Collection #14: ADA Menswear

Tibor Galamb Photography e:galambtibor@gmail.com

Tibor Galamb Photography e:galambtibor@gmail.com

Louise Wallbanks of Ada Menswear, for her final graduate collection, was inspired by the ideas and details of soft furnishing, looking particularly at sofas and chairs. This generated ideas for colour, shape, silhouette, texture, detail and cut. The furniture aspect is obtained through texture combination, use of upholstery fabrics and placement of decorative soft furnishing details.

Tibor Galamb Photography e:galambtibor@gmail.com

The sofas themselves inspired the strong detailing which appears in the form of studs, crochet and even in the more literal form in some cases with an armchair inspired sleeve. Overall this results in a relaxed rock and roll vibe combined with a classic gentleman’s smoking room. She wanted to create a aspect of interior design, something rather playful but still keeping that classic beauty of menswear.

Tibor Galamb Photography e:galambtibor@gmail.com

Tibor Galamb Photography e:galambtibor@gmail.com

http://www.notjustalabel.com/ada

Collection #13: Melissa Thwaites

An ECA Fourth Year! We are so happy to have been able to host some ECA designers this year; in fact, our Creative Team, headed by 4th Year Product Design student Alex Shiel, is made up predominantly of ECA undergrads… the amazing visuals, wonderful graphics and fantastic music that they put together for the show showed that the whole ECA bunch will move on to bright things.

Melissa’s collection: A trembling energy; undulating, rippling, twisting hypnotically around the contours of the body. Naum Gabo’s organic sculptures of delicate twisting threads bound by layered interlocking rounded structures, mesmerise the eye to appear as if they are constantly in motion. In the collection, unfurling layers of delicate transparent fabrics reveal sharp synthetic bursts of colour, moody blues and hypnotic sharp greens are sliced up to create a depth of colour that plays on motion. Reverberating colour multiply into a bold print that cuts and slices organic imagery, until transformed into strong organic twists and turns that resonate along lines of the body in both leather and knitted pleating. Gaining a feeling of freedom as fluid layers play with motion and colour, this undulating energy moves languidly, savouring the form and naturally progressing to its final destination.

http://melissathwaites.wordpress.com/

Collection #12: Philip Michael Jacobson

Focussing on quality and cut of cloth, silhouette and proportion, colour and unique detail, Philip Michael Jacobson designs for his own contemporaries, a new generation of men.

This Autumn/Winter 2013 collection, ‘Justice Void in Paradise’, sees an exciting use of unusual Toad leathers influenced by parallel themes of Raqib Shaw’s exhibition ‘Paradise Lost’ and the mythology in legends of Ned Kelly and Dan ‘Mad Dog’ Morgan.

With personal homage to his roots, PMJ’s colour schemes, cuts, detailing and mood are informed by the Ned Kelly Series created by fellow hybrid countryman, artist Sir Sidney Nolan, depicting the environment and pivotal events in the life of Australian outlaw, and national hero Ned Kelly.


Links:

www.notjustalabel.com/philipmichaeljacobson

http://philipmichaeljacobson.co.uk/home.html

Collection #10: Hentsch Man

Thanks so much to everyone for coming to the show last night! It was an amazing night and though we don’t know the total yet, our audience’s contribution will help in raising a great amount of money for our charities.

For now, here is some more about the collections we showed last night.

“Hentsch Man is a simple, elegant and wearable menswear brand, providing classic wardrobe basics. The products have been designed to emphasise fit, eliminating all fanciful details and ensuring the clothes are flattering. Our collections are compact, offering a handful carefully selected items, rather than a bombardment of too much choice. A one-stop-shop for essential clothing from a classic white shirt, to well-tailored trousers and the occasional quirky piece.”

What is so exciting to me about Hentsch Man is not only the clothes that they produce; it encompasses more than that and projects an identity of the modern day man. A number of outlets do this though – so how is Hentsch Man different?

For a start, Hentsch Man has created a brand. The men that wear their clothes are ‘The Hentsch Men’ a mixture of business, photographers, sportsmen, artists and actors, showing that there is no exclusivity in market when it comes to Hentsch Man. They are not targeting a niche – they are purely creating wearable clothes which fit to most tastes in their simplicity and accessibility (but without being obvious and tacky).

While they gather influence and inspiration from classic styles all over the world, their manufacturing is done entirely in Europe, to “contribute to the continuation of a European manufacturing heritage”. For me, this is worth the extra penny that you’d spend on an item – the quality of clothes made in Europe is largely far superior than garments which are outsourced through numerous different factories across the world, in Asia in particular, and also adds to containing economic and environmental factors within the continent.

Most exciting for me however, is the brand that they have created. It is so important these days to have something with which to identify – we see a million advertisements in our day to day life, are subconsciously influenced by marketing strategy tools; so it is refreshing to see an idea that just works as a whole. To have a successful brand fills up the empty corners of ideas incomplete. Clothes as disparate entities are unexciting and seemingly meaningless – whereas a successful brand projects an image and indulges in the consumer’s creativity and identity.

“We want our Hentsch Men to look chic, but not like they’ve fallen out of a catalogue.”

Links:

http://www.hentschman.com

With many thanks to Hardeep and Alexia for their time and the images.

Collection #9: ELEANOR AMOROSO

London based designer Eleanor Amoroso launched her label just two years ago, after attracting attention for her uniquely handcrafted graduate collection. The brand encompasses modern elegance and a tough, darker side with perhaps the most intriguing thing being the fact that each piece is made entirely by hand and not machine. Her work has been previously described as a ‘commemoration of the forgotten art of craftsmanship’ and was featured on the cover of Volt Magazine on model Alice Dellal, just months after graduating.

Having studied womenswear at the highly acclaimed University of Westminster, she draws inspiration from contemporary design, innovative and sculptural knitwear and the use of unexpected materials in clothing. While studying, Eleanor experimented with a wide range of creative processes and went on to discover a passion for handcrafting materials, more specifically the techniques of macramé: her work becoming more akin to knitwear. She has developed her own unique technique of making garments from long lengths of fringing and using macramé techniques to create innovative knits. Each season her unique techniques are pushed further as the collections build up organically; each piece inspiring the next. She has both reinvented and modernised an ancient craft, which she will continue to develop with her brand.

For SS12 Eleanor was preoccupied with contrasts as unusual sculptural shapes were juxtaposed with floaty floor length fringing. This collection shows a move towards increasingly dramatic showpieces developing her signature macramé techniques further to allow unusual shapes to form. Twisting, wrapping and spirals around the body form powerful silhouettes whilst light fringing creates movement and fluidity. Beadwork and subtle colour add a new dimension to her work. She also worked with Hungarian footwear designer Julia Kaldy to create unique sculptural shoes for the collection which was shown as part of Blow PR’s ‘Blow Presents’ show at London Fashion Week and exhibited with notjustabel during Milan Fashion Week. The collection was also on vogue.com
UK.

AW12/13 was shown at Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s London Fashion Week exhibition. Sculptural pieces are again apparent in this collection but there is a much greater focus on texture, with the pieces being tougher and heavier than her previous work. In contrast, delicate feathers are entwined into the knots to give the effect of fur, and copper hardware details add a modern edge. The pieces are much more refined than her previous work and show a real commitment and dedication to the label. Through her experimental way of creating bold silhouettes from such a fine materials she continues to evolve as a designer producing unique handcrafted garments,
unconventional ‘knits’ and accessories.

Eleanor’s latest collection for SS13, represented again by Vauxhall Fashion Scout, plays with a
mixture of clean white and mixed greys while focusing heavily on the memorizing power of the circle. Her talent has progressed from show-pieces and body-wear and now is more focused on very unique jewellery design which still remains true to the brands aesthetic- keeping the trademark fringing in play.

Her pieces have appeared in numerous publications including AnOther, Tank, i-D, Volt, Schon,
Neo2, Glamcult, Idol and Papercut and been featured on vogue.com, vogue.it and fashionising.com. She has been featured in Farameh Media’s Fast Forward Fashion book and her work has been displayed in Some/things & he went to the sea in his carriage & horses exhibition in Paris and was recently displayed in New Fashion: Interventions in Materials and Techniques exhibition at the Fashion Space Gallery, London.

Collection #8: Sophie Wetherell

Sophie Wetherell, since graduating six months ago from Kingston University, has done incredibly well. She was recently a finalist in the Wolf & Badger Graduate Awards and currently lives and works in Denmark. Really excited to show this collection on Saturday! Remember to get your tickets HERE.

Collection #7: Naomi Barber Rodgers

Naomi is based in Nottingham, United Kingdom. She studied at Nottingham trent. Her collections are produced in United Kingdom.

Intensely coloured areas adopt vivid iridescent like qualities amid an expanse of grey tones. A collection of innovative fabrics inspired by selective colouring in photography. Using light and shadow as a gauge for transparency and highlighting achromatic areas with flashes of colour.

http://www.notjustalabel.com/naomi_barber_rodgers

Collection #6: Olivia Hearnshaw

Olivia Hearnshaw is a womenswear designer recently graduating from the University of Brighton, where she studied Fashion Design with Business Studies. Previous experience includes internships at Richard Nicoll and French Connection. Her inspiration and aesthetic is strongly influenced by shape, mood and simplicity, her graduate collection explores circular pattern cutting.

Click to see more HERE.

Fashion Weeks Report – Holly Wignall

Well, the international fashion weeks are over now – but of course, it’s not really over until ECFS has finished… The show takes place in under a week at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms. If you haven’t got a ticket yet for Saturday 16th March, please do so HERE!

Many thanks to Holly Wignall for compiling these Twitter inspired Fashion Week reports!

Check out Style.com for pictures.

New York

Wednesday 6th, 9am – THAKOON ADDITION:
A fantastic start to NYFW: fresh, crisp tailoring combined with oversized silhouettes and geometric cuts, all the while maintaining intriguing experimentation with pattern and texture.

Thursday 7th, 10am – BCBG MAX AZRIA:
Oversized parkas and beanies thrown atop luxurious leather skirts with highly decorative shirts or dresses, this collection is more pretty practicalities than 90s grunge.

Friday 8th, 1pm – JASON WU:
Cinched waists, strict tailoring, fur pelts and snakeskin – his trademark gowns take a backseat as AW 13/14 sees a darker side of the spectrum for Jason Wu.

Saturday 9th, 12pm – PRABAL GURUNG:
A show of two halves saw militaristic with a sexy edginess and immaculate tailoring flow freely into a sea of silk gowns.

Sunday 10th, 4pm – DIANE VON FURSTENBURG:
A 70s inspired collection filled with flirtatious fun, DVF clearly knows her audience with feminine shapes combined with bright colours and patterns.

Monday 11th, 8pm – MARC BY MARC JACOBS:
In this personal favourite, Jacobs combined 40s hues and silhouettes with 70s glamour and a modern twist of geometric prints to capture a quirky sophistication that is so quintessentially Marc Jacobs.

Tuesday 12th, 12pm – RODARTE:
Gothic grunge princesses roamed the runway as the Mulleavy sisters once again proved themselves as the Queens of Cool in this nonchalantly edgy collection.

Wednesday 13th, 8pm – PROENZA SCHOULER:
Consciously moving away from exploring angles, PS offered a much softer collection that saw a super-refined clinical and clean approach, among a few fabulously crafted skirts.

Thursday 14th, 2pm – RACHEL ROY:
Neutral tones, feminine tailoring and beautiful attention to detail that perfectly fit the transition from day to night.
London
Friday 15th, 8.45pm – SASS & BIDE:
Monochrome with bursts of magnolia, flirtatious origami-cut flashes of flesh, S&B really created a modern day warrior with this striking collection.

Saturday 16th, 7pm – HOUSE OF HOLLAND:
Explosion of prints? Bright bursts of colour? Carefree, flamboyant attitude teamed with 80s nostalgia? This can only mean one thing – HoH.
8pm – DAVID KOMA:
With the structured leather and sculptured silhouettes, it’s clear to see Koma’s love of vinyl reflected in this season’s texture-heavy collection.

Sunday 17th, 2pm – VIVIENNE WESTWOOD RED LABEL:
There’s never a dull moment in the world of Westwood, and this season was no exception! Clownish war-paint, womanly outlines and heavy-duty layering are in store for AW 13/14.
3pm – TOPSHOP UNIQUE:
Models of the moment Delevingne and Dunn perfectly portrayed British youth in this 90s-throwback grunge ensemble of leather cropped-tops concealed beneath oversized knit and fur.

Monday 18th, 4pm – BURBERRY PRORSUM:
Romance was in the air as soft trenches and heart-print pencil skirts glided down the catwalk to the melodic tones of Tom Odell at this beautifully tranquil show.
6pm – GILES:
Ethereal, piercing and intricate, it’s obvious to see the Miss Havisham/Ice Queen inspiration behind this hauntingly beautiful collection from Giles.
7pm, TOM FORD:
Mainly tasteless and garish with only a couple of covetable pieces. An untamed explosion of print and fur. Simply too much! All in all a very disappointing comeback.

Tuesday 19th, 1pm – MEADHAM KIRCHHOFF:
Alice in Wonderland meets Brothers Grimm with a sprinkling of Victorian glamour. A dark and sinister collection abundant in PVC. Unmistakably Meadham Kirchhoff.

Milan

Wednesday 20th, 2pm – GUCCI:
Tailored leather = extreme seduction. This season at Gucci is about enhancing a woman’s silhouette. Think the 50s with attitude. Very femme fatale.

Thursday 21st, 12.30pm – FENDI:
Karl Lagerfeld clearly loves a bit of the extreme. With a distinctly futuristic undertone, Fendi was all oversized fur and purple Mohicans with a touch of Nu-Rave neon – at times bordering on garish.
6pm – PRADA:
Heavy duty coats, cinched waists and off-the-shoulder dresses strutted down the runway teamed with wet hair, all the while portraying a certain unkempt seductivity.

Friday 22nd, 7pm – VERSACE:
A combination of PVC, loud prints, studs, spikes and sheer shirts. Sexy and untamed, this season was no exception from the classic Donatella treatment.

Saturday 23rd, 9.30am – BOTTEGA VENETA:
Luxurious and classic but with a more architectural approach, this season at Bottega Veneta combined volume, texture and structured shoulders to create a raw elegance.
3pm – JIL SANDER:
A classic collection from the Queen of Minimalism. Muted tones with the occasional burst of magnolia and indigo. Refined and understatedly elegant.
7pm – EMILIO PUCCI:
A very 60s bohemian inspired collection. Taking a step back from the classic overload of Pucci prints, this season let thigh-high boots and mini shifts do the talking.

Sunday 24th, 2pm – DOLCE&GABBANA:
The dynamic duo created 3 collections in 1; gold plated dresses with mosaics and frescoes, pristine and demure houndstooth pieces, and seductive red lace dresses. Extravagant and luxurious. Oh so Italian.

Monday 25th, 11am –GIANFRANCO FERRE:
Innovative, structured, sophisticated. Severity softened with layering and elaborately twisted waistbelts. GF presented a chic, clinical approach to wrapping up this winter.

Paris

Tuesday 26th, 6pm – ANTHONY VACCARELLO:
Dark and seductive. Full of supple leather and thigh – high skirt splits. A great start to the week.

Wednesday 27th, 6pm – GARETH PUGH:
Mainly monochrome with branches of the forbidden forest creeping up the hems of the dresses, this ethereal and eerie collection took us on a chilling and mystical journey.

Thursday 28th, 9am – BALENCIAGA:
Wang’s debut at the house did not disappoint. Filled with crisp tailoring and neat structures, this sophisticated collection stayed true to the Balenciaga name.

Friday 1st, 2.30pm – CHRISTIAN DIOR:
Elegant and sophisticated with a flirtatious edge, despite this being only his 2nd ready-to-wear collection for Dior, Simons’ idea of the “Dior woman” is already instantly recognisable.

Saturday 2nd, 10.30am – HAIDER ACKERMANN:
Fresh and pure with a certain military influence, this season saw clean-cut layering and relaxed, oversized tailoring. Nonchalant and chic.

Sunday 3rd, 8pm – GIVENCHY:
Unique, creative and playful. A mix of biker, gypsy, floral and urban, Tisci had fun with this collection, and it clearly paid off.

Monday 4th, 8pm – SAINT LAURENT:
A bit like a young teenage girl’s take on punk. Lumberjack shirts over dresses. When looked at separately there are a few covetable pieces, but at first glance not overly impressive.

Tuesday 5th, 4.30pm – ALEXANDER MCQUEEN:
Beautiful, unique and oh so quintessentially McQueen. With distinct Tudor and Elizabethan influences, this was more of a theatrical showcase than a fashion show.

Wednesday 6th, 10am – LOUIS VUITTON:
Despite it being more silk pyjama sets and nightgowns than anything particularly practical for winter, this show was still filled with desirable pieces, and still as beautifully seductive as ever.

Collection #5: Xianfen Gu

Xianfen is based in London, United Kingdom. She studied at London college of Fashion and graduated in 2012. Her collections are produced in United Kingdom.

The Chinese designer was born in Hubei. Since she was young girl, she knew that she would one day be a fashion designer and have her own brand. She was nominated as a new talent designer by China National Garment Association in 2005. After 2 years working for womenswear brand ‘fairfairy’ in Guangzhou, she moved to London and finished her MA in fashion design at the London College of Fashion. After graduating, she has had the opportunity to work for Kinder Aggugini. The invaluable experience gained from working with him inspired her to fulfil her lifelong dream.

Xianfen Gu’s AW12 collection is focussed on the meanings of nature surface, especially the texture of the poppy flower. The project is called the Repose because it denotes sleep and rest. The poppy works as an emblem to memorise the soldiers who died in World War I; not only because this flower grew in Flandres after the war, but also because the scarlet red colour elicits images of the blood of dead soldiers. Therefore, the representational character of poppies and such connotative meanings were carried through in whole collection.

http://www.notjustalabel.com/xianfen_gu