Rita oRa - Fashionline Magazine

Issue no. 089
Rita
or a
Blonde ambition
Fashion
zandra rhodes
Trends
the olympics effect
fashion • tr avel • inspir ation • music
BEHIND THE SCENE S
Through
the Lens
Backstage
Each month, Fashionline explores a photographic theme.
Our September issue views the world of behind-the-scene imagery.
By Fiona Keating
BEHIND THE SCENE S
BEHIND THE SCENE S
BEHIND THE SCENE S
T
hese stunning shots are the work of Jaime
Travezan, who was asked by designer Ade Bakare
to create some images which were in a relaxed,
fly-on-the-wall backstage setting.
Ade Bakare graduated from Manchester University
College. He then began to work at the fashion houses
of Victor Edelstein and Christian Stambolian. He has
sold his collections to London boutiques such as Chic in
Hampstead and Lucienne Phillips in Knightsbridge.
jaimetravezan.com
adebakare.com
C AT WALK
Striking
looks
In the cut throat industry that is modelling, standing out from the
crowd is easier said than done. Strike Model Management reveals the
reality about the world of fashion. By ZOHRA MOLEDINA
f
rom a dining table in Beckenham
to a professional studio in the heart
of central London, cousins, friends
and co-workers Lisa and Symon have
built Strike Model Management from the
ground up. With 80 models on their books,
the pair are dedicated to success while they
conquer their ranking in the modelling
agency industry.
“We scout for girls anywhere really,” says
Lisa Brannan Owner and Director of the
agency. “I’ve scouted girls from festivals,
Sainsbury’s, the street. I even spotted a
girl this morning as I got off the tube,”
she says. Lisa immediately gives off that
down-to-earth kind of manager feel, a
rare find in such a competitive industry.
“There are occasions when you think ‘wow’
when someone walks in the room and you
immediately know that they are going to
be a success. The way it usually works is
we have walks-ins, so models that want to
be signed.
“We usually take a look at their portfolios
and any work they’ve done in the past and
I like to get a feel for their personalities as
well. We send them for test shoots out of
which we usually get two or three good
shots. These are sent off to clients who then
get in touch when and if they want to use one
of our models.” The scary attitude usually
associated with agencies was assuaged by
Lisa’s hospitality and the way she described
the models as ‘hers’ in an almost nurturing
and maternal way.
As we talked, a male model interested in
being signed had his head shots taken on the
other side of the room. The photographer
was consciously doing her best to make
him feel relaxed and it seemed positivity
and friendliness was an attribute carried by
everyone in the team, not just Lisa.
“We are a smaller agency but we are getting
a lot more clients now. I think that has a lot
to do with our location, we moved from
Beckenham to Brixton to Oxford Circus
C AT WALK
Craig Hills
C AT WALK
Ivane Grondin
and we’ve been here about a year and in that time our
reputation as rocketed and we find clients are coming to us
rather than us going to them,” Lisa continued.
“I guess our speciality is that we are a smaller agency that don’t take on hundreds of models and we are like a
small family, we are welcoming and not pretentious,” adds
Symon Brannan Head Booker and Co-Owner. “We really
look after them and have relationships with them,” Lisa
says. “They aren’t just a number to us.”
The ‘wall’ which essentially is a visual look book of
everyone they work with. Faces and names on cards – a
model’s business card, if you like. Each face had a unique
look, different but somehow fascinating in their own way.
“We don’t like taking on two models that look the same
because then I wouldn’t know which one I should send out
for a job. Also if I have someone on my books that isn’t
getting work then I will sit down and explain to them that
they aren’t getting work and that I am going to have to let
them go,” explains Lisa.
The male to female ratio is exactly the same, 40 girls and
40 boys. The girls do a little better because right now the
clients want 5”10 to 5”11 girls but this usually changes with
the weather Symon explains. “There was a phase where they
wanted Asian and Chinese men, then they started asking
for short guys with beards and then tall guys with long hair
but no beards. It changes a lot with the season and with the
client.” On some occasions this has meant scouting for a
particular look because the client has been so specific and
on others it means sending a range of models for them to
choose from.
Naturally the issue of weight did come up and Lisa has a nononsense approach. “I believe if a model is thin she should
Kasia Bober
be healthily skinny. We have a male model that I refuse
to work with because he’s too skinny. I have a nutritionist
as well whom I refer models to if I feel anybody needs
guidance. I would never push anybody into anything.”
“We have come across a few pushy mothers,” Symon laughs
and adopts a look of despair as she explains that dealing
with mothers is something she has had to tackle. “We do
take on girls that are 15 but we don’t send them out until
they are 16. We work on their portfolios and around their
Eddie Cooke
C AT WALK
Deandra
Brangman
Getting the skinny
I spoke to Ivane Giondin and Bina Balstrup, two of
Strike’s models. Both are tall and slender in build.
Ivane is olive skinned, with youth oozing off her
tiny frame and Nina pale with piercing eyes. The
two gave me the ins and outs of what modelling
really entails. After a quick fifteen minute chat with
them – here’s what I have found out:
• Models eat A LOT!
• The modelling industry is not as glamorous
as everyone thinks; they don’t live in
mansions and have people waiting on them
hand and foot.
• Some of our best photographs are from
shoots that have taken place in Kitchens.
• Most models are broke as hell.
• A final tip from the two was not to take
things too seriously, eat properly and be
confident because if you aren’t going to
love yourself – the client won’t either.
Nina
Balstrup
schooling. I have had a recent pushy mum whose daughter
didn’t have the right look but I don’t believe in sitting down
a 15-year old and telling them this because it can affect
their confidence. I usually explain that a more commercial
agency might be better suited to them.”
Looking around their office, it is clear that the ladies have
put a lot of hard work into making their business what it
is. Lisa worked as a visual fashion stylist for Prada for eight
years and built Strike from re-connecting with her endless
list of contacts, creating a website, arranging castings all
alongside Symon’s countless days of cold calling to build
up a clientele base. “I guess the industry is cut throat, we
want to be a respected company. There are some clients
that only work with larger agencies but we are small and
exclusive and show respect, so expect the same in return,”
says Symon.
Their exclusivity doesn’t stop at your average skinny 5”11
slender build either. “We have a couple of plus-size girls that
I am happy to represent. One of our clients at the moment
like the voluptuous-looking girl, so if I know I can get work
for them then I am happy to sign them,” says Lisa.
Their hard work has more then definitely paid off as
they wait to sign contracts with Topshop and Boohoo in
addition to their contracts with Vivien Westwood, Lyle
and Scott and Urban Outfitters.
CELEBRIT Y FA SHION
Singer-songwriter Kate Nash
says her style inspiration comes
from punk, Camden, 50s icons
and movies. Looks like we can
add cute daisies to the list.
CELEBRIT Y FA SHION
Style
Queens
Photo: Christopher Dadey
In the glare of paparazzi and on
the red carpets of the world,
celebs need to wow their fans
and win over new admirers. Do
these fashion plates hit the
mark? Only you can decide...
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
CELEBRIT Y FA SHION
An elfin blonde crop shows off the
fresh face of actress Jenna Elfman
at the after show party for the fifth
and Final Season of Damages after
party at The Oak Room, NYC.
English singer-songwriter Anna Calvi
chose a tailored white shirt and formal
black jacket for her appearance at the
new G-Star flagship store in Cannes.
White’s alright on the night
for actress Rose Byrne at The
DirecTV Premiere event for
the fifth and Final Season of
Damages in New York City.
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for DirecTV
Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Georgia May Jagger wears a black-andwhite polka dot shirt on her visit to
Rimmel’s Ashford Factory, checking
out all her favourite makeup products.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
CELEBRIT Y FA SHION
Actress Elizabeth Hurley and
Evelyn Lauder at The Breast
Cancer Research Foundation at
Bloomingdale’s 59th Street Store.
Hurley matched her gold shoes
with a scarlet evening dress.
Kelly Brook sparkled in Van Cleef & Arpels
at the Crazy Horse photo-call at The
National Theatre. She chose Van Cleef
& Arpels jewels, Snowflake earrings and
bracelet, platinum and round diamonds.
Photo: Kelly Brook - Van Cleef & Arpels © Photo By Mike Marsland Getty Images
CELEBRIT Y FA SHION
CELEBRIT Y FA SHION
Photo By Stefanie Keenan Getty Images
Australian beauty Cate
Blanchett wore Van Cleef
& Arpels At The 19th
Annual ELLE Women In Los
Angeles. She also sparkled
with a bracelet of cabochon
emeralds with round
diamonds in yellow gold,
1983 and earrings “Cactie”
set in yellow gold 1962.
GAD GET S
DREAM
MACHINES
Combining form and function, these beauties are all
small and beautifully formed, says Fiona Keating
W
here would we be without our little gadgets
and gizmos? Over 61% of the nation now own
and electronic gadget, according to a poll by
Endsleigh Insurance, with the laptop currently the public’s
favourite device. According to the survey, we value gadgets
ahead of our own lives, with office workers twice as likely
to insure their precious electronic devices than take out
life insurance.
Over the past decade, tablets have become a fact of life
for many of us, containing music, personal information,
photos and contacts. The market is rife with many types
of electronic tablets which are not only very useful but also
must-have items of style and design.
Here’s our pick of the most highly desirable products on
the market.
KOBO VOX
This little beauty is a colour WiFi eReader
that brings books to life with a multimedia
touch screen. At just £149.99, the Kobo
Vox has a 7-inch anti-glare screen making it
easy to read in all lights – including outdoor
reading. Its colour screen, video and audio
technology not only enhance eBook images
and illustrations but make it great for listening
to music, playing games and watching videos.
As the only official eReading partner to
Facebook, Kobo has also equipped the Vox
with a host of social media tools. Kobo
Pulse connects users reading the same
book. So, book reviews, comments and
conversations can be shared in real-time
with others on Facebook, Twitter or within
the book itself. Available from WHSmith.
GAD GET S
THE SPINNAKER
Music lovers will be drooling over
this sound system. Standing 15
inches tall, the abstract shape is
designed to be visually striking
as well as a facilitator to enhance
the audio performance. The
shape projects sound towards the
listener with a 19mm silk domed
and front facing tweeter. The
Spinnaker is Bluetooth enabled,
allowing audio connectivity to any
Bluetooth device. Price £329.99
and available from the Apple
Online Store, Currys and Comet.
CAMILEO
CLIP
One of the most
fun gadgets,
this tiny full HD
camcorder which
can attach easily
to clothing, helmets
or handlebars. It’s a useful video camera for
festival goers, allowing them the freedom
to dance the night away and whilst keeping
their hands free. It’s also perfect for any
extreme sports lovers too. It offers a rugged,
weatherproof case, 5x digital zoom and a
simple one touch operation. Available in two
colours, red and blue, it’s priced at £89.99.
VERTU
CONSTELLATION
CANDY
The collection from Frost
of London comprises
three colours, the Candy
Raspberry, the Candy Mint
Green, and finally, the Candy Tangerine, and
they all come adorned with alligator skin and
natural gem stones. All fashionistas who
splash the cash for one of these exquisite
mobiles will also get invitations to the
most influential Fashion Week shows.
GADGETS
TOM TOM
We’d be lost without it. How on earth did
we find our way round without the SatNav?
The new version, TomTom Via 130 and 135,
featuring a new Speak & Go function. Drivers
can control the device with just the sound
of their voice, as well as
making hands-free
calls, which helps
keep hands on the
wheel and focus on
the road. Speak &
Go recognises over
1,000 commands
and their synonyms,
so drivers can talk
naturally and input addresses
with ease. Plus, the TomTom Via 130 takes
safe and simple driving one step further,
with hands-free calling viaBluetooth enabling
drivers to make and answer calls safely in the
car. The TomTom Via 130 (with a 4.3 screen)
is now available for purchase, priced at £129
for the UK/Republic of Ireland map and £149
for European maps. Available from Halfords.
TV TIMES
The Polaroid 42ins Full HD
LCD Passive 3D TV is a featured
packed TV that enables you to
enjoy watching both 2D and 3D
content in high definition. The
Full HD tuner provides superb
colours and sharp picture
quality and with integrated
digital Freeview as standard
you can view more channels,
listen to more radio stations
and receive interactive services.
Available from Asda for £399.
TABLET
The best thing about the Asus Transformer
Pad TF300T is its incredible battery life,
which will keep you on the go for with
up to 10 hours of battery life or 15 hours
through the dock, meaning you can get an
excellent amount of use before having to
recharge. The sound’s pretty good, too. The
speakers have clear sound focusing on the
highest of highs and the deepest of bass.
Available from Currys, price £399.99.
GADGETS
THE CROSSKASE
SOLAR 15
This backpack is for anyone who loves their
essential gadgets and wants to make sure
they don’t run out of charge whilst away
from home. The sturdy Solar 15 features
built-in solar panels to allow users to fully
charge their handheld devices quickly and
conveniently whilst on the move – including
phones, cameras, GPS, pocket gaming
consoles, e-readers and music devices.
Priced at £139.99 it is available now from
www.crosskase.com, Apple and Amazon.co.uk
ORAL-B TRIZONE
PORTABLE
ENTERTAINMENT
If you’re looking for a unique crowd pleaser,
try the MYTV2GO from Haupage. The easy
to use digital wireless TV receiver is designed
so you can watch or record TV on your iPad,
iPod, iPhone, MAC or PC over a built in WiFi
network which means you won’t be using
your 3G data tariff either. Yes, that means
you can watch your favourite programmes
with cost free abandon with a quality that far
outstrips conventional ways of mobile TV
streaming applications. Not bad for 99.99.
Developed after 7 years of clinical
trials, this clever little gadget has
been designed to look and feel like
an ordinary manual brush – but
with extra cleaning benefits of a
power brush. It doesn’t matter which
brushing style is used, the TriZone
will still remove up to 100% more
plaque than an ordinary manual
toothbrush. The Power tip bristles
are angled forward and sweep wide.
Through wide sweeping, TriZone
covers an area that is significantly
wider than a regular manual brush,
which ensures all areas can be
cleaned - even far back in the mouth.
Now, everybody say cheese…
INSPIR ATION
Swinging
London
Taking a trip down memory
lane, Natasha Szymaniak
explores a time when
bright colours and swirly
patterns ruled the world.
The pop-art fashion of Mary Quant from 1965
INSPIR ATION
“From the poodle skirts and embellished leathers of the rockers,
the cool styling of the Mods, the high baroque of Psychedelia and
the kitsch glamour of 1970s retro, this exhibition celebrates the
time when British popular culture first captivated the world.”
(Fashion and Textile Museum, 2012)
T
Harry Gordon’s “Eye” disposable dress, 1967.
HE Fashion and Textile Museum could never be described as
mundane or as “just another boring museum,” even from the
outside. Its bright pink and orange exterior makes it stand out
amongst other buildings on Bermondsey Street. Founded by the eccentric,
neon haired, textile and print designer Zandra Rhodes, the museum has
been at the forefront of contemporary fashion, textiles and jewellery
in London since 2003. Alongside its exhibitions, it serves to promote
the work of up-and-coming creative students and businesses
and it always has something exciting for viewers to feast their
eyes on. At the moment it’s the POP! exhibition, curated by
Dennis Nothdruft.
This 1970s fashion focused yet compact exhibition is well worth
a visit. The show ‘POP! DESIGN • CULTURE • FASHION,’
showcases British quirkiness and ground-breaking inventiveness
in fashion, music, art and print. It provides an introspective of
all that is familiar and nostalgic, including: poodle skirts from
the 50s, monochrome palettes from the 60s and white T-shirts.
It also showcases icons such as James Dean, Mary Quant,
The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Michael Caine. Finally, the
exhibition ends in the 70s decade, where Elton’s platforms,
piercings, Punk style and Vivienne Westwood give a grand
finale to the attendees
Nothdruft says, “The exhibition will provide new insight
into twenty years of popular culture from one of the most
comprehensive private collections of design and fashion.”
It features items such as Donovan’s purple flares, Elton
John’s personal wardrobe (high heels included), and some
very risqué items from Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm
McLaren’s “Sex and Seditionaries” collection. POP!
showcases the changes in society, politics, and lifestyle
through fashion, art and music. And it shows how prints
became more than just pictures.
Your trip down memory lane begins with the start of the Rock and Roll era of
1956-1959. On display are the cool and fun poodle skirts which feature music
motifs and alcohol brands, giving subliminal advertising messages.
Accessories with kitsch style and vibrant colour.
INSPIR ATION
These epitomised the beginning of the social
revolution of the Youth. The kitsch clothing and
accessories looked harmless but had a much deeper
meaning: by showing a little more than just a
cheeky bit of ankle, they symbolised a sense of
freedom from the depression of war.
1955 saw James Dean’s legendary performance
in Rebel Without A Cause, that left teenage girls
falling at his feet and boys trying to recreate that
perfectly gelled, quaffed hair, going out to buy
the ice white T-shirts and faux leather jackets the
actor wore. The exhibition is steeped in British
nostalgia, the Mods and the Rockers, Heinz
Tomato Soup, Mary Quant’s “Bazaar” collection
and Union Jack themed items. Large companies
promoted their companies through their
memorabilia. Mary Quant had her own line of
makeup while Heinz had their home collection.
At the exhibition, one can sense that this was
a time when people were proud to be British.
On show, there are some great items from Mary
Quant’s collection including her cosmetics and a lipstick
style radio complete with lipstick style packaging.
If you’re a Beatles fan then this is a great exhibition for you.
Throughout the entire show, various items including vinyl
duffle bags, posters, photographs
and an original animation slide
from the “Yellow Submarine” music
video. The entire band had a strong
influence on culture, fashion
and politics through
their time in the
charts.
The psychedelic glamour of the 70s.
Early modernist piece from Mary Quant, 1970.
From a fashion perspective, it is clear to see how some
trends have almost gone full circle and have influenced
designers of today’s collections.
The 1963 Après Ski Poncho designed by Picasso is an item
you can imagine a modern day fashionista wearing whilst
trotting down Kensington. Especially teamed with a pair
of leather trousers and some Chelsea-heeled boots. Very
Ab Fab!
However, my favourite pieces in the whole gallery were
not Twiggy’s collection of eyelashes, tights and makeup, or
the Union Jack-style dinner jacket (which Geri
Halliwell’s dad would be proud to wear).
My favourite items were the strawberryprint T-shirt designed by John and
Molly Dove for the Wonderwork
Shop. The cute and delectable long
sleeved top even comes complete
with Swarovski rhinestones. It’s to
die for! My other favourites include
the “Fry Up” themed long sleeved
T-shirt for Marshall Lester designed
INSPIR ATION
by Pamela Motown. You just can’t dislike the fun, foodfilled tackiness that makes this top just brilliant. Teamed
with a pair of skinny jeans and a simple pair of pumps, this
would still make a great weekend outfit.
The show provides a sense of innovation, creativity and
most of all, rebellion, especially with the Punk era. It’s clear
you’re in the belly of the beast when you make your way to
Vivienne Westwood’s “Sex” collection, influenced by her
lover and Sex Pistols’ Manager, Malcolm McLaren. This
pushed fashion’s boundaries. Her bondage vest with bum
flap for “Seditionaries” speaks volumes. There is no skirting
around the point or having to delve deeper for the message.
It’s all there! Before his death, McLaren was quoted saying
“You couldn’t be respectful. We didn’t do it by accident,
we did it by design. We were horrible by design.” Even by
today’s depraved standards, this is still shocking.
One of the most important and most memorable pieces of
the Sex Collection was the “Anarchy is the UK” bondage
shirt for “Seditionaries.” Made from a flimsy cheesecloth
fabric with Jamie Reed’s iconic Union Jack graphic in the
centre, it’s held together by safety pins and bulldog clips.
The shirt was designed to quickly self destruct. The clothing
designs could have been straight out of the stockrooms at
Bedlam. As they were like a mental patient straight jacket,
they evoked the feelings of paranoia and craziness. It was
schizophrenic fashion.
The exhibit would not be complete without the designs of
the museum’s founder, Zandra Rhodes. The section of the
exhibit named “Them: Art Brigade, Proto Post Modernism,”
presents the group of Londonbased designers, artists
and stylists that created
an important strand of
“Baroque Pop” in the 1970s
(Rhodes included). The
group was nicknamed
“Them” by cultural
columnist Peter York.
Rhodes a textile and
fashion
designer
became an integral
part of British PostDenim waistcoat, crammed with
Modern design. Her
embellishments, 1971.
The work of Peter Max, illustrator and designer, defined the look of the era.
“Dinosaur” collection saw a more sculpted look than her
usual collections, featuring a coat, knee length culottes and
a “Halo” hat all in a thick, beige material with colourful
appliqué flowers attached. In previous interviews Rhodes
was quoted saying: “I made very advanced statements in
1969 and through the 70s, it’s almost like the statements I
made in print…caught up with me and I have to stay on my
toes. The future of fashion really has no boundaries.”
Alongside Danny Boyles’ Olympic ceremony, POP! is a
tourist’s dream guide to British innovation and creativity.
This exhibition is an insightful slice of British popular
culture and fashion history between 1950- 1976. Its shows
the Brits without their ‘stiff upper lip’, this was rebellion
through fashion and art. Fashion was not just about
looking good, or what was in Vogue, it was a way of life.
POP! DESIGN • CULTURE • FASHION runs until 27th
October 2012 at the Fashion and Textile museum.
Exhibition opening times: Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–6pm;
Last admission 5.15pm.
Ticket prices: £7 adults, £5 students and concessions,
free entry for under 12s
www.ftmlondon.org
INTERIOR DE SIGN
The shape of
things to COME
What is the future style of our homes?
Fiona Keating picks out some designers who are destined to shine
e
VERYONE needs a helping hand and some young designers were
fortunate enough to have a boost from 100% Design, the largest UK
single-site design event which took place in September. The show has
strengthened its commitment to international young designers with a special
area called Emerging Brands at this year’s show.
It’s difficult choosing from the many talented youngsters, but the most eyecatching were the wallpaper designs of Kirath Ghundoo, multi-disciplined
design duo Plant & Moss, and environmentally intelligent furniture designer
Julio Thomas with his range of product manufactured from cardboard tubes.
Above: Arthur Analts Arthur’s work
references his passion for urban cityscapes
and street typography.
Right: Kirath Ghundoo explores contrasts with
pattern and colour in a distinct way, which
has create an enticing brand of design.
INTERIOR DE SIGN
Kirath Ghundoo
The surface pattern designer
from County Durham,
launched her first wallpaper
collection ‘Mix ‘n’ Match 11’
at 100% Design, London,
September 2011. Her
wallpapers are sustainable and
designed to be applied using a
drop, cut, paste, and re-apply
technique, limiting wastage
and using as much off the roll
as possible. Labelled as the
‘queen of pretty geometrics’,
her signature design style is
recognisable from the enticing
blocks of colour, which add
a bold statement to any
interior space. Ghundoo says
of her big break at the 100%
Design show: “It’s where I
launched my first collection
and the exposure spring
boarded me into the circuit.”
INTERIOR DE SIGN
Julio Thomas
The designer has used cardboard
tubes as the structural elements
of his furniture design to create
the Secco stool, Waynee bench
and Seven chair. Form in Void
furniture can be assembled,
and dissembled by the user
without glues or screws. An
important factor in the design
and functionality of the pieces are
that they can be easily replaced
without having to discard a whole
product. All seating can stack
to occupy as little floor space as
possible when they are not in use.
Thomas says: “I fervently hope
that there are others out there
who share a few of my ideas about
ecology, sustainability and style.”
Lorna Syson is best known for her
bespoke manipulated textile work
with three-dimensional wall flowers.
Julio Thomas defines waste as “material
without an assigned application.”
Trett Design
The design studio is based in the South East of
England and their products are hand-crafted within
seven miles of the design studio in Kent by skilled
local craftsmen using the finest sustainable resourced
timbers. The designs themselves are modern,
elegant, charming and timeless. Solid black walnut is
traditionally crafted to produce a collection of inspired
pieces consisting of a table, coat stand, and chair.
Lorna Syson
Lorna Syson Textiles was established in 2009 with
support from the Prince’s Trust. In 2010 Syson won
the Shell Live Wire Grand Idea’s Award for her British
hedgerow cushion using a fabric that combined
wool and stinging nettles. Syson’s inspiration comes
from the British countryside, especially in the Spring
season which is reflected in her new collection; Dahlia
Wallflower wallcovering, Manipulated leaf lampshade,
and her Linear Fold nettles and wool cushion.
Neil Trett’s ‘Time’ chair is crafted
from American Black Walnut with
contrasting colour features.
INTERIOR DE SIGN
Kiri Design
Constanze Schweda’s curl tables are inspired by
Kirigami, a variation of Origami whereby paper
is cut and folded into a three-dimensional form.
Founded in March this year,
Constanze Schweda’s work often
blurs the boundaries between
design and fine art with her
architectural background and
strong sculptural approach. Her
latest designs are the Curl tables
that were launched at Salone
in Milan this year. The design
of Curl is inspired by Japanese
paper art Kirigami whereby paper
is cut and folded into a threedimensional shape. Made from a
single, continuous sheet of steel,
cut and drawn into shape, it is
a sculpting process where each
piece is created as a one-off.
Niche London’s products can be contemporary
or retro, bright or muted, wood or metal.
Niche London
Founder of Niche London,
Graham Tulett is an established
designer and was Head
of Design for Avent baby
products. Niche London is a
young company established
in 2011, and the company
addresses the modern day
functions of furniture in order
to design both space saving
and practical formations.
Etienne Esmenjaud’s first creation was
the ‘Mr & Mrs Birdee’ bird houses.
INTERIOR DE SIGN
Carlton Pezaro
Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, Carlton
Pezaro creates hand-crafted quality furniture.
The sideboard and chest of drawers feature
traditional inlays in geometrical and circular
patterns and each item is constructed from solid
timbers with white and oak mahogany inlaid with
Swarovski crystal elements. Completely selftaught, he started his furniture making career
creating unique one offs utilising original 1960’s
pieces, which he turned into desirable items for
today’s homes. Married to a second generation
English antique dealer he holds the belief that
furniture should be form, function and forever
with less emphasis placed on transitional design.
Kate Cronin’s company Klickity is a contemporary design
studio specialising in home accessories and design led gifts.
CONTACTS
Kirath Ghundoo
kirathghundoo.com
Kiri Design
kiridesign.com
Lorna Syson
lornasyson.co.uk
Niche London
nichelondon.com
JiB design studio’s planter range has
sunken top surfaces to store objects
within the form of the furniture.
Plant & Moss
Plant & Moss is a creative design studio of
contemporary furniture, lighting products and interiors.
In 2008 James Plant was awarded the New Designers
100% Design Award and exhibited at 100% Futures.
Following this, James Plant & James Moss went on to
form Plant & Moss. Hand-crafted in Great Britain, their
work is made using a mixture of time honoured skills
and modern techniques. Amongst their top products
are the Bistro Stacking Chair, Companion Stool, Arco
Rod Wall Lamp, Akita Desk, and Clamp Lamp.
Plant & Moss
plantandmoss.com
Trett Design
www.trett-design.co.uk
Carlton Pezaro
carltonpezaro.com
100%Design
100percentdesign.co.uk
2012 was an exciting year for Plant & Moss, working
with the British Embassy for the Olympics, new product
launches, pop-up shops and window displays.
MENS GRO OMING
MEN’S GROOMING
We all know that the male of the species is just as keen
on looking good as the females. Angela Clerkin checks
out some top products to keep the boys happy.
Train like an
Olympic champion
Calling all Desperate Dans
Bluebeard’s Revenge was named best
shaving product of 2012 in coveted
Lookmantastic awards. Designed by a real
life ‘Blue Beard’ (a man who has to shave
twice a day) who was bored to death with
being a Desperate Dan look-alike. The range
is paraben free
and contains
ingredients such
as Decelerine
to specifically
combat tough
stubble and
reduce hair
growth, as well as tackle common shaving
problems like razor rash, burn, ingrowing
hairs, lumps and bumps.
www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk
Just for men
Every budding sports
player requires a kit to
keep them fresh and
confident on the sports
field, in the gym or on
the run. The grooming
gurus at Jack Black bring
you their team of hardworking grooming greats
to give you that winning edge. Jack Black
Turbo Wash has the fresh scent
of rosemary and ecalyptus which
open airways, loosens muscles
and supports the immune
system. Post-workout, it cleanses
and reduces the build-up of lactic
acid. Juniper Berry reduces toxins
and aids post-workout recovery.
Available from www.boots.com
Favourite flag
Sick of the sight of the
Union Jack? Absolutely
not. This beautifully
designed body lotion
set will keep patriotic
fervour high in all good
British bathrooms.
www.crystalspring.co.uk
Smooth moves
Stylish and smart, we stock an enviable
selection of traditional and contemporary
shaving sets which will allow you to shave
in comfort and style and will look great in
your bathroom. The Edwin Jagger shaving
sets makes a wonderful gift and will take
the drudgery out of the daily shaving ritual.
All from www.giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk
Rowing/indoor
rowing provides
an effective, low
impact workout
that tones,
strengthens and
streamlines your
body more than
any other single
exercise. Terry O’Neil (former Olympic
Rowing Coach) has provided an exercise
and training plan for those that are new to
training, and also these tips:
yy
20 minute bursts on the Concept2
indoor rower each day is better than
three 40 minute stints at the gym - You
can alter the settings on the rower
depending on your personal goals and
fitness levels.
yy
20 minutes on a indoor rower provides
a full body workout. You don’t have
to be up at the crack of dawn to start
training and you can participate in this
fun activity indoors in your own time.
Soothing away stress
Help for the dreaded man flu is at hand. For
those who suffer from sinus headaches or
tension headaches, the Eyezone Massager
massages 4 acupressure areas and helps
relax your eyes, stimulate circulation
and relieve the symptoms
in just a couple
of minutes.
You’ll be back in
action in no time.
www.prezzybox.com
Practical and pong-free
Most men don’t like to smell
of girly perfume, so here’s
one that has absolutely no
scent at all! And it works
like a dream so you can lift
your arms up high without
worrying about offending
the olfactory senses of your
fellow tube passengers.
www.crystalspring.co.uk
yy
Indoor rowing is successful in helping
people to lose weight and tone up
because it works every muscle group
because its muscles that burn fat and
calories in a low impact workout.
http://concept2.co.uk
Nature’s gift
Natural Empathy offer a small
but perfectly formed range of
natural skin care especially for
men. The range includes an
ultra-effective moisturiser and
after-shave conditioner and an
all-in-one hair and body wash.
The range is designed for
busy men on the go, the body
wash can be chucked into a
sports bag and used at work,
in the gym after a football
match and at home, while the
moisturiser soothes shaving
burn and moisturises dry skin all in one.
www.crystalspring.co.uk
MUSE
ZANDR A
RHODES
in
the world of fashion, it’s hard
to stand out from the crowd,
but with her pink hair, bright
colours and eye-popping designs, Zandra
Rhodes just about manages it. On the day that
I’m interviewing the designer, there’s a bit of
a crisis going on behind
the scenes. “Can you
hang on a minute?” she
asks me, before going off
to sort out the problem.
“Sorry about that,” she
laughs. “But it’s never a
dull moment!”
That phrase could well
be the clarion call for her
career which spans over
fifty years. Fearless and
bold are her trademarks,
so when her early textile
designs were considered
too outrageous by the
conservative
British
fashion industry, Rhodes
decided to make garments from her own
fabrics. Thus creating the look that was
not only startling in its originality but also
became the inspiration for many of today’s
new designers.
Her advice for those wanting to
get into the creative industries is
simple: “Don’t give up. I should
think it’s harder today. There’s
more competition.”
Perhaps it was easier when Rhodes
started, but
somehow I
doubt it. Back
in 1967 she
opened her
first shop, The Fulham
Road Clothes Shop in
London with Sylvia
Ayton. A few years later,
she set up on her own
and took her collection
to New York where it
was championed by
American Vogue. In the
UK, Rhodes’ fame grew
and she was given her
own area in Fortnum
and Mason, London.
The Seventies were the glory years, and
Rhodes was named Designer of the Year in
1972 and in 1974 was made Royal Designer
for Industry.
She has designed for clients as diverse as
Textile
designers
a r e the
Cinder ellas
of the
business w ho
don’t get
cr edit for
w h at they do
ABOVE:
La Rhodes in the glory days
of the 1980s. Photo: Robyn
Beeche; make-up and hair:
Yvonne Gold.
RIGHT:
Zandra Rhodes, Chancellor
of the University of the
Creative Arts (UCA).
Photo: Gene Nocon.
MUSE
MUSE
Artwork for Leila’s costume in Bizet’s Pearl Fishers.
you are, at some point the establishment will come
knocking on your door. In Rhodes case, it was the world
of opera, which came calling. San Diego Opera invited the
designer to create the costumes for the Magic Flute. She
soon got an
appetite for this
On the box
work and has
Sarah Jessica Parker dressed up
designed
sets
in a Zandra during an episode
and
costumes
of Sex and the City.
for Bizet’s Pearl
Fishers. She has
also worked with Houston Grand Opera on Egyptianinspired designs for Verdi’s ‘Aida’, which opened at the
Punk-inspired white wedding dresss.
English National Opera.
Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor
Rhodes has also devoted much of her time to
and Freddie Mercury. She continues to clothe
setting up the Fashion and Textile Museum
and design the rich and famous around the
in London, dedicated to showing the work
world from royalty to rock stars including
of fashion and textile designers. I ask
HRH Princess Michael of Kent, Debbie
her why she took up such a mammoth
Harry, Bianca Jagger, Kylie Minogue,
project. Practical as ever, she explains,
Anastasia and Paris Hilton.
“I found a building that would hold all
And yet Rhodes remains sanguine about
the clothes I’ve ever done, which is around
celebrities who wear her clothes. It’s not
70 trunks. Plus, I could live there and do
enough to look amazing in the clothes,
my screenprinting as well as build the
so my question as to who could really
museum. Everything is all under
show offer her clothes to maximum
one roof. No one had taken any
effect fell on deaf ears. “Someone
notice of what I did and then once I’d
like Freddie Mercury gets recorded
set it up, the whole world started to look
wearing them and it becomes an iconic
at my work again.”
picture. You can have other people who
The designer is proud of the work that
look wonderful but the luck of the draw
happens at the London Bridge-based
they are not photographed in them. If Kate
museum, which is now part of Newham
Middleton was to appear in something and
College of Further Education and awarded
it was a great picture, that would suddenly
the status of National Skills Academy for
be flashed around. This is the way the world
Fashion, Textiles, and Jewellery. “They do lots
operates. If it goes on YouTube and gets a
of master classes, some of which I come to. We’ve
million hits, you’re considered OK again!”
had some really fantastic textile designers,
It just goes to show that if you stay around
Sketch for the opera Aida, with
because I do say that textile designers are the
long enough, not matter how outrageous
African-inspired prints.
MUSE
A LIFE IN FASHION
• Zandra Rhodes was born in Chatham, Kent,
UK in 1940
• She was introduced to the world of fashion
by her mother, a fitter for the Paris fashion
House of Worth and later a lecturer at
Medway College of Art.
• Zandra studied at Medway College and
then at The Royal College of Art in London.
Her major area of study was printed textile design.
• The designer was made a Commander of
the British Empire in 1997 in recognition of
her contribution to fashion and textiles
• She has nine Honorary Doctorates and in
May 2010 was installed as Chancellor of the
University of the Creative Arts (UCA)
The introduction of safety pins to haute couture.
Cinderellas of the business who don’t
get credit for what they do.”
Today, she’s as busy as ever. “I like to
think I’m just as enthusiastic now as I
was when I started,” Rhodes tells me.
“I’m working flat out, trying to do
things which get the most visibility.”
She launched a new range of handbags
at the Pure London show in August,
drawing inspiration from her past
textile designs and adding an African/
Cubist twist. The collection includes
a variety of styles including totes,
clutches, wallets and makeup bags.
There are various prints and patterns
in bold tones with rose-gold clasps.
She was also joined on stage by Vogue,
where they presented key pieces from
Zandra’s archive collections, showing
her signature, prints, texture, colours
and designs, and how these have
influenced her current collection.
She’s pretty chuffed with the
collection, saying: “I’m really
pleased with how they came out. You
get to have a feel if customers like them, how they feel about
them. I was actually on the stage answering questions. It’s
a case of waiting to see how it actually goes. People like
the shapes that we have, the seashell rucksack – that was a
chic answer to the backpack. The oversized clutch was also
rather nice.”
Now in her seventies, Rhodes certainly hasn’t mellowed
with age, and she doesn’t hold back with her opinion on
the current economic recession. “The whole world is more
serious. Things aren’t light any more. There
are a lot of bankers cheating the world. We’re
expected to keep going and they keep getting
huge profits and yet the rest of the world
has to take it. It hits you below the belt.
It’s hideous.”
At the various fashion shows around
the world, Rhodes is in her element.
“Everywhere has a different flavour.
I had a show in Paris last season
and I get lovely invitations
from designers - Nichole Farhi,
Matthew Williamson – he was
one of my students.” And of course
there is only one Zandra Rhodes. When
I ask her the difference between fashion
shows back when she started and today,
she pauses before saying: “Maybe there
aren’t many people like me around!”
Opera designs for Aida.
Zandra Rhodes Salon, 79 Bermondsey
Street, London SE1 3XF, 020 7403 5333,
Zandra.rhodes.com
MUSIC
MUSIC
BLONDE
AMBITION
Currently at No 1 in the UK here the artist dubbed as the British
Rihanna talks about her s-exy style, hanging out with Beyonce and
Jay-Z, who is her boss, plus plans to crack the States... By Vicky Dearden
MUSIC
h
OT new star Rita Ora was
looking stunning in a tight
rubber dress as she launched
her latest single R.I.P in London. The
21-year-old from West London was at
Asprey’s flagship store in Old Bond
Street to celebrate the track, which
also features rapper Tinie Tempah,
making it to No 1 in the iTunes charts.
It has since become a UK No 1.
Rita has already hit the No 1 spot in
the UK charts this year as a featured
vocalist on DJ Fresh’s Hot Right
Now. Although brought up in West
London, Ora was actually born in
Pristina, Yugoslavia - now present
day Kosovo - and moved to England
with her family when she was a baby.
She has been dubbed Britain’s answer
to Rihanna and about comparisons
to the ‘Umbrella’ singer, to which
her response was: “It’s better being
compared to her than anyone else.
She’s so hot and beautiful!”
HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP YOUR
STYLE? IS IT ALL YOU OR THE WORK
OF STYLISTS?
RITA: I can say that it’s all me and there’s
no rules ladies! So I just feel like I just
dress how I want to and whatever makes
me feel comfortable really.
SO HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT
THE ALBUM?
RITA: This means more than just a single
launch - this is a big, big deal for me and
my family and everyone. This has been
my dream. So to have it not only out but
actually going to the top is just so special.
And I’m so, so happy and thank you to
everyone that has supported it. I’m just
really, really, really happy.
SO IT’S NO 1 ON ITUNES AND COULD
BE THE FASTEST-SELLING RECORD OF
THE YEAR?
RITA: I know. I can’t believe it. I don’t
know, I mean, I don’t know but Hot Right
Now [her collaboration with DJ Fresh
which went to No 1 in February] was
really selling a lot so if I beat myself then
that would be really cool!
YOU’VE HAD AN AMAZING SUMMER
you think you can buy it on iTunes?’ And
he was like, ‘I’ll think about it.’ [laughs]
TINIE TEMPAH HAS BEEN SAYING
HOW INSPIRED HE WAS WORKING
WITH YOU – IS THERE MORE MUSIC
TO COME FROM YOU TWO?
RITA: Oh I would love to. I would go in
the studio with Tinie like after this event,
it’s very natural for me and Tinie. To have
him on the track was really, really organic
and I would go in with him forever –
definitely, definitely.
AND AN AMAZING REST OF THIS
YEAR, WORKING WITH CHRIS MARTIN
AND THE COLDLAY BOYS – WHAT DID
YOU EXPECT WITH THOSE GUYS?
RITA: Well first I’m thinking, ‘How am
I going to play all those arenas?’ Because
they’re huge but I’m so excited. I’m happy
to even be a part of it and it’s such a huge,
huge opportunity. I’m going to have so
much fun with it and definitely, definitely,
put a show on.
DO YOU GET INTIMIDATED WHEN
YOU MEET PEOPLE THAT YOU LOOK
UP TO IN THE INDUSTRY. HOW DOES
IT FEEL WHEN YOU MEET THEM?
RITA: It’s like really, really, really special
to me because, you know, I’ve kind of met
the people that I think are at the highest
at their points. I’m really happy and
honoured to be around people like Jay and
B[eyonce] – so to me that’s like my idols.
I don’t think it gets any higher than that
in my eyes. So everyone else I’m really,
really kind of happy to meet and I tend to
be as calm as possible, do you know what I
mean? So people don’t freak out. [laughs]
HAVE
YOU
HAD
ANY
COMMUNICATION WITH JAY OR B
ON GETTING NO 1 ON iTUNES?
RITA: Oh of course, yes, he’s my boss so
for him it’s as special as it is for me. It’s like
a moment for all of us because we’ve all
worked hard for this, for the album – it’s
definitely a moment for all of us.
WILL HE BUY YOU A NICE GIFT IF YOU
GET THE UK NO 1?
RITA: I mean I asked him to buy my single
so I don’t know. [laughs] I was like, ‘Do
SO CONQUERING AMERICA THIS
YEAR? IS THAT ALSO THE PLAN?
RITA: Yes definitely. I’m doing actually a
promo out there as a well. How We Do is
a single that is out over there as well. And
it’s kind of doing really well. The radio
is kind of killing it and playing it so I’m
happy to be working double time but yes,
that’s definitely a big, big, big plan for me.
FINALLY, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO
BE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR?
RITA: At the end of this year I would like to
have my face on people’s shelves – just for
them to buy my album. And to appreciate
and love music just like I do. I’m a big, big
fan of music so when I love something I
tend to support it and I just love the fact
that people want to support and come and
have fun with my music and we can just
all have fun together – that’s it really.
JUDGEMENT CALL
In May, Ora became a guest
judge on the ninth series of
The X Factor in the UK, with
the auditions filmed at the
O2 Arena, London. Whilst
touring with Coldplay, she
announced that her album
would be named Ora.[27],
Ora was released on August
27th 2012.
MUSIC
I DR ESS
HOW I WA NT
– THER E’S
NO RULES,
LA DIES!
MUSIC
Sweet
MUSIC
Did you know that Example worked in
Australia for a year in the props departments
of films such as Star Wars Episode III: Revenge
of the Sith? He has also been a voiceover
artist and editor for MTV Networks.
harmony
Ireland has produced some of the best
rock bands, from Bono to the Dubliners.
One of the best nights in music was held to
celebrate Arthur’s Day.
Danny O’Reilly of The Coronas, Irish
rock heroes. They staved off stiff
competition from U2 and Snow Patrol
to win best album at the Meteor awards
in Ireland for Tony Is An Ex-Con.
Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for Guinness
MUSIC
Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for Guinness
MUSIC
wAS
this the best music gig of the
year? Thousands of fans would
say it was as they rocked to
Josh Osho’s first single Redemption Days
artists such as Sir Tom Jones, Fatboy Slim, Mumford & Sons,
became Record of the Week on BBC Radio
Example and Tinie Tempah. The occasion was to celebrate
1, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1Xtra.
Arthur’s Day, rejoicing in the legacy of Arthur Guinness, the
Osho performed a surprise duet on stage
with Sir Tom Jones at the Hammersmith
man behind the iconic pint.
Apollo, and they have also sung together
This year saw headline acts in local pubs across Ireland,
for BBC4 Sessions with the welsh legend.
including Dublin, Cork and Belfast. The remarkable line up
also included Primal Scream, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Texas,
Ellie Goulding, Amy McDonald, Fatboy Slim, Professor Green
and Mika.
In total there will were over 500 free Arthur’s Day music events
around Ireland, each taking place in a local pub, across 32
different counties. Tinie Tempah said, “I played Arthur’s Day
back in 2010 so I know all about the magic of it. I’m honoured
to be invited back to Ireland for 2012 and couldn’t be more
excited about playing a pub gig for a small, surprised crowd!”
In the UK, Sir Tom Jones
performed in London’s Senate
Caroline Flack is co-hosting the 2012
House, alongside Brit songstress
season Xtra Factor with Olly Murs.
VV Brown, award winning
Rumoured to have been romantically
London rapper Wretch 32, and
linked to Prince Harry in 2009, the TV
indie rockers Razorlight. The
presenter says that they’re “just friends.”
Welsh legend said: “I have great
memories from playing the
first Arthur’s Day back in 2009. Bringing it to Great Britain
for the first time is going to be just as exciting. I’m ready to
rock London, like we rocked Dublin in the first year. I hope
everyone’s ready to paint the town black!”
This year the annual celebrations will take place in over
55 countries across the globe including Ireland, Spain,
Italy, Germany, France, Caribbean nations, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and
now, Great Britain.
Johnny Borrell of Razorlight performs at
Senate House as part of the annual Arthur’s
Day celebrations on September 27, 2012
MUSIC
MUSIC
Mika is rumoured to have a vocal
range of five octaves, but claims that
it is actually closer to three and a half
octaves. The Grace Kelly singer’s album
Life in Cartoon Motion sold more than
5.6 million copies worldwide and
helped Mika win a Brit Award-winning
Best British Breakthrough act, and
receive a Grammy Award nomination.
Photo by Stuart Wilson/ImageNet for Guinness
Keen runner Ellie Goulding keeps fit while on
tour. In support of her second EP, Run Into
the Light, she invited a small number of fans
through her Facebook pages to run with her
in seven different cities on her UK tour and
has announced that she will be doing the
same across Europe and the United States.
Amy McDonald Scottish recording
artist. Macdonald rose to fame in
2007 with her debut album, This Is
the Life and its fourth single, which
had the same name as the album.
The single made it to number one
in six different countries worldwide,
and charted inside the top ten in
another eleven countries worldwide.
MUSIC
MUSIC
The Welsh legend Tom Jones has sold
over 100 million records. He will be
back for a second series as a judge on
The Voice which airs in the spring.
Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for Guinness
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu, better known
by his stage name as Tinie Tempah. He released
his first mixtape in 2007; his first album,
Disc-Overy, debuted at number one in the UK in
October 2010 and was preceded by two British
number-one singles. In February 2011, he won
a Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act.
Singer VV Brown has taken part in the Naomi
Campbell charity fashion show at which she
catwalked with the likes of models such as Tyson
Beckford and Daisy Lowe. She has also modelled
and performed at the Ashish fashion for London
Fashion Week. The singer’s online vintage clothing
store, called www.vvvintage.com, went live this year.
ONCO UR SE
London-based Central Saint Martins
College of Art and Design has developed a
reputation for pushing the boundaries of
arts, design and performance.
Warehouse
for the
arts
Central St Martins College is considered one of the world’s leading
creative institutions. Nancy Alsop considers its history and alumni.
ONCO UR SE
Central Saint Martins College of Arts &
Design Library is situated on the 2nd &
3rd floor of the Granary Building.
“SHE
came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge. She
studied sculpture at St Martins College – that’s where
I caught her eye”… That Central St Martins College of Arts and Design
should have been immortalized in so anthemic a fashion by the great Jarvis
Cocker – one of the school’s many notable alumni – makes a certain sense.
After all, arguably more than any other art school, it has long fostered a
tradition of enquiry, bohemianism, boundary-breaking and been a veritable
breeding ground for burgeoning talents. Its list of eminent graduates reads
like a roll call of the great and occasionally the downright brilliant, ranging
from the unexpected (Colin Firth, Dylan Jones, Pierce Brosnan, Simon
Callow) to the super talented (Bruce McLean, Gilbert and George, Eduardo
Paolozzi, Richard Long, Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane) to the utterly
legendary (Alexander McQueen, Lucian Freud, Terence Conran). And so
the list goes on.
Central St Martins has existed under its current guise since 1989 when the
Central School of Art and the Saint Martins School of Art merged, but its
story dates back a century earlier. The former college had been established
in 1896, when the London County Council saw fit to set up a school for the
training of craft industry workers which, as a direct result of the Arts and
Crafts movement as sponsored by Ruskin and William Morris, sought to
have young talent nurtured by the established artists of the day. Meanwhile,
the Saint Martins School of Art had been established in 1854, as a part of
the parish of St Martins in the Fields, its initial intended purpose being –
most practically - to provide a place for the instruction of apprentices.
Pendant by Katie Jamieson.
ONCO UR SE
Star struck
The Platform Theatre is part of the Central Saint
Martins complex at King’s Cross and is equipped
to a high professional standard, including a full
flying tower and orchestra pit. The Platform Theatre
is a receiving and producing theatre, hosting
professional companies as well as student work
from Drama Centre London and elsewhere in the
University of the Arts. The theatre aims to present
all aspects of the performing arts within a very
flexible space.
Ziegfeld by Caroline Kernick.
It was not, though, until some years later that St Martins
School would begin to become the hotbed of now-revered
artistic innovation. As referenced by Jarvis, sculpture was
the department that catalyzed its standing today as one of
the most important art schools in the world; set up in the
mid-1950s by Frank Martin, its tutors included the everbrilliant Anthony Caro, whose onus was not simply on
aping the Renaissance marbles
in all their glory, but rather to
make serious enquiries into
the medium’s advancements
over the preceding century,
and, of course, into its future.
The beneficiaries of said
teaching? The luminary likes
of Isaac Witkin, Bill Tucker
and Philip King.
Since then, it has taken the
Byam Shaw School of Art
under its umbrella as well as
the Drama Centre London,
all of which are now in turn
under the banner of the allencompassing University of
the Arts London. Which goes some way to explaining
the rationale behind its recent move of all departments
– the schools of art, fashion and textiles, graphic and
industrial design, drama and Byam Shaw – to a truly
impressive new complex slap-bang in the middle King’s
Cross, in all its glorious proximity to the hotbed of artistic
talent that has in recent years come to define the now
uber cool likes of Shoreditch, Hackney, Dalston and its
warehouse-rich surrounds.
Far from the warren of studios at its previous address,
the new home for pursuit of the aesthetic (and otherwise)
comprises two shiny new building hewn from – fittingly
– a series of warehouses, which are celestially sky-lit from
above. Originally built in 1851, the Granary Building is
so called because – somewhat unambiguously – it was
purpose built as a storehouse for the capital’s grain. One
hundred and sixty years and £200m later, the grade IIlisted building – which still has all its original Victorian
steel and brickwork – is instead sewing the seeds of this
country’s future creatives and innovators.
Behind the façade, the campus’ atrium is where the magic
really begins; bridges carry artistic personages from the
Inside out earrings by Katie Jamieson.
ONCO UR SE
The canteen is set in spacious surroundings, with original brick façade
from the warehouses.
Student Enrolment Week at St Martins, King’s Cross.
central space to classrooms, workshops and studios on
various levels. This ambitious regenerative programme
(regenerative, that is, both for the school and for the area)
was begun inauspiciously in 2008, just as the world’s global
finances began to collapse, but happily – and somewhat
miraculously in the world of grand-scale architecture came in on time and on budget to open its doors in 2011.
As befits its grand new premises, the college opens up
as a thoroughfare to the public, plus all are welcome to
come and enjoy the myriad of cultural events staged by
the creative types that roam the building’s architecturally
spectacular surrounds; the public is welcomed at theatrical
and art show staged in the space.
For those seeking a taster of the Central Saint Martins
brand of bohemianism, not to mention its famed teaching,
there are plenty of short courses to try your hand at, which
usefully take place at evenings and weekends:
Graphic Design:
Computers - Image and Layout
Computers - Multimedia and Internet
Graphic Design
Illustration
Portfolio Preparation
Fashion:
Computers for Fashion and Textiles
Fashion Accessories
Fashion Design
Fashion Illustration
Fashion Marketing
Making Fashion
Orientation
Portfolio Preparation
Textile Design
Fine Art:
Art History, Criticism and Curating
Drawing
Life Study
Painting
Portfolio Preparation
Printmaking and Book Arts
Sculpture
Interdisciplinary:
Business Skills
Creative Process
Creative writing
Journalism
Media Arts:
Animation
Film and video
Photography
Scriptwriting and storyboarding
Theatre and performance:
Performance
Theatre and television design
Three dimensional design
Architecture, interior and spatial design
Ceramics
Jewellery and metal work
Product design and development
Each of these disciplines is then broken down into much
more specific sub-sections, allowing those who enroll the
breadth to choose a course that is very specific and thus
feeds into a particular skill set, or a more comprehensive
taster course for the generalist. And who knows, while
there, you might just catch the eye of the next generation’s
answer to Jarvis…
To find out more about Central Saint Martins and
how to book on to courses or to order a prospectus,
visit csm.arts.ac.uk.
SHOWC A SE
SHOWC A SE
Photographer: José Tió
Make-up, hair: Junior Queirós
with RITUALS cosmetics
Model: Lisa Lima (Fleming models)
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SHOWC A SE
Photographer: Marc JansÀ
Fashion Stylist: Olivia Montardit
Make-up, hair & nails: JÚnior QueirÓs
with Jemma Kid Pro Make Up
Model: Laurita Jasnauskaite at Uno
Special thanks to Flash is Flash Studio Barcelona
SHOWC A SE
Pants and glasses by
American Apparel
Jersey by Isabel Marant
Belt by Loewe
Cap by Volcom
Skins by Stylist
SHOWC A SE
Pants by Martin Lamothe
Jersey by Twin-set
Glasses by Oliver by Wilde Vintage
Skins by Stylist
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Skirt by El Ganso
Shirt by Stella McCartney
Jacket by Max Mara
Socks by Burlington
Glasses by Wild Vintage
Skins by Stylist
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Capeline by Bernhard Willhelm
Short by American Apparel
Belt by Lacoste
Socks by Look for London
Skins by Stylist
Cap by Volcom
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Coat by Twin-Set
Shirt by Lacoste
Pants by Sandro
Glasses by Wild Vintage
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Short by CÉline
Coat by Tara Jarmon
Body by American Apparel
Belt by Loewe
Skins by Stylist
SHOWC A SE
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Till we meet again!
Photographer: Farnaz K, http://www.farnazk.com
Fashion Stylist: Patricia Bower, www.patriciabowerstyling.com
Make-up Artist: Susan Donoghue, Ennis Inc
Hair Stylist: Seiji Uehara, Ennis Inc
Model: Yulia Panina, Q Model Management
Photo Assistant: Hillary Cutter
Vintage Fur Stole available at Couture du Jour.
Ring and Bracelet by Chloe and Isabel, www.chloeandisabel.com,
Vintage 1940’s black dress available at Couture du Jour.
SHOWC A SE
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Stripe, fringe jacket and Metallic dress by
Silver and Gold Fringe earrings by
JoAnn Berman, www.joannberman.com,
Chloe and Isabel, www.chloeandisabel.com,
Silver and Gold fringe Earrings by
Chloe and Isabel, www.chloeandisabel.com
Stripe Jacket by JoAnn Berman, www.joannberman.com
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1980’s vintage red leather
blouse available at
Couture du Jour.
Turquoise blue skirt by
JoAnn Berman,
www.joannberman.com.
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Dress by Ivana Helsinki, available at www.internationalplayground.com,
Gold chain link necklace by Chloe and Isabel, www.chloeandisabel.com
SHOWC A SE
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Silver earrings by Caja Jewelry, www.cajajewelry.com,
Polka dot dress by JoAnn Berman, www.joannberman.com
Patchwork dress by
JoAnn Berman,
www.joannberman.com
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Silver earrings by Caja Jewelry,
www.cajajewelry.com,
Polka dot dress by JoAnn Berman,
www.joannberman.com,
Silver chain used as a bracelet by
Chloe and Isabel,www.chloeandisabel.com,
Black, Mary Jane Shoes with metal spikes by
Jeffery Campbell available at
Shoe Market, www.shoemarketnyc.com
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Silver, fringe earrings by Chloe and Isabel, www.chloeandisabel.com,
Metallic dress by JoAnn Berman, www.joannberman.com
SHOWC A SE
Tribal
Eyes
Photographer: Raul Peix
Fashion Stylist: Luis Gonzalo Martinez
Make-up Artist & Manicure: Jessica Ruiz
Model: Kim, 5th Avenue Model Management
Foulard print animal by Zara Accesorios
Gold Necklace by Blanco Accesorios
SHOWC A SE
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Scarf print candenas by H&M.
Rings by H&M.
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Feather earrings by H&M
Gold bracelets by Natura
SHOWC A SE
Linen scarf bybi M69.
Colour and wood bracelets by
Blanco Accesorios,
SHOWC A SE
Tribal Scarf by Blanco Accesorios.
Gold feather earring by H&M.
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Scarf print colors by Zara Accesorios.
Necklace seeds by Vintage.
Stones Rings Blanco by Paula Echevarria.
SHOWC A SE
Necklace with feathers and choker by Blanco Accesorios.
SHOWC A SE
Tribal Scarf Xdye by Pull & Bear.
Bracelets and ring with stone by H&M.
Gold bracelet and nacre by
Blanco Accesorios.
SP OTLIGHT
“A nna is a
gr eat a nd
fa llible
ch a r acter; in
her you see
the flaws,
the heroics
a nd the
ter rify ing
emotions.”
Combining 19th-century elegance with 1950s
shapes is effected with lace, off-the-shoulder
and cinched-in waists.
SP OTLIGHT
From Russia with
LOVE
The latest movie version of Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley
explodes onto the screen with sumptuous costumes and sets.
Angela Clerkin discovers more about the 27-year old actress.
I
t’s the blockbuster film of the autumn that’s already
hotly tipped for Oscar success. Anna Karenina is
director Joe Wright’s vision of Leo Tolstoy’s epic
doomed love story about a married woman who has a
passionate affair with a younger man. Set in imperial
Russian society during 1874, the film marks the third
collaboration of the director with Keira Knightley, who
plays the eponymous heroine of the movie.
According to Knightley: “The story is one we understand
today because people still want something they cannot
have, still come up against social blocks and rules, and still
have trouble communicating emotions to each other.”
It’s an epic production filmed over the course of 12 weeks
on 100 different sets, across 240 scenes.
Wright wanted to take his version of Anna Karenina in
a new direction, avoiding the stylised period movie. The
result is a much more theatrical and visual feast. The
immense 1870s Russian theatre location comes to life,
with the theatre space hosting an ice rink, a ball, an opera,
a massive society soirée and a horse race. The director
decided that “the action would be taking place within
a beautiful decaying theatre, which in itself would be
omnipresent, a metaphor for Russian society of the time as
it rotted from the inside.”
The actors were immersed in Russian cultural life of the
time through research presentations and discussions.
Knightley took to the process, revealing, “I’ve always
loved history – reading about it, playing it out on-screen
– because I feel it takes me out of the present; I fall into a
fantasy, which I love doing.
“But this approach was such a very different concept for this
piece, not doing a safe adaptation – and I was so excited.
Joe called me into his office and had all these drawings up
and explained it to me, and I thought, ‘Let’s go for it!’”
Wright was confident that Knightley could take on the
emotionally complex character and make it her own. He
reflects, “We’ve grown up in our movie work together,
really. She works so hard, with such attention to detail.
Keira is an incredibly strong woman, and utterly fearless –
qualities that I wanted to play up in this movie.”
Producer Tim Webster states, “Joe and Keira bring out
the best in each other. We knew this was going to be the
most demanding role of her career, and that she could fully
embrace the challenges of playing Anna.”
Wright muses, “While in real life she is one of the most
likable people you will ever meet, on-screen she is not
afraid to court dislike if that’s what the character requires.
I’m proud of her for what she’s done in our movie. She
understands the darker places that some of us can go to,
and that was definitely necessary for Anna.”
Knightley read the novel anew as preparation, and found
that her own feelings towards the character had evolved.
She says, “I remembered the book as being just incredibly
romantic with this extraordinary character. But in rereading the novel just before we started filming, I found
it magnificent but also much, much darker – and realized
that there is the huge question of whether Anna Karenina
is a heroine or an anti-heroine. I believe that was so even
for Tolstoy. My copy got heavily marked up, and Joe and
I were constantly questioning ourselves about Anna; we
SP OTLIGHT
sets needed to be built from scratch.
The overall inspiration was equal
parts personal and aesthetic. Wright
says, “I was raised in a theatrical
environment, growing up around my
parents’ Little Angel [Puppet Theatre]
in Islington. I also have a keen interest
in early cinema, which emerged
from theatre at the beginning of
the 20th century; the design of early
cinema screens emulated the theatre
proscenium arch.”
The immense interior of the theatre
set was built at Shepperton Studios –
the same stage which had hosted the
wartime hospital scenes of Atonement.
The affair that shocked Russian society. Tolstoy’s novel centres around a married woman’s love for a
The studio stayed open round-theyounger man.
clock, for filming, building and then
felt we should show the good and the bad, the kindness
dismantling sets. Supervising art director Niall Moroney
and the cruelty. I also discussed this with Tom [Stoppard,
and Nick Gottschalk, the art director for the theatre set,
the scriptwriter.] I tried to understand Anna and capture
coordinated efforts so that as soon as scenes were filmed,
her all, so Anna Karenina became the hardest project
construction, painters, props, and lighting departments
I’ve done; I knew I had to try to play her without making
were at the ready.
her ‘too nice.’
Transitions between scenes were abetted by huge painted
“Stories like this one are lasting because they are studies
backdrops on the main stage. This spectacular scenery
on the human condition as a whole, here within one
includes St. Petersburg, Moscow, and the starry night sky
character. Anna is a great and fallible character, one who
at Betsy’s soirée; and elaborate murals such as the clouds
speaks to what makes us human; in her, you see the flaws,
and cherubs which surround the beatific Kitty on stage
the heroics, and the terrifying emotions. You care about
when Levin fumbles his marriage proposal.
her, and can’t help but recognize yourself.”
The biggest set pieces, such as the ice rink, the ball, and the
Jude Law plays Count Karenin, Anna’s cuckolded husband.
opera lent themselves well to the theatre space. Knightley
“Jude and I both wanted to get at how there is love between
felt that “Joe’s concept to set it in a theatre was completely
the couple; tragically, she doesn’t think there is, and he is
brilliant, because you instinctively know that as soon as you
unable to vocalize it,” says Knightley.
enter a theatre you are required to use your imagination.
Law admits, “Those are not the easiest of scenes to play
Your sense of space changes, and with all the changing
opposite another actor; Keira and I took a lot of time
sets we would forget it was a theatre; that definitely was
to prepare with Joe, talking about the happier times
so when filming the ice rink, or Betsy’s soirée – what with
in their marriage, so that we could push the emotions
all the chandeliers. But even that happened because of the
further on-set.”
nature of what a theatre is and how we perceive a theatre;
Aaron Taylor-Johnson who plays Anna’s love interest,
we know reality is going to be suspended, and therefore
Count Vronsky, was impressed with his leading lady. “I’ve
you accept what it is being depicted as.”
never seen anyone put in as much preparation as she did
Katie Spencer, the set decorator elaborates, “St. Petersburg
for Anna Karenina. Her copy of the book had colouris much more classical and looking more to the West. So
coded stickers, and she would check scenes with the script.
the Karenin home is highly regimented, and much less
I also know that she spoke with people who have been to
cluttered, than the Oblonsky house in Moscow. As such,
some of the depths that Anna goes to. As an actor, she will
it feels more like a conventional film set, though it is still
challenge you in the best way possible. She will be there for
conceived within a theatrical context; that is evident in
you 100%, including when it’s your own close-up.”
the shape of the set, with receding prosceniums one way
and another.
SETTING THE SCENE
“The Oblonsky household was quite complex to decorate.
Although various locations, including the condemned
They are aristocracy, but the father spends so much of their
Alexandra Palace theatre in London, were visited and
money – eating well, drinking well – that they are getting
considered as filming sites, it became apparent that the
SP OTLIGHT
Passion ignites on the dance floor for Anna (Keira Knightley) and Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).
Diamonds worth $2 million were loaned by
Chanel for the film shoot.
down on their luck, so there had to be a more naturalistic
environment which worked for them. I was excited when
our actors embraced the idea and fully inhabited the set.”
were eight decades apart, the two periods meshed together
very well.
“We associate 1950s couture with chic elegance, and so this
would be a signifier to the audience and a way in for them
GORGEOUS GARMENTS
to the image Joe wants conveyed. With Anna, I did keep
The creative team also includes two-time Academy Awardan 1870s skirt shape all the way through – while pushing
nominated costume designer Jacqueline Durran (Pride
the bodices in the direction of the 1950s. There is also a
& Prejudice). The costumes are incredibly beautiful and
1950s feel to several of the other costumes, such as Anna’s
have already started a fashion trend for Russian-inspired
gray silk jacket – it’s very much a 1950s jacket shape, with
styles. fashion retailer Banana Republic asked Durran
buttons down the front, although even this is paired with
to curate a collection of similar pieces. Consequently,
an 1870s skirt.
several 19th-century-inspired pieces for men and women
As on Atonement, Durran worked
with velvet, faux fur and lace tailored
closely with Sarah Greenwood and
styles, will be on sale this autumn for
A girl’s best friend
Ivana Primorac, discussing themes and
the public to create their own “Russian
At the lavish ball, Knightley
colour palettes. “We discuss everything
aristocrat” looks.
wears diamonds worth $2
together,” states Primorac. “It’s like we
Even though the Anna Karenina
million, specially loaned to her
belong to the same department, and
is set in the 19th-century, Wright
by Chanel for the shoot.
I’m finishing what they have started.
asked Durran to ensure that Anna’s
Keira has no vanity attached to herself
costumes were in the style of 1950s
at
all;
she
doesn’t
care
what she looks like, she just wants
couture, though still with the silhouettes of the 1870s. “Not
the character to look right.”
having to be strictly in the one time period was liberating,”
Among Anna’s costume highlights is a sumptuous jet
says Knightley.
black taffeta ball gown which captivates Count Vronsky.
Anna’s image was to be one of pure luxury, befitting her
1950s-inspired bodices with asymmetric fastenings, a
status as a Russian aristocrat who wore French clothes.
swoop of taffeta around the neck, and a long tail folded
Durran notes, “Had nothing else in the production been
into the bustle to extenuate the 1870s shape are evident in
stylised, we would have been out on a limb. But I knew
three of Anna’s costumes: the cream dress she wears at the
this would fit in to the visual-feast approach within
tea room, the dark red dress she wears at the film’s climax,
the theatre.”
and the dark blue dress she wears at the races (the bodice
The costume designer’s research included looking at
of which is made out of denim).
French fashion houses Balenciaga and Dior, and period
Knightley concludes, “Understanding how to express your
photographs; the other characters, with the exception of
emotions through movement and then how you could fit
Princess Betsy, would stay closer to the story’s time period.
that into your character has given me a whole new set of
Durran comments, “I thought that Joe’s idea was genius
skills as an actor.”
because a lot of 1950s couture was itself looking back to
an earlier time. We looked at some images from the time
next to fashion pictures from the 1870s and although they
Anna Karenina is on general release now. focusfeatures.com/anna_karenina
THE B IZ
A HELPING
HAND
It’s an unpalatable truth, but the
recession has hit students and
young designers particularly
hard. Natalie Li offers some sound
advice on how to get ahead
Bridal wear design by House
of Tammam, Courtesy of
School for Creative Startups
THE B IZ
T
HE prospect of finding a job in the creative
industries in the current economic climate fills most
young graduates with dread and apprehension. With
public sector cuts and funding strains at an all-time
high, young people embarking into the world of
work are being forced to find imaginative ways to
kickstart their careers.
The blossoming of entrepreneurship over the last decade has been
stratospheric. Earlier this year the government launched the ‘Business
in you’ campaign which highlights the support available from the
government and private sector for startups and growing businesses.
According to the coalition, it is easy now, more than ever, to start
up a new business. But for those starting out, creative and cultural
industries harnessing creativity to find new ways to continue with
their projects and develop their ideas in the current economic climate
is a challenging prospect. But it seems there are plenty of solutions to
equip those in the world of fashion.
The British Council has been running the Young
Creative Entrepreneurs (YCE) programme
since 2004 to support and connect emerging
innovative and entrepreneurial leaders in the
creative and cultural industries around the
world. The programme, which launched in
2004 has seen more than 320 participants
from 54 countries across the world from
Columbia and Yemen to Vietnam. It is
arch
A ny a Hin dm
open to candidates aged between the ages
of 21 and 40, running across all creative sectors (music, design and
fashion, communications, media and publishing). In 2012-13 the
YCE programme is being run in 25 countries around the world. “The
YCE programme provides networking opportunities and the chance
to engage with various fashion platforms to showcase work, says
programme manager Pablo Rossello. “It is such a great opportunity to
access international markets and link to the UK.” The YCE programme
also runs awards annually through competitions around the world,
selecting winners that represent the best and most innovative from
participating countries’ creative sectors. “To be successful on this
programme, it’s important to have an open mind and the ability to
immediately spot opportunities and make contacts,” adds Rossello.
The British Council runs other schemes for young budding creative
entrepreneurs. The School for Creative Start-Ups has been running a
year-long programme designed to teach UK-based creative people how
to build successful start-ups and live from their craft. The course was
the brainchild of former Dragon’s Den panellist, Doug Richard, and
covers everything a new entrepreneur needs to know through a mix of
seminars, business surgeries and access to industry experts.
“Setting up a business is difficult – if it was easy everyone would
do it,” says fashion designer Anya Hindmarch, who is backing the
programme. “There is so much creativity in this country but a lot of it
gets wasted because creative people don’t necessarily have the business
skills or the confidence to make their ideas a commercial reality.”
School
for
Creative
Start-ups
Lucy Tammam
is a fashion
graduate
from Central
Saint Martins
who has
benefited from the School for
Creative Start-ups. She created
bridalwear clothing company
Tammam in 2007 to offer high
fashion with a conscience.
Since its creation the l abel
has designed seasonal highend collections that have been
showcased at London, Paris
and New York Fashion week.
What made you decide to start
your business?
No one else was doing it! I had a great
supply chain set up and so many people
asking for wedding dresses it made sense to
keep going with it.
What kind of customers do you think your
product is perfect for?
Anyone who needs a glamorous dress
for a special occasion. I make gorgeous
couture dresses.
What have you learnt from this programme?
I have gained so much focus. It has given
me the confidence to push forward with my
plans and action my ideas.
Which of your products are you proudest of?
Our designs that feature in the media and on
celebrities. It’s great to see my designs on
display, being worn and loved and proving
that ethical fashion can be glamorous
and beautiful.
Do you feel you’ve developed relationships
through this program that will help you in
the months and years to come?
Yes I think some of the people I have met
are going to be great business associates
and will be really helpful in the future.
THE B IZ
cASE STUDY
Sarah’s Bag – YCE fashion participant
Sarah Beydon is the founder of fashion accessory brand Sarah’s
Bag. Her company is part of a rehabilitation programme in which
women in prison work and learn valuable skills in the creation
of accessories, in return for a reliable income. Over the l ast
seven years Sarah’s Bag has expanded from a small line to a
region wide fashion phenomena built on social consciousness.
How did you start out and what is
the inspiration behind your work?
After studying sociology at the
American University of Beirut,
I earned my master’s degree
from the Universite Saint Joseph,
where I wrote my thesis on female
prostitution and women prisoners
in Lebanon. During my visits to the
Baabda prison, I felt that I had a lot
to offer to these women prisoners,
giving them an opportunity to be
productive and do something that
gives them a sense of pride and
achievement behind the walls.
Today, I feel that I have more than
a business, I have a duty towards
these women. I feel that my
contribution plays a major role in
helping them maintain their dignity
and self-esteem and to help them
integrate back in society.
Arabesque pastel box
Classic diskette
Mini clutch in arabesque pastel shades
Diskette pastel designs
Classic crochet clutch
What are your future aspirations?
I am hoping to make Sarah’s
Bag the leading brand in fashion
accessories in the Middle East.
Reaching the international market
was a dream, and once you’ve
reached a part of it, the challenge
grows bigger and harder especially
that our business is based mainly
on artisanal handwork, which
requires constant innovation at least
at the level of design.
What did you gain from taking part
in this programme, how did you hear
about it?
When I joined the programme I
didn’t know then how everything
functions in fashion on the
international level. The programme
gave me exposure. I learnt about
tranoi through the programme for
instance and realised the importance
of taking part in it regularly. I heard
about the programme through Lynn
Sneige who contacted me on behalf
of the British council.
What were the challenges involved
with being part of this project,
anything you would change about it?
I didn’t like the fact that we couldn’t
present our projects ourselves
and get the chance to see other
participants’ presentations.
What advice would you give to those
looking to get into fashion and taking
part in this programme?
I would definitely invite all young
entrepreneurs to go for it. They’ll
get the chance to meet interesting
people and get exposure over what’s
happening internationally. The
programme will be a guiding mentor
for them I believe.
Where do you see your
career moving?
I’m working on opening our own
Sarah’s Bag store in Dubai soon and
expanding internationally.
Blue crochet designs
THE B IZ
10 Tips
to Help Designers Beat the Recession
By Doug Richard
1
Sell your work at local events.
That local market or pop-up shop is your best
chance to meet customers face to face, to show them
your work, to find out why they buy when they buy and
to see what they are selling. If the fees are too high, pair
up with another artist or two to share a space.
2
Continue to design.
If you come up with a good idea, document it. If
you can afford to create a sample of the product, do it.
This recession won’t last forever and you’ll be glad you
have products already designed to sell when it is over.
3
Go to Meetups for both
artists and entrepreneurs.
It’s a great way to meet like- minded people locally
and the events are usually free and cheap. School for
Creative Startups has a free meetup you can join if
you happen to be in London http://www.meetup.com/
CreativeStartupsLondon/.
4
Create a website to sell your work on.
There’s really no excuse at all for not having a
website if you’re an artist. You can create your store free
using Shopify and Etsy. You can buy a domain name that
lasts a year at Godaddy.com that points people to it.
Generally speaking the best domain to create is one that
uses your name if you’re an artist because most of the
people who buy from you will remember that more than
any company name you tell them. Also you can keep that
domain for a lifetime since it will always be relevant.
5
Buy visibilit y with your art work.
As an artist your key weakness is visibility. Initially
no one knows who you are or what you do. If you can
give a design to a company for free that leads customers
back to your website, you’ve increased your visibility
without having to pay in cash. Make sure the art has
your name or domain name on it. Make sure you have to
provide nothing but artwork.
6
7
8
Research Alibaba.com to learn more about
ways you can have your work mass produced
quickly and cheaply.
Research at Amazon Fulfillment and
Amazon Marketpl ace to learn how you can
market, sell and deliver your products worldwide.
Look for ways to produce and
sell your work “on demand”.
Lulu.com, Cafepress.com, Shapeways.com, Kunaki.
com and a hundred other sites online can let you turn
artwork into sellable products with no upfront cost.
9
Get very serious about collecting and
managing contact information for the
people who’ve liked your work in the past.
You need to be able to reach those people through
Facebook, Twitter, Email and maybe even Pintrist and
Meetup depending on what it is you do. You must create
a life-long, mutually fulfilling, relationship with your fans.
10
Accept that you’re an artist.
Most artists are artists because they are
driven to create. It is an obsession. So don’t berate
yourself for “wasting time” on the work you care the
most about. Do realize that part of being a working
artist is finding your audience and paying your bills. Let
yourself believe it’s going to be easy to do both. If you
allow yourself to do your very best work and you allow
yourself to look for people who will love it through all the
channels available to you, you’ll find success during this
recession and after as well.
CONTACTS
School for Creative Start-ups
schoolforcreativestartups.com
Young Creative Entrepreneurs (YCE)
creativeconomy.britishcouncil.org/creativeentrepreneurship/young-creative-entrepreneurprogramme
TR AVEL
Gallic
glory
As the glamorous setting for Paris Fashion
Week in September, Fiona Keating explores all
that the chic French capital has to offer
P
It’s all about the shopping
All over the world, when people think Paris, they think fashion. Year after year,
fashion collections grab the limelight and their creations dazzle the avenue
Montaigne and the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
La Vallée Village is located just 35 minutes from the centre of Paris. With more
than 90 outlet boutiques providing fashion and luxuries for the home, La Vallée
Village offers the authentic previous seasons’ collections of a unique selection of
French and international brands with exceptional savings on the recommended
retail price. Armani, Diane von Furstenberg, Furla, Jimmy Choo and Paul Smith
are just a few of the international brands present, as well as boutiques of French
designers Antik Batik, Lancel, Maje, S.T.Dupont and Zadig & Voltaire among
others. The Village’s art gallery, Espace La Vallée Village, hosts exhibitions of
the work of contemporary artists.
Place du Parvis de Notre-Dame © Paris Tourist Office - Photographer : Amélie Dupont
aris has a well-deserved reputation as the world’s capital of fashion,
luxury goods, design and shopping. For culture, there are not many
capital cities that can rival Paris. France was seen as the destination
with the best brand image, according to the Country Brand Index (CBI) survey
for 2011. Its top draws are art and culture, together with leading luxury brands
such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton, both ambassadors of French style.
The silver screen has also contributed to the Paris legend – classic and modern
films such as Love in the Afternoon, An American in Paris, Amelie, Moulin
Rouge, Everyone Says I Love You and Midnight in Paris have done more for
Paris’s image than any advertising campaign. But the city is also a source of
inspiration for the advertising world – Guerlain’s spot for its latest fragrance,
“Petite Robe Noire”, is an homage to elegant Paris.
It’s a city for shoppers and while the summer and winter sales are the highlights
of the shopping calendar, Paris boasts new shop openings and fashion-related
events all year round for fashion fans in search of the latest and most offbeat
trends. Shops stay open on Sundays in tourist areas such as Montmartre, the
Champs Elysées, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the Marais, Rue d’Arcole in the
4th, the Saint-Germain and Louvre-Rivoli districts.
TR AVEL
Pa ris is not only
Fr a nce’s fina ncia l
a nd politica l hub.
Steeped in history, it
is a lso a city of a rt
a nd cultur e, v isited
by nea r ly 28.9 million
tourists in 2011.
TR AVEL
the chic humour and irreverent glamour of the time,
Parkinson captured the essence of enduring style that
seduced imaginations from the 1950s to the 1970s.
PARIS FASHION WEEK
Paris Fashion Week from 24 September to 2 October is one
of the hottest tickets of the season, with the main venue at
the Carrousel du Louvre, as well as at various other venues
throughout the city. There’s always a strong presence from
major fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton, Comme des
Garcons Homme Plus, Dior Homme and Paul Smith.
A newcomer to the show is L’Wren Scott, who will be
revealing for the first time her designs in Paris. Scott has
been a regular fixture on the New York Fashion Week
schedule for the past 10 seasons, since her collection debut
Paris by numbers
208
theatres and show venues
TRAVEL IN STYLE
A celebration of the work of Norman Parkinson, whose
work has rarely been shown in France, is at Espace La Vallée,
the contemporary art gallery at La Vallée Village, until
January 2013. Developed in partnership with the Norman
Parkinson Estate, the Travel in Style exhibition of 23 iconic
fashion photographs transports visitors to Parkinson’s
land of timeless elegance, where the art of refined travel
meets distinguished
adventurers.
Opéra Garnier was the setting for Gaston
With
a
career
Leroux’s 1911 novel The Phantom of the
Opera, subsequently made into Andrew Lloyd
spanning more than
Webber’s 1986 musical.
60 years, including
time spent at Vogue,
Harper’s
Bazaar
and as the official
photographer of the
British royal family,
Parkinson is known
throughout
the
world for inventing
modern
fashion
photography
and
revolutionising the
genre. Highlighting
women in motion
by bringing together
71
nightclubs and around 30 cabarets
/dinner-show venues
1,800
historical monuments
143
museums
Opéra Garnier ©Paris Tourist Office, photographer Marc Bertrand.
This Vogue commission captures a time when travel was full of style and
mystery. Norman Parkinson exhibition at La Vallée Village.
TR AVEL
Norman Parkinson’s Cardin Hat Over Paris encapsulates 1960s glamour.
in 2007. Insiders believe that the designer wanted more
time to work on her spring/summer 2013 show, which was
originally scheduled for September. It’s also a home from
home, as Scott currently lives in Paris with her partner
Mick Jagger.
Another famous face on the circuit is Kanye West who
returns to Paris Fashion Week with his new collection.
Since his last designs were shown to the fashion world,
Kanye has a new female muse - his girlfriend Kim
Kardashian, who has her own successful clothing label,
the Kardashian Kollection. Hopes run high for his third
collection, as he has many celebrity fans such as Rita Ora,
who hails him as her style icon, and he’s also gaining in
respect with fashion critics.
The Dior Institut at the Hotel Plaza
Athenee for rest, relaxation and a beauty
treatment or two.
CULTURE VULTURE
Paris is an ever-changing urban landscape with new
museums, re-openings of major tourist venues and bold
architectural projects that continuously transform the city.
Whether you are a dedicated follower of fashion or just
love looking at beautiful things, France’s capital city is the
place to come for inspiration.
For starters, there are the concrete industrial buildings of
the former Magasins Généraux between Gare d’Austerlitz
and the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand on the Left
Bank. These have been converted into the all-new Cité de la
mode et du design, which opened in April 2012. The Musée
Galliera’s off-site exhibition, and edgy new boutiques and
event spaces, will make it one of the most talked about
venues in the capital.
Following a two-year renovation,
the Musée d’Orsay has been totally
transformed. Visitors will get a fresh
view of its exceptional collections,
now housed in extended exhibition
spaces where the displays have been
rearranged historically in galleries
with new-look walls and lighting.
For culture lovers, there’s the Palais de
Tokyo which re-opened in April after
renovations, with extended exhibition
spaces. The dynamic Jean de Loisy
runs this buzzy, offbeat contemporary
art centre – the biggest in Europe. So
much to see, so little time. Lucky we
have Eurostar to nip across for repeat
visits to this city of splendour.
CONTACTS
LaValleeVillage.com
shoppingbyparis.com
spaplazaathenee.com
TRENDS
Going for
gold
London’s Olympic Games had an
unprecedented number of fashion designers
in attendance. Nicole Dalamangas looks at
the legacy the event will have on future
couture trends
i
n July, Giorgio Armani, the designer behind the Italian Olympic team’s
official kit, asserted that London 2012 would be “the most fashionable
Olympic Games ever.” The man wasn’t wrong. While the previous three
Olympic Games held in Sydney, Athens and Beijing had little if any impact on
the catwalk, none of these cities represent one of the four fashion capitals of the
world in the way that London does.
And while conventionally, the fashion crowd would surely shun an event that’s
more about sweat than chic, this year, the industry’s biggest players rushed to
put their names on their country’s official kit: Ermanno Scervino created the
kit for Azerbaijan Republic, Ralph Lauren (albeit amidst Chinese sweatshop
accusations) clothed the US Olympic team, and Stella McCartney was
responsible for our own, impressive Team GB kit. Even the best of our British
young blood got involved in the visually stunning Olympics’ opening ceremony,
with Christopher Shannon, Michael van der Ham and Nasir Mazhar creating
costumes worn by the 350 dancers who took part. But how did this merging of
two seemingly unrelated worlds occur and what effect has it had on the fashion
industry as a whole?
TRENDS
OLYMPICS
COUTURE FIT
FOR THE MOVIES
Belgium athletes for the
Olympic Games were
dressed by designer Stijn
Helsen who worked as
costumer on movies like
‘Spiderman 2’ and ‘Pirates
of the Caribbean’. He
has worked in the past
for Vivienne Westwood,
Valentino as well as for some
LA movie blockbusters. He
is famous for his bespoke
tailored suits worn by
stars like Lenny Kravitz
Danny Huston and the
Belgium Royals.
Enter the democratised
media. Millions upon
millions of micro-media
channels are now available
to anyone with so much
as a computer and an
internet
connection,
bringing together people
and industries in a way
that has never before been
possible. Blogs, Facebook,
Twitter and the like have
shaped a new form of mass
consciousness, influencing
Belgium based designer
everybody in its path, from
Stijn Helsen is from a
three generation Belgium
designers to public relations
tailor family and dressed
executives to you and I.
the Belgian team with
This
interconnectivity
tailored fitted three-piece
has opened the fashion
suits for men. The men’s
industry to new forms
waistcoats had silkscreen
of inspiration; take for
linings with the Belgium
official Olympic Games
example the Nike and
logo, while the women
Liberty collaboration of
wore couture jersey jackets
floral-patterned trainers,
and leggings with a bustier
Adidas teaming up with the
in the national colours.
Olsen twins’ label, Opening
Ceremony and BMX,
Opening Ceremony and Adidas,
Richard Nicoll and Fred Perry - hell
even Bob Marley’s daughter and Puma
collaborated this year, producing the
Jamaican Olympic outfits.
We are living in an age where bloggers
sit front row at Fashion Week, Twitter
is the most effective way to reach
customer services and Facebook
likes are almost as worthy as a British
Fashion Award. No longer is what is
deemed to be fashionable or on-trend
dictated by the select few, but instead
by the masses. And so, naturally, huge
events such as the Jubilee and the
Olympic Games, that inspire cultural
spirit, create an Internet sensation so
TRENDS
her inspirations. London’s 2012 Olympics was clearly the
powerful, they cannot help but influence all those within
central theme of her S/S12 Menswear collection, with
reach, no matter of their industry.
symbols and imagery drawn directly from the Games.
In light of the Games then, we have seen a mass of designers,
Olympic rings embellished knit sweaters, the gold wreath
spearheaded by Stella McCartney, embark on a mission
symbol featured in prints and accessories
to revamp sportswear as we know it. While
and the torch appeared as foil front on
sport-inspired outfits have traditionally
sweatshirts. One T-shirt even featured
been functional and lacking in sex appeal,
a number of gold medals hanging from
Olympics fever among even the most highthe wearers neck, printed to look 3D. In
end designers has resulted in collections
the same spirit, only with a little more
that even manage to make neoprene cool.
arrogance, fashion maestro Karl Lagerfeld
Marc Jacobs sent out luxury sweatshirts, the
launched an exclusive space for his brand
season’s statement jumper, Alexander Wang
at Selfridges, featuring Team Karl, a
commanded a cagoule-clad ‘BMX bandit’
capsule collection commemorating the
style and Peter Pilotto and Christopher de
London Olympics. According to Lagerfeld,
Vos opted for techno-fabulous swimwearthe collection captured “the energy and
meets-couture. Note Pilotto’s tight, bright,
celebrations around the Olympic Games”.
printed velvet and silk dresses, slashed with
Team Karl comprised T-shirts with goldmesh panels, key-holes and cut out bodices.
medal appliqués and metallic-foiled skinny
Note the puffy, wind-breaker jackets: “The
jeans that referenced the Games without
puffy jackets are something new for us,”
compromising on chic. “Inspiration is a
Pilotto said after his show, “We find it very
muscle,” he explained. “This muscle has
exciting to mix something very sporty
to be used all the time. The more you do,
with classic, elegant styles and find this
the more ideas you have. I don’t believe in
new balance.” Tops inspired by scuba suits
waiting for inspiration on beaches.” Well
were completed with chunky zippers, while
beach or no beach, it seems nobody has been
the aquatic theme continued in print, with
able to escape a punch from the Olympic’s
deep blue hues and hot, summery reds and
far-stretching muscle.
oranges.
Gold cocktail dress to sparkle
Vivienne Westwood meanwhile, true to her through the party season available at The British public has seen all this infiltrate
www.alexon.co.uk, priced at £125.
into their much-loved high street, with
character, was far less subtle in illustrating
TRENDS
wasn’t just the designers who took it upon themselves to
racer vests, two-tone jackets, sporty crop tops and more
cash in on the surge of tourism brought on by the Olympics
of last season’s Marmite shoe: the wedge hi-top trainer,
– several brands also got in on the action. Victoria’s Secret
making an appearance. Patriotism came out in full-force
opened its first UK store in Westfield Stratford, which
in all areas of retail, from high street to high end, bringing
is also where Liberty opened its first store outside of the
with it an expected, but nonetheless welcomed, revamp
iconic original on Regent Street. H&M opened two sportof the British flag. Despite calling it “one of the most
inspired temporary boutiques in Covent Garden, the same
beautiful flags in the world”, for her interpretation of team
spot chosen for the new Opening Ceremony store, and
GB’s outfits, McCartney “dismantled” the Union Jack and
Chanel opened its debut UK standalone beauty shop.
opted for shades of red, navy, gold and blue. Featuring a
In fact, with social media making it easier than ever for
highly-criticised lack of the former (athletes wearing red
unofficial brands to piggyback off the Olympics, it’s a
have been found to outperform others), McCartney’s flag
wonder that bigger companies such as Adidas bother
was a subject of much controversy. She of course took
to sponsor the event at all. The Olympic “halo effect”
to Twitter in her defence: “I see many feel as strongly
has allowed large brands and in particular, British
about the Union flag as I do! The design actually uses
heritage brands such as Burberry and Jaeger, to
more red & shows more flag than any Team GB kit
bask in its good-vibes associations. Take Nike
since ‘84”.
for example, who employed their #MakeItCount
This didn’t perturb the collection’s major influence
campaign to reference the Olympics without
on the catwalk. At London Fashion Week, myriad
actually mentioning it. And the result? According
designers followed suit; Sarah Burton, creative
to a study by BrandWatch, Nike completely
director of McQ, designed embroidered oxblood
outpaced Adidas as the apparel brand most
velvet dresses, Ashish sent models on the runway
associated with London 2012. The effect that
in gold-sequined jackets and trousers, and at
this has had on local retailers and independent
Christopher Kane’s show, a plethora of bright
boutiques is yet to be seen, but one thing’s for
red and dark blue dresses mesmerised on the
sure though, Londoners have much to be proud of.
runway. Even McCartney’s nipped-in bow waist
All those tourists in their bum-bags, cargo pants
was seen again at the Burberry show, where trench
and tired, old caps may well critique Tube, Mayor
coats, bomber jackets and draped front coats were
and Royals alike, but they’ll never look
highlighted with brightly coloured bows at
Statement
necklace
from
Planet,
available
half as good as a Brit would doing it.
the waist. It seems flying the flag for British
at www.planet.co.uk, priced at £49.
style just got whole new meaning. And it
WOMEN’ S BE AUT Y
Refresh and revive
With summer just a distant memory, it’s important to keep your
spirits up all through winter. Angela Clerkin checks out the best
products on the market to help you keep that luscious glow.
Box of tricks
The Box of Sensual Delights is £29.95
and contains a bottle of bath oil that
can also be used as massage oil,
shea body butter, a grapefruit & Irish
moss soap and a scented candle.
www.prezzybox.com
Indulge yourself
Fantastic pamper kits are the must-have for a luxurious bath-time experience. These gorgeous
sets from the Handmade Soap Company are 100% natural and have won awards for the quality
of their ingredients. This Pamper Kit is £59.95 and contains a luxurious bubble bath, two
handmade soaps, a lip balm, a hand cream and body butter for gorgeous glowing skin.
www.prezzybox.com
Burning up
For an extra-warm glow, you can enjoy this luxury
spa experience at home. The Hot Stone Therapy Pack is an affordable £10.95.
www.prezzybox.com
Green fingers
Alternatively, for nature lovers the Sage
Gardening Pots are only £34.95 and
contain 2 plant pots, a seed tray, sage
infused cleansing hand wash, bath soak,
gardeners soap, an exfoliating body buffer,
moisturising lotion, hand cream, a bath
fizzer and a mini spade and harrow.
www.prezzybox.com
WOMEN’ S BE AUT Y
American dream
Capturing the soft and warm beauty of
sundown reflected in the iconic skyline of
New York City, “Sunset” features classic
top notes of Blood Orange, Violet Leaves,
Freesia and Green Apple that give the
fragrance its
feminine and
floral bouquet.
Blended with
mid notes of
Vanilla Orchid,
Muguet and
Sugary Plum
that tempt
with their sultry
and delicious
appeal, the base notes of
Musk, Woody Amber, Benzoin and
Tonka ground the fragrance with a
memorable finish. Price: £ 22.50
http://store.hbouk.com
Smooth as silk
For the latest advances in anti-ageing treatments, try the Beauty Angel Energising Light
Technology. The results of the red light treatment are directly related to your age, your lifestyle
and the current state of health of your skin. Many users report a relaxing effect and a fresher,
softer skin even after just one treatment. In a broadly-based study 80% of those surveyed
had softer skin after one month, and over 60% other visible effects. After the second month
all the results had clearly improved again. Users had a firmer skin, less wrinkles, finer pores
and generally more even skin tone. Beauty Angel on Twitter @BeautyAngelUK and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BeautyAngelEurope
Purple passion
The Rich Plum Pamper Set is an oval
wooden bowl packed with beautifully
scented lotions and potions! It’s just £29.95
and includes shower gel, body lotion, bubble
bath, a chunky exfoliating sponge, bath
salt, potpourri, a nail brush, 4 bath fizzers,
a pair of slippers and a cellulite massager.
www.prezzybox.com
Aromatic air
Taming the tresses
To complete a makeover, there are few
things that beat a brand-new hairstyle.
Headmasters has 41 salons all over
London and are constantly introducing
new treatments, blow-dries and colouring
techniques to keep their clientele abreast
of the latest catwalk trends. They offer
exquisite cutting, beautiful colouring and
that all-important catwalk-quality finish.
Headmasters Mayfair, 11 Hanover
Street, London, W1S 1YQ
Verbena Sorbet launched in 2012, an
aromatic, citrus fragrance which gives off a
zingy freshness. The scent is
composed of grapefruit and
lime notes leaving a luminous and foamy
effect in the beginning.
A heart includes cold,
aromatic notes of
verbena and mint, while
a base incorporates
white musk and
precious wood trail.
Just heaven...
http://uk.loccitane.com
WORLD FA SHION
WORLD FA SHION
Two hairstyle demonstrations are hosted by stylists
from TIGI during Hong Kong Fashion Week
Students studying the Higher Diploma Programme in
Fashion Design and Product Development at the School of
Continuing of Professional Studies, The Chinese University
of Hong Kong show off their design creativity today
Hong Kong
FASHIONWEEK
A look at the recently concluded Hong Kong Fashion Week
Don Cheng by TIAMO, a local designer label, successfully secured six
orders from emerging markets on the first day of Hong Kong Fashion
Week as the brand stands out in the market with its uniquely designed,
limited edition, high quality and hand-made fashion collections.
WORLD FA SHION
WORLD FA SHION
International Fashion: On Parade features the
best designer collections from the Chinese
mainland, Hong Kong and Singapore
Graduates from the Hong Kong Polytechnic
University present their stunning designs
HKTDC Launches Various Initiatives to Help Industry
Players to Explore Business Opportunities
In
July 2012 - The 19th Hong Kong Fashion
Week for Spring/Summer, organised by the
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
(HKTDC), kicked off its four-day run July at the Hong
Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. As the global
economy remains unstable and the European debt crisis
shows no sign of easing, the HKTDC has launched various
initiatives during the fair period to help industry players to
explore business opportunities.
During Hong Kong Fashion Week, the HKTDC has
launched various initiatives such as cheaper rates for
budget booths and designer showcases which are affordable
options for Hong Kong companies.
The HKTDC has also organized more buying missions
this year to help exhibitors to establish contacts with more
overseas buyers. A total of 87 buying missions, comprising
more than 4,600 buyers from 70 countries and regions,
attended Hong Kong Fashion Week to source products.
Among them were more than 120 companies from Japan
and more than 140 companies from other Southeast
Asian countries. As for the traditional markets, around
300 companies from Australia, New Zealand, the US,
Canada and Europe visited the fair. To attract quality
overseas buyers, the HKTDC has also encouraged them to
source products in Hong Kong by offering hotel or airfare
discounts.
Benjamin Chau said that the outlook for emerging
markets is bright, offering great opportunities to Hong
Kong suppliers, and that Hong Kong companies should
expand into these markets. In view of this, the HKTDC
has proactively approached more buyers from emerging
markets including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Russia and Turkey, and companies such as Soda and
Paninter from Russia, PT Megatex Indotama from
Indonesia and Five S.R.O from Slovakia attended the fair.
As there is a huge market for online shopping, the HKTDC
has invited buyers from online shopping websites and
chain stores to visit Hong Kong and also arranged for them
one-on-one business matching services and guided tours
at the fairground.
Starting from last year’s Hong Kong Fashion Week for
Spring/Summer, the HKTDC has also arranged one-onone business matching services for young designers and
this not only creates more exposure of their designs but
also gives them a chance to test the market and explore
business opportunities. Both the winners and finalists
from the three most recent Hong Kong Young Fashion
Designers’ Contest joined hands to stage a fashion show
entitled “FASHIONALLY COLLECTION #1” on the first
day of this year’s Hong Kong Fashion Week. The HKTDC
set up business matching meetings for young designers
to meet with buyers after the show, including Central
Department Store Limited, the largest Chinese-owned
department store in Thailand. This department store
hopes to introduce more unique designer labels and
its representative has expressed interest in two young
designers’ labels.
About the HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
(HKTDC) is the international marketing arm
for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers
and service providers. With more than 40
global offices, including 11 on the Chinese
mainl and, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as
a pl atform for doing business with China and
throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises
trade fairs and business missions to connect
companies with opportunities in Hong
Kong and on the mainl and, while providing
information via trade publications, research
reports and online. For more information,
please visit: www.hktdc.com.
Fair Websites:
Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer:
http://www.hktdc.com/hkfashionweekss/
Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC):
www.fashionally.com
Related Webcast:
Trendy makeup tips:
http://www.hktdc.com/info/webcast/v/tc/can/1X04BDMB/
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC:
Agnes Wat Tel: (852) 2584 4554
Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org
WORLD FA SHION
London
FASHIONWEEK
HIGHLIGHTS
What a gay old time we had! Fiona Keating looks back at the most
important dates in the calendar for fashionistas.
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‘‘2012 has been an unforgettable year for our city and the serotonin is still
flowing with the launch of the talentfest that is London Fashion Week. We have
astonishingly creative people working in the capital, bringing energy and ideas
as well as generating business. Over just a few days Fashion Week showcases our
best fashion designers, puts London’s creative industries on the front pages and
brings in over £100 million of orders alone.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
WORLD FA SHION
Highlights of LFW
• 62 catwalk shows and 20
presentations to take place over
5 days
• 110 UK and international
emerging and established,
ready-to-wear and accessory
designers at The Exhibition at
London Fashion Week (LFW)
o
NE s of the best parties of LFW 2012
was the Fashion for the Brave, raising
over £250,000 funds for injured
Household Cavalry men and their families and
the British Forces Foundation.
Aston Martin donated a Special Edition Aston
Martin Cygnet, auctioned by Jeffrey Archer,
and which heralded a very exciting competitive
auction between Sir Phillip Green (via phone
with Harold Tillman) and another guest.
This was THE party to mark the end of London
Fashion Week. Celebrities attending included
Claudia Winkleman, Jade Parfitt, Jasmine
Guinness, Lady Victoria Hervey, Bo Bruce, Amal
Fashanu, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs and Harold
Tillman. Guest enjoyed a meal of delicious Beef
Wellington and sipped on coffee with Baileys to
end the evening in style.
A spectacular catwalk show created by fashion
legend Hilary Alexander with the Best of British
fashion which rounded off with a glorious finale
featuring supermodel Jade Parfitt in a bespoke
Corrie Nielsen dress. All the models were made
up by Laura Mercier, wore Boodles diamonds
and sported Brave - an exact match to the red of
the Guards uniform by Maison Danu, who give
50% of their profits from its sale to the charity.
• Philip Treacy and Preen
returning to show at LFW
• New presentations to the schedule include Lucas
Nascimento and Marques Almeida as part of the
NEWGEN sponsored by Topshop scheme, Huishan
Zhang and Willow
• In a first for London Fashion Week, Jonathan Saunders
(winner of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund) has
worked with the BFC to create bespoke visual event
branding and marketing materials that will be used
across London Fashion Week for the SS13 season – this
is based on an adapted version of his ombre print from
Resort 2013
• This season sees the launch of the Rock Vault Dozen.
The scheme will see twelve jewellers invited to design a
ring created from up to an ounce of the precious metal
Palladium. These rings will be showcased, alongside the
jewellers’ full collections, in a dedicated exhibit as part
of the BFC’s Rock Vault, sponsored by the International
Palladium Board and curated by Stephen Webster
• For the first time The Exhibition at London Fashion Week
will also incorporate the newly renovated West Wing,
ensuring the majority of areas can be accessed from the
main courtyard. This new wing will house the BFC Rock
Vault, Estethica, Headonism supported by Royal Ascot,
West Wing showrooms and the new Buyers Information
Point supported by Samsung
• It is estimated that orders of over £100m are placed
during LFW each season; the International Guest
Programme alone generates over £74m of orders
(source: BFC)
WORLD FA SHION
WORLD FA SHION
T
his glittering event
showcased a full of
range of international
designers and the
next
generation
of emerging talent at Lincoln
Center, New York City. “The Spring
2013 Collections are shaping up
to be a much talked about season,
with a large amount of our most
celebrated designers returning, and
many up and coming designers
making
their
runway debut,”
says Christina Neault, Executive
Producer, IMG Fashion.
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Spring 2013 Collections included
designers and institutions such as
Chadwick Bell, Concept Korea,
Tommy Hilfiger men's, Lacoste and
Diane Von Furstenburg.
Mercedes-Benz
FASHIONWEEK
Photos by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Designer Chadwick Bell walks
the runway at the Chadwick Bell
Spring 2013 fashion show during
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in
New York City.
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
A wealth of talent and inspiration awaits us
for the Spring 2013 Collections.
WORLD FA SHION
WORLD FA SHION
Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz
Designers Christopher Kunz
and Nicholas Kunz walk the
runway at the Nicholas K
Spring 2013 fashion show
during Mercedes-Benz
Fashion Week.
Model Iman attends MBFW Spring 2013
Photos by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Photos by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
WORLD FA SHION
WORLD FA SHION
Photos by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Photos by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
WORLD FA SHION
WORLD FA SHION