Amelia’s Magazine | The Golden Thread Awards at Fashion Week Poland A/W 2011: lovers of Raggedy Grunge

Agnieszka Kowalska by Victoria Haynes
Agnieszka Kowalska by Victoria Haynes.

I have learnt that grungey raggedy looks are a great favourite of Polish fashion designers. And so is grey. How they love their greys! No surprise then that this round up includes both of The Golden Thread winners.

Sabina Koryl
Sabina Koryl Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sabina Koryl Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sabina Koryl Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sabina Koryl Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Sabina Koryl showed a 90s influenced grunge collection of deconstructed leather and rubberised garments in dark shades, more about accessorised with dangling reflectors and round sunglasses.

Dominka Naziebly
Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Dominika Naziebly Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Dominka Naziebly was all about the distressed denim, mangled knitwear dangling in swishing loops and my favourite piece: a fun squished fabric layered red dress that called to mind the work of Georgia Hardinge. I think the garments might have been made from recycled fabrics, for which she gets massive brownie points.

Gareth A Hopkins Monika Jaworska Golden Thread
Monika Jaworska by Gareth A Hopkins.

Monika Jaworska
Monika Jaworska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Jaworska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Jaworska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Jaworska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Monika Jaworska showed a military meets peasant collection with lots of highly wearable frayed louche shapes in beiges and neutrals; a clear commercial favourite that would easily translate into production. She won the Pret a Porter Golden Thread category.

Agnieszka Kowalska
Agnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 WinnerAgnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 WinnerAgnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 WinnerAgnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 WinnerAgnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 WinnerAgnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 WinnerAgnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 Winner
Agnieszka Kowalska presented one of my favourite Golden Thread collections: flamboyant tea stained flounces layered in tattered circus style sent down the catwalk to a soundtrack of traditional hornpipes. Tights and socks were holey and muddy, exposing bony knees, and in the case of one particular man, way too much.

Agnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 Winner
It was all going so incredibly well until he stepped out on the catwalk. No no no, man with chunky thighs in tights not good. Not for Fall/Winter, not ever. Despite this glaring faux pas Agnieszka Kowalska was a worthy winner of the Premiere Vision category.

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,Agnieszka Kowalska, ,Dominka Naziebly, ,Eco fashion, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Georgia Hardinge, ,grunge, ,Lodz, ,Modus Vivendi, ,Monika Jaworska, ,poland, ,Premiere Vision, ,Pret-a-porter, ,Raggedy Grunge, ,recycled, ,Sabina Koryl, ,Szałapot, ,The Golden Thread, ,Victoria Haynes, ,Winner

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Golden Thread Awards at Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland A/W 2011 in Łódź

?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011

As with all the shows at Fashion Week Poland, price The Golden Thread Awards show began with a booming announcement somewhat akin to the call to board an interstellar spacecraft: Please take your seats now, information pills the mission to Mars is about to commence. That or a catwalk show.

?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 streetstyle

Fashion Week Poland was not hot on front row goodie bags… but The Golden Thread did as good as it said on the tin: waiting on our seats were small plastic bags of sewing thread, viagra sale handy for all those crafty projects. The Golden Thread, otherwise known in Polish as Z?ota Nitka, is responsible for launching the most talented fashion design graduates into the public realm – it counts amongst its winners the well known design duo Paprocki & Brzozowski.

Golden Thread Award Fashion Week Poland AW 2011

French fashion celebrity Marcellous staged a fabulous late entrance in a fuchsia pink suit and purple ostrich brogues, carrying aloft his angel-winged Jack Russell Phaedra. Phaedra is herself a celebrity and had her very own doggy fashion week pass. Marcellous was trailed by a camera crew who obscured our view somewhat as the local dignitaries all rose for a bow, which I found most amusing.

?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 Marcellous and Phaedra
Marcellous & Phaedra dressed down on another day.

?ód? Fashion Week AW 2011 Phaedra Amelia
Phaedra, the best behaved dog ever, on my lap.

Also on our seats was what looked curiously like a posh wine list – a line up of the competing entries for The Golden Thread award in black and jewelled red: I’d like a glass of Anya with my catwalk please.

Golden Thread Award Fashion Week Poland AW 2011 Marcellous

After a series of mainly Polish announcements the lengthy catwalk show began. This was separated into two sections: Pret a Porter and Premiere Vision – the sort of couture section, though I would have struggled to define the two apart myself. Two bum-numbing hours later Marcellous was hauled onto the catwalk to present a gift from Kenzo Takada and then we arose for a break… which mainly consisted of heading for the free Stock vodka bar in the VIP lounge upstairs.

Golden Thread Award Fashion Week Poland AW 2011

Then, round two, we had the awards ceremony, again conducted mainly in Polish so I could only really hazard a guess at what was going on. How’s this for a summary: lots of awards were basically given to the same few designers, who struggled to balance their gifts in their arms.

Monika Jaworska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Monika Jaworska‘s Modus Vivendi collection which won the Pret-a-porter division at The Golden Thread Awards, AW 2011

Agnieszka Kowalska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Agnieszka Kowalska, winner of the Premiere Vision category at The Golden Thread Awards. A/W 2011

The major prize Pret a Porter went to Monika Jaworska for her Modus Vivendi collection… sweet enough but not my favourite by a long shot. In the Premiere Vision category Agnieska Kowalska was a worthy winner for her flouncy tea-stained collection Sza?apot, definitely one of the strongest on the catwalk. If I’d been choosing winners both Dominika Piekutowska Swed and Paulina Matuszelanska would definitely have figured in there somewhere.

Dominika Piekutowska Swed Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Dominika Piekutowska Swed.

Paulina Matuszelanska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Paulina Matuszelanska.

I’d say check out The Golden Thread award website for more information, but as with many designers in Poland the website for the award does not appear to be a priority – it’s pretty basic to say the least. Business-like, it might even be fair to say. Hardly inspiring stuff given the nature of the award, which is a wonderful kickstart for creative young Polish fashion designers.

Coming up: a run down of each show, with my analysis of Polish fashion trends…

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,Agnieska Kowalska, ,Celebrity, ,competition, ,couture, ,Dog, ,Dominika Piekutowska Swed, ,Fashion Week Poland, ,french, ,Golden Thread Awards, ,graduate, ,Jack Russell, ,Kenzo Takada, ,Lodz, ,Marcellous, ,Modus Vivendi, ,Monika Jaworska, ,Paprocki & Brzozowski, ,Paulina Matuszelanska, ,Phaedra, ,poland, ,Polish, ,Premiere Vision, ,Pret-a-porter, ,Stock vodka, ,Szałapot, ,The Golden Thread, ,VIP, ,Złota Nitka

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Golden Thread Awards at Fashion Week Poland A/W 2011: Black, Grey, Red and White

Damian Konieczny Fashion Week Poland 2011 by Fi Blog
Damian Konieczny Fashion Week Poland 2011 by Fi Blog.

Black, information pills white, grey and red predominated everywhere at Fashion Week Poland. Here’s who took up the theme at The Golden Thread Awards.

Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Poland Fashion Week AW 2011 by Michalis Christodoulou
Magdalena Herwich A/W 2011 by Michalis Christodoulou.

Magdalena Herwich
Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Magdalena Herwich Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Magdalena Herwich‘s collection was entirely black and red… featuring tassels, pompoms and inexplicably, gun holsters. Why?! The curled and cascading head pieces were without a doubt my favourite bit.

Monika Blazusiak
Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Monika Blazusiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Monika Blazusiak put together a very black leathery collection, accessorised with over sized bags. There were some interesting architectural shapes going on, and I particularly liked the tumbling layers of an oversized woollen coat top.

Damian Konieczny
Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Damian Konieczny Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Damian Konieczny featured black catsuits covered in what I initially thought were swishing tassels, but turned out to be bouncy metal threads. Some pieces undoubtedly worked better than others, with spiked trousers imitating the legs of a great hairy beast… but at least the collection was fun. And also popular with the crowd, who whooped and cheered.

Kinga Dubiel 2011 by Antonia Parker
Kinga Dubiel by Antonia Parker.

Kinga Dubiel
Kinga Dubiel Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Kinga Dubiel Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Kinga Dubiel Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Kinga Dubiel Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Kinga Dubiel Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Kinga Dubiel sent out garments that constrained the arms, befitting to the circus cabaret theme. Poorly cut asymmetric tailoring in monochrome did not really do it for me but the cascading arms on a dress (very similar to Monika Blazusiak’s coat) made for an effective silhouette.

Anya Kamarek
Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Anya Kamarek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Anya Kamarek sent her models out in pairs wearing asymmetric white outfits, combined with pewter tones and outsized fluffy sleeves. The best piece was a sleeveless square backed shirt with curious shoulder flaps.

Nina Krowlikowska
Nina Krowlikowska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Nina Krowlikowska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Nina Krowlikowska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Nina Krowlikowska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Nina Krowlikowska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Nina Krowlikowska Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Nina Krowlikowska concentrated on menswear. Lots of layered black fabric and cowled heads were set to a slow and moody electro beat, a favourite for catwalk soundtracks in Poland…

Categories ,Antonia Parker, ,Anya Kamarek, ,Damian Konieczny, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Fashion Week Poland, ,Fi Blog, ,Kinga Dubiel, ,Lodz, ,Magdalena Herwich, ,Michalis Christodoulou, ,Monika Blazusiak, ,Nina Krowlikowska, ,poland, ,The Golden Thread

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Golden Thread Awards at Fashion Week Poland A/W 2011: Colourful Patterns

Jo Cheung_Sofie Gauden Golden Thread AW 2011
Sofie Gauden AW 2011 by Jo Cheung.

Very few Golden Thread designers really embraced colour and pattern. But these ones did.

Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Poland Fashion Week AW 2011 by Michalis Christodoulou
Natalia Paliy AW 2011 by Michalis Christodoulou.

Natalia Paliy
Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Natalia Paliy Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Natalia Paliy really set her own pace with a happy tune mashup and an eager parade of smiling models in summery flower prints sent straight down to the end of the catwalk in a phalanx. The styling was bloody awful but the prints were rather lovely underneath it all… who knows if she was responsible for them herself? And was this really Fall/Winter I ask you?!

Domi Grzybek by Hannah Simpson
Domi Grzybek by Hannah Simpson.

Domi Grzybek
Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Domi Grzybek Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Domi Grzybek paraded coral fitted jackets with gold sequin pants, viagra 100mg slouchy 80s influenced numbers with wide shoulders, viagra drop crotch nappy pants, plastic capes and patchwork body con dresses which had the air of Holly Fulton and Christopher Kane some seasons back. I liked the colour palette, but there was a major problem with poor tailoring: badly fitted bodycon dresses are never a good plan.

Katharina Kubiak
Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Katharina Kubiak Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Katharina Kubiak‘s over the top womenswear styling was a total dog’s dinner but her printed mix and match aesthetic worked well on shorts suits for men. I liked them a lot… now she just needs to concentrate on what she does best.

Sofie Gauden Golden Thread AW 2011Jo Cheung
Sofie Gauden AW 2011 by Jo Cheung.

Sofie Gaudaen
Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011Sofie Gaudaen Golden Thread Fashion Week Poland AW 2011
Sofie Gaudaen ended the evening with a collection of neon rave shamans: barefooted models sporting plenty of feathers and fringing. I loved the colours but it was not the strongest showing of the night to end on…

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,Christopher Kane, ,colour, ,Domi Grzybek, ,Fashion Philosophy Fashion Week Poland, ,Fashion Week Poland, ,Hannah Simpson, ,Holly Fulton, ,Jo Cheung, ,Katharina Kubiak, ,Lodz, ,Natalia Paliy, ,poland, ,Polish, ,Premiere Vision, ,Pret-a-porter, ,print, ,Shamen, ,Sofie Gaudaen, ,Sofie Gauden, ,Stock vodka, ,Szałapot, ,The Golden Thread, ,Złota Nitka

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

Ever Reve by Sine Skau
Ever Reve by Sine Skau.

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

ever rêve
Your beautiful inaugural collection was put together in collaboration with Swedish writer Hanna Ricksten. What was the process of meeting and deciding to work together?
At the beginning of my working process there is always a persona. I always use characters and fictional stories as an inspiration to build up a collection as it helps me to create an ambience and gives me a set to work in. My choices of colours, patterns and cuts can be traced in this story or in the character.
Hanna and I have known each other for a long time and she has been writing stories for as long as I have been working with textiles. When I started working with Ever Rêve I talked a lot to Hanna and realised that we share many ideals and dreams, which is why we decided to create a story together. I sent Hanna all of my inspiration work; notes, photos, colour samples and sketches and she based the story on that. It was a very stimulating process of reciprocal creativity.  
 
ever rêve
The model in your look book has a very unique look: how did you come to cast her?
I cast Aleksandra at a distance from photos sent by friends we have in common. She lives in Poland where we took the photos and I didn’t get to actually meet her until the day of the photo shoot. I love her look; she expresses both strength and vulnerability at the same time. I am always looking for something unique in models; Aleksandra was perfect for this collection. She is also very hard working. On the day of the shoot, it was about 35 degrees. We decided to take photos of the knitwear in the late afternoon, but the temperature remained really high. Once I asked her to put the knitted jumper on I could see a look of terror on her face, but she quickly covered it up with a smile. She is a great girl and a very professional model.
 
ever rêve
What inspired the patterns you have used?
There is a strong yet rough expression in some Polish graphic designs that have inspired me a lot, working with straight lines and simple shapes. I found it challenging to work with strong graphics in combination with the water colours, as the technique automatically softens it up a bit. I have also been strongly inspired by textiles that my grandmother made in the sixties.
 
 Ever Reve by Sandra Contreras
Ever Reve by Sandra Contreras.

Can you tell us a bit more about your family’s textile history?
My grandmother was a textile artist and designer and she worked a lot with traditional wax batik in the early sixties. She used this technique to make bright and colourful graphic patterns on pieces of clothing. I have never met my grandmother as she died when my mother was born, but I have been told my whole life that I am like her. I found it very hard to relate to this when I was younger but then I was given a box full of clothes made by her a couple of years ago and I clearly saw the connection.  
 
 ever rêve
How did your fashion illustrations inform the creation of this collection?
I was intentionally looking to link my illustration and textile work together with Ever Rêve. I have been working with water colours for as long as I can remember and it is a technique I feel confident with. A couple of years ago I experimented with silk dyes and found that the effect I was searching for was similar to silk painting. I think this has been a quite natural progress: coming out of experiments and a need to explore new materials and surfaces.
 
 ever rêve
How have your ethics affected the making of this collection?
Ethics, environment and sustainability were a big part of my education and are still something I pay a lot of attention to. I looked at every part of the production process and asked myself how I can improve. For example, the parts of the collection that are hand painted are made on an organic silk (a production without insecticides or pesticides) and the knitted garments are made out of recycled silk/viscose yarn. The only tricky part is to find someone who does digital printing on organic fabrics, something that I am still searching for. I was also very careful selecting the printers and the seamstress – they are both small family run businesses which care about their employees. I am still concerned about all the travelling the fabrics need to do before they get a final steam on the hanger, but I have spoken to some charities who advised me on how to reduce and offset our carbon footprint. There is always room to improve!
 
Ever Reve by Grace Nikobari
Ever Reve by Grace Nikobari.

Where are the garments made and by whom?
The Ever Rêve garments are made in Łódź, Poland. My partner has got contacts in the textile industry and they recommended a seamstress and her team. They are very skilled and experienced and they have worked with many international designers before.
 
ever rêve
Who do you hope will wear these clothes. What will she do in them?
I hope that Ever Rêve appeals to women in many different ages, doing many different things. Because some of the garments are hand painted and very luxurious I don’t expect them to be worn every day; however my friend who has a six month old baby wears her stripy silk shirt for most things, washes it in water with some shampoo and irons it dry. The clothes are made to be worn, living life with their wearers; at work, on holiday, at parties or celebrations.
 
ever rêve
Who are your dream stockists?
I would love to see the clothes in Liberty, because of their long tradition and history of fabrics and prints. Browns is another dream stockist.
 
ever rêve
What are your next plans for Ever Rêve?
I am currently working on the A/W 2013 collection. With this collection I am hoping to participate in more events for young designers, competitions and shows during London Fashion Week. I am trying to make a solid ground for Ever Rêve to stand on and to build it up from there, little by little and with patience. Big dreams and fantasies trigger you to work hard, but only when they are mixed with a sensible attitude and realistic goals can they actually come into fulfilment. 


All look book photography and film by Sejin Ahn. I can’t wait to see how Ever Rêve develops.

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

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Amelia’s Magazine | Martina Spetlova: New S/S 2012 Season Interview

Martina Spetlova By Shauna Tranter
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Shauna Tranter.

Eco designer Martina Spetlova first caught my eye when I was putting together Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration last year. She has an inimitable ability to combine materials and colours which has made her past two collections every bit as eye catching as that first one I saw. Time for a catch up me thinks.

Stacie Swift - Martina Spetlova AW11
Martina Spetlova A/W 2011 by Stacie Swift.

For A/W 2011 you shot a more spooky video with a tribal beat, cheap can you speak a bit more about the inspiration for this?
I wanted to work with a dancer and I used a very inspiring film by Maya Deren called A Study In Choreography For Camera as reference. Margarita who performs in my film was loosely choreorgaphed for the piece and then we filmed it over a stretch of a few hours. The music came later and was sourced by Paddy Austin, price who got it from an old Italian opera by Roberto De Simone.


Your use of sustainable leather and zips for A/W 2011 is amazing, how did you mock up trial samples of this range?
I always spend some time researching in the library at the start of a season, but my ideas tend to evolve by experimenting in the studio. I am always testing and mixing the combinations of textures and colours at my studio… playing with various leathers and using zips as connectors and features. 

Martina Spetlova by Celine Elliott
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Celine Elliott.

Your use of colour is very intriguing – where do you get the ideas for your mismatches? Is there something in particular that you look at for inspiration each season, or is your colour choice in your DNA?
In order to be sustainable I work with end of line fabrics and yarns which can be quite limiting in terms of colour. I always have an idea of the main colours I would like to use when I start working on a new collection, but I have to also see what is available and what happy accidents I discover along the way. But I suppose you could say that colour is in my DNA, as I seem to know that the choices and combinations I use are right.


The video for your new S/S 2012 collection is beautiful – what gave you the idea to work with split imagery and different focal lengths?
For my presentation I took the elements that helped create the S/S 2012 collection and separated them out in petri dishes on a large light box. I wanted to highlight the way I experiment when I work, by creating a formula for various processes my designs go through. The film had to sit next to this piece in Somerset House so thats how we thought of using mirrors and a magnifying glass to distort and split images. The film is a collaboration with Ruta Balseviciute and Till Janz, and we were inspired by the short films of Erwin Blumenfeld of course.

Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-2
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-3
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-3
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-3
Chemical theory is still a dominant theme, how is this applied to the making of your garments for S/S 2012?
My formula I mentioned above takes the ingredients I use – the end of line fabrics and yarns, ethically sourced leathers, textures and colours of elements such as the zips and knit – and combines them with my own experimentation processes to create the finished piece. I studied a chemistry degree in Prague before I went to Central Saint Martins to study fashion and I found some similarities between the two disciplines. The way I experiment with colours and textures in the design process at my studio echos the blending and mixing of chemicals in order to achieve a prescribed reaction within the laboratory. 

Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Erin Sleeper
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Erin Sleeper
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Erin Sleeper.

You first came to my attention as an eco designer – how has a desire to be ethical continued to influence your work, and how do you make sure that all fabrics are sustainably sourced?
I work with end of line fabrics and yarns from European mills which the industry sees as waste material, but which I am able to use for my limited edition collections. I also work with leather companies which have sustainable policies. 

Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-6
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-7
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-8
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-9
You’ve recently been doing some teaching – how does this compliment and fit in with your design work?
I have just started teaching fashion on Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw which is a brand new course and full of energy. It gives me an opportunity to step away from my own work, whilst helping the students develop their own ideas in the same way I was encouraged to at Central Saint Martins.

Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Stacie Swift
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Stacie Swift.

Where can people buy a piece of Martina Spetlova?
Selected pieces from my A/W 2011 and S/S 2012 collection will be soon available at LN-CC. I am also selling my new collection with Osmoda, which is new online shop.

Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-10
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-11
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-12
Any future plans or collaborations that you can tell us about?
I am hoping to carry on collaborating with Atlantic Leather, which I have been working with for a couple of seasons now. I am also looking into a shoe collaboration for the new season, to be shown next February. 

Wonderful stuff! You can see more of Martina Spetlova in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-13
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-14
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012-15
Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012
S/S 2011 collection

Categories ,A Study In Choreography For Camera, ,A/W 2011, ,Academy of Fine Arts, ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Atlantic Leather, ,Celine Elliott, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chemistry, ,ecodesign, ,Erin Sleeper, ,Erwin Blumenfeld, ,ethical, ,film, ,LN-CC, ,ma, ,Martina Spetlova, ,Maya Deren, ,Osmoda, ,Paddy Austin, ,poland, ,Prague, ,Roberto De Simone, ,Ruta Balseviciute, ,S/S 2012, ,Shauna Tranter, ,Somerset House, ,Stacie Swift, ,Till Janz, ,Warsaw, ,Zips

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Amelia’s Magazine | Martina Spetlova: New S/S 2012 Season Interview

Martina Spetlova By Shauna Tranter
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Shauna Tranter.

Eco designer Martina Spetlova first caught my eye when I was putting together Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration last year. She has an inimitable ability to combine materials and colours which has made her past two collections every bit as eye catching as that first one I saw. Time for a catch up me thinks.

Stacie Swift - Martina Spetlova AW11
Martina Spetlova A/W 2011 by Stacie Swift.

For A/W 2011 you shot a more spooky video with a tribal beat, cheap can you speak a bit more about the inspiration for this?
I wanted to work with a dancer and I used a very inspiring film by Maya Deren called A Study In Choreography For Camera as reference. Margarita who performs in my film was loosely choreorgaphed for the piece and then we filmed it over a stretch of a few hours. The music came later and was sourced by Paddy Austin, price who got it from an old Italian opera by Roberto De Simone.


Your use of sustainable leather and zips for A/W 2011 is amazing, how did you mock up trial samples of this range?
I always spend some time researching in the library at the start of a season, but my ideas tend to evolve by experimenting in the studio. I am always testing and mixing the combinations of textures and colours at my studio… playing with various leathers and using zips as connectors and features. 

Martina Spetlova by Celine Elliott
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Celine Elliott.

Your use of colour is very intriguing – where do you get the ideas for your mismatches? Is there something in particular that you look at for inspiration each season, or is your colour choice in your DNA?
In order to be sustainable I work with end of line fabrics and yarns which can be quite limiting in terms of colour. I always have an idea of the main colours I would like to use when I start working on a new collection, but I have to also see what is available and what happy accidents I discover along the way. But I suppose you could say that colour is in my DNA, as I seem to know that the choices and combinations I use are right.


The video for your new S/S 2012 collection is beautiful – what gave you the idea to work with split imagery and different focal lengths?
For my presentation I took the elements that helped create the S/S 2012 collection and separated them out in petri dishes on a large light box. I wanted to highlight the way I experiment when I work, by creating a formula for various processes my designs go through. The film had to sit next to this piece in Somerset House so thats how we thought of using mirrors and a magnifying glass to distort and split images. The film is a collaboration with Ruta Balseviciute and Till Janz, and we were inspired by the short films of Erwin Blumenfeld of course.

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Chemical theory is still a dominant theme, how is this applied to the making of your garments for S/S 2012?
My formula I mentioned above takes the ingredients I use – the end of line fabrics and yarns, ethically sourced leathers, textures and colours of elements such as the zips and knit – and combines them with my own experimentation processes to create the finished piece. I studied a chemistry degree in Prague before I went to Central Saint Martins to study fashion and I found some similarities between the two disciplines. The way I experiment with colours and textures in the design process at my studio echos the blending and mixing of chemicals in order to achieve a prescribed reaction within the laboratory. 

Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Erin Sleeper
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Erin Sleeper
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Erin Sleeper.

You first came to my attention as an eco designer – how has a desire to be ethical continued to influence your work, and how do you make sure that all fabrics are sustainably sourced?
I work with end of line fabrics and yarns from European mills which the industry sees as waste material, but which I am able to use for my limited edition collections. I also work with leather companies which have sustainable policies. 

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You’ve recently been doing some teaching – how does this compliment and fit in with your design work?
I have just started teaching fashion on Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw which is a brand new course and full of energy. It gives me an opportunity to step away from my own work, whilst helping the students develop their own ideas in the same way I was encouraged to at Central Saint Martins.

Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Stacie Swift
Martina Spetlova S/S 2012 by Stacie Swift.

Where can people buy a piece of Martina Spetlova?
Selected pieces from my A/W 2011 and S/S 2012 collection will be soon available at LN-CC. I am also selling my new collection with Osmoda, which is new online shop.

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Any future plans or collaborations that you can tell us about?
I am hoping to carry on collaborating with Atlantic Leather, which I have been working with for a couple of seasons now. I am also looking into a shoe collaboration for the new season, to be shown next February. 

Wonderful stuff! You can see more of Martina Spetlova in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration.

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Martina-Spetlova-SS-2012
S/S 2011 collection

Categories ,A Study In Choreography For Camera, ,A/W 2011, ,Academy of Fine Arts, ,ACOFI, ,Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, ,Atlantic Leather, ,Celine Elliott, ,Central Saint Martins, ,Chemistry, ,ecodesign, ,Erin Sleeper, ,Erwin Blumenfeld, ,ethical, ,film, ,LN-CC, ,ma, ,Martina Spetlova, ,Maya Deren, ,Osmoda, ,Paddy Austin, ,poland, ,Prague, ,Roberto De Simone, ,Ruta Balseviciute, ,S/S 2012, ,Shauna Tranter, ,Somerset House, ,Stacie Swift, ,Till Janz, ,Warsaw, ,Zips

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Amelia’s Magazine | Michelle Urvall Nyrén introduces her Ever Rêve A/W 2013 fashion collection

Ever Reve by Jamie Wignall
Ever Reve by Jamie Wignall.

Michelle Urvall Nyrén has a wonderful way with ink, whether it be the washes of colour in her beautiful fashion illustrations (found in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration) or the beautiful bespoke prints on garments in her Ever Rêve fashion range, now stocked in Wolf & Badger. Here she explains the inspiration behind the new collection and the making of her accompanying video.

My inspiration for the A/W 2013 Ever Rêve collection was again taken from a story by Swedish writer Hanna Ricksten. When I discussed the character and idea for the collection with my business partner Karol he straight away grabbed his computer and started showing me pictures of old palaces in the city of Lodz, Poland where he is from. We wanted to create an ambience where this young woman partly looked very lonely in a big and empty space and partly looked unbelievably strong and independent. The study of the strong and weak, the dreamy and real is something that I have been analysing in my work for a long time and find very interesting.

Michelle Urval Nyrén
Michelle Urval Nyrén
Ever Reve by Laura Hickman
Ever Reve by Laura Hickman.

We eventually decided to take the photos and make the video in The Museum of Cinematography in Lodz, a mid-nineteenth century small palace (residence) in a neo-renaissance style. It has a quite dramatic feeling to it but without being too old-school. Sejin Ahn, the photographer just finished his fifth year at the film school in Lodz and is a very talented film producer. He wanted the photos to look like they were a part of an actual film and have a real and untouched look. The way we both work with characters and sets makes it perfect for collaboration. He has got an amazing attention to details and he doesn’t give up until he has got what he thinks is a perfect picture.

Michelle Urvall Nyrén
Michelle Urvall Nyrén
Ever Reve by katy edelsten
Ever Reve by Katy Edelsten.

This collection was modelled by my younger sister Amanda. She has been working professionally for quite a while and she did a very good job in the cold building and snowy garden. We are close like twins and read each others minds so she knew exactly what kind of ambience I was after.

Michelle Urvall Nyrén
Ever Reve By Kim Jenkins
Ever Reve by Kim Jenkins.

You can read a full interview with Michelle Urvall Nyrén here.

Categories ,A/W 2013, ,Amanda, ,Ever Rêve, ,Hanna Ricksten, ,Jamie Wignall, ,Katy Edelsten, ,Kim Jenkins, ,Laura Hickman, ,Lodz, ,Michelle Urvall Nyrén, ,Museum of Cinematography, ,poland, ,Sejin Ahn, ,Wolf & Badger

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