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the designers at The Cass exhibition and of McQueen in that they were all able to push boundaries and make relevant historical references with their contemporary designs.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.

Katie Roberts Wood winner of the acclaimed Fashion Scout SS16 Merit Award, in Paris this week

Katie Robert Wood is this season’s Merit Award winner as showcased at Fashion Scout at the Freemason's Hall in Covent Garden during London Fashion Week  in September and is one of the key emerging designers featured in the FASHION SCOUT Paris Showroom this week until October 6^th.

Katie’s new collection is launched under the ROBERTS|WOOD label.  Her approach to the design process focuses on construction techniques and the manipulation of materials; playing with repetition, structure and texture to create unexpected tactile and visual effects. The collections are borne from a fascination with nature and science, but are always imbued with a pervading sense of the unreal.

Katie was selected from over 200 emerging designers from across the world who applied for Fashion Scout’s Merit Award.  She follows in the successful footsteps of past winners including David Koma, Eudon Choi, Phoebe English and Xiao Li.

Fashion Scout’s Founder and Creative Director Martyn Roberts commented “Katie’s graduate collection was outstanding and deserved all the international attention.  The new collection she is developing for the Merit Award builds on this experimentation, taking her creativity to a new level.”

FASHION SCOUT in Paris October 1st - 6th

New Location:

78 RUE AMELOT

75011 Paris

Support Buy British Day October 2nd

#buybritishday

Austrian company Lenzing celebrates 50 years of Lenzing Modal®

Austria-based company Lenzing is ready to celebrate their 50^th anniversary for producing and marketing their Lenzing Modal® brand of fibres which has attained global success.

Lenzing’s CCO Robert van de Kerkhof announced the half-century mile stone at a conference during the Premiere Vision Paris September trade fair held earlier this month in Villepinte, north Paris.

The company has planned a programme of celebrations in November with their international customers and "friends of the brand", according to COO Mr. Robert van de Kerkhof pictured above at Premiere Vision Paris in mid-September. Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

To read the full report, click HERE.

Exotic drama - Ethologie by Jasper Garvida presented at Essie Persian Carpet

So many times I have walked pass the Essie Persian Carpet showroom in Piccadilly opposite to The Ritz in London, and last week, this family run carpet shop was a fitting venue for designer label Ethologie by Jasper Garvida to present a collection of beautiful dresses and striking ensembles.  

Bold patterns, exotic colours and gold touches echo the Persian and oriental patterns of Middle Eastern and north African cultures.

 

Equally dramatic are the bold jewellery that add that extra oomph!  What a collection.

Éthologie designer, Jasper Garvida, graduated in womenswear from the Central St. Martins, and has worked with labels such as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood.  Upon graduating, he swiftly gained the role of head designer for Michiko Koshino.  Referred to as “one of the young designers to watch out for”, in 2009, Jasper was a finalist for Fashion Fringe competition. His first collection debuted during London Fashion Week at ON/OFF, a leading independent fashion showcase platform for emerging and pioneering fashion and creative talents.

Jasper Garvida’s designs have appeared in Vogue Italia, Russian Vogue, ELLE, i-D, V magazine, Dazed and Confused, The Telegraph, Grazia and other fashion publications. His garments have been seen on performers and celebrities, including Katy Perry, Rhianna, Britney Spears, Florence Welch, Lady Gaga, Elizabeth Hurley, Sophia Coppola, Cheryl Cole, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sugababes, The Saturdays, Girls Aloud and Helena Christensen to name a few.  His show-stopping designs have graced the red carpets of high profile events such as the Oscars, the Golden Globes, MTV Awards, Cannes Film Festival, The Brit Awards and a plethora of other highly visible global events.

Little Shilpa shuns catwalk for Library to showcase new AW15 collection

The Oxonian splendour of the Library on St Martin’s Lane in London's west end was the perfect setting for showcasing Little Shilpa’s new collection the Madness of Muchness, inspired by the curious world of Lewis Carrolls "Alice in Wonderland.”  

With denim as the key fabric of the collection, the ensembles are embellished with pleated appliques and textured details strategically-placed for drama, and complimented with whimsical head-pieces.  Sometimes the model's face is covered in a mysterious mask-like design.

Setting the tea-party scene were tea china ware, cupcakes and the unique ambience of the Library decor - a creative space for contemplating.  

Little Shilpa is the eponymous label of Shilpa Chavan, who offers handcrafted, fun wearable fashion, headpieces, accessories and jewellery.
All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.