Amelia’s Magazine | Post-London Fashion Week Interview: Minna

Masters of Reality return with their latest mind altered offering to master their, treat cialis 40mg well, reality.

Masters of Reality’s sixth and latest record Pine/Cross Dover is a welcome return of the classic American desert kings who have many rock and roll fingers in many Palm Desert pies. Although released in 2009, the record is making waves over in the UK now. Presented as two halves, the question is Pine/Cross Dover, their first record in five years, any good?

As a pretty big Queens of the Stone Age fan, I was keen to dip my toe into the pool of rock and branch away from my Tension Head (a track which has incidentally been on my top five records for the last decade), let my ears broaden their taste and listen to fellow desert rockers Masters of Reality, which although I was quite familiar with them I hadn’t fully appreciated. Main member and founder Chris Goss has produced many QOTSA records, and so it’s a clear lineage many make associating the two bands together. To my bountiful joy I was pleased with what I heard in the shape of Pine/Cross Dover, kicking off with King Richard TLH, epitomizing from the outset the classic chugga chugga desert rock sound in a nutshell. This song makes me want to get up to get down, swing my limbs around the room and air drum to the max. Which, after doing so left me injured, but on a futuristic trip through nostalgia at the cusp of the desert rocking it’s best.

Aside from the belting opener, stand out tracks include the blissful Always, pounding with its repetitive drum beats and guitar riffs commonly associated to bands in the Palm Desert scene. The instrumental Johnny’s Dream, broadens the sound and style of Masters of Reality to something more then what many have said to be within the realms of stoner rock. Johnny’s Dream is pure end credit music and an awakening to the bands’ previous explorations. Further tracks to download include Absinthe Jim and Me, and the juggernaut Up In It, with Dave Catching playing guest guitar on the former – a fellow member of the desert rock scene and collaborator to many Josh Homme projects, including touring with Eagles of Death Metal last year. Masters of Reality, who add a dash of dark riff house blues to complete their newest record, are for anyone who has overplayed their Queens of the Stone Age records (which does happen) and are after a darker and deeper foray into the light of desert rock at it’s best. Due to tour the UK supporting The Cult in early 2011, if you’re into psychedelic, desert rock and dirty riffs, this is a band you don’t want to miss.

Masters of reality Pine

Masters of Reality return with their latest mind altered offering to master their, price well, dosage reality. Their sixth and latest record Pine/Cross Dover is a welcome return of the classic American desert kings who have many rock and roll fingers in many Palm Desert pies. Although released in 2009, buy the record is making waves over in the UK now. Presented as two halves, the question is Pine/Cross Dover, their first record in five years, any good?

As a pretty big Queens of the Stone Age fan, I was keen to dip my toe into the pool of rock and branch away from my Tension Head (a track which has incidentally been on my top five records for the last decade), let my ears broaden their taste and listen to fellow desert rockers Masters of Reality, which although I was quite familiar with them I hadn’t fully appreciated. Main member and founder Chris Goss has produced many QOTSA records, and so it’s a clear lineage many make associating the two bands together. To my bountiful joy I was pleased with what I heard in the shape of Pine/Cross Dover, kicking off with King Richard TLH, epitomizing from the outset the classic chugga chugga desert rock sound in a nutshell. This song makes me want to get up to get down, swing my limbs around the room and air drum to the max. Which, after doing so left me injured, but on a futuristic trip through nostalgia at the cusp of the desert rocking it’s best.

Chris Goss
Chris Goss – something of a character!

Aside from the belting opener, stand out tracks include the blissful Always, pounding with its repetitive drum beats and guitar riffs commonly associated to bands in the Palm Desert scene. The instrumental Johnny’s Dream, broadens the sound and style of Masters of Reality to something more then what many have said to be within the realms of stoner rock. Johnny’s Dream is pure end credit music and an awakening to the bands’ previous explorations. Further tracks to download include Absinthe Jim and Me, and the juggernaut Up In It, with Dave Catching playing guest guitar on the former – a fellow member of the desert rock scene and collaborator to many Josh Homme projects, including touring with Eagles of Death Metal last year. Masters of Reality, who add a dash of dark riff house blues to complete their newest record, are for anyone who has overplayed their Queens of the Stone Age records (which does happen) and are after a darker and deeper foray into the light of desert rock at it’s best. Due to tour the UK supporting The Cult in early 2011, if you’re into psychedelic, desert rock and dirty riffs, this is a band you don’t want to miss.

Masters of reality Pine

Masters of Reality return with their latest mind altered offering to master their, approved well, approved reality. Their sixth and latest record Pine/Cross Dover is a welcome return of the classic American desert kings who have many rock and roll fingers in many Palm Desert pies. Although released in 2009, the record is making waves over in the UK now. Presented as two halves, the question is Pine/Cross Dover, their first record in five years, any good?

As a pretty big Queens of the Stone Age fan, I was keen to dip my toe into the pool of rock and branch away from my Tension Head (a track which has incidentally been on my top five records for the last decade), let my ears broaden their taste and listen to fellow desert rockers Masters of Reality, which although I was quite familiar with them I hadn’t fully appreciated. Main member and founder Chris Goss has produced many QOTSA records, and so it’s a clear lineage many make associating the two bands together. To my bountiful joy I was pleased with what I heard in the shape of Pine/Cross Dover, kicking off with King Richard TLH, epitomizing from the outset the classic chugga chugga desert rock sound in a nutshell. This song makes me want to get up to get down, swing my limbs around the room and air drum to the max. Which, after doing so left me injured, but on a futuristic trip through nostalgia at the cusp of the desert rocking it’s best.

Chris Goss
Chris Goss – something of a character!

Aside from the belting opener, stand out tracks include the blissful Always, pounding with its repetitive drum beats and guitar riffs commonly associated to bands in the Palm Desert scene. The instrumental Johnny’s Dream, broadens the sound and style of Masters of Reality to something more then what many have said to be within the realms of stoner rock. Johnny’s Dream is pure end credit music and an awakening to the bands’ previous explorations. Further tracks to download include Absinthe Jim and Me, and the juggernaut Up In It, with Dave Catching playing guest guitar on the former – a fellow member of the desert rock scene and collaborator to many Josh Homme projects, including touring with Eagles of Death Metal last year. Masters of Reality, who add a dash of dark riff house blues to complete their newest record, are for anyone who has overplayed their Queens of the Stone Age records (which does happen) and are after a darker and deeper foray into the light of desert rock at it’s best. Due to tour the UK supporting The Cult in early 2011, if you’re into psychedelic, desert rock and dirty riffs, this is a band you don’t want to miss.


Illustration by Faye West

Recently in the midst of London Fashion Week (S/S 2011 already I hear you say?!) I had the chance to interview a designer who’s no stranger to the bi-annual tradition, buy nor Amelia’s Magazine. Her last interview with us took place before Fashion Week in February when the Minna brand was early in its second year and we have since seen her A/W 2010 collection provide a culmination of gothic lace and textured velvet loved by many.

But this year Minna was back to show at Estethica again, view so it was time to catch up with her whilst eyeing up her S/S 2011 look.


Minna at Estethica. All photography by Jemma Crow

So you’re back for another season within Esthetica, illness how do you think this collection is different to your others and what are you hoping to offer to the customer?
Well this season we are going back to what we do best; hand finished and truly-vintage looking pieces. We wanted each piece to look like it was a ‘one of a kind.’ This is something we achieve by tea dying vintage lace and leaving the hemlines slightly frayed. The end result is a collection of beautiful feminine pieces that are designed to suit every shape and size. I’m very excited about this collection as we’ve put into good use everything that we’ve learnt about the customer and what she wants for the past two years.


Illustration by Antonia Parker

Sounds exciting. So what has been you real drive and inspiration behind the SS11 collection?
Well I love summer so designing this collection is always the easiest for me and is always lots of fun; the only problem is that I had too many ideas to put into work. I suppose the inspiration me and my team worked from was based around the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ movie of which my daughter is a huge fan (and Minna herself could watch all day long), both other inspirations came from laid back summer afternoons in the South of France where I spend a lot of time with my family. I think it’s the slow pace of life there and the beautiful architecture to see that puts me into a creative mood.

The A/W 2010 looks on the website are beautiful and very gothic. The Claudia dress especially is amazing and very inspirational. Who do you see as your customer and where do you imagine her wearing the pieces? Is it something that you bear in mind when you create the look?
In the winter I am always craving darker pieces so that’s what I love to create for my customer. I also a big fan of creating pieces that are functional and think dresses are the perfect mix of functionality and fashion; that’s the reason there were no tops in my A/W 2010 collection. I think I directed [the collection] towards a more mature audience and I think it’s apparent that as I get older so does my design style. But it’s about not being too serious; I think its important to pay attention to the little details and the collar on the Claudia dress (very Peter Pan-esque) adds just the right amount of playfulness.

Too right that they’re not too serious (and who in fashion should be?!). I have a bit of a crush on that piece right now to kick start my autumn winter look. And from a (recently) London girl what do you think of the style in our capital? How does it compare with the Finnish style you experienced at home?
What I love about the Brits is that they’re not afraid of breaking the rules; and I’m a big believer that the rules are there to be broken. People over here aren’t just following the trends, they have their own individual style that they translate into so many different looks in their outfits. I think you’re lucky to have the British High Street here as it’s the best in the world; its cheap and accessible but it also makes it very hard for smaller brands to compete with the Primark and Topshop’s of the world.
Finland is completely different and it’s a very expensive and tricky market to break into but if you can crack it then Finnish customers are amongst the most loyal I know. In fact you can probably count on one hand the number of brands in the market. Weather is also a big issue out there though and the Finnish need like their pieces to be simple and serviceable whilst still following the trends. They have to be functional and people have to have a functional winter wardrobe to get through the seasons.
Saying this I am surprised every time I visit Finland again as there’s a new generation of fearless fashionista’s emerging who but their pieces over the internet and aren’t afraid to experiment with fashion. After all, Fashion should be fun and that’s what I try to create with my pieces and what I hope the customer gets from them too.

Thank you so much, Minna. Sounds like a great philosophy to have when looking at a collection and SS11 sounds like it will be a great year for you. I’m looking forward to it already! And put me on the list for a Claudia dress too, as you say everyone needs a functional winter wardrobe. Thanks and congratulations for London Fashion Week.

Categories ,Antonia Parker, ,estethica, ,ethical, ,Faye West, ,finland, ,interview, ,lace, ,London Fashion Week, ,Minna, ,S/S 2011, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | ROKIT Recycled

First, medications case what interested you about Womenswear and subsequently the Womenswear MA at Central Saint Martins?

A desire to design clothing for myself I guess is what first drew me to Womenswear. I also love the drama and the show of Womenswear that you don’t necessarily get with Menswear. I studied the BA Womenswear at CSM and subsequently went on to do this at MA.

What Projects are currently in the pipeline?

I have just finished working on and promoting my Weekday collection and am now planning a move to New York, where I have an exciting new project to work on.

you’re currently working with Weekday… the collection looks fantastic, how’s that collaboration going?

The collaboration has actually finished now and the designs (mostly t-shirts) are available to buy in the Weekday stores which are located in Sweden, Germany and Denmark. The collaboration was a wonderful project for me to work on and I am so pleased that my designs are now available to a wider audience.

What is your aesthetic and how did it develop?

I guess that you could say its minimalist/purist with a fun twist. An element of fun has always been essential in my design work, I don’t think that fashion should take itself too seriously! The minimalist/purist element is something that I worked on throughout the MA, as I already said I wanted my collection to be fun but I also wanted it to be taken seriously and be wearable and the minimal aesthetic seemed to offer up the perfect balance.

what is the Colin Barnes Illustration Award (congratulations!) and how do you become eligible?

The Colin Barnes Illustration Award is something that I was awarded whilst studying on the BA. It is an award that is given to St Martin’s students studying on the BA Fashion design course for their illustration. I was so surprised to receive it as I had always struggled with illustration until Howard Tangye made me realise that the way I draw doesn’t have to be the same way that everyone else draws! I owe him a lot for that!

What role does illustration play in your design process?

It played a huge role in my MA collection as we worked tirelessly to make sure that the actual clothes were as close to my original drawings as possible, the weird proportions, placement of the print and particularly the width and angle of the shoulder. I am happy to say that what went down the catwalk was exactly the same as my drawings!

You’ve mentioned in other interviews an interest in basic shapes – do these motifs often appear in your illustrations?

It does subconsciously I think, my drawings are often quite angular and square like! And going back to what I said about my aesthetic I am a big fan of pure, minimalist and clean things and what is more pure that a basic circle, square or triangle.

Do you draw outside of fashion design?

Not really as all my ladies (and they are always ladies) of course have to have great outfits on so I end up designing without even realising it. I don’t really have much time to do it anymore either which is a shame.


Who would you say informs your work, do you have a customer in mind during the design process?

I never have a specific customer. I collect images and build up a mood in that way. I am influenced by all sorts of things from all different sources. I see it as a bit like putting a jigsaw puzzle together.

Could you describe your design process?

Backwards and Forwards, up and down, moments of genius and moments of disaster. Each collection is different and so forms its own process. I don’t have any hard and fast rules.

How did your MA collection develop – from where did you inspiration come from?

I am a bit of a collector, especially when it comes to images and so the collection draws inspiration from many different reference points. The face, eyelashes etc. came from the work of François and Jean Robert, the hands were from some drawings that I found by Saul Steinberg and the shapes were from some of Jean Paul Goude’s work with Grace Jones particularly her ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ video. As I already mentioned, once I had the designs they weren’t changed at all and the development was all in making sure the clothes were just like the drawings.


Do you ever use re-cycled or up-cycled fabric in your designs?

I am ashamed to say that I didn’t in my MA, however I did explore using existing items of clothing etc a lot in my BA and it is definitely something that I would like to re visit in the future.


What fabrics do you enjoy working with?

I love wool jersey; in fact my whole collection was made out of it. I really like jersey as a whole, mainly because it allows you to do things without darts and seams, which allows the design to appear even more minimalist and clean.

Who are Francois and Jean Robert and what is the book Reggi – Secolo’?

Francois and Jean Robert are Graphic designers/photographers who did the most fantastic book called Face to Face in which they photographed inanimate objects that appear to have or make different faces. It really is worth a look, for the concept but also for the clean beautiful look of the book itself.

As for Reggi-Secolo, this is a little crazy book of totally insane and genius bra’s, it really is quite amazing.

What do you think of twitter and the ever developing blogging network as a method of self promotion? Do you use either medium?

I think that Twitter and blogging are great if you know how to make the most of them and do them well, unfortunately I don’t and so I will leave it to the experts.

Could you describe your interest in ‘bad taste’ in our current cycle of fast fashion, and endless borrowing from the past or more accurately returning to what were considered ‘fashion mistakes’ and re-inventing them do you think what was consider bad taste is now considered ‘good’ taste. Where is the line for you?

Good and bad taste for me is just a fascinating thing to play with. It is so easy to get it wrong and so hard to get it right and it can be the minutest detail that makes all the difference. I really couldn’t say where my line is, I think it varies depending on the object/image/garment etc that you are considering.

Will you be showing at London Fashion Week this Autumn?

I am afraid not, as much as I would love to I feel that I still need to get a bit more experience before I have my own label and so I am going to work in New York for a while starting in June.

Who are your favourite designers and why?

I have long been a Martin Margiela fan; he was one of the first designers that really sparked my interest in fashion. I also love Yves Saint Laurent when Yves Saint Laurent was at the helm and Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel and of course Moschino when Franco Moschino was there. I also love Hermes for the fantastic quality and unwavering levels of good taste!

What was your experience of work experience, what do you recommend about the experience and what did you take away from it?

Work experience for me was essential and it was also the time that I really developed into a designer. It makes it all more real, you realise that these things that you are designing do actually end up being worn! I would fully recommend it to anyone thinking about doing it.

First, seek what interested you about Womenswear and subsequently the Womenswear MA at Central Saint Martins?

A desire to design clothing for myself I guess is what first drew me to Womenswear. I also love the drama and the show of Womenswear that you don’t necessarily get with Menswear. I studied the BA Womenswear at CSM and subsequently went on to do this at MA.

What Projects are currently in the pipeline?

I have just finished working on and promoting my Weekday collection and am now planning a move to New York, where I have an exciting new project to work on.

you’re currently working with Weekday… the collection looks fantastic, how’s that collaboration going?

The collaboration has actually finished now and the designs (mostly t-shirts) are available to buy in the Weekday stores which are located in Sweden, Germany and Denmark. The collaboration was a wonderful project for me to work on and I am so pleased that my designs are now available to a wider audience.

What is your aesthetic and how did it develop?

I guess that you could say its minimalist/purist with a fun twist. An element of fun has always been essential in my design work, I don’t think that fashion should take itself too seriously! The minimalist/purist element is something that I worked on throughout the MA, as I already said I wanted my collection to be fun but I also wanted it to be taken seriously and be wearable and the minimal aesthetic seemed to offer up the perfect balance.

what is the Colin Barnes Illustration Award (congratulations!) and how do you become eligible?

The Colin Barnes Illustration Award is something that I was awarded whilst studying on the BA. It is an award that is given to St Martin’s students studying on the BA Fashion design course for their illustration. I was so surprised to receive it as I had always struggled with illustration until Howard Tangye made me realise that the way I draw doesn’t have to be the same way that everyone else draws! I owe him a lot for that!

What role does illustration play in your design process?

It played a huge role in my MA collection as we worked tirelessly to make sure that the actual clothes were as close to my original drawings as possible, the weird proportions, placement of the print and particularly the width and angle of the shoulder. I am happy to say that what went down the catwalk was exactly the same as my drawings!

You’ve mentioned in other interviews an interest in basic shapes – do these motifs often appear in your illustrations?

It does subconsciously I think, my drawings are often quite angular and square like! And going back to what I said about my aesthetic I am a big fan of pure, minimalist and clean things and what is more pure that a basic circle, square or triangle.

Do you draw outside of fashion design?

Not really as all my ladies (and they are always ladies) of course have to have great outfits on so I end up designing without even realising it. I don’t really have much time to do it anymore either which is a shame.


Who would you say informs your work, do you have a customer in mind during the design process?

I never have a specific customer. I collect images and build up a mood in that way. I am influenced by all sorts of things from all different sources. I see it as a bit like putting a jigsaw puzzle together.

Could you describe your design process?

Backwards and Forwards, up and down, moments of genius and moments of disaster. Each collection is different and so forms its own process. I don’t have any hard and fast rules.
How did your MA collection develop – from where did you inspiration come from?

I am a bit of a collector, especially when it comes to images and so the collection draws inspiration from many different reference points. The face, eyelashes etc. came from the work of François and Jean Robert, the hands were from some drawings that I found by Saul Steinberg and the shapes were from some of Jean Paul Goude’s work with Grace Jones particularly her ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ video. As I already mentioned, once I had the designs they weren’t changed at all and the development was all in making sure the clothes were just like the drawings.


Do you ever use re-cycled or up-cycled fabric in your designs?

I am ashamed to say that I didn’t in my MA, however I did explore using existing items of clothing etc a lot in my BA and it is definitely something that I would like to re visit in the future.

What fabrics do you enjoy working with?

I love wool jersey; in fact my whole collection was made out of it. I really like jersey as a whole, mainly because it allows you to do things without darts and seams, which allows the design to appear even more minimalist and clean.

Who are Francois and Jean Robert and what is the book Reggi – Secolo’?

Francois and Jean Robert are Graphic designers/photographers who did the most fantastic book called Face to Face in which they photographed inanimate objects that appear to have or make different faces. It really is worth a look, for the concept but also for the clean beautiful look of the book itself.

As for Reggi-Secolo, this is a little crazy book of totally insane and genius bra’s, it really is quite amazing.

What do you think of twitter and the ever developing blogging network as a method of self promotion? Do you use either medium?

I think that Twitter and blogging are great if you know how to make the most of them and do them well, unfortunately I don’t and so I will leave it to the experts.

Could you describe your interest in ‘bad taste’ in our current cycle of fast fashion, and endless borrowing from the past or more accurately returning to what were considered ‘fashion mistakes’ and re-inventing them do you think what was consider bad taste is now considered ‘good’ taste. Where is the line for you?

Good and bad taste for me is just a fascinating thing to play with. It is so easy to get it wrong and so hard to get it right and it can be the minutest detail that makes all the difference. I really couldn’t say where my line is, I think it varies depending on the object/image/garment etc that you are considering.

Will you be showing at London Fashion Week this Autumn?

I am afraid not, as much as I would love to I feel that I still need to get a bit more experience before I have my own label and so I am going to work in New York for a while starting in June.

Who are your favourite designers and why?

I have long been a Martin Margiela fan; he was one of the first designers that really sparked my interest in fashion. I also love Yves Saint Laurent when Yves Saint Laurent was at the helm and Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel and of course Moschino when Franco Moschino was there. I also love Hermes for the fantastic quality and unwavering levels of good taste!

What was your experience of work experience, what do you recommend about the experience and what did you take away from it?

Work experience for me was essential and it was also the time that I really developed into a designer. It makes it all more real, you realise that these things that you are designing do actually end up being worn! I would fully recommend it to anyone thinking about doing it.

First, online what interested you about Womenswear and subsequently the Womenswear MA at Central Saint Martins?

A desire to design clothing for myself I guess is what first drew me to Womenswear. I also love the drama and the show of Womenswear that you don’t necessarily get with Menswear. I studied the BA Womenswear at CSM and subsequently went on to do this at MA.

What Projects are currently in the pipeline?

I have just finished working on and promoting my Weekday collection and am now planning a move to New York, viagra approved where I have an exciting new project to work on.

you’re currently working with Weekday… the collection looks fantastic, how’s that collaboration going?

The collaboration has actually finished now and the designs (mostly t-shirts) are available to buy in the Weekday stores which are located in Sweden, Germany and Denmark. The collaboration was a wonderful project for me to work on and I am so pleased that my designs are now available to a wider audience.

What is your aesthetic and how did it develop?

I guess that you could say its minimalist/purist with a fun twist. An element of fun has always been essential in my design work, I don’t think that fashion should take itself too seriously! The minimalist/purist element is something that I worked on throughout the MA, as I already said I wanted my collection to be fun but I also wanted it to be taken seriously and be wearable and the minimal aesthetic seemed to offer up the perfect balance.

what is the Colin Barnes Illustration Award (congratulations!) and how do you become eligible?

The Colin Barnes Illustration Award is something that I was awarded whilst studying on the BA. It is an award that is given to St Martin’s students studying on the BA Fashion design course for their illustration. I was so surprised to receive it as I had always struggled with illustration until Howard Tangye made me realise that the way I draw doesn’t have to be the same way that everyone else draws! I owe him a lot for that!

What role does illustration play in your design process?

It played a huge role in my MA collection as we worked tirelessly to make sure that the actual clothes were as close to my original drawings as possible, the weird proportions, placement of the print and particularly the width and angle of the shoulder. I am happy to say that what went down the catwalk was exactly the same as my drawings!

You’ve mentioned in other interviews an interest in basic shapes – do these motifs often appear in your illustrations?

It does subconsciously I think, my drawings are often quite angular and square like! And going back to what I said about my aesthetic I am a big fan of pure, minimalist and clean things and what is more pure that a basic circle, square or triangle.

Do you draw outside of fashion design?

Not really as all my ladies (and they are always ladies) of course have to have great outfits on so I end up designing without even realising it. I don’t really have much time to do it anymore either which is a shame.


Who would you say informs your work, do you have a customer in mind during the design process?

I never have a specific customer. I collect images and build up a mood in that way. I am influenced by all sorts of things from all different sources. I see it as a bit like putting a jigsaw puzzle together.

Could you describe your design process?

Backwards and Forwards, up and down, moments of genius and moments of disaster. Each collection is different and so forms its own process. I don’t have any hard and fast rules.

How did your MA collection develop – from where did you inspiration come from?

I am a bit of a collector, especially when it comes to images and so the collection draws inspiration from many different reference points. The face, eyelashes etc. came from the work of François and Jean Robert, the hands were from some drawings that I found by Saul Steinberg and the shapes were from some of Jean Paul Goude’s work with Grace Jones particularly her ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ video. As I already mentioned, once I had the designs they weren’t changed at all and the development was all in making sure the clothes were just like the drawings.


Do you ever use re-cycled or up-cycled fabric in your designs?

I am ashamed to say that I didn’t in my MA, however I did explore using existing items of clothing etc a lot in my BA and it is definitely something that I would like to re visit in the future.


What fabrics do you enjoy working with?

I love wool jersey; in fact my whole collection was made out of it. I really like jersey as a whole, mainly because it allows you to do things without darts and seams, which allows the design to appear even more minimalist and clean.

Who are Francois and Jean Robert and what is the book Reggi – Secolo’?

Francois and Jean Robert are Graphic designers/photographers who did the most fantastic book called Face to Face in which they photographed inanimate objects that appear to have or make different faces. It really is worth a look, for the concept but also for the clean beautiful look of the book itself.

As for Reggi-Secolo, this is a little crazy book of totally insane and genius bra’s, it really is quite amazing.

What do you think of twitter and the ever developing blogging network as a method of self promotion? Do you use either medium?

I think that Twitter and blogging are great if you know how to make the most of them and do them well, unfortunately I don’t and so I will leave it to the experts.

Could you describe your interest in ‘bad taste’ in our current cycle of fast fashion, and endless borrowing from the past or more accurately returning to what were considered ‘fashion mistakes’ and re-inventing them do you think what was consider bad taste is now considered ‘good’ taste. Where is the line for you?

Good and bad taste for me is just a fascinating thing to play with. It is so easy to get it wrong and so hard to get it right and it can be the minutest detail that makes all the difference. I really couldn’t say where my line is, I think it varies depending on the object/image/garment etc that you are considering.

Will you be showing at London Fashion Week this Autumn?

I am afraid not, as much as I would love to I feel that I still need to get a bit more experience before I have my own label and so I am going to work in New York for a while starting in June.

Who are your favourite designers and why?

I have long been a Martin Margiela fan; he was one of the first designers that really sparked my interest in fashion. I also love Yves Saint Laurent when Yves Saint Laurent was at the helm and Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel and of course Moschino when Franco Moschino was there. I also love Hermes for the fantastic quality and unwavering levels of good taste!

What was your experience of work experience, what do you recommend about the experience and what did you take away from it?

Work experience for me was essential and it was also the time that I really developed into a designer. It makes it all more real, you realise that these things that you are designing do actually end up being worn! I would fully recommend it to anyone thinking about doing it.


Illustration by Natasha Thompson

ROKIT – the originators of vintage fashion boutiques (and my favourite vintage store) have done it again. Not so long ago they had me reminiscing of my time mincing around Hollywood, information pills with their Bailey Hats of Hollywood collaboration that bought silver screen glamour to any look.

This time around, side effects ROKIT have excelled themselves with ROKIT Recycled.

ROKIT Recycled, hospital previously known as ROKIT Originals, is the brand’s mission to upturn fast and throwaway fashion. Let’s face it – the statistics are shocking and in a world of #2 t-shirts and £4 dresses, things aren’t changing very rapidly.

It is estimated by National Recycle Week that if every fashionista purchased one item of recycled clothing each year (each YEAR for God’s sake) it would save 371 millions gallons of waterand 4571 million days of electricity. That’s pretty incredible.


Illustration by Dan Heffer

With this in mind, ROKIT are taking ethical to the next level – ROKIT Recycled is an initiative to use every single piece of material available, with zero waste (the ethos they’ve stuck by since their humble beginnings in 1986).

With a new design team on board to conjure up new and exciting pieces, this new range is a real winner. From bags to belts and purses to hot-pants, unwanted materials are salvaged and turned into key pieces for any wardrobe this Summer and through to the Autumn. Each creation is individually handmade and therefore unique, all depending on what materials are available at the time. You might bag yourself a patchwork purse featuring vintage calfskin and suede, or a pair of denim dungarees made entirely of jean refuse.


Illustration by Emma Block

These products give new form to old structure, re-envisaging covetable pieces from vintage goods. We’ve got a few images of a teeny tiny selection of what’s on offer, but the beauty of the initiative is that you just don’t know what you might pick up. So pop down to your local ROKIT as soon as is physically possible and check out what they’ve got in store!

Categories ,Belts, ,Dan Heffer, ,Dungarees, ,Emma Block, ,fashion, ,Handbags, ,Hollywood, ,Matt Bramford, ,Natasha Thompson, ,National Recycle Week, ,Purses, ,recycled, ,Rokit, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | ROKIT Recycled


Illustration by Natasha Thompson

ROKIT – the originators of vintage fashion boutiques (and my favourite vintage store) have done it again. Not so long ago they had me reminiscing of my time mincing around Hollywood, with their Bailey Hats of Hollywood collaboration that bought silver screen glamour to any look.

This time around, ROKIT have excelled themselves with ROKIT Recycled.

ROKIT Recycled, previously known as ROKIT Originals, is the brand’s mission to upturn fast and throwaway fashion. Let’s face it – the statistics are shocking and in a world of #2 t-shirts and £4 dresses, things aren’t changing very rapidly.

It is estimated by National Recycle Week that if every fashionista purchased one item of recycled clothing each year (each YEAR for God’s sake) it would save 371 millions gallons of waterand 4571 million days of electricity. That’s pretty incredible.


Illustration by Dan Heffer

With this in mind, ROKIT are taking ethical to the next level – ROKIT Recycled is an initiative to use every single piece of material available, with zero waste (the ethos they’ve stuck by since their humble beginnings in 1986).

With a new design team on board to conjure up new and exciting pieces, this new range is a real winner. From bags to belts and purses to hot-pants, unwanted materials are salvaged and turned into key pieces for any wardrobe this Summer and through to the Autumn. Each creation is individually handmade and therefore unique, all depending on what materials are available at the time. You might bag yourself a patchwork purse featuring vintage calfskin and suede, or a pair of denim dungarees made entirely of jean refuse.


Illustration by Emma Block

These products give new form to old structure, re-envisaging covetable pieces from vintage goods. We’ve got a few images of a teeny tiny selection of what’s on offer, but the beauty of the initiative is that you just don’t know what you might pick up. So pop down to your local ROKIT as soon as is physically possible and check out what they’ve got in store!

Categories ,Belts, ,Dan Heffer, ,Dungarees, ,Emma Block, ,fashion, ,Handbags, ,Hollywood, ,Matt Bramford, ,Natasha Thompson, ,National Recycle Week, ,Purses, ,recycled, ,Rokit, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Showroom Review: EcoLuxe London

'Ecolooks' EcoLuxe London Exhibition LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

‘Ecolooks’ by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

I was hugely excited that during this London Fashion Week I had the opportunity not only to go and see but also exhibit at the EcoLuxe London exhibition that took place in a beautiful space on the ground floor of the Kingsway Hall Hotel almost next to the Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Freemasons’ Hall. Ecoluxe London takes place twice a year during London Fashion Week and is a non-profit platform that promotes fashion related ecoluxury brands and aims to raise awareness of ecological issues with the public. Its organisers, information pills Stamo and Elena Garcia, who are sustainable womenswear designers themselves, featured over 40 brands this year and EcoLuxe London is growing every year – here’s only a few examples that took my fancy!

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Lucy Harvey Ethical Stylist

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Ethical Stylist Lucy Harvey and Hetty Rose

Ethical stylist Lucy Harvey styling shoe designer Hetty Rose with a Plastic Seconds headpiece and necklace.

Upon entering the exhibition visitors were greeted by superbly talented stylist Lucy Harvey and her assistant Charlie Divall, who offered to upstyle them with various pieces from the exhibitors’ tables and then photograph them and tweet about it. I thought in this way Lucy offered a really fun, interactive introduction to the exhibition and a great way of promoting both the designers’ and the visitors’ work.

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Lupe Castro wearing Supported by Rain and Plastic Seconds

Stylist Lupe Castro styled by Lucy Harvey with a Supported by Rain coat and a Plastic Seconds headpiece, photo by Charlie Divall

Walking further into the exhibition the first thing to catch my eye was a series of gloriously colourful raincoats by Maria Ampatielou’s new brand Supported by Rain – seen above. Made of recycled umbrellas and end-of-roll waterproof fabrics, these raincoats are not only beautiful but also cleverly fold into their own pockets or hoods, whose insides have remained dry, so that you can put them back into your bag without any soaked diary dramas!

STAMO EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 by Celine Elliott

By Stamo S/S 2012 by Celine Elliott

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 STAMO belt

By Stamo, which featured in Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration, is another brand I enjoyed especially because of the theatricality in the designs and the extensive use of found and recycled materials whose original form is often retained – as seen in this bullet belt.

INALA LONDON EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 by Caire Kearns

INALA London S/S 2012 by Claire Kearns

My neighbour exhibitor Alani Gibbon of INALA London showed some designs which were a natural hit with me becuase of their bright colours, but they further impressed me with their cleverness and versatility. For example a hooded short dress could be turned around and worn as an all-in-one playsuit! Not to mention the use of pulped eucalyptus fabric which felt amazing to touch.

OUTSIDER Ecoluxe London LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

Outsider Fashion S/S 2012 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

I was thrilled to see the brand Outsider winning the JP Selects womenwear award at the end of the show as they stongly promote the notion that ‘ethical’ fashion should just look like very good fashion with their range of classic but very stylish designs.

HEMYCA EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 by Celine Elliott

Hemyca S/S 2012 by Celine Elliott

Hemyca is a multi award winning brand and I was most attracted by this beautifully tailored matching dress and coat.

LFW SS2012 Agnes Valentine Ecoluxe London by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

Agnes Valentine S/S 2012 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

Along with Hemyca above, whom I was not aware of, it was great to discover my dream swimsuit designer Agnes Valentine! The brand sources fine italian eco fabrics and their designs are minimal and classic but with bold colours and very feminine indeed.

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Hetty Rose shoes

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Hetty Rose shoes worn by Alice Wilby

It was an honour to meet another ACOFI designer Hetty Rose whose fun bespoke shoes are made using vintage Japanese kimono fabrics, Alice Wilby from Futurefrock modelled this pair and did not want to take them off!

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Golden Grass Company clutch

Next to Hetty Rose I found the friendly couple behind the Golden Grass Company who design jewellery and accessories for native artisans in Brazil to make out of a naturally golden, light and durable fibre, which is grown without chemicals or pesticides, under fair trade standards – LOVED this clutch!

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Monique Luttin headpiece

Sharing a table with me was Monique Luttin who makes intriguing headpieces using offcuts or vintage fabrics and found objects – I particularly liked this bird scull one which has a tribal, ritualistic element to it.

EcoLuxe London LFW SS12 Palstic Seconds printer packaging pendand

And finally a piece from the Plastic Seconds recycled jewellery collection I exhibited made out of the plastic, colourful bits one finds when unpacking a new printer…

As Hannah Bullivant pointed out in a previous post on EcoLuxe London, hopefully sustainable practices in fashion design will become mainstream and the brands that are still termed ‘ethical’ will no longer have to exhibit in separate showrooms and sections such as EcoLuxe or Estethica. Hopefully soon.

All photography by Maria Papadimitriou unless otherwise stated.

Categories ,Agnes Valentine, ,Alice Wilby, ,By Stamo, ,Celine Elliott, ,Charlie Divall, ,Claire Kearns, ,Classic, ,Coat, ,design, ,designer, ,Dress, ,ecodesign, ,Ecoluxe, ,Elena Garcia, ,estethica, ,Ethical brands, ,fashion, ,Feminine, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Futurefrock, ,Headpiece, ,Hemyca, ,Hetty Rose, ,Inala London, ,jewellery, ,Kingsway Hall Hotel, ,London Fashion Week, ,Lucy Harvey, ,Lupe Castro, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,minimal, ,Monique Luttin Millinery, ,Outsider, ,Outsider Fashion, ,Plastic Seconds, ,Pulped Eucalyptus, ,Recycled Materials, ,shoes, ,Slow Fashion, ,Slowly the Eggs, ,Supported by Rain, ,Swimwear, ,tailoring, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,vintage, ,Womenswear

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Amelia’s Magazine | Look At Silvia – A homage to individuality

01

A few weeks ago a rather lovely fashion shoot dropped into Amelia’s Magazine inbox. A collaboration from the photographer Paul Cassidy, see post production artist Cristina Duran, Make-up by Jillian Cassidy and Stylist and star Silvia.

The entirely vintage shoot expresses the dramatic romanticism of Grey Gardens and the personal idiosyncrasies of the stylist. Shot for the majority in Paul’s living room, the beautifully coloured photographs develop (through the relation between house activity and the outfit it requires) the homage to two characters of fashion: Big and Little Edie.

02

When approaching the subject of Grey Gardens it became clear to Paul and Cristina that Silvia would have to be the stylist, realising “as the concept developed…that an actual model wouldn’t be able to pull it off and that Silvia was perfect… As Silvia is, well, Silvia and they are her own clothes.”

03

In Grey Gardens, the subplot revolves around Little Edie’s rebellion towards her isolated existence is her outfits. After being introduced to the documentary by a friend, Cristina and Paul “became fascinated by the characters” Despite never watching it fully and Cristina only once, the two creatives built an “interior set without referring to the film too much. Most of the elements were really already in place, and my (Paul’s) apartment took very little adjusting” in order to be used in the photos.”

04

The photographs celebrate the whimsical side to fashion, the belief in an ability to create new versions of the self through personally sourced clothing. It is not surprising that Silvia command’s the viewer’s attention, her individuality bathed in the gentle light of the 1970’s. The cold colour hues are perfect compliment to the clothes, attributed no doubt to Cristina’s “particularly strong connection to retro aesthetic and colour. I guess Grey Gardens was a catalyst that brought everything together.”

A strong compositional element of the photographs is the mirroring of colour between the clothes and the environment. In the photograph below the peach colour of the dress references the cloth on the couch, as the blue occurs in the images pinned to the notice boards.

05

The fashion shoot expresses Paul and Cristina desire for “something a bit mad (in the sense of someone without normal social convention),” Little Edie and Big Edie were certainly considered that for their choice to eschew society. Paul continues to explain what made Silvia the perfect model. “Silvia in person is quite restrained and formal but like most people she has a flamboyant and eccentric side and really it took very little direction to get her to express that in the photos. She was one of the most interesting subjects that I’ve ever worked with in her manner of physical expression and her posing. So I think that there’s an awful lot of Silvia in the photos but there’s also a lot of fabrication and exaggeration in the story telling.”

Discussing the composition Paul mentioned the importance the collective places on storytelling bordering on “truth, untruth or realism and surrealism.” The collaborations’ synergy –evident in the sequence of photographs that illustrate the article – has developed from a mutual “deep focus on character,” expressed through the model’s ability to convey the concept of the piece through the position of her body within the camera’s frame or choice of garment to illustrate her occupying activity.

06

Whilst the aim of the photoshoot might not have been to directly encourage people to be thrifty when buying clothes, it cannot help but do so. Whilst thrifty shopping might not new in Madrid or the rest of Europe, what is missing is beautifully constructed fashion shoots celebrating this. As Paul mentions “second-hand clothes are always popular when there’s little money about. You find this strange mixture of a generation of young people that have dressed themselves between H&M and second-hand clothes shops. Both are cheap options and the vintage clothes can give personality and quality to the generic chain store brands.”

07

Little Edie would be proud to see the continued celebration of the individual and her sense of creative spirit.

Categories ,1970’s Kodac Film, ,Berlin Retro Chic, ,Cristina Duran, ,documentary, ,Grey Gardens, ,Paul Cassidy, ,thrifting, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Behind the Scenes: Elisa Palomino

Elisa Palomino - SS 12 LFW by Amber Cassidy

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Amber Cassidy

If you’ve read my Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 preview interview with the designer, viagra sale you’ll know I’m already in love with her designs. The designer had invited me to pop backstage before the show to view her spring/summer collection up close and as I’d not experienced before, prostate the behind the scenes affairs of a fashion show, my curiosity was most definitely piqued!

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Zooming past the infinite queue at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, I am escorted backstage by the lovely people of Blow PR, to the organised chaos of the catwalk performance in construction. I’m told Elisa is preoccupied right now, but if I return after the show, I may speak to her then. In the meantime, I decide to hover for a while, take in the scene and take some pictures.

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS 12 LFW by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

With about twenty odd statuesque and fat free women towering over me, I’m feeling a little like a munchkin, but they look as nervous as I’m feeling, so I smile in support and swoon over their exaggerated 1920s style make-up and exquisite head-pieces. One minute they’re having their make-up applied and the next they’ve changed into one of Elisa’s opulent garments; everything is moving dizzyingly fast and the anticipation is transparent.

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

I spy Elisa, attired in her signature pink and adorning a pretty floral head-piece – she flits from one model to another, making sure all is as it should be. I realise I may be getting in the way as the phrase “excuse me” is directed at me for the umpteenth time and so I withdraw from the orderly pandemonium and retreat to the beautiful amphitheatre to await the performance.

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW by Hannah Hope

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Hannah Hope

Read my review of the Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 catwalk show.

All photography by Akeela Bhattay

Categories ,1920s, ,1930s, ,A Fairy Dance, ,Akeela Bhattay, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Angel Amor, ,Appliqué, ,Article, ,backstage, ,behind the scenes, ,bird cage, ,BLOW online, ,Blow PR, ,Bobbin, ,catwalk show, ,Christian Dior, ,Diane Von Furstenberg, ,Elisa Palomino, ,embroidery, ,Emma Block, ,Flapper, ,gabby young, ,Gabby Young and Other Animals, ,Gilly Rochester, ,hair pieces, ,Hannah Hope, ,head dress, ,Hummingbirds, ,interview, ,Japanese art, ,Joana Faria, ,John Galliano, ,Lan Nguyen, ,Lillies, ,London Fashion Week, ,Madrid, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,qa, ,queues, ,review, ,Roaring Twenties, ,Roberto Cavalli, ,S/S 2012, ,Spiga 2, ,The Body Shop, ,Tony & Guy, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Victorian Fairy Painting Movement, ,vintage, ,Yamato-e

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Behind the Scenes: Elisa Palomino

Elisa Palomino - SS 12 LFW by Amber Cassidy

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Amber Cassidy

If you’ve read my Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 preview interview with the designer, you’ll know I’m already in love with her designs. The designer had invited me to pop backstage before the show to view her spring/summer collection up close and as I’d not experienced before, the behind the scenes affairs of a fashion show, my curiosity was most definitely piqued!

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Zooming past the infinite queue at Vauxhall Fashion Scout, I am escorted backstage by the lovely people of Blow PR, to the organised chaos of the catwalk performance in construction. I’m told Elisa is preoccupied right now, but if I return after the show, I may speak to her then. In the meantime, I decide to hover for a while, take in the scene and take some pictures.

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS 12 LFW by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

With about twenty odd statuesque and fat free women towering over me, I’m feeling a little like a munchkin, but they look as nervous as I’m feeling, so I smile in support and swoon over their exaggerated 1920s style make-up and exquisite head-pieces. One minute they’re having their make-up applied and the next they’ve changed into one of Elisa’s opulent garments; everything is moving dizzyingly fast and the anticipation is transparent.

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW Backstage by Akeela Bhattay

I spy Elisa, attired in her signature pink and adorning a pretty floral head-piece – she flits from one model to another, making sure all is as it should be. I realise I may be getting in the way as the phrase “excuse me” is directed at me for the umpteenth time and so I withdraw from the orderly pandemonium and retreat to the beautiful amphitheatre to await the performance.

Elisa Palomino SS12 LFW by Hannah Hope

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Hannah Hope

Read my review of the Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 catwalk show.

All photography by Akeela Bhattay

Categories ,1920s, ,1930s, ,A Fairy Dance, ,Akeela Bhattay, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Angel Amor, ,Appliqué, ,Article, ,backstage, ,behind the scenes, ,bird cage, ,BLOW online, ,Blow PR, ,Bobbin, ,catwalk show, ,Christian Dior, ,Diane Von Furstenberg, ,Elisa Palomino, ,embroidery, ,Emma Block, ,Flapper, ,gabby young, ,Gabby Young and Other Animals, ,Gilly Rochester, ,hair pieces, ,Hannah Hope, ,head dress, ,Hummingbirds, ,interview, ,Japanese art, ,Joana Faria, ,John Galliano, ,Lan Nguyen, ,Lillies, ,London Fashion Week, ,Madrid, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,qa, ,queues, ,review, ,Roaring Twenties, ,Roberto Cavalli, ,S/S 2012, ,Spiga 2, ,The Body Shop, ,Tony & Guy, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Victorian Fairy Painting Movement, ,vintage, ,Yamato-e

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Catwalk Review: Elisa Palomino

Elisa Palomino - SS 12 LFW by Amber Cassidy

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Amber Cassidy

Having had the chance to see the behind the scenes activities for the Elisa Palomino show, ask I am super excited and eager for the show to begin. Unlike the other shows I have seen at the Freemason’s Hall, thumb this one is to be performed in a majestic chamber upstairs; a room very well suited for Elisa’s A Fairy Dance collection. I am early, so I sift through the press materials and study the inspirations behind the clothes.

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Photography by Amelia Gregory

The culture of Madrid played a significant part in the creation of the stunning collection, with the conception of the intricate embroidered motifs taking root from pieces like the traditional shawl, a garment very much present in the city’s fiestas even today. Elisa’s S/S 2012 collection aspires to reawaken the opulence of a far away era, as well as paying homage to the Asian influence on embroidery and the Victorian Fairy Painting movement and in particular the narratives of Pre-Raphaelite fairy paintings. The collection is an expedition from Victorian suppression and lament to the luxury of uninhibited freedom.

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Photography by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino SS 12 LFW by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino SS12 by emma block

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Emma Block

Slowly but surely, the room is teeming with guests and familiar faces, all ready to enjoy the treasures of Elisa Palomino‘s collection. An ethereal melody fills the air and out drifts a fairy in mourning, attired in tense black taffeta, net and leather and freckled in contrasting white floral print. The glossy onyx hairpieces resemble frightful inanimate crows, harbingers of bad news. The extensive palette of colours range from bold black, red and white, to the pretty; powder blue and candy-floss pink and the tones of an Indian summer; sand, caramel and antique gold.

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Photography by Amelia Gregory

Floral cut-work mutate into giant white butterflies, set for flight and ready to escape to a brighter existence. Rich crimson robes float across the runway giving way to pretty pastel coloured organza with flora and fauna motifs, carefully embroidered using the bobbin technique. Iridescent and visceral fabrics, in 1930s silhouettes and increasingly impressive headpieces command the stage next. Once again the embroidery is intricate and enchanting and there’s a chorus of “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” from somewhere behind me as images of Chinese tea-houses and pagodas sweep past.

Elisa Palomino SS 12 LFW by Joana Faria

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Joana Faria

One of my favourite details is the row of fabric coloured buttons trickling down the side of floor skimming, pin-tuck detailed and appliquéd café au lait dresses. It’s a good thing I do not lack self-restraint or I’d very likely be tackling the models to the ground and fleeing with the stunning garments they are wearing. And what of the hairpieces? Are they not extraordinary? I especially have my eye on the bird cage design and make a note to find out more about the designer, Angel Amor.

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Photography by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino’s A Fairy Dance collection is undoubtedly worthy of the label couture and I can easily see celebrities wearing such opulent garments at red carpet events.

Elisa Palomino by Gilly Rochester LFW SS12

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Gilly Rochester

A resounding applause fills the room as the show ends and I make my way backstage in hope of a meeting with the designer and comments on her S/S 2012 collection. Elisa greets me enthusiastically and insists I should have introduced myself earlier, though she’d obviously been incredibly busy. For somebody who boasts such a remarkable curriculum vitae, Elisa comes across as incredibly humble and sincere.

Elisa Palomino LFW SS2012 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

Her family and friends are eager to congratulate her, but she encourages me to go ahead and ask her a few questions. So she can get to celebrating her beautiful show, I keep the interview very brief before heading home for a cup of tea and daydreams filled with sheer fabrics, lilies and hummingbirds and glorious headgear. Read my post show interview with Elisa Palomino below:

What did you make of that reverberating applause?
It was very exciting to hear!
Were you pleased with the performance of the catwalk show?
Well, it’s difficult to say when you’re backstage, but the girls look really happy. I think the make-up and hair were really amazing; the team from Tony & Guy and Lan (Nguyen) were so divine. They perfectly translated the entire theme.

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Elisa Palomino SS 2012 LFW by Amelia Gregory

Photography by Amelia Gregory

How long did it take to build the collection with all the intricate detailing involved?
Oh, a long time. About seven or eight months.
Will you be taking some time out to relax now?
Oh no, there’s never time to take a break unfortunately. Since I started designing my own collections I haven’t had the opportunity to take a break or a holiday. There’s always work to be done. I guess it requires a lot of devotion!

What will you be doing next? Have you already conceived ideas for your next collection?
Oh yes, I’m already working on my next collection.
Can you offer any hints as to what we might expect?
I am taking inspiration from eccentric women and there will always be the influence of the same kind of periods, the 1920s and 30s.

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Elisa Palomino S/S 2012 LFW by Akeela Bhattay

Photography by Akeela Bhattay

You can purchase Elisa Palomino designs from Spiga 2, the concept store from Dolce & Gabbana in Milan, Eleonora – Rome, Lilliane Romi – Paris, Al-Ostoura – Kuwait, Front Row – Beirut, Harvey Nichols and Al-Mayass in Riyadh.

View images from behind the scenes of the Elisa Palomino London Fashion Week S/S 2012 show

Watch the show here.

Elisa Palomino SS11 Full Show from VAUXHALL FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.

Categories ,1920s, ,1930s, ,A Fairy Dance, ,Akeela Bhattay, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Angel Amor, ,Appliqué, ,Article, ,backstage, ,behind the scenes, ,bird cage, ,BLOW online, ,Blow PR, ,Bobbin, ,catwalk show, ,Christian Dior, ,Diane Von Furstenberg, ,Elisa Palomino, ,embroidery, ,Emma Block, ,Flapper, ,gabby young, ,Gabby Young and Other Animals, ,Gilly Rochester, ,hair pieces, ,Hannah Hope, ,head dress, ,Hummingbirds, ,interview, ,Japanese art, ,Joana Faria, ,John Galliano, ,Lan Nguyen, ,Lillies, ,London Fashion Week, ,Madrid, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Pre-Raphaelites, ,qa, ,queues, ,review, ,Roaring Twenties, ,Roberto Cavalli, ,S/S 2012, ,Spiga 2, ,The Body Shop, ,Tony & Guy, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Victorian Fairy Painting Movement, ,vintage, ,Yamato-e

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Catwalk Review: Paul Costelloe

Paul Costello 3_by Gilly Rochester LFW SS 2012
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Gilly Rochester

Butterflies doing cartwheels in my tummy and the feeling that my consciousness has surreptitiously tiptoed away, adiposity wanting to take in everything… right now; it can only be the start of London Fashion Week.

Paul Costelloe  by Amber Cassidy, <a target=order London Fashion Week, mind SS 2012″ title=”Paul Costelloe by Amber Cassidy, London Fashion Week, SS 2012″ width=”480″ height=”680″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-49295″ />
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Amber Cassidy

Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory
Paul Costello SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay
Paul Costello London Fashion Week SS 2012 Akeela Bhattay
All photography by Amelia Gregory, Akeela Bhattay and Matt Bramford

It’s the first show of the day and there’s a rush of excitement bustling through Somerset House. I wait impatiently in the queue for the Paul Costelloe show, surrounded by familiar press talk and the occasional exclamation of ‘Darling!‘ kiss kiss – a scene which will be re-enacted many times during the this week.

Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory
LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 PaulCostelloe by Matt Bramford
LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 PaulCostelloe by Matt Bramford
Paul costello Joana Faria SS 12 London Fashion Week
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 Joana Faria

Once inside, I find my seat at the front, secure my goody bag, retrieve my camera from my exhausted looking satchel and decide that taking notes and photographs at the same time is not achievable (for me, that is), so do away with my notebook. There’s a flurry of photographers suddenly surrounding guests further down the row and I want to see what all the fuss is about; It’s Jimmy Choo and Autumn Philips. A quick ‘snap snap’ with my decrepit camera and back to my seat before the show starts.

Jimmy Choo at Paul Costelloe SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay
Paul Costelloe SS 2011 review-Autumn Philips
Jimmy Choo and Autumn Philips.

Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory
LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 PaulCostelloe by Matt Bramford
LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 PaulCostelloe by Matt Bramford
Paul Costello 2_by Gilly Rochester LFW SS 2012
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Gilly Rochester

Out glides the first model, her hair in large messy but firm pin curls and knots pinned close to the head with eye-make up in pea green (one of my favourite colours) that jumps out at you. She wears a tailored suit in café au lait, with the jacket in a 1940’s inspired style; slightly puffed sleeves, tapered collar and a slim belt accentuating the waist. The skirt however conforms more to the style of the mini-skirt and with loose pleats the outfit looks effortlessly chic.

Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory
Paul Costello London Fashion Week SS 2012 Akeela Bhattay
Paul Costello SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay
Paul Costello SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay
Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory
Paul Costelloe  by Amber Cassidy SS 2012 London Fashion Week
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Amber Cassidy

Hues of cream, grey and monochrome forge ahead; structured suits with pleated detail and baby doll dresses with flouncy sleeves and cap sleeves, high collars and ruff collars, and high waists, distinctive of the 1960s mod fashion. The 60’s influence continues through most of the collection, with sailor collars, high waists and short hemlines. Billowing sleeves meanwhile, and wide neck collars hint of the medieval.

LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 PaulCostelloe by Matt Bramford
LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 PaulCostelloe by Matt Bramford
Paul costello Joana Faria SS 2012 London Fashion Week
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Joana Faria

The muted colours bloom into a concoction of pastels that remind me of a box of Parisian macaroons, in candy floss pink, bittersweet peach and mint ice-cream green. The rich brocade fabrics in these delectable colours ooze femininity and an inhibited playfulness, a characteristic synonymous with the 1960’s. The tailored jackets and shift dresses , evocative of Jackie Kennedy and Mad Men, too celebrate femininity.

Paul Costello SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay
LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 Paul Costelloe by Matt Bramford
Paul Costello 1 by Gilly Rochester LFW SS 2012
Paul Costelloe S/S 2012 by Gilly Rochester

LFW London Fashion Week SS2012 Paul Costelloe by Matt Bramford

The menswear collection harks to an era much further away with, Edwardian austerity pleasantly combined with the coquettishness of the New Romantics and a becoming bow to the seventies. Like the womenswear, the tailoring is excellent but never restrictive and is softened by rhythmic pleats, ruffles and capacious gauze and linen shirts. The colours adhere the relaxed and almost playful demeanour of the collection, from soft neautrals and intense indigo to colours of candy.

Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory

I especially love the way each outfit moves, simply and fluently and functionally! The pleats which seem to feature in many of the outfits are mesmerising to watch and sit beautifully on each piece. Paul Costelloe asserts his view on sandals and socks; a resounding yes to sandals with socks.

Paul Costelloe SS 2012 review London Fashion Week by Amelia Gregory
Paul Costello SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay
Paul Costelloe set out to produce a collection that combines the signature Costelloe style together with elements of vintage Parisian chic – I do believe he has succeeded.

Paul Costello SS 2012 London Fashion Week Akeela Bhattay

If the consistent creativity and quality of Paul Costelloe’s collections are signs of things to come, I cannot wait to see his take on Autumn Winter 2012.


Play the video and watch the show.

Categories ,1940s, ,1960s, ,1970s, ,Akeela Bhattay, ,Amber Cassidy, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Autumn Philips, ,Baby Doll dress, ,british fashion council, ,Brocade, ,Chase PR, ,Coral, ,designer, ,Edwardian, ,Feminine, ,Gilly Rochester, ,Hilary Alexander, ,Jackie Kennedy, ,Jimmy Choo, ,Joana Faria, ,LFW TV, ,Live Show, ,London Fashion Week, ,Mad Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,medieval, ,menswear, ,Mint, ,Mod, ,Parisian, ,Paul Costelloe, ,pink, ,S/S 2012, ,Shift Dress, ,Somerset House, ,spring, ,summer, ,Swing Coat, ,video, ,vintage, ,Watch Online, ,Womanswear

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


Illustration by Avril Kelly

Finally escaping the intermittent drizzle, pilule I find myself standing in a beautiful hall within the restored Northumberland House in Trafalgar Square. The ornate ceiling is touching the sky and the splendour of its Victorian past hushes the crowd. The audience here appears slightly subdued. Notepads out, here pens uncapped and eyes focused on the catwalk. Tiptoeing at the back, viagra 40mg I strain to view the runway. I’m anticipating what Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro will bring to the catwalk to tease our fashion palettes. Spotlights alight causing the last of the whispers to subside and all gaze expectantly at the white path ahead, as the soundtrack strikes.

Enter structured jackets embellished with heraldic embroidery and printed silk skirts, jumpsuits and dresses in autumn colours, burnt orange and berry red. The prints vary, from pretty paisleys to luxurious leopard print. I’m not usually attracted to animal print, but I’m longing for the paisley meets leopard print dress, sporting blue silk detail on the neck and shoulders. It’s simple and elegant but not at all banal. High necks, low cinched waists and midi length skirts in vivid blue and red make for graceful dresses that suggest a marriage of Victoriana and 1970s styles. Bold and neutral colours follow, sheathed in dazzling gems that revive nostalgia for the 1950s.


Live catwalk illustration by Jenny Robins

The colours fade into cloudy greys, biscuit beiges and ice blues for the inconspicuous in you and luxurious brocades make up beautiful jackets, not unlike those gentlemen’s smoking jackets of a bygone vintage era. The catwalk darkens and we’re engulfed in black. Black lace, black wool, black silk – all combine to forge pretty, yet formal, dresses and blouses. I’m rarely taken in by designs in black, but these really are lovely. The vintage inspired shoes and patterned tights play a key part in the presentation, complimenting a largely conservative but beautiful collection.

My height has failed me and my photographs are painfully poor, but I leave contented and pleased to have spied a wonderful show.

All photography by Akeela Bhattay

Categories ,A/W 2011, ,Avril Kelly, ,Catwalk review, ,Classic, ,Clements Ribeiro, ,Ethical Fashion, ,Formal, ,Inacio Ribeiro, ,Jenny Robins, ,lfw, ,London Fashion Week, ,Northumberland House, ,Suzanne Clements, ,The Show Space, ,Upcycling, ,vintage

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