MACKI*

I spotted Emma Bell’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection at the SuperSuper show during London Fashion Week in February. Her shiny bubblegum coloured harajuku and kitsch style garments screamed at me in all their glory. The sparkling make up, crazy head dresses and startrek style dresses stood out from the other designers. Emma’s work is now selling internationally, on TV and she has much experience under her belt working with various designers. Here is what she has to say about her fantabulous collection and style influences…

MACKI: You were the highlight of the Super Super show (I think!) How did you make it to London Fashion Week?
EMMA: I had just completed my second collection with footwear brand Irregular Choice when I was approached by Super Super magazine asking me if I would be involved in their showcase at London Fashion Week! And it all went from there really….the burning of the midnight oil, bleeding fingers and chest pains and before I knew it my collection was parading down the catwalk!!! Really exciting!!!

What inspires your eclectic designs?
Ohhh everything and anything….most importantly what I see going on around me from people walking up the street to strange characters I meet in everyday life! The most inspirational things are those that are right in front of you such as the woman who strolls her pink dog past my house every morning mixed in with Russian Fairytales…. cringe worthy stories in real life magazines…. and a lot is also influenced by my travels!

The fabrics you use are amazing! Did you do the illustrations on them?
Fabric selection is one of the most important elements in my work, likewise with hunting down the perfect trims and finishings such as a super special button, or a rainbow-pearlised metallic zip! I recently ventured to China to source some amazing fabrics and in between a Jack Daniels infused evening in a Guangzhou nightclub, seahorses on sticks and fortune-tellers I discovered the most incredible fabrics unlike anything Ive ever seen before in my life! As for all of my prints that are used in my work, the designs are all by me!

Have you done any work placements with other designers?
Yes, whilst I was at University and also on my gap year I got involved with several internships and placements. I spent 2 seasons working with womenswear designer Rebecca Taylor over in New York, which was amazing. It was here where I learnt so much about the industry having been given the opportunity to gain experience in all aspects from pattern cutting to design, to dye matching to print design and also be involved in the run up and duration of New York Fashion Week. I also spent sometime with a member of their team in Japan when I was in Tokyo, which helped me gain a different perspective. I am very interested in surface texture so I spent a period assisting textile designer Donna Lynch which was great!

So you are collaborating with the shoe brand Irregular Choice™? Tell us more about your joint ventures, please!?
I was not long graduated when I joined forces with Irregular Choice who have given me the opportunity to design my own clothing line “Emma Bell for Irregular Choice” with them! My first collection for SS08 is currently becoming available at retail and then my second collection for AW08 was what was shown at London Fashion Week!

Where can we buy some of your fashtastic delights? What is the price range?
All of my collection is available at www.irregularchoicestore.co.uk as well as a selection of boutiques dotted around the UK including Shrinking Violet in Bristol, SKIRT boutique in Newcastle, Drome in Liverpool, Thunderegg Manchester….as well as featured in the Irregular Choice flagship store in New York and Surrealist Love Scene in Singapore! For full listings you can check out www.myspace.com/dollydressup!
The price range is between £45-£110 for my SS08 collection!

I watched an episode of ‘Skins’ last night and saw your yellow picnic top on one of the actors! How did you get your clothes featured on the show?!
It’s very important for me to get my stuff out there and get it seen in the right situations and on the right people! For me, I thought Skins was a vital part of my product placement, so they took the clothes and then they started popping up on the show!

What advice do you have to other design starlets trying to stand out and make it?
I think the most important thing is that you have to really want it….if your heart isn’t totally in it and you’re not prepared to put your whole self into it then its never going to work! Its all about pushing yourself, being 100% dedicated, getting out there networking, gaining as much experience as you can and getting involved in every opportunity that is thrown at you!

What’s your ideal night out?
A lake full of gin, special make up, hot shoes and special friends!

What are your future prospects, are you working on a new collection at the mo?
Yes at the moment I am in the process of designing my SS09 “Emma Bell for Irregular Choice” collection so watch this space for it to be unleashed! At the same time I’m working on getting more stockists on board for my AW08 collection as well as dealing with all of the exciting aftermath of my show! Lots of exciting projects in the pipeline but my lips are sealed!

Please can I borrow the shiny green star-trek-sequel dress?
Oh the “Lederhosen” dress!!! We shall see!

For more Emma Bell: www.myspace.com/dollydressup

For more Macki*: www.macki.co.uk

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http://www.dontpanicmedia.com/magazine/article/?id=2167

London Fashion Week is notoriously impossible for mere high-street shopping mortals to penetrate. Fortunately, back in the 80s fashion designer Macki was caught in an explosion at a fashion factory in the slums of Mumbai, which mutated her into a fashion super-being of extraordinary power. For this reason she managed to get her whole body backstage for five dazzling shows when she turned hard-nosed journalist-cum-socialite for DP. Here’s the lo-down:

MONDAY

Montage!

The launch of Sexton’s Autumn/Winter 2008-9 Mens and Womanswear collections took place down a swooping staircase at L’institute Francaise in South Kensington. The models glided down a stairway draped in moss green tweed. Male models wore unfinished coats with visible stitches and tailor marks, silk lining on white tuxedos and blood red velvet lounge suits. The female models struck androgynous looks, wearing big collars minus the shirts.

My favourite outfit was a sandy brown check tweed suit, with dominating high-waisted trousers attached to a pair of thick yellow braces – a bright and bold addition.

Working backstage at Edward Sexton’s show was an enjoyable experience. The 40 ‘looks’ flew by in minutes and then it was time to strip down the beauties, tidy up backstage and start preparing for the SuperSuper show later!

LATER THAT EVENING…

SUPER SUPER SHOW

Photography/Illustration by Macki

This style of photography attempts to emulate the hallucinogenic effects of bulimia combined with gin & slimline tonic (just 56 kCal!)

After 45 minutes freezing my ass off in impatience, I managed to get into the Vauxhall Fashion Scout venue. A lot of flashing and snapping as each guest entered, then to the bar I headed!

“Sorry luv, we can’t serve any more of our sponsored toffee vodka… people are getting drunk. Try some of this tangy sour energy drink instead”. I was numb and in need of booze so I took what was offered and searched high and low for a seat near the catwalk… I found one with a goody bag of free stuff!

Hoodies

One of my favourite fashion designers, Carri Mundane AKA Cassette Playa, was sitting in front of me, looking cool. There were many nu-rave fashionistas STILL wearing those fluorescent geek glasses and painted faces with silver stars stuck on. Worse yet: some of the Skins crew were hanging out in the front row…

The show consisted of four up and coming designers: Scott Ramsay Kyle, Emma Bell, Dharma Taylor and Thomas Sel.

Bell’s theatrical collection was definitely the most adventurous, bizarre and colourful in my opinion and Thomas’s ‘domino effect’ catwalk choreography was pretty cool. There was also live music from the flamboyant-tastic band “The More Assured”.

All in all, it was a super-boom-bastic evening!

TUESDAY

TODD LYNN

“It’s that damn Hansel! He’s so hot right now!”

The Top Shop space was perfect for showcasing Todd Lynn’s cutting edge tailoring. Androgynous rock n’ roll style was evident in this sophisticated collection and the key looks included contrasting fabrics: shiny with matte, soft cashmere and crushed patent leather mix with sheep and pony skins. It was a bit of a butchers shop back stage but a stylish one! His tailored dresses and coats dressed with goat fur were dramatic – inspired by the eerie stillness of Victorian taxidermy and Gothic glam.

The models looked so rockabilly with their sleek hairstyles, complimenting the structured tailoring and lizard and pony skin shoes by Christian Louboutin.

Hairy backs are back in

WEDNESDAY

NICOLE FARHI

Nicole Farhi talks about her designs

It was an early start for the Farhi show preparations, which took place inside the stunning Opera House in Covent Garden. We even had time to nibble on croissants and coffee before the show.

Later, Nicole gracefully mingled backstage, being interviewed one minute and then reviewing her timeless collection the next, checking every detail and outfit just before it’s projection into the fashion world. The winter dresses and jackets were beautifully crafted with rich wools, silks and a palette of browns, blacks, greys and reds.

Ach yah! Zat auschwitz look is sooo in zis season

Accessories played a key role, including wide rim black hats over purple silk scarves, long leather gloves with frayed tassels, ancient silver coins on belts and bracelets. Music by Regina Spektor was both melodic and jolly, suiting the collection’s floral and embroidered sense of femininity.

FRIDAY

CAROLA EULER

“A naive approach to luxury dressing”

Carola Euler’s show took place at Sketch in Mayfair, where the restaurant became the catwalk. The male models gradually looked more suave as the morning progressed and they started to transform into a fleet of slick, young hunks. Euler’s luxury collection is a combination of crisp, pleated formal wear and fresh coloured sportswear.

“I was inspired by the idea of what a 16-year-old boy would buy if he suddenly came into lots of money,” said Euler. “That kind of naive approach to luxury dressing.”

And that all folks! xxxxx