Jean Paul Gaultier goes KAPUTT for Swarovski

In German, the word Kaputt means “broken”.  And that is the name for a new collection of crystals from the Austrian house of Swarovski, designed by French haute couture ‘rebel’ and design genius, Jean Paul Gaultier who champions the art of ‘imperfection’ for the new family of Kaputt crystals.

Photo courtesy of Swarovski

Accordingly, following a visit to Swarovski headquarters in 2013, Gaulter was inspired to create a crystal design of his own and felt that the only way to make something that is already perfect, was to make it new by adding a unique touch of imperfection.

Combined with the technical expertise of Swarovski, Gaultier’s creative idea came into fruition a year later, after much experimentation and adjustments, and the new Kaputt collection was created featuring multi-faceted stones with random rugged surfaces and enhanced by a contrasting effect between clear and matt glass finish.  

The new collection are to complement Swwarovski's Autumn/Winter 2016-17 collection, and consists of two pendants and three fancy stones in rich shimmering metallic colours that highlight the stones' irregular forms.  

Perfectly imperfect – as Gaultier likes it. 

Additionally to complement the Kaputt collection are stones and pearls in a Crystal Scrabaeus Green effect.  The stunning colour is mesmerising, as these take on colours that consist of a combination of green, alternating with blue-purple and tarnished copper like those of the scarab beetle once worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. According to Wikipedia, the scarab was seen as “a symbol of (a) heavenly cycle and of the idea of rebirth or regeneration."

Inspiration for the design also came from the Verdigris roof of the Paris Opera House - a bright bluish-green encrustation or patina formed on copper or brass by atmospheric oxidation, consisting of basic copper carbonate.  The story goes that when Gaultier was a young lad, he would frequently go past the opera house and was fascinated by the green colouring of the tarnished copper roof.

(Click HERE to go to “This is Personal”, to learn how you can customise your unique Swarovski crystal to create a bespoke gem for your own personalised jewellery.)

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect unless otherwise captioned.

Happiness is ... the Mademoiselle Privé exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London

Despite the long queues, the Mademoiselle Privé exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London is where one can find happiness because it allows you to experience stimulants to your five senses.  

From the colours and the sound of birdsong at the specially-created garden prior to the entry of the building to the audio commentary provided by Mademoiselle Chanel, the delightful installations and sculptures and the sweet fragrant of the sensory lab, to the feel of textures provided by floor to ceiling draping curtains and the sight of alluring couture designs and beautiful jewels.....

Be sure to download the Mademoiselle Privé app before entering the exhibition, which enhances the experience with interactive content that is revealed throughout the visit.

This is the final week and the exhibition finishes on 1st November.  

If you haven't been yet, click HERE for the link to the website.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Cheeky faces by Anne-Valérie Dupond at the Affordable Art Fair until 25 October

Just look at these cheeky yet adorable faces.  They are Animal Trophies by French artist/textile sculpturist Anne-Valérie Dupond.

Made in fabrics, wadding, cardboard, buttons, trimming and beads, these wall-hanging Animal Trophies measuring 20 x 15 x 24 inches / 51x 38 x 61 cm are currently on show at The Affordable Art Fair under DECORAZON gallery now at  London’s Battersea Park until 25^th October.

Anne-Valérie Dupond, born in 1976, studied at Marc Bloch University in Strasbourg, and obtained her Master’s degree in Fine Arts in 2000.

Since 2001, Dupond has worked with Parisian Gallery Edgar, and until 2011, with Dufay-Bonnet Gallery, also in Paris.

Not only has Dupond’s work been exported around the world, but she has collaborated on numerous high profile projects, including fashion houses such as Kenzo, Undercover, Le Printemps, and Comme des Garçons, which is quite evident in her body of work, “Travaux de Couture”.

“My work is making sculptures with fabrics. I’m working simply with recovered fabrics, needle and thread. I try to create a world crafted from sensitivity, ranging from the bestial (hunting trophies and animals of all kinds) to human representations such as busts of historic figures, pin-ups, and baroque sculpture. Whatever the representation, I like to approach the female/male duality with humour, playfully caricaturizing the stereotypes.” 

Anne-Valérie Dupond currently lives and works in France, and is represented by the  DECORAZON gallery.

All photos here by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

From Moroccan tiles comes striking jewellery by London brand Chalk; exotic Marrakech Mint tea from Whittard

It is not unusual to get inspired from our travels to foreign lands.  It's what we do with the inspiration we garner that matters.
So I was pleasantly inspired by British tea house Whittard coming out with a blend of tea called Marrakech Mint.  It so reminded me of the wonderful time I had in Morocco some years ago.
Whittard blended their smoky Gunpowder Green tea with pure peppermint leaves, inspired by the tea served in the souks of the Moroccan medina, and have also added a sprinkling of blue cornflower petals for a bit of a British touch….  Great for this British winter.

Now I am particularly drawn to what London-based designers Hazel and Malaika have created for their jewellery brand - The Chalk House - following a recent trip they had made also to Marrakesh.

  

The dynamic duo who are also architects have been inspired by Moroccan tiles.

And the result of their creativity is a selection of intricately-handcrarfted necklaces and earrings featuring bold geometric patterns and colour combinations of the Morocco.

The designs are made in walnut pieces, laser cut and infilled with teal, orange, cream, blue and gold acrylic to emulate the exotic patterns of Moroccan tiles.
For the full range of the statement jewellery, go to the Chalk website.

Fabric Inspirations from Swarovski to enhance the pattern and floral print trend

Just a week ago, I was treated to a preview of wonderful presentation of original Liberty fabrics and floral prints which continue to entice us today, and the current exhibitions Liberty in Fashion and the The Art of Pattern both at the Fashiom and Textile Museum present a myriad of design ideas for fashionistas and designers alike.

A couple of days ago, I was shown by leading Austrian crystal house Swarovski how they can add glamour and sparkle by proposing a number of ways to enhance fabric patterns and prints.

Rather than following the lines of the motifs, Swarovski arrange crystals in the shape of feathers and leaves as shown in the picture above, and on the iconic Liberty fabric below, Swarovski crystals and stones add a touch of fantasy to the Art Nouveau pattern.

Swarovski design experts customise and add surface interest by applying a selection of crystal stones in various shapes and beads of different colour effects to these fabrics below, lifting the patterns off the fabric.  They do give designers much food for thought indeed.

Photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

The Art of Pattern Exhibition feeds the current appetite for 70s fashion and all things retro

 

A treasure trove of inspirational prints and patterns by designers of Liberty from 1961 - 77 are
on show at The Art of Pattern 9 October 2015 - 29 February 2016 at the Fashion and Textile Museum.

It’s official –floral-printed shirts and blouses are the key fashion item this autumn, according to WGSN, as the 1970s trend continues to grip our imagination and  is predicted to stay hot well into Spring at least.

WGSN’s Instock data reveals that fashion-conscious consumers are drawn to a number of 70s-retro styles now available on the high street, from “those super feminine, frilled and pussy-bowed numbers” to Western-shirt styles, and that amorous rose prints and bold retro floral patterns are among the best-sellers.  

And for fashionistas and all working in the industry alike looking for more inspiration for this trend, what better way than to have access to valuable archives of original inspiration floral prints and retro patterns for their research.

Head over to the Fashion and Textile Museum (FTM) in London's Bermondsey Road, and you will find an invaluiable event called The Art of Pattern now on until 28 February 2016 as part of the major Liberty in Fashion exhibition in the FTM.

The Art of Pattern showcases a wide range of work by two designer-sisters: Susan Collier & Sarah Campbell, who were producing print patterns for Liberty between 1961 – 77, from scarfs to fashion and furnishing fabrics.

There are more than 100 originally hand-painting designs, sketches, printed swatches, fabric lengths and objects to highlight the designers' painterly approach to fashion and furnishing textiles.

Along with swatches of floral fabrics on show were Limited edition hand-made dolls (which are also on sale in the FTM shop) using vintage Liberty fabrics.

The exhibition though small showcases some of the most recognisable textile designs of the late 20th century.  Among the designs is a range of florals and patterns that according to the designers were created based on the traditional design motif of Liberty - a little floral on Tana Lawn, as well as variations of the paisleys (originating from India and the Orient) and the hugely successful 'Bauhaus' range seen here at the left.


To read the full story, click HERE.

All photos of the exhibition by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Liberty in Fashion opens at Fashion and Textile Museum

Liberty in Fashion - an exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum
9 October 2015 - 28 February 2016

Anyone interested in or familiar with British fashion and fabrics would know the name Liberty which needs no introduction.   As a name well-acclaimed for its distinctive textile prints, Liberty's instantly recognisable patterns of small scale, densely patterned floral designs have accompanied many of my childhood moments.  My mom used to make small beany toys and our Sunday dresses with their fabrics.

1970s Nostalgia.
The quintessential Liberty prints, the small dense florals had been produced by the company for 50 years, perfectly suited the period and were a favourite of designers.

Equally, well-known Liberty prints that include variations of the peacock feather design, and the iconic Ianthe print with origins of the French Art Nouveau period have been rediscovered and reinterpreted many times over.  Liberty fabrics remains popular on furnishing and fashion fabrics up to this day, and its archive continues to be used for new creations to be enjoyed by the young generation.

Levi's denim separates in partnership with Liberty of London.

I recall two years ago, the American heritage denim brand Levi’s teamed up with Liberty of London on a collection of women's denim separates that featured two new Liberty prints - created exclusively for the partnership.  While the denim designs were sourced from Levi's archive, similarly, the garden flower prints were based on a Liberty pattern from the Seventies - redrawn with watercolour pencils and put into a repeat design, plus another print based on a Pointillist painting from the Liberty archive that dates back to 1940. 

So when I heard that London’s Fashion and Textile Museum (FTM) will be opening a new major exhibition on Liberty, I seized an opportunity to have a sneak preview ahead of the official opening. With high hopes for a great experience, I was not disappointed that the exhibition offers great insights into its vast archive of prints, the stories behind them and the print house's importance in British fashion history up until now.   

Liberty in Fashion, which opens on October 9^th and runs until 28 February 2016 at the FTM and in Bermondsey (a stone’s throw from the Chard in London Bridge), charts its contribution to British fashion in its 140-year history, both that produced by the company and its impact on the work of other designers.  This is the first retrospective on Liberty since the Victoria and Albert Museum’s 1975 exhibition to document Liberty’s first centenary. 

A design depicting the historic Liberty Building
designed by Susan Collier and
Sarah Campbell c 1974
One of the displayed work in The Art of Pattern concurrently
held at the Fashion and Textile Museum.

The FTM exhibition not only highlights Liberty as a pioneering retailer of international standing (its Tudor-style Regent Street department store remains a major fashion and lifestyle shopping destination in London’s west end) and demonsstrate its influence through the decades and eras of successive art movements up to the present day. 

Founded by Arthur Lasenby Liberty, the store began in 1875 originally as a warehouse selling coloured silks sourced from the Far East (when Japan opened up to trade with the West in the 1850s), North Africa and India, along with costumes, fans, china, lacquer and enamel wares.  As its influence and strong identity in fabric patterns continued to grow, it became a department store offering not only fashion but interior objects and designs as well, including lacquerware, cloisonné enamel, oriental goods and then furniture.

“Every garment in the exhibition has been carefully chosen to enable the Museum to represent the incredible range of textile designs created by the firm as well as to present an argument about why Liberty is always ‘in fashion’,” said Denis Nothdruft, curator of Liberty in Fashion, seen here with two cloaks from the Aesthetic movement that made reference to the past and the East and became the preferred style for women 

with artistic taste and an important element of the Liberty look.

But as the name suggests, Liberty in Fashion focuses “consciously on clothing, from a fashion prospective,” according to curator Dennis Nothdruft, and in showcasing some 150 garments, textiles and objects it demonstrates Liberty’s strong relationships with designers,  and the fashion world not only in the UK but also in Paris.  Dennis said 95% of the exhibits are from private collection.

While it celebrates Liberty as the fashionable place to shop, the exhibition also emphasizes its role as the source and originator of key trends in fashion history.

“Every garment in the exhibition has been carefully chosen to enable the Museum to represent the incredible range of textile designs created by the firm as well as to present an argument about why Liberty is always ‘in fashion’,” said Dennis.

1970s Nostalgia

The exhibition proves to be an important must-see event for all working in fashion and textiles and historian with a particular interest in not only prints and colours, but how Liberty has played an important role in British fashion even today.  

A display created by Liberty's in-store Visual Merchandising Team.
Since opening its doors in 1875, Libety has offered its customers an exciting and eclectic mix of beautiful goods sourced from around the world.

To read the full review, click HERE.

Coinciding with Liberty in Fashion is a sister event called:-

The Art of Pattern

Susan Collier & Sarah Campbell for Liberty 1961 – 77.

Also not to be missed, this side- exhibition features textile designs by Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell, two designers (they are sisters) whose free hand painted patterns paved the way for a vibrant new aesthetic in Liberty prints, including the hugely successful ‘Bauhaus’ range.

Sarah Campbell 

In a dedicated room upstairs, you will find over 100 original painted designs, sketches, printed swatches, lengths and objects of the designers’ work.

For a review of the Art of Pattern exhibition, click on it listed at the right, or click HERE.

Feeling inspired and energized by the treasure trove of designs of Liberty in Fashion and The Art of Pattern, you may want to visit the FTM shop on the way out.
are a range of Liberty focused books, stationery, finished garment products and small lengths of fabrics in Liberty archetypical print, and among my favourite are the limited edition handmade dolls, using vintage Liberty fabrics, by Sarah Campbell.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

McQueen, Huguenot inspirations and Liberty in Fashion

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
exhibition 2015 at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

It is interesting to see that Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton's touchingly feminine SS16 collection shown in Paris this week was inspired by Huguenot silk weavers who escaped Catholic France to settle in London Spitalfields in the 17th century.  (Click here to watch the Alexander McQueen SS16 show on YouTube.)


Back in July earlier this year, I covered an exhibition called Fabrics of the City which took place at The Cass - London Metropolitan University in WhiteChapel, which celebrated the work of 14 London-based designers who were inspired by Huguenot silk weavers.

In my report, I pointed out a common thread between the designers at The Cass exhibition and of McQueen in that they were all able to push boundaries and make relevant historical references with their contemporary designs.
In Sarah Burton's new SS16 collection for Alexander McQueen, she has lovingly paid respect to the Huguenots' unique craftsmanship.

One example of the stunning designs created for the high society by the

 Huguenots is The Fanshawe Dress (above), on display at the Museum of London.   

An exceptional example of their highly skilled workmanship, this piece features signature 

silver thread and lace - distinctive features in the Huguenots’ designs,

 which have served as a starting point for the new designs exhibited in Fabric of the City.

Lady Lawson Walton's Spitalfields silk brocade dress as shown in the
Liberty in Fashion exhibition to open  at the Fashion and Textile Museum
 on Friday October 9th 2015.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Now I'm also thrilled that in a new exhibition entitled Liberty in Fashion, which will open at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey on Friday October 9th, will be on display a beautiful antique dress made from Spitalfields brocade, shortly before the Spitalfields mills closed down.
The Court dress was made by Liberty & Co  for Lady Lawson Walton (1852-1932), wife of the Attorney General, who wore it to a ball at the Court of St James in 1906 or 1907.

Liberty in Fashion showcasing a rich archive of floral prints and dress designs.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Liberty in Fashion celebrates the 140th anniversary of the company, charting Liberty's history as the fashionable place to shop as well as its role as the source and originator of key trends in fashion history, from Orientalism and Aesthetic dress in the 19th century, through Art Nouveau and Art Deco in the early 20th century, and the revival of these styles since the 1950s.  

Fashion Scout ONES TO WATCH and Merit Award designers in Paris this week.

Selected from a shortlist of 50 emerging designers by a panel of industry experts, four Ones To Watch designers are among Fashion Scout’s stable of young talents this season showcasing at Fashion Scout Paris Showroom on currently until October 6^th.

FASHION SCOUT supports young designers during London Fashion Week.

They are Anita Hirlekar, JS Shin, Leaf Xia and Typical Freaks.  Also showing is Katie Roberts Wood, winner of the acclaimed Fashion Scout SS16 Merit Award.

Roberts / Wood by Katie Roberts Wood.

Designer Anita Hirlekar graduated from London's Central Saint Martins MA Fashion Textiles in 2014, launching her luxury womenswear label based in Iceland. Anita creates garments with attention to innovative fabrications, focusing on her ability to combine unique handcrafted skill with a refined high fashion sensibility. 

Anita already has a string of accolaides under her belt including from ITS, Elle DK, Vogue Italia and a handbag collaboration with BVLGARI.

J S Shin is the recently launched London based womenswear label from designer Joon-Sik Shin. Graduating from Fashion Design Technology Womenswear at London College of Fashion in 2015, Joon-Sik applies conceptual ideas and inspiration to contemporary womenswear. 

With a background and experience in Italian tailoring, Joon-Sik’s signature aesthetic lies in luxury tailoring twinned with hand-craft.

Originally from China, now New York based, Leaf Xia graduated from Parsons the New School of Design in 2015. Focusing on colours, print and a strong silhouette, Leaf specializes in collage, creating playful and brave designs.

At the core of Leaf’s garments is her bold personality, using her collections to communicate a positive energy to everyone through the vehicle of fashion.

Bold, colourful and conceptual street wear brand Typical Freaks is designed by Central Saint Martins MA Graduate Seun Ade-Onojobi and London College of Fashion Graduate Sonia Xiao. The duo provide an eccentric statement on fashion, full of humour, craftsmanship and integrity. Drawing on diverse thematic inspiration, Typical Freaks’ garments are a celebration of creativity with many items printed or painted by hand, and often imbued with a mature sensitivity and dark, punky undertones. 

Ones To Watch provides a unique platform for the brightest new designers, helping to generate maximum media and buyer attention.  Following on from a successful showing during London Fashion Week in September, the designers are at Fashion Scout ParisShowroom this week until October 6th.  New Location: 78 RUE AMELOT 75011 Paris.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.