Tramp In Disguise

At Vauxhall Fashion Scout I met the talented Sini Moilanen from Tramp In Disguise. I was immediately drawn in by this printed dress. Beautiful colours and almost like a kaleidoscope. The inspiration was the volcanoes - every aspect from the explosion, the dust cloud and the craters. The collection was a mix of printed silks and embellished knits.

I emailed Sini after VFS and asked her a few questions. She responded but I waited to write the post to go with the professional photographs she had taken recently. Worth the wait they look amazing. My favorites are the dress and the jumpsuit above - but they photograph really well!What is the starting point for your collection?
The new S/S011 Volcano collection is based on the fiery beauty of volcanic eruptions occurring all around our globe. An old tale tells that eruptions were caused by Pele, the beautiful but tempestuous Goddess of Volcanoes, during her frequent moments of anger. She could cause earthquakes by stamping her feet and volcanic eruptions by digging the ground with her magic stick. The Volcano collection is designed for the urban goddess of today, to show the fire and the magic she embodies.What is your studio space like?
At the moment I am working from home and I have got sewing help elsewhere. I am looking to share a studio with another designer in Brixton. Hopefully we will get that early next year.What is your favorite piece?
I have several favourite pieces, It is hard to say which is my favourite, because I have a few. I love the knitwear pieces and I like the prints, my favourite print piece probably is smoke trousers.

What can we look out for in the next collection?
The next collection is still a secret, but you can expect more printed garments and experimental knitwear. Well I have to say I am intrigued to see what comes next. But I do really like the print in this collection.

Enjoy
Fashion Fantasist xx

Sara Bro-Jorgensen

Now you know me I am partial to a bit of trompe l'oeil and that is what initially drew me in to Sara Bro-Jorgensen's collection. A floaty black garment with a graphic image of a trench coat cinched at the waist.The collection is a mixture of black and white inspired by photography. Print and knit create layering and the silhouette is sleek, streamlined and modern. Soft layers of opaque and sheer fabric creates depth in a monotone colour palette - for example a sheer black and an opaque black will create different hues of the same colour.I really wanted to find out more so I contacted Sara so that she could explain her inspiration and aesthetic.What was your inspiration behind your collection?
The collection was inspired by a series of black and white photographs I took with an old plastic camera. It is about contrasts and photographic imagery as well as light and dreamy layers. Furthermore it's about developing and combining knitting techniques that goes from hand knit to graphic jacquard patterns.I've always been influenced by photography but lately it has mostly been about working a photograph into a garment and create a trompe-l'oeil effect to simplify reality but also to create more abstract graphic patterns inspired by photographs.How do you start designing a collection?
I always collect images that I find interesting and inspiring and usually I pick out a few that has a certain atmosphere to base the collection on and through collages, drawing and draping I transform them into a collection.What is your design aesthetic?
My aesthetic is very technique based and about combining many different techniques and fabrics but at the same time simple. It's dark has been described as goth but I think my love for working with good quality materials gives the garments a sense of luxuryAny ideas about your next collection?
It's going to be a about lots of layers and heavy knit, beads and graphic patterns(Black and White photography by Peter Ravnsborg - Model: Lina Bjørnø. Other photographs are from the RCA show found on Sara's website)

I look forward to her next collection. I think using photography in this way is so interesting.

Best Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx

Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion

Bristol has been shortlisted as one of six UK cities as most stylish by leading fashion and celebrity website OSOYOU.com!!!!So all you fashion-ey folk get yourselves down to Cabot Circus tomorrow as the editorial team from OSOYOU.com will be looking out for and photographing the best street styles.

As well as the potential to be crowned the UK's most stylish city the individual with the best street style will win £500 of shopping vouchers and the latest Blackberry Torch.

Beth Wond from OSOYOU, who is organising the tour of the UK, commented, "Bristol has upped its game in the fashion stakes since the opening of Cabot Circus and we feel it now deserves a place on our shortlist of cities. We've heard that Bristol has a very individual and edgy style - we now want to see it for ourselves. We want Bristol's fashion crowd to come and show us how it's done Thursday!"Other cities nominated include London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Edinburgh. So come on stylish Bristol boys and girls lets hit Cabot Circus tomorrow and show them how it's done - Bristol Style!

OSOYOU.com will be at Cabot Circus Thursday (14/10/10) 12:00-3:00pm.

Also make sure you vote for your favorite style star from October 18th on www.OSOYOU.com

To keep up to date with whats what at Cabot Circus check out their webpage or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Good luck!
Fashion Fantasist xx

Dark Inspiration

Now I do not normally do this - post up picture after picture of pages from a magazine spread but to be honest I can't help it.Whilst doing some research for my own project I came across this photoshoot on Front Row View's site. They are from Italian Vogue September 2010 Issue. Photography is by Paolo Poversi, the model Kristen McMenamy and styled by Edward Enninful.I am captivated by the dark decadence and opulent garments in a Gothic Georgian fantasy. It is not often that I will want to pour over a photoshoot again and again and draw and draw but in this case I don't think I can stop myself. I have been taught not to use photoshoots as inspiration for design but it is not the garments themselves that are inspiring it is the overall theme and effect the photograph has on the observer.I think I will probably extend my own final major project collection into an Autumn Winter 2011 collection but much darker with a bleak element. Ooo I love to feel excited by a new project.I hope you have enjoyed this shoot as much as I have.

Best Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx

I Want A Superhero Dress

How cute are these?

I found them whilst walking around the Newgen huts at London Fashion Week... Yes I know - how can I still have stuff to talk about from that one day!? Well I seem to be managing it!

These are by surrealist fashion designer Du Yang and her label Yang Du. I find the collection really sweet simple shapes with a cartoony element with knitted animal hats. I really like the batman and superman dresses and wish I could own one!! Really clever, beautiful and above all fun.

Check out her website to see more of her collections. But I think my favorite is this one!

Enjoy,
Fashion Fantasist xx