POP 842 Thursday 23 February 2012

Today’s POP is Rachel. LFW Prep check: Part I.

 

In studios across the city this past week, a cacophony of models are whizzing from appointment to re-see to final fittings and last-minute stitchings, catwalks are being constructed and everywhere people are amping up for twelve hour days. It can only mean one thing: London Fashion Week.

POP decided to catch up with a selection of the veritable winners of Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s lauded Ones To Watch shows ahead of schedule. Womenswear designers Myrza de Muynck, Anne Sofie Madsen and Nova Chiu, who showed at the Freemason's hall space earlier this week, took five minutes out of their crazy schedules to talk about cake hats forming edible mirages, human suits knitted in crochet, and countdowns to the Canary Islands…

ANNE SOFIE MADSEN, WOMENSWEAR

What do you get most excited about in the run-up to the shows?

The excitement from showing a collection always inspires me to change or create something that I hadn’t thought up before.

 

 Can you give us any hints to the inspiration or references involved in your upcoming collection?

This time the collection takes inspiration from Sedna; the half skeleton and half human Inuit goddess of the underworld. The horror of Sedna is a tragic story of a young woman who loses her life in the arctic cold and becomes a goddess with a wish for revenge. The skeleton of Sedna is depicted in the work with techniques inspired by carvings in Ivory from the Inuit tupilak figures. The human side of Sedna shows a more vivid figure expressed through the patterns and fringes cov­ering the garments. Silhouettes inspired by Victorian menswear contribute to the atmosphere of the horrendous story.

How does this collection differ from your previous work: are you moving in a new direction or developing previously established elements? 

I used to work mostly with one single garment on each model, but this time I have worked more with layering than I normally do.

However, as the theme for my collections change, the vision stays the same: a wish to show the well-known through the un-known and to use traditional handcraft methods and couture techniques within ready to wear.

What gets you by in the run-up to fashion week? Sweets, pearls of wisdom, vitamin C…

Good Company. Fun. Coffee

3 of your favourite tracks played in your design studio?

Light Asylum – Dark Allies

Iggy Pop – Warrior Tribe

Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood – Some Velvet Morning

How will you celebrate after the show?

I guess we will go out altogether and drink some beers! 

annesofiemadsen.com

 

MYRZA DE MUYNCK, WOMENSWEAR

 

What do you get most excited about in the run-up to the shows?

I am most excited about finding out who would like to wear my garments.

Can you give us any hints to the inspiration or references involved in your collection?

I have references to older work where I made 'human suits' and used knit and crochet. The collection plays with a young and free sexuality.

How does this collection differ from your previous work: are you moving in a new direction or developing previously established elements?  

I am developing my sporty casual chic look further.

What gets you by in the run-up to fashion week? Sweets, pearls of wisdom, vitamin C?

Chocolate and zen.

How will you celebrate after the show?

Have a break and be naked for a whole day at home.

myrzademuynck.com

 

NOVA CHIU, WOMENSWEAR

 

What do you get most excited about in the run-up to the shows?

I am really looking forward to seeing the other designers showcased during Ones to Watch. They are all very talented and can't wait to finally see our show. I am also looking forward to finishing this collection as I am now pretty tired of looking at it. I have an intern, Yasmin, who is now making at hat that resembles a cake, and all I think about is eating it.

Can you give us any hints to the inspiration or references involved in your upcoming collection?

I am using Chinese Ethnic Groups as a source of my inspiration for this collection. I am now focusing more on the silhouettes and accessories than before in my previous collection.

How does this collection differ from your previous work: are you moving in a new direction or developing previously established elements? 

The new collection is not that much different in terms of inspiration from my graduate one as I am still using Chinese ethnic groups as my inspiration. My colour palette is still very bright, and I am still using faux fur as my main source of fabric, but have now incorporated some velvet in to the collection.What’s new is that I am using no bells, and barely any beading, but have now concentrated on embroidery and developing new techniques for textiles.

What gets you by in the run-up to fashion week? Sweets, pearls of wisdom, vitamin C…

Well, I love eating cakes. I could eat cake every day, the only problem with that is I would end up not fitting through my front door after a while.

3 of your favourite tracks played in your design studio?

I still love to listen to Nikki Minaj – Superbass, as well as DJ Tiesto Featuring Teagen and Sara – Feel it in my Bones and Florence & The Machine – Shake it Out.

How will you celebrate after the show?

First, we will go and eat some Dim Sum, then off to see Wizard of Oz the Musical, and finally end up in the Canary Islands for a well-deserved break.  

novachiu.co.uk

 

vauxhallfashionscout.com

thefashionscout.com

Twitter: @fashionscout

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