, ,Royal College of Art, ,Savile Row, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with fashion designer Fam Irvoll

Illustration by Dee Andrews

Fam irvoll is is a Central Saint Martins graduate with a star studded following including Lady Gaga and Marina Diamandis (remember that pink flamingo dress?). Her cupcake headbands were an instant hit, nurse her Alice in Wonderland style collections and adverts create a sense of accessible fantasy and she is just about to launch her floral themed S/S 2011 collection. It features exaggerated flowers alongside pop-art influenced speech bubbles, graphic print makeup and big bold red lips. Not one to shy away from brights, she is known for creating fun, quirky designs in glaringly bold colours, and fresh shapes.

From reviews and images of your shows, it seems that you like to entertain people, is that important to your designs?
Yes! It’s a huge part of what I do, as my clothes are not really commercial pieces I just want to go all the way and make it as anti-commercial during the show as I possibly can. I love crazy and that’s what I’m trying to portray with my work and with the entertainment. I always have either a film, dancers, singers or burlesque acts to entertain the people and to supplement the red tread throughout the catwalk show. People seem to really like it.

Illustration by Jenny Costello

They certainly do, a lot of high profile people have worn your designs, who has flattered you the most by wearing your clothes?
Lots of amazing people; off the top of my head, the lovely Marina (Diamandis), Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Mika, Katy Perry, Paloma Faith and a lot of Norwegian singers.

?Who is your ultimate muse?
I would have to say Marina from Marina and the Diamonds. She is just really lovely and I know she genuinely likes my stuff; at the same time she’s an amazing singer and a beautiful woman that you really can put anything on and it would look amazing. I really do love her style in general; it’s quirky and fun, just like me!

?The collections you design are always so fun and full of energy, where do you find your inspiration?
Usually from art, toys, films, food and just by going to London and going out clubbing and watching people. I love the London gay tranny scene; there are so many amazing people so it’s extremely easy to get inspired. We don’t really have a scene like that back home in Norway, so I feel really fortunate to have so many crazy looking friends in London that I can go and visit…I must say I really miss the good old times with Boombox every Sunday in Hoxton Square.

Illustration by Farzeen Jabbar

So, do you miss living in London?
I absolutely loved London and CSM, those must have been my best years so far. I love love, love, love London and everything you can do there. London is the city that never sleeps, with all the cool freaks. I made so many amazing friends during that time and did so many crazy things. CSM was also a really good experience; I love all the creativity that goes on behind all those doors. It’s amazing and I’m so happy I got in there.

Onto the collections…There are flamingos, tea cups and croquet resonant in your work, where did the fascination with Alice in Wonderland begin?
?It started in my final year of fashion school in Norway, in 2005. The year Gwen Stefani’s ‘What You Waiting For?’ video came out. I think I died for a second the first time I saw that amazing Alice in Wonderland video. It made me rethink my whole final collection. I’ve always loved the film and the book but it never really came into place before that video came out.

As well as an abundance of flowers for this collection, candy and cupcakes feature in a lot of your designs, do you like sweet things? Do you like cake?
I actually don’t really like cake, only cheesecakes. But I love looking at sweet things and I do get inspired by candy and pastry, but I’m more of a Scandi-salty-liquorish-kind of gal!

Roy Lichtenstein appears to be a huge influence on your most recent collection, and carried through to the makeup on the models. How did you arrive at the concept?
I have a massively huge Lichtenstein picture in my living room and that’s where the makeup came from. I called the make up artist that does fashion week and asked if it would be possible to do it in the amount of time that we had before the show and she was really positive to the idea of trying it out. My whole collection was inspired by Pop Art and by Salvador Dali; I have always been a huge fan of the movement and I have collected art books from this era for ages – so I finallt got to do a tiny tribute.

Illustration by Avril Kelly

A lot of your clothes and accessories requires some good knitting skills to create, do you knit?
Well, I have a BA in womenswear from ESMOD in Oslo and then I have a Fashion Knitwear BA from CSM in London, so yes I do knit. But usually I only do the samples and then someone else will do the rest, because I don’t have time to do it all. My mum actually started to knit and did lots of different courses so that she could help me! ?

It’s a floral theme so finally, what’s your favourite flower?
?The rose, because of all the different beautiful colours you can get them in.

Written by Florence Massey on Tuesday December 7th, 2010 4:54 pm

Categories ,Avril Kelly, ,beyonce, ,Boombox, ,Burlesque, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Cheesecake, ,cupcakes, ,Dee Andrews, ,Fam Irvoll, ,Farzeen Jabbar, ,Flowers, ,Katy Perry, ,knitwear, ,Lady Gaga, ,london, ,Marina and The Diamonds, ,Mika, ,Norway, ,paloma faith, ,Pop Art, ,Salvador Dali, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with fashion designer James Hock

James Hock A/W 2011, viagra illustrated by Jaqueline Kishi

For some time, James Hock has been on our radar as an extraordinary, rising talent. Finally, we got the chance to speak to the fashion designer about his audacious collections, inspirations and Lady Gaga.

James, you recently exhibited your fourth collection for A/W 2011 at London Fashion Week (your third was visited by Amelia). How was that?
Yes I did. Becc from Bloody Gray PR was there to look after everything so I didn’t have to be there every day. But the feedback to the collection has been great. Very exciting.

This collection is entitled ‘Kpixoos Kaabos’. What’s the story?
It’s loosely inspired by Desmond Davis’ 1981 version of ‘Clash of the Titans’, so if anyone is a fan, they should know where KPIXOOS KAABOS pops up in the movie. Having said that, it’s not exactly the actual phrase but it’s something I anglicised.

James Hock A/W 2011, illustrated by Alia Gargum

Initially, you trained as an accountant. When did you fall for fashion and how did you make that transition?
Well, fashion has always been there. Perhaps not in the driving seat at that time but it’s definitely the co-driver and not a passenger that I just picked up. The transition was actually quite natural, it’s a matter of deciding who should be the driver and everything just changes organically.

As with your previous collections, your latest unveiled many wonderful textural contrasts. How do you select materials?
Hmm.. I don’t know. I guess you just do have a rough idea of what you want when you are sketching. And after that, it’s a matter of playing around with the different ideas and materials ‘til they feel right together.

You also continue to experiment with shape, which you began memorably in your first collection, ‘Sleeping with Dali’. How do you negotiate the balance between fashion as art, and wearable clothing?
I think I’m very much still learning to find the balance. It is sometimes too easy to just make something crazy. It does take a lot more to exercise restraint. But I think at the end of the day, you just have to stay true to what you are doing and also to the collection as a whole.

James Hock A/W 2010, illustrated by Karina Järv

Which are your favourite pieces, and why?
Oooh.. that’s a hard question. I have a new favourite piece with every new collection. But I do really like my EZ Cobra Trousers from the Sleeping With Dali collection. I have one in cotton drill with silver zippers and I literally live in them.

Your collection for S/S 2011 is called ‘The Unloved’ and features harlequin clowns. Tell me more!
It was a very emotionally sad collection and I kinda channeled the emotion through the eyes of harlequins, Stancyzk in particular, as painted by Jan Matejko. I think a lot of people see it as very ‘circus’ which it isn’t at all. To me, the collection was very lonely, very restrained and very regal.

The name you choose for each season is highly evocative. To what extent do you create a backstory and how does that originate?
Every collection has a story and journey. It usually starts with an idea that could come from anywhere and anything. And then it’s a matter of exploring the idea and finding your narrative and creating your ending. It’s very much like writing a book I imagine.

Do you ‘revisit’ previous collections before starting anew, or are you keen to achieve something entirely different every time?
For me every new collection in a way is a re-action to the last. I don’t think I ever set out to achieve something entirely different but after working on a collection for many many hours, you just kinda naturally want to try something else. It would be quite mundane otherwise.

Say I’m wearing one of your designs. How do you want me to feel?
I think a James Hock woman should always feel comfortable and confident. You should definitely feel that you are being yourself and totally nonchalant. But I guess deep down inside, you do feel a little special, just a little.

I can see Gaga wearing James Hock. Are you a fan?
I think she’s a very clever girl and I guess in terms of manufactured pop, she’s at least fun to look at. My only concern is that she has somehow trivialized the work of designers and made fashion very disposable. Having said that, I wouldn’t say no to a lil’ Gaga on the dance floor.

James Hock S/S 2011, illustrated by Sam Parr

In what ways do you find fashion an effective portal for addressing serious issues?
I think fashion is an effective portal only on a short term basis. And this is purely because the very cyclical nature of fashion itself. Fashion is about change and it is about now. After that, we move on. It doesn’t mean we have forgotten and not care about the previous issue but there are simply other issues that perhaps resonate more socially and culturally.

Your second collection, ‘The witch, the bitch and the…’ becomes increasingly dark. This culminates in the disarmingly dramatic ‘Roger II’. What were you saying there?
It was a rather angry collection. There’s a lot of element of being restricted and not being able to do what you want. It’s definitely an “I can’t take this anymore!” kinda collection.

James Hock A/W 2011, illustrated by Laura Wiggins

How do you help your models to portray the mood of each collection so effectively?
It takes a good team to get all things right and I’m lucky to have a team that I work with regularly. I do always have a vision but sometimes someone else’s idea can add a whole new dimension to the collection, and I find that to be extremely refreshing.

For ‘Sleeping with Dali’, you used mostly black and gold. ‘The witch, the bitch and the…’ and ‘Kpixoos Kaabos’ consist of (nearly) all black. For ‘The Unloved’, it’s black and red. Why do you limit your palette and is this a James Hock signature?
I think it is (for now). I don’t try to stay away from colour but at this moment the very controlled palette just suits my direction better.

Red and black certainly provide a contrast to typical Spring/Summer florals, nudes and holiday hues. Do you feel that designers complicate clothes with too much colour?
It is very much a matter of preference and usage. A piece of clothing can be over complicated regardless of whether it is monotone or have 100 hues. And yes, black and red is a huge contrast for spring but I guess not everyone wants to look like a bouquet just because the sun is out.

What are James Hock’s plans for 2011?
Ooh.. very exciting. Knitwear was introduced in the recent collection and is definitely an area that will be further explored. There is also an online project kicking off soon and a couple of other projects I’m keeping mum.

How can fans buy James Hock?
Through our website, www.jameshock.co.uk for this season. There will be a few others for the A/W collection, so that’s really exciting too.

Finally, James, how would you describe your personal style?
I asked my friend this question and the answer he gave was esoteric. So, there you go!

All photographs A/W 2011, courtesy of James Hock.

Written by Kate Ingram on Wednesday April 27th, 2011 4:48 pm

Categories ,Alia Gargum, ,black, ,Bloody Gray PR, ,Clash of the Titans, ,Desmond Davis, ,EZ Cobra trousers, ,fashion, ,Gold, ,illustration, ,interview, ,James Hock, ,Jan Matejko, ,Jaqueline Kishi, ,Karina Jarv, ,knitwear, ,Kpixoos Kaabos, ,Lady Gaga, ,Laura Wiggins, ,Red, ,Regal, ,Sam Parr, ,Sleeping with Dali, ,The Unloved, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with fashion designer Masha Ma

Masha Ma, discount AW 2011, illustrated by Holly Exley

Womenswear label Masha Ma, described as “semi-couture”, features fabulously chic and powerful silhouettes with a contemporary yet elegant feel. The stunning structural tailoring is shown beautifully through dramatic styling and inspirational photography.

Masha completed her MA in Womenswear at Central Saint Martins in 2008, where her collection was selected to be shown at London Fashion Week and went on to be bought by B Store. She then went on to win the ‘Mouse Ji Best International Innovation’ Award at 2009′s China Contemporary Design Contest.

This year she will also be presenting her collection at the Palais du Louvre during Paris Fashion Week in October. And with publications such as Vogue, Elle, Pop, Harper’s Bazaar, AnOther Magazine, Cosmopolitan, L’Officiel and even French Playboy featuring the label it seems well on it’s way to global success.
I caught up with Masha during her busy schedule…

Images from Masha Ma AW 2010/11, Resort, courtesy of Masha Ma

I love your latest collection, there are some stunning silhouettes and the styling and photography is beautiful! What was your inspiration?
The collection was inspired by Nancy Sinatra’s song, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. The garments had prints with bullets on them and safety pins as embellishments all in combination with soft feminine fabrics.

How would you describe your design principles to anyone who wasn’t familiar with your work?
Chic, modern arrogance, semi-couture with designs that are bold yet intricate and focus on the unraveling of the female form.

You must be excited for your London Fashion Week debut as well as your up coming collection presentation at the Louvre. How has the preparation been?
It is an incredibly exciting time now and even though it has been so busy, my team and myself are having a great time working towards it.

What shows are you looking forward to seeing at London Fashion Week?
We’re so busy with our own show, I don’t think I will have time to see any other shows.

Is music important in your studio? What’s been on the stereo recently?
Our studio has a very eclectic sound coming out of it; with so many different people working together we have all sorts of different music playing all the time. From Lady Gaga to Nouvelle Vague and Rachmaninov, we’ve got all areas covered.

Masha Ma, SS 2010, Illustrated by Aniela Murphy

What advice would you give to anyone with the dream of pursuing a career in fashion?
Stay focused, work hard and don’t forget to have fun.

Are there any blogs you read religiously? Or any you find interesting or inspiring?
I try to read as many blogs as possible; it is such an amazing new media you just can’t ignore. It would be hard to pick a favourite but I have been reading Amelia’s magazine for quite a while!

And finally, what’s your next goal?
Right now all the focus lies in creating the new SS11 collection. I guess my immediate goal would be, successfully getting through our London Fashion Week show and our trip to Paris.

Written by Ester Kneen on Wednesday August 4th, 2010 4:43 pm

Categories ,Aniela Murphy, ,Another Magazine, ,b Store, ,Central Saint Martins, ,China Contemporary Design Contest, ,Cosmopolitan, ,couture, ,Elle, ,Harper’s Bazaar, ,Holly Exley, ,Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, ,L’Officiel, ,Lady Gaga, ,London Fashion Week, ,ma, ,Masha Ma, ,Nancy Sinatra, ,Nouvelle Vague, ,Palais du Louvre, ,paris, ,Paris Fashion Week, ,photography, ,Playboy, ,pop, ,Rachmaninov, ,vogue, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with fashion designer Ramil Makinano

Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Milly Jackson

I first saw the weird and wonderful work of Ramil Makinano at the Toni&Guy Hair Show during London Fashion Week last month. The show, which I very much enjoyed, was all about hair as you can imagine; the clothes were selected to compliment the hairstyles and were pretty basic. That is, except for the final pieces. Vibrant colours and odd shapes flooded the runway, and as a result of my review, Ramil got in touch to introduce himself. I couldn’t wait to find out more about this unique designer.

I met Ramil on a chilly Monday evening at Bar Music Hall in Shoreditch. It had been hard to pin him down, and I was about to find out why. Born and raised in the Philippines, Ramil moved to London fifteen years ago on a nursing scholarship with the NHS, despite being thoroughly passionate about fashion from an early age. ‘It was a good way to move away,’ Ramil told me as we took a seat with our beers. ‘I was interviewed in Manilla, and was one of the first few people to be brought over by the NHS.’ Ramil’s passion for nursing and inevitable need to fund his collections still see him working at St Thomas’ Hospital at weekends.

Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Maria del Carmen Smith

After 8 years working as a nurse after qualifying in London, Ramil decided to return to his desire to become a fashion designer and had naturally heard of the world’s most famous fashion school – Central Saint Martins. By this time Ramil had obtained British citizenship and secured a place on the foundation course, professing to the degree specialising in print.

It was whilst studying at Saint Martins on a sandwich course that Ramil undertook placements with some of fashion’s greatest talent, experiences that he remembers very fondly. Internships at Matthew Williamson, Elisa Palomino and Diane Von Furstenberg allowed Ramil to fully explore his penchant for print. As I rub my hands together hoping for some juice on these fashion figures, I’m only slightly disappointed when Ramil has nothing but great things to say about the designers. He tells me a story about Von Furstenberg calling all the interns to the rooftop apartment of her 14th Street studios for lunch. ‘We were just sitting there, having lunch, on the roof, with Diane Von Furstenberg. It was INCREDIBLE!’ he exclaims. He attributes his successes whilst studying to course lecturer Natalie Gibson. ‘I owe her so much,’ he tells me, ‘she’s an incredible woman.’

Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Estelle Morris

We move on to talk about Ramil’s breathtaking final collection that I saw at the Toni&Guyshow and that he presented during the CSM presentations in the summer. He digs out his portfolio and comes across a little nervous when talking me through it. ‘I feel like it’s a job interview!’ says Ramil. I feel like Diane Von Furstenberg for a mere moment, and I’m not complaining. Ramil’s inspiration for his collection came from two disparate sources – Medieval armour and Margaret Thatcher. Well, not that disparate when you consider satirical cartoons of the Iron Lady in Medieval garb, I suppose.

Pages from Ramil Makinano’s sketchbooks

His obsession with colour, texture and the aesthetic properties of materials is all over this collection. It’s fascinating to see where a designer started with their research and where they finished; where the collection has come from. Ramil leafs through page after page of design inspiration; vibrant patterns, sketches of Thatcher, photocopies of Medieval source material, grabs from movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars. His journey began at the Tower of London, and it is the armoury he saw there, with its bold silhouettes and sense of purpose that inspired Ramil so much. Throw in a powerful woman like Thatcher and you’ve got a seriously ambitious collection on your hands. ‘I didn’t want it to be serious, though,’ Ramil informs me. ‘I wanted to keep it playful; to be fun.’ Even the hardest-nosed critics would have trouble not finding any fun in this set of outfits.

Shapes in the collection are visibly inspired by the curves and sculpture of armoury, constructed from neoprene using techniques Ramil created himself. These are presented in a variety of bold colours, and the ensembles feature playful, almost childlike, prints of rockets and spaceships. It wasn’t a easy task by any means. ‘I had to make at least 8 toilles per garment,’ Ramil explains. ‘I am always seeking perfection.’ We discuss the surge in digital printing. ‘I do like digital prints, but I prefer traditional methods. I spent hours in the studio matching colours, testing colours – I like the interaction between fabrics and dyes that you don’t get with digital methods. I spent my whole student life in the print room, but I have no regrets. It’s not glamorous either, it’s dirty work!’

Ramil Makinano‘s Graduate Collection illustrated by Milly Jackson

So who does he admire? ‘Matthew [Williamson] and Diane [Von Furstenberg] especially – people who are successful in fashion but have their feet firmly on the ground.’ He also likes labels that continue to employ traditional methods – only Eley Kishimoto and Zandra Rhodes, he believes. What else does he get up to? It’s a pretty packed week, researching Monday to Friday and nursing at the weekends. ‘I love London galleries!’ he tells me, ‘because there’s so much to see. The Design Museum, the V&A, the National Gallery – they are all so wonderful.’ He try to persuade me to get a National Trust membership, one of his favoured possessions.

Pages from Ramil Makinano’s sketchbooks

He tells me he’s a ‘child of the MTV era’ and finds much inspiration in the graphics of music videos. It was an MTV show, House of Style, and Style with Elsa Klensch, that are amongst his earliest fashion memories. He tells me ‘I used to fight with my brother all the time because Elsa Klensch‘s show was on at the same time as American Basketball!’

So what’s next for Ramil? He’s currently researching his next collection – A/W 2012 – which promises to be ‘something completely different.’ It will most likely be print-based, but that’s all Ramil can tell me at this stage. One thing he is certain on is that he’s staying put here in London, and currently applying to various fashion bodies in the hope of a debut solo show during fashion week next September. I look forward to seeing his name on the schedule.

Photographs courtesy of Ramil Makinano

Written by Matt Bramford on Friday October 28th, 2011 5:11 pm

Categories ,2001 A Space Odyssey, ,A/W 2012, ,American Basketball, ,Armour, ,Armoury, ,Bar Music Hall, ,catwalk, ,Central Saint Martins, ,CSM, ,Design Museum, ,Diane Von Furstenberg, ,Eley Kishimoto, ,Elisa Palomino, ,Elsa Klensch, ,Estelle Morris, ,fashion, ,House of Style, ,interview, ,Iron Lady, ,London Fashion Week, ,margaret thatcher, ,Maria del Carmen Smith, ,Matt Bramford, ,Matthew Williamson, ,medieval, ,Milly Jackson, ,MTV, ,Natalie Gibson, ,National gallery, ,National Trust, ,NHS, ,print, ,Ramil Makinano, ,shoreditch, ,Star Wars, ,textiles, ,Toni&Guy, ,Tower of London, ,va, ,Womenswear, ,Zandra Rhodes

Amelia’s Magazine | Ashley Isham: London Fashion Week A/W 2013 Catwalk Review

Ashley Isham A/W 2013 by Gemma Cotterell.

This season Ashley Isham decided to up his game, producing a collection that was a dramatic break from what we’ve come to expect from this lover of draped party frocks. So it was out with the floral chiffon and jewel coloured jersey and in with hard edged military inspired jackets and sharp shouldered shift dresses. Models strode out bearing intriguing headwear: glossy black visors tilted over their eyes and tied at the back with delicate ribbon under a towering top knot. The effect was one of high octane glamour infused with an attitude of powerful defiance.

Ashley Isham AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Ashley Isham A/W 2013 by Rosa Middleton.

Standout garments included a sumptuous brocade coat decorated in exotic red and orange flowers and a bright red double breasted jacket worn over a pencil skirt with an interesting circular detail in yellow piping. An all over tropical print on loungewear appeared a bit out of place for winter, but was nonetheless welcome relief in the midst of this predominantly sombre collection.

Ashley Isham AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Ashley Isham A/W 2013 by Gaarte.

Not all of Ashley Isham‘s new found love of tailoring was successful: too much layering felt unnecessary and this was proof that peplums, capes, frills and panelling don’t always work well together. The few draped garments in this collection – khaki belted minidresses – were effortlessly simple as always, and the hard edged styling suited them well.

Ashley Isham AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Ashley Isham A/W 2013 by Gaarte.

For the finale Isham reverted to type, sending out a series of sweeping floor length dresses in rich browns topped with gunmetal embroidery, the kind that swish threateningly around ankles and cause tottering models to trip and swoop. The closing dress featured a huge skirt with an intriguing abstract grey rippled effect: I’ll be intrigued to see what Ashley Isham will do with this new exploratory vibe next season.

Ashley Isham AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Ashey Isham A/W 2013 by Isher Dhiman.

Ashley Isham AW 2013-photo by Amelia Gregory

Ashley Isham A/W 2013. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/59189457" rel="noopener">http://www.vimeo.com/59189457</a>

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday February 22nd, 2013 1:56 pm

Categories ,Ashley Isham, ,draping, ,Gaarte, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,Isher Dhiman, ,military, ,Rosa Middleton

Amelia’s Magazine | Ashley Isham: London Fashion Week S/S 2015 Catwalk Review

Ashley Isham by Laurie Nouchka.

Ashley Isham always has a flair for the dramatic and this season his models strutted down the runway before pausing to pout and pose at the ornate doors for the photographers. They wore a succession of swirling gowns in bright cerise pink, saturated royal blue and smokey greys. Ornate beaded details, fringing and curlicued lace were used in asymmetric formation with the addition of bondage inspired leather belts, which gave some edge to the proceedings. I particularly liked a pairing of softest grey silk with tomato leather shoulder caplets and wide cutout belt.

Ashley Isham SS 2015 photo by Amelia Gregory
Hats were chosen to complement the heightened sense of drama, either woven baseball caps with outsized brims, or colossal affairs; spiked urchin umbrellas from under which models could glance askew. Lips and shoes were suitably glossy, giving a further pop of colour. More wearable for the everyday were short shorts, softly draped blouses and cute floral print sleeveless dresses. Prints were animal inspired, skirts flared or pencil tight. Glamourous encrusted swimsuits were designed for the swimming pool as catwalk, glittery clutch bags the must have accessory.