Brighton fashion week by BRIGHTON FASHION WEEK

2014

8 9 10 11 12th oct ●

●

2014 partners

supporters

Sixteen Gorgeous café in the coolest street in Brighton, amazing coffee, delicious food and a sun-kissed patio garden in the most fabulous city by the sea. Eat Yummy Cake - Drink Lovely Coffee and Tea - Enjoy Free Wifi and Cool Art Brunch at the Weekend - Eat-in or Take-out - Sit in the Window and Watch the World Go By

media partners

ill ew it d w rst vis n a this your fi • Wherever possible we use local produce and local independent suppliers w a s n you ount o • We source ethically produced ingredients and free-range meat c ere wh % dis n • All food is made to order and to your liking o 0 nti a1 Me e you giv 16 Sydney Street, Brighton, BN1 4EN. (01273) 911640 info@sixteenbrighton.co.uk www.sixteenbrighton.co.uk www.facebook.com/sixteenbrightonuk

CONTENTS show dates

Fashion events

behind the scenes

designers taking control

Fashion & technology

beyond the catwalk

Fashion influencers

Fashion & pop culture

contributors Editor: Isabella Silvers Articles (in order of appearance): Giulia Carri Heather Gwyther Josh Walker Sean Keach Isabella Silvers Jennifer Savin Victoria Farley Artwork: Kieron Cropper (CUR3ES) and Alex Thirlwell Design: Emma Prentice

www.brightonfashionweek.com

Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get. Charles Kettering Ten years, 10 whole years; A decade and a belief. An idea and a bebop energy; a movement; rhythm; a conviction committed to keep it happening Who knows where the time goes? Brighton Fashion Week cultivates an exceptional view - a vantage that looks out onto a vast myriad landscape. With every certain uncertainty that we've faced – it's positive to take a look back, momentarily... By a glimpse it’s clear how distinctively we’ve developed, moved and progressed. Brighton Fashion Week is now in it’s Fifth year of the Ten which form the very heartbeat of it: At first, it was an exciting challenge to create an event that could showcase a small yet spirited group of designers seeking opportunities and new alternatives for showcasing their work. It soon began to flourish – advancing organically – a sea change of what we perceived to be the art of Fashion coupled with the apparent determination to incite its growth began many years of unprecedented development. We have seen many iterations; stumbles, stutters; growth and affirmations - like in life and of love - it takes a good deal of time, of mind, of effort and devotion to keep it alive and when you manage to hold true collectively to something and form a community, then your belief grows with each challenge met. We at Brighton Fashion Week believe,

fundamentally, in creativity and providing the network and environment for it to thrive and be recognised. The Fashion Industry is wonderfully diverse and at the heart of what we do and why we do it is our integral aim to work progressively with and not for Designers. In such a dynamic, demanding and opportune industry, it is essential for Brighton Fashion Week that this is the case - we endeavour to grow creativity by working alongside our designers to bring you a very different showcase. Fashion weeks will still exist across the globe. They are a diverse, universal and dynamic phenomenon, however, we believe our contribution is vital nevertheless. So Ten years we’ve spun around the Sun and we’ve learnt more than a thing or two. We've recognised that what we do is important and realised you’re blue is not necessarily our blue but it’s blue nevertheless… and by this it appears our faith was well placed when we set out and continually applied ourselves in making our dreams and ideas a reality in a new, wild landscape. This space we've created allows an access for designers and creatives to grow, It is what we are proud to share with you. Welcome to Brighton Fashion Week 2014.

Designers ANNA CHOCOLA MILLENARY, BRANDY NICOLE EASTER, CATHERINE HUDSON, CHRYSALIS COUTURE, CIRCUS KINETIC, CROWN AND GLORY, DENNIS VANDERBROECK, DIVERSIS ARTIBUS, ELIISE FLIPPULA, ELISABETH CONNOR, FREYA VON BULOW, GEORGIA DOREY, HAUS OF SEQUANA, HEARTS & GUNS, HOODLUM FANG, HYBRID BOUTIQUE, JACK KINDRED BOOTHBY, INNOCENTE MESSY, KARMA GEDDEN, KUMIKO TANI, LAA WOOF, LOUISE O’MAHONY, LOVE FROM HETTY & DAVE, MARTIN ACROSS, MAI MIA, MILICA VINKADINOVIC, MINNAN HUI, MOJIANA JEWLELLERY, NATALIE COURTOIS VINTAGE, NEM! CLOTHING, O.G. CLOTHING CO, OH MY HONEY, ORGANIK MECHANIK, PATRIZIA RUTHENSTEINER, RAKEL BLOM, PAUL PEREZ, SADE ENGLISH, SAMPSON & CHRISTIE, SARINA POPPY, SEBASTIAN BOLIVAR, SIYU DUAN, SONJA ORTHER, TWINKS BURNETT, VICTORIA GEORGE, VINGI WONG, WAN & WONG FASHION.

vip experience Want to experience Brighton Fashion Week in style? We have a limited number of Platinum tickets to each catwalk show, or you can upgrade your fashion experience by adding options from our VIP shopping list, such a preferential seating or goodie bags. Please visit the ticket page on our website www.brightonfashionweek.com for further details.

www.brightonfashionweek.com

show dates Sustain Catwalk The Old Ship Hotel Paganini Ballroom Kings Road, Brighton Friday 10th October, 6.30pm Behind the scenes, the construct of fashion is, in many ways, ephemeral. But still dynamic, creative and driven by spontaneity, influencing the progressive cultural focuses of our time. In fashion’s make-up, there exist elements of timelessness. Clothing is a physical representation of our inner being; imagination, fantasies, desires and ethics. Fashion is a second skin, one we shed almost daily that remains malleable to our ever-changing sensibilities. Fashion, although transient, is as much concerned with the now as with the future for both the wearer and the wider world. Fashion’s creation and cultivation should not be harmful in any way, nor irrelevant. Sustainability is key, and ethical garments represent this beauty powerfully. Our Sustain Showcase advocates sustainability through the presentation of work by designers and practitioners that combine innovative fashion design, technology, current cultural needs and insightful ethical thinking, which produces unique and efficient collections - as important as they come.

Designers BRANDY NICOLE EASTER, CATHERINE HUDSON, JACK KINDRED BOOTHBY, KUMIKO TANI, VICTORIA GEORGE, WAN&WONG FASHION, HYBRID BOUTIQUE FEATURING: MOJIANA JEWELLERY, ANNA CHOCOLA MILLENERY & NATALIE COURTOIS VINTAGE.

Tickets Doors open 6pm Regular ticket £14 Platinum ticket £39

Zeitgeist Emerging Talent Catwalk The Old Ship Hotel Paganini Ballroom Kings Road, Brighton Friday 10th October, 9pm We present to you the game changers; our showcase of the depth, breadth and variety of creative individuals and collectives working within the fashion industry today. Fashion will always exist – however, creativity and innovation facilitate its progress and vitality. Social climate and cultural circumstance influence the structure and meaning of the output, producing vital contributions which shape the course of fashion. Time will tell, but for now, we can tell the time. Our showcase of remarkable collections, curated by Brighton Fashion Week, yet existing as a myriad of phenomena beyond our wildest imaginations, will be unveiled under a shining light of insight, spotlighting the designers of the now; in itself important, as is the influence it has on what is yet to come.

Designers ELIISE FLIPPULA, ELISABETH CONNOR, GEORGIA DOREY, LOUISE O’MAHONY, MILICA VINKADINOVIC, PAUL PEREZ, SADE ENGLISH, SIYU DIAN.

ShowReel Sussex Masonic Centre, Main Temple, Queens Road, Brighton Sunday 12th October, 6pm & 8.30pm Second (repeat) Show announced due to popular demand) Costume, performance, art, technology, architecture, fashion... They are by nature inextricably linked. One informs and influences the other through sharing ideas, adapting developments, seeking insights and innovation throughout fuelling this progressive cycle. ShowReel is a uniquely focused showcase of this relationship between life, art and costume, and the resulting fusion which exists. Offering a unique platform for contemporary costume design, costume designers and artists gain much deserved attention and recognition through ShowReel which uniquely supports a character and a performance, allowing the audience to instantaneously decipher characters. Without performance, a costume can be fashion, likewise, with a character, fashion can become costume. We are excited to announce this year’s truly apt setting which befits this amalgamation of collaborative facets – The Masonic Centre in the heart of Brighton, for the first time for a public event, have allowed us to work with the space to showcase ShowReel, featuring a new league of designers who will truly ignite your imaginations and suggest new ways of seeing.

Designers

Tickets

DENNIS VANDERBROECK, FREYA VON BULOW, HAUS OF SEQUANA, MARTIN ACROSS, MINNAN HUI, PATRIZIA RUTHENSTEINER, SARINA POPPY, VINGI WONG.

Doors open 8.30pm Regular ticket £18 Platinum ticket £43 VIP Extras: Gift bags £10 Seating row A/B seats £10 After party £15

VIP Extras: Gift bags £10 Seating row A/B seats £10

Tickets Doors open 5pm/7.30pm Regular ticket £20 Platinum ticket £45 Extras: Gift bags £10 Seating row A/B seats £10 After party £15

Sustain Catwalk sponsored by

Tickets Available at www.brightonfashionweek.com 6

Fashion events FAB Networking Sustain Debate 68 Middle Street Brighton Wednesday 8th October, 6pm - 8pm Brighton Fashion Week and Brighton Chamber are hosting a very special event - Fashion and Business (FAB) networking event with guest speaker Carry Somers. The founder of global awareness campaign Fashion Revolution Day and Fairtrade label Pachacuti, Carry will be talking about her remarkable path to business success and her goal of promoting worldwide change in the fashion industry. Attendees will then be able to ask questions as part of an exclusive Q&A session, there will also be the chance to do some networking over a glass of wine at the venue, 68 Middle Street. If you have a passion for fashion and want to hear more about Carry’s aims to make ethical, sustainably-produced Fair Trade garments the future of the industry; and if you want to meet the bright lights of Brighton’s business and fashion sectors, then don’t miss this event.

Guest speaker: Carry Somers

'Drop-dead gorgeous: The sustain debate on ethics in fashion'

Sallis Benney Theatre Brighton University Brighton Friday 10th October, 3pm - 4.30pm What will it take for manufacturers to show model behavior? Why is there such a difference between what we say and what we do? How can we move from ethical martyrs to everyday heroes? What has increased globalisation in recent decades meant to the way our clothing brands do business? Join us as we explore ways to celebrate a high quality of life within our share of the Earth’s resources. Questioning key issues of an international and globalised industry – at what point does the cost of looking good become too much? We welcome you to decide for yourself as we pose just some of the many questions we at Brighton Fashion Week believe must be addressed. Our inaugural Sustain Debate is our first focus event where we ask these vital questions and formulate opinions through sharing insights. The Sustain Debate is a prelude to our evenings Sustain Catwalk Showcase of innovative and ethical fashion design. Decide for yourself during a day of fashion, arts and questions as we debate the ethics and sustainability of the fashion industry with opinions and insights from a panel of key influencers:

#Sustain Debate PANELLISTS CAROLINE LUCAS MP MP for Brighton Pavilion and member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion PURNA SEN Former Director of Human Rights at the Commonwealth Secretariat and Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion CARRY SOMERS Founder of Fashion Revolution and Pachacuti BEN RAMSDEN Founder of Pants to Poverty and Creator of 3D P&L TASMIN LEJEUNE CEO of the Ethical Fashion Forum Plus Material Fiction stories by IZZIE ROFFE-SILVESTER Sustain Debate sponsored by Brighton and Hove Fairtrade /

Tickets Limited tickets £5 Available www.brightonfashionweek.com

Brighton Fashion Week Official Closing Party At Funfair Club Sunday 12th October, from 10pm

Tickets Regular ticket £15 Available www.businessinbrighton.org.uk or www.brightonfashionweek.com

FAB Networking sponsored by

Send Brighton Fashion Week out with a bang at our exclusive closing party at Funfair Club, Brighton. We cannot wait to end Brighton Fashion Week 2014 in style with a lively and entertaining finale to a great week of shows. Dance the night away and mingle with the Brighton Fashion Week team, our designers, and last but not least our very lovely models.

Tickets Tickets: £10 (limited tickets available) Available www.brightonfashionweek.com

www.brightonfashionweek.com

Fashion events FREE EVENT Saturday 11th October, 10am-7pm

BFW Fashion Market

Presented by FAQ POP

The Open Market Marshalls Row, Brighton A buzzing pop up Fashion Market offering you the chance to pick up one-of-a-kind original pieces ranging from handmade bowlers to hand-sewn frocks plus the opportunity to buy directly from up to 40 talented designers and artists across a range of disciplines. /new paragraph/ Set in the historic Open Market’s newly beyond.

stall-holders CIRCUS KINETIC, CHRYSALIL COUTURE, CROWN AND GLORY, DIVERSIS ARTIBUS, GAMBINO CLOTHING, HOODLUM FANH, INNOCENTE MESSY, KARMA GEDDEN, LAA WOOF, LOUISE O'MAHONY COUTURE, LOVE FROM HETTY & DAVE, NEM CLOTHING, O,G CLOTHING CO, OH MY HONEY, ORGANIK MECHANIK, RAKEL BLOM, SAMPSON & CHARLIE, SEBASTIAN BOLIVAR, TWINKS BURNETT STYLING AND DESIGN, MIA MAI, HEARTS AND GUNS. More to be announced

Interview with Lisa Lepki Events Manager at Brighton’s Open Market Brighton’s newly renovated Open Market is turning into a fashion showcase for Brighton Fashion Week 2014. On October 11th, a Fashion Market will popup in the historic market place to show off over 40 designers and art makers, giving to visitors the unmissable opportunity to immediately get their hands on unique creations. A full day to discover beautiful and affordable apparel, fall in love with wide range of creativity and enjoy live music, installations and local food. We spoke with Lisa Lepki, Events and Administration Manager at the Open Market, about the special site and why they decided to be part of Brighton Fashion Week. Tell us about the new Open Market. What has changed from the past? The market has been reborn as a modern shopping 'haven' for those who care about the origins of the things they buy. It has a strong focus on local

producers, ethical products and creative organisations. Traditional market traders, like Dave “Bacon King of Brighton” Ovett or the Buttons and Bows Haberdashery, are mixed with innovative new stalls such as Shaboutique, who creates upcycled clothes and home furnishings. Having old and new generations of traders together under the same roof is an exciting change! Why also have you decided to team up with Brighton Fashion Week to host a fashion market? Many of the new tenants in the market are fashion companies, and all have permanent spaces in the market. Some of our businesses include Pear Shaped Apparel, an up-andcoming streetwear fashion design company who have just completed their first collection for John Lewis; Smith & Crumble, who design all their own t-shirts and hoodies and just came in fourth in an international screen-printing competition (FESPA); Eco-makers Emporium and Shaboutique, who both create incredible, one-of-akind pieces from recycled and upcycled materials like

vintage silk scarves, second hand clothing and off-cut fabrics; finally, Stall 22 is full of a beautiful range of handmade clothes and accessories with a vintage twist! This collaboration is an amazing opportunity for fashion businesses, as well as for the Open Market, to make a step forward in the local and international fashion industries. Thinking about the future, how will the Open Market be supporting emerging local business? So many new businesses start off online these days, and the market offers an affordable stepping stone for those companies that want to expand and find new customers. The market is more than just a place to shop, it is a destination where members of the public can come and have a wander and discover new things that they might not have otherwise come across.

Giulia Carri

S U P P O R T I N G

WWW.COVEHAIRBRIGHTON.CO.UK

Hair: Cove Hair Brigthon Photographer: Stephen Perr y Make Up Ar tist: Alessia Mancini Model: Chloe Jasmine Whichello

behind the scenes Niche Market What if I told you that there was more to the fashion industry than its designers, models and blogs? Beyond the likes of Simone Rocha, Sam Rollinson and Susie Bubble, the industry's greatest talents are those in niche roles. While they may not pull the strings of the brands they collaborate with, they embellish them. It is with the skills of any one member of this 'creative class' – as The Business of Fashion would have it – that a brand's image sheds the ordinary for the iconic. Comprising a florist, calligrapher and graphic designer, the following industry specialists all show us one thing: how beautiful it is behind the scenes. Having created arrangements for designers such as fellow Belgian Dries Van Noten and magazines like Dazed and Confused, it would be fair to say that Mark Colle is the fashion industry's favoured florist. However, his collaborations with Raf Simons at both Jil Sander and Christian Dior are where his work came to prominence. Although Hamish Bowles may have correctly described Colle's arrangements as 'latter-day Dutch still-lives' in his review of Jil Sander A/W‘12 for American Vogue, they actually featured in a transitional event: Simons' departure from the brand. For AnOther editor Laura Bradley, the collection was one of those rare fashion moments that 'genuinely move you'. As even the formidable Anna Wintour apparently liked the arrangements, Colle undoubtedly played a role in the show's success. It is of no surprise, then, that Colle's garlands adorned the walls at Simons' first haute couture show for Christian Dior – a homage to the original Christian Dior's love for flowers. If the effect Colle's floristry has on the brands it beautifies wasn't already obvious, the connection between fashion and flowers is perfectly explained by the man himself: '[Flowers] grow, they bloom, they fade. You can't hold on to them forever. Fashion is like that too in a way - it comes and it goes. They are symbolic for richness, romance. They capture people because of their smell, their appearance. They enhance emotion, create emotion even. Just like fashion does'. When the most distinguished fashion houses – including Miu Miu and Gucci – require individualised perfection in all that is handwritten, French calligrapher Nicolas Ouchenir is the man they approach. His popularity is such that he is often forced to reject clients. Ouchenir found his talent for calligraphy back in 2001; as gallery owner Jean-Gabriel Mitterand's assistant, he had been tasked with organising the opening dinner for an exhibition. With Yves Saint Laurent as a guest amongst other members of France's cultural

elite, Ouchenir was terrified. Unexpectedly, he decided to handwrite the invitations. With many guests keeping their copy, they were a tremendous success. Yet, what Ouchenir does is much more than simply write invitations to shows, dinners and openings. He must make those invitations appeal to the busiest eyes in the business. Aside from stating the necessities of time, venue and dress code, those invited must feel personally compelled to attend – the invitations have to be spectacular. While designers such as Marc Jacobs and Nicolas Ghesquière have stuck to signature calligraphies season after season, Alber Elbaz enjoys change. Of course, Ouchenir expertly satisfies both sorts of client. The power vested in these pieces of paper – or leather, as Rick Owens once requested – are clearly not to be underestimated by any reputable fashion brand. If you believe that Marc by Marc Jacobs had received a much-needed kick up the arse with its Motorcross, BMX and skateboarding inspired A/W ‘14 collection, you have British graphic designer Fergus Purcell to thank (along with the illustrious talents of Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley). Aside from his obvious progression to their S/S ‘15 collection, Purcell was also design director of Man About Town’s most shared issue, particularly on fashion-focused Instagram feeds, thanks to Brooklyn Beckham’s cover shot. The 'Quiche' badge worn by the teenager was also designed by Purcell, perhaps inspired by the idiolect of Chris Lilley's infamous Ja'mie King. While bike and board sports may seem entirely disparate to Ja'mie: Private School Girl, Purcell's application of both to his work demonstrates an understanding of incongruent popular taste – he might be the key to keeping the brands he collaborates with culturally relevant. But what about the industry's young designers? Who do they collaborate with? Based in London, Sophie Cull-candy is a womenswear and textiles designer whose pieces have been featured in publications such as Hunger. As well as her mum and the friend destined to be her assistant 'when things start getting hectic', Cull-Candy's principle collaborator on the design front is her boyfriend, Central Saint Martins product design graduate and illustrator, Rhys Allen: 'I’ve always thought [his illustrations] would translate well into textiles, so we’re hoping to produce a range of affordable and luxury menswear and womenswear pieces'. When it comes to the fashion industry, the devil's in the detail. And who could be surprised? The nine circles of hell are so hot right now.

by Heather Gwyther

www.brightonfashionweek.com

MEDICAL AESTHETICS

LIPOGLAZE FAT FREEZING √ 33—59% AVERAGE FAT REDUCTION √ 1—2 HOUR TREATMENT √ 100% NON-INVASIVE

£250 for a Limited time

39b Salisbury Road Hove | BN3 3AA www.clinic33.co.uk info@clinic33.co.uk |0333 011 0680

Alex Turchyn Colour Analyst and Personal Stylist Whether you want to look and feel your very best in the crowd or even stand out from the crowd, then expert Colour Analysis and a review of your Personal Style will create your ideal image, personally tailored to suit you! Colour Analysis Knowing and wearing your correct colours will make you look healthier, younger, fresher and more dynamic, giving you a renewed sense of excitement and conﬁdence. Choosing clothes in the best colours for you ensures your wardrobe will all work together saving you time and money and you won’t make those ‘bargain’ purchases that never get worn. Personal Style When you understand how to dress who you are (your personality) as well as what you are (your body architecture) it all comes together. Because you look great and feel comfortable in your own skin you come across as credible, look attractive and understand what your clothes are saying about you. You only get a few seconds to make a ﬁrst impression – whether socially or professionally – so make it the right one! For more information, please visit www.houseofcolour.co.uk/alexandraturchyn or call me, Alex Turchyn, on 07500 569537

designers taking control Emerging Designers: A Digital Design From managing their own social media channels to setting up online marketplaces, young designers have more control over their brands than ever before. That's not to say they have complete control, though. With buyers to secure and a business to build, how much control does a designer truly have when designing for the digital masses? There's no denying that as a generation, we've been consumed by the digital. Utilising social media as a form of communication that comes almost as naturally as the art of conversation, it has fast become an integral part of the fashion industry. There's also no denying that as a platform, the Internet is superb. An international channel with the potential to drive an identity of your choice to an audience of your choice, it's become something of a playground for independent businesses. Now, people can manage their own social media, set up their own online selling space and have complete control over their brand. Young fashion designers are no exception. With the opportunity to completely oversee over their brand identity, image and the way in which their sales are administered, it can be said they're in an undoubted position of power. From Ebay to Kickstarter, the ASOS Marketplace to Big Cartel, not to mention the sheer number of social media channels available - when it comes to securing and planning the direction they're headed, emerging designers are taking to the web and making it their own. Aimee Matthew John is one of many designers who's managed to harness the internet for her work. Successfully utilising Kickstarter to fund a next stage in her career, she used it to land a spot in the Zeitgeist show for Brighton Fashion Week 2013. Catalina Gerald is another who used the same website to secure her label Naja a place at Brighton Fashion Week, and even those among the likes of menswear designers Agi & Sam hail Twitter as the platform behind the reach of their debut look book. An emerging designer who's not only tapped into the potential social media can bring to her brand, but sells a lot of her pieces online through Big Cartel, is NATALIEBCOLEMAN. Launching her label in 2011 and tasting her first moment of digital acclaim when noticed by Susie Bubble, the Limerick School of Art and Central Saint Martins graduate creates pieces that have a strong narrative and combine the contemporary with the feminine. ‘Being able to promote and show your brand development online is crucial to the image of the label’, she begins, discussing the role social media has had on her brand. ‘It is something that myself and my team are focusing on more at the moment.

I sell quite a lot online but always notice sales go up after a good piece of press. When I was featured in Harpers Bazaar in Dubai, I sold a lot in the following week on my online store’. Having found a symbiotic balance between using social media and sales, it's one of the many ways designers have control in the digital landscape. ‘Instagram is really fast, fun and an effective way to invite my followers into the NATALIEBCOLEMAN brand’, she continues. ‘I have just started to get into it and love the intimacy you can create between the label and our customers’. Sadie Clayton is another upcoming designer who shares the same views on social media. Having created an innovative and standout aesthetic for herself, she utilises her social media channels to help solidify it. ‘I was so against twitter when I was in my final year of university’, Clayton explains. ‘It’s scary how much you are sucked into social media as it does steer brand awareness. It's encouraging and drives sales for sure’. However, that's not to say that having complete control online is the sole driving force behind a brand offline. There's no denying that it helps but in essence, both Coleman and Clayton agree that when it comes to it, the buyer still have the authority. ‘Buyers have a huge amount of power. They are investing into your brand and inviting their customers to buy into a label that they are promoting’, Coleman explains. ‘Delegating is a major part of having your own business and I think having a good sales representative with viable store contacts is one of the best things for you to have behind your label to reach new market places’. Clayton has similar views and, discussing the role buyers have within her brand, says that they ‘are the ones that drive the fashion world when it all boils down to it. I’m a northerner so let's get to the point. You need sales for people to see the brand and support the financial side to create the next season. It's a vicious circle’. With the birth of Internet came opportunity. And as the progression of the Internet continues, so do the ways in which creatives can harness these opportunities. Be that through the innovative way they use their social media channels or executing it so well that, in the case of Sadie Clayton, your YouTube presence can secure you buyers. A canvas upon which to paint your brand identity, as well as the perfect tool in which to perfect and execute the vision in which you hope to follow, it seems success comes down to a perfect composition of the world on and off line. Your Twitter may be tailored to your audience to drive sales as much as your Instagram is a window to

your brand's personality, but no matter how many followers you have, there's no denying that the buyers and importance of having people like sales representatives on your team are vital. Manage to strike a balance between the two though, and you'll not only have an element of creative freedom whilst simultaneously building your business, but would have built the foundation for a powerful digital design.

by Josh Walker

www.brightonfashionweek.com

Fashion & technology Circuit-Board Couture Buried amidst the rolling valleys of picturesque central France lies Aubazine, a remote commune currently home to a modest 874 residents, and a dead cert for stifling beginnings. Turn back the clock to the disconnected 19th century and the view gets assuredly bleaker. Give pity, then, to a young, impoverished Franc named Gabrielle, abandoned by her father to the local orphanage at the tender age of six. Fortunately for us all, Gabrielle soon turned her hand to sewing, and eventually went on to ply her trade in the form of haute couture at her own Paris boutique in 1918. Just four years later, a world apart from the humble Aubazine Abbey, she launched her Chanel No. 5 fragrance. What happened in the circuit-board century that followed has resulted in a modern melting pot of culture and connectivity. Yet despite societal overhaul, we’re not so different from the burgeoning Chanel. Once gazing longingly past the fertile hills of Limousin through convent shutters, she’s now silhouetted on the central line, clad in high street fare, bearing witness to the world courtesy of a 5-inch OLED display. Just as Coco took those first Carollian steps through the looking glass, today’s sartorial icons follow suit by embracing the 0s and 1s that lie beyond our smartphone screens. One such technophile revolutionary is Kay Kwok, Hong Konger by birth but beloved on UK catwalks. Kwok embraced tech wholeheartedly with his A/W ‘12/’13 collection, wowing Brighton Fashion Week attendees with his explosive digital prints, futuristic patterns and 3D-printed wares. Another native of the tech fold is Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen, who touts a similarly space-age approach to couture, often collaborating with scientists to inspire and impress the fashion-savvy en masse. Her Biopiracy collection riffs on the evercontentious idea of gene-patenting, questioning whether or not we’re still the sole proprietors of our bodies. Van Herpen’s bio-spectacle saw models eerily suspended in transparent material, hunched in the foetal position and clutching onto umbilical tubing - high-fashion meets space-womb, sort of. Perhaps even more exemplar of fashion and technology’s love affair is the ever innovative Hussein Chalayan MBE. A prolific catwalk techster, Chalayan stunned audiences with his S/S ‘07 collection, showcasing animatronic dresses that twisted, folded, and unfurled in real-time. Just a season later, Chalayan marched his leading model down a darkened Paris runway wrapped in a video-playing dress. Sorcery this ain’t – Chalayan’s cinema-inspired marvel was achieved through a lattice of LEDs hidden behind the dress’s fabric. In the spring of 2008, he ditched the runway altogether, opting instead to show off his wares in a short film that saw rotating models beaming lasers from Swarovski crystals embedded in their clothes. Think Toxic, sans Spears. Interplay between the sartorial and the scientific isn’t strictly beholden to the catwalk though. Gothic fashionistas were collectively rejoicing earlier this summer (an assured rarity) as British researchers

successfully resolved to create the blackest material possible. Dubbed ‘Vantablack’, the carbon nanotube coating absorbs nigh on 100% of visual light, meaning any crinkles or deformations simply can’t be seen with the naked eye – good news for creasefearing LBD devotees. Then follows the blush-inducing Intimacy 2.0 dress, whose modus operandi is –in staunch opposition to Vantablack - transparency. The Netherlands-sired piece, stuffed full of sensors and e-foils, turns see-through about the bust when the wearer is aroused. Delightfully salacious, although a grim prospect for those silently raunchy 50 Shaders who’ve made a habit of getting their earlymorning BDSM fix on public transport. It’s not all superficial gimmickry though. There’s plenty of well-intentioned fash-tech out there that’ll sate the humanitarian types. For instance, this year saw a particularly judicious band of North Carolina undergrads take to developing an anti-date rape nail polish. The ingenious cosmetic reacts colourfully to surreptitious drink additions like Rohypnol and GHB, meaning a quick stir of a painted digit will expose any would-be sex offenders tout de suite. There’s also the well-beaten horse that is 3D printing, whose laurels I need not gush over for fear of killing the poor steed. The unsuspecting industrial revolution that is additive manufacturing has long been heralded as the be all and end all of fashion design. There are, of course, the worrisome few that see the 3D printing process as the ominous beginnings of fashion piracy. Stuff Cannes’ La Croisette; just print out your own god damned Valentino purse for a hundredth of the price, right? Well we’re not quite there yet, but it’s certainly worth a think. Of course, what we can’t ignore is the way tech is changing how we shop – as beleaguered highstreet vets have undoubtedly noticed. Where once you might’ve trawled through heap after rack after pile of seemingly order-less apparel, one can now peruse the entire world’s collective fashion output from the comfort of absolutely anywhere. While a waning number of non-progressives curse e-tailers and their militant next-day, even same day, delivery elves, the online shopping community continues to swell – in blissful ignorance – beyond the capacity of the battered brick-and-mortar retail sector. It seems then that technology, in spite of its airless and gawky façade, truly is a muse for the avant-garde. It’s easy to see the insuppressible swell of sloth-inducing gadgetry as the contemporary equal to Coco’s Aubazine, but there’s plenty of innovation and inspiration to be had if you look past the bland exterior. Technology is part-andparcel of modern living, and it’s got more to do with what you wear than any of us can ever know. Chanel said it best: “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”.

by Sean Keach

www.brightonfashionweek.com

£10 EYE TEST AND 10% DISCOUNT WITH THIS VOUCHER

COOL GLASSES AFFORDABLE PRICES NHS WELCOME The Open Market, 1-2 Marshalls Row, Brighton, BN1 4JU

01273 911191 info@thespeckywren.co.uk

www.thespeckywren.co.uk

-----------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

beyond the catwalk All Walks Art Diversity in the fashion industry is a hot topic, for all the right reasons. Models who don’t fit the Western perception of beauty find themselves underrepresented on catwalks and in magazines, while colour, shape, and age in fashion never seem to surpass white, slender and young. In response to a plea to show that it is possible to show fashion on a range of inspiring bodies, Caryn Franklin, Erin O’Connor and Debra Bourne set up All Walks Beyond The Catwalk in 2009 to mirror a realistic range of women back to a hungry consumer. Debra talks to Brighton Fashion Week about why the fight for diversity is as important as ever and why we aren’t questioning enough. Isabella Silvers: Is the lack of equality in the fashion industry the fault of the designer or editor, catering to what they think an audience wants, or an inherent set of ideals on what is beautiful? Debra Bourne: It’s probably a combination of all three - fashion has historically been set up as a kind of fantasy often kept, in terms of how it was marketed, in a very set community. It didn’t have the reach that it has today from technology. Whether we agree with it or not, its understood that a designer often works with a very tall slender frame because it gives them an opportunity to work with volume. The body doesn’t really make demands on the designer, it’s a flat canvas. There are positives to that. But the actual promotion of that body shape is a separate issue that has bigger consequences, and certainly should be up for discussion. I think people get quite polarised in their thinking and it’s not that simplistic, it’s important to make a distinction. I.S: Alexandra Shulman previously said: ‘people don’t want to buy a magazine like Vogue to see what they see when they look in the mirror…’. Why does a fantasy necessarily have to be a stereotypical beauty ideal? D.B:When a beauty ideal has been so entrenched in the culture, people normalise it to such a degree that they don’t even question their attraction, and that creates a problem. When an idea has been perpetuated over decades, it becomes so deep seated that you think that’s where attraction lies. It would be great if people were more challenging of the ideas that they inherit, and question their etymology and inheritance. Why should a white, Western body be the ideal? In today’s society where we have so many interconnected ways of communication and in fashion, our ability to take reference from so many different continents and ethnicities to embolden our ideas and visions, it seems small-minded to me. I.S: In terms of diversity, do you believe that a token inclusion is better than no inclusion at all? D.B: It has to be, because you can’t be what you can’t see. It’s better to have some kind of representation mirrored back to you than none, but it doesn’t make that the intention behind tokenism correct. People are just putting in one black model and thinking they’ve ticked a box. The

conversation doesn’t move very far, other than protecting the brand’s reputation. Why are we still perpetuating a Western white ideal of beauty given that brands pride themselves on being global, on taking the money from every continent in the world, but often will only perpetuate a very kind of European ideal? I.S: Are designers choosing cliché representations of diverse models? D.B: I think they tend to choose archetypal models. Stylists and photographers are probably less used to and less experienced in shooting different body shapes, so they fall to type, usually a retro look for a plus-size model for example, but not always. Something that All Walks does is run a nationwide competition called Diversity Now!, where students from up and down the country design beyond a stereotype to create new ways of thinking and fashion looks that are diverse and contemporary. I.S: Does the power to change lies with the younger generations? D.B: Predominantly. Because I think they’re inheriting a world in which they should take active part in. And even though they don’t have the power now, it’s important that they’re educated to try and to challenge ideals, because it’s often the youth that come through and do that. Given that a lot of our media space is owned by corporate culture now I think it’s even more so that an emerging generation are encouraged to think differently. I.S: Will the fashion industry will ever be completely tolerant of all walks of models? D.B: I should say yes, shouldn’t I? But I’m sitting here trying to not be naïve and realistic. Why not, actually, why not? Paradigms do change. Rosa Parks wouldn’t get off the bus that day, and then a paradigm shifted. If enough to people want change, change will happen, but it may need to come from consumers. If consumers arrive at a place where they were to actively take responsibility for wanting change by only purchasing from brands that they felt were respecting their ways, their culture, or a multicultural position of diversity, then it would change. People need to take responsibility. I.S: Do you think social media is enabling consumers to have that power over brands? D.B: I think social media can empower people, but it can also disempower them through the blanket bombardment of ideals. I’d like to see more people grab it by the horns and not just see manipulated images of celebrities or models, and constantly feel inadequate by comparison but then do nothing about it apart from hate themselves. Models represent probably 0.5% of the population with one particular body shape. Why let 0.5% of the population dictate an art form which makes 99.5% of the population feel inadequate? More importantly, if you’re on the receiving end of this information, why aren’t you questioning yourself?

I think it’s at that point the empowerment starts, when people are conscious enough to join the dots and see that the imagery they’re experiencing is affecting their own perception of themselves. I.S: Is this something that you’re working on with the National Campaign for Body Confidence? D.B: Yes, it is. The National Campaign for Body Confidence comes post the All Party Parliamentary Group report on body confidence. It launches this October between the 13th and 16th. On the 16th, there will be the Body Confidence Awards where the best practices in the industry are awarded. I’m proud to say that Caryn [Franklin, co-founder of All Walks Beyond The Catwalk] and I were involved in the awards as well as contributing to the idea that one should exist. I.S: What do you say to women who claim they aren’t affected by the media? D.B: The source of body anxiety doesn’t lie solely the media, the early parenting environment is equally important. If you’re born with a parent who’s constantly pushing salad around their plate and complaining about their own body, then obviously you’re going to take on those kind of messages. It really, really depends. If you’re born into a body shape more akin to the kind of body shape promoted by the media, then maybe you’re going to feel like one of the fortunate ones, you might have an elevated sense of your own beauty. Then if you’re treated by your peers with envy or jealousy, if you’re put on a pedestal like that, that’s perpetuated by the group. These things are very very interwoven. I.S: Do some advertisers take things too far? For example, naturally skinny women can feel negatively about their own bodies when slogans like ‘real women have curves’ are thrown around? D.B: They can, the problem is now that there’s such a hunger out there I think. The wound of women’s self esteem is just growing everyday. Sometimes it’s very hard to take any position. The person who’s come up with the idea of ‘real women have curves’ is someone whose trying to address the appearance anxiety and pressure that’s felt by curvaceous women. In trying to meet them, you isolate someone else. And that’s why at All Walks we’ve tried to be inclusive to the best of our abilities. We always include standardised models and work from sizes 8 – 16 and ages 18 – 65. Lastly, if you could sum up your ideal fashion industry in one word, what would it be? D.B Conscious. Fashion conscious. Diversity is the most important thing, not a singular ideal. Read more about Debra and All Walks Beyond The Catwalk at www.allwalks.org.

Debra Bourne Interview by Isabella Silvers

www.brightonfashionweek.com

Fashion influencers Who Are The Real Fashion Influencers? Anyone who owns clothes has at some point in their life declared ‘I have nothing to wear!’. Many, many times, we’ve thrown an outfit aside in despair because it didn’t look like it should have. In times like these, many have turned to the internet or glossy magazines for inspiration - but who is it that finally solves the sartorial dilemma for you? A magazine mood board, or an in-depth editorial on the history of the colour blue? Everyone takes ideas for their outfits from different sources - but is there a ‘queen bee’ of this proverbial fashion hive? When you think about who holds the most influence in fashion, it would be remiss to ignore the fashion blogger. Despite the vast majority being just in their twenties - or younger - bloggers are almost always on hand nowadays to give their opinion or interpretation of a certain trend or look. With every outfit and accessory snapped and delivered in a convenient online package to anyone with a smartphone or tablet on hand, bloggers have a direct line to the consumer that brands can never fully replicate. It's the 'everyman' factor; in place of the elegant, unattainable high fashion pieces decorating the pages of magazines, bloggers give their audiences relatable pieces that are more in line with the resources available to the average consumer. Even with high street brands, a blogger writing about a new collection is far easier to connect with than yet another shoot starring Cara Delevingne. However, if you're not a tech-savvy teen with unlimited data and an Instagram account, the teenage blogger is unlikely to be a major influence on your wardrobe. Many have duly criticised this legion of young fashion observers, stating they don't have the experience or know-how to meaningfully convey a commentary on fashion. Let’s be honest - you can only see so many #ootd posts before you get thoroughly bored of the topic. In that way, bloggers could be seen as merely fashion followers, in the way that the high street stores buy and borrow from the trends seen on high fashion catwalks - diluted fashion over true trend-setting. Legendary fashion writer Suzy Menkes last year lashed out at fashion bloggers ‘peacocking’ outside fashion shows, making the event more about what they’ve worn over the clothes that are actually

being showcased; ‘There is a genuine difference between the stylish and the showoffs — and that is the current dilemma. If fashion is for everyone, is it fashion?’. On the other side of the coin, the issue of 'freebies' in blogging must be addressed. Despite many bloggers bringing a genuine love of fashion and beauty that shines through in everything they do, the idea of fashion blogging is somewhat tainted with the notion that many are only doing it for the free gifts from brands that can occur once the blogger has reached a modicum of recognisability and credibility. In that sense, if we discount bloggers from the mix, should we look to fashion editors and the magazines they preside over? Studying the mood boards and features of magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, whilst often giving a comprehensive idea of what’s trending in the upcoming months, one can get a rather disjointed view of the whole affair. With so many different mini-trends and sponsored articles included every month, it can be difficult to draw just one style where a critic could say ‘This is so last month’s Elle’. Fashion editors themselves aren’t really seen as hugely influential either - while Anna Wintour’s sunglasses may be her defining feature, does anyone really Google what she was wearing last week? It would be easy to say that it is the designer that ultimately dictates what we wear. The biannual season of Fashion Weeks hugely directs the trends for the season, and it is these events that many fashion critics and brands look to for an indication of what's going to be 'hot or not' over the next few months, themes and trends that trickle down and end up on high-street hangers. In that sense, designers have almost a monopoly of influence, however diluted the end product may be from the original. There's no denying that many catwalk shows and couture collections can be a little too much for the masses to wear ordinarily - LFW is almost solely about designers showing off their creativity, compared to NYFW which is more about finding financial backing for your label. While general ideas may be taken from these pieces, the final product tends to end up an amalgamation of different designers' visions, rather than just one. The influence on other designers however,

can be huge - more of a creative than consumer influence. Despite celebrities once being seen as fashion icons with hugely influential clothing lines. Remember ASOS’s beginnings as copycat celebrity style site As Seen On Screen? Nowadays, when fashion is involved, the culture of celebrity tends to fall slightly flat. When an actress or musician appears at a big even with photographs seen globally the next day, the outfits are all about ‘who’ they’re wearing. Whether it’s the Oscars, or the Emmys, or the VMAs, almost every photo gallery will include a mention of who designed the outfit alongside the celebrity in it. Celebrities have become more conduits to a designer’s publicity than being truly influential in fashion. Fashion collaborations with celebrities (unless of course your name is Rihanna) tend to fail much more than compared to collaborations with already-established designers. The consumer doesn’t want to look like a certain celebrity anymore - they want to look like a certain trend or style. If that celebrity embodies it, so be it, but the woman herself is no longer enough for the serious fashion fan. Flick through any magazine and there will be scores of famous names advertising beauty products and perfume. The number of celebrities doing fashion advertisements however, is relatively few, especially compared to the number of adverts showcasing genuine models to sell their brand. In this way it's easy to see the decline in the culture of celebrity fashion, and how we respond more to the relative anonymity of models, over the a famous face. Pinning down exactly who influences whom and who is really the cause of the new coat you just bought is tricky - with so many different views on fashion and where the accurate commentaries are really coming from - there’s no ‘one’ voice that can be assigned all the credit. Whether it’s from magazines or blogger or even a celebrity or two, everyone takes influence from an amalgamation of different things, and in the end it’s how you interpret that influence that counts.

by Victoria Farley

Fashion & pop culture Everyday Inspirations The good, bad and mad relationship between pop culture and fashion has shown no signs of waning this year, with designers finding inspiration in the seemingly most unlikely of places. This past season in high fashion, we’ve seen it-girl of the moment Cara Delevingne put one trainer-clad foot in front of the other while opening for Chanel’s sartorial supermarket show, Jeremy Scott take inspiration from McDonald’s golden arches to create fast fashion for his Moschino debut and Ashish offer up Coca Cola emblazoned garments in his signature shimmer to a thirsty crowd. While so many people share a keen eye and passion for all things fashion, many simply can’t afford to wear the high end designers they love or aren’t influential enough to score an invite to catwalk events. So just why is fashion so obsessed with the seemingly ostracised culture of the everyday? Has whimsical fashion gone too far this time? After all, couture fashion is just not meant to be worn in the supermarket. Not only is it wholly unrealistic in the practical sense, but also in a social sense as women who can afford to be drenched head to toe in Chanel are unlikely to be stood nearby as you umm and aah over which microwave meal to nab for dinner from the reduced shelf. The idea of fashion’s upper echelons trotting about in jogging bottoms with a four-figure price tag and holding a Chanel-inspired metal shopping basket stuffed with fruit and veg has split opinions entirely, despite designer Karl Lagerfeld claiming ‘I like fashion to be part of daily life, not cut away from life’. For his Chanel A/W ‘14 collection, the runway was transformed into a supermarket (albeit a Chanel wholesale, not an Iceland) and the backdrop featured checkout counters and fullystocked displays - complete with Chanel bin bags, coffee and even hardware. The supermarket setup highlighted the concept of casual, even careless dressing, and alluded to Warhol’s ideology of pop culture and art: that fashion has become an overproduced victim of mass consumption. ‘The art was an art supermarket, because art has become a product, no?’, Lagerfeld stated during post-show interviews. Coming up in the fast lane and inspired by all things entirely opposite of faux luxe (à la Chanel) is a Brighton Fashion Week favourite: Dumpster

Design’s Daisy Harris-Burland, whose triumphs have included a collaboration with Dior and a dress made entirely from j-cloths. Daisy, who has rejected the idea of disposable mass produced fashion in favour of more eco-conscious designs says ‘I always try to think with a green head on when I design, keeping waste to a minimum’. She continues, ‘I see that as art; the fact it is extremely eco friendly and sustainable is a bonus’. Moving away from recycled materials and onto another type of trash, famed drag queen and lover of labels Willam Belli, known for his fashion prowess and tongue in cheek wit, once said ‘Nobody wears sequins during the day, unless they are from Reno and they eat cigarettes’ but Ashish Gupta begs to differ with his S/S ‘14 collection. By celebrating, not mocking the girl still wearing last night’s dress on a trip to the shop in search of aspirin, Ashish has turned her story into shiny sequinned treasure to be adored, inhaled and enjoyed by the fashion masses. ‘It was inspired by popping down the off license, you know when you just put your slippers on and have jewellery from last night on still’, explains Gupta of his eclectic collection. He pays tribute to a side that lies in each and every one of us, the side which has a penchant to harass the dj into playing a Ke$ha song and later gets escorted down from the top of a table by a bald-headed bouncer. The key factor here is that the collection is made with reverence and without pretence: a true rejoicing in all things ‘trash’. Ashish manages to revel in the glory of being trashy, making it feel fun and accessible. His sequin ‘plastic’ carrier bags, that pay homage to well known chains such as Tesco and Marks and Spencer’s (whose ‘M&S’ logo has been reformed to spell ‘S&M’ and attached to a festoon of lime sequins) sold out entirely. Ashish evokes the spirit of Singapore based fashion brand O-Mighty. A much revered high street label among less straitlaced celebrities like Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry with garments featuring slices of pizza, celeb faces and all things Tumblr-approved. O-Mighty is the affordable go-to for anyone looking to wear their taste in pop culture on their (literal) sleeve/skirt/leggings. Aware of their brash in-yer-face designs and with two fingers lying in wait for anybody who dares to stand in their way; both Ashish and O-Mighty seem real and raw in comparison to picking up a pint of semi-skimmed Chanel. This is more than pop culture; this is making the everyday iconic.

by Jennifer Savin

www.brightonfashionweek.com

l wil sit e w vi and first s i r h t u • Wherever possible we use local produce and local independent suppliers saw t on yo u o • We source ethically produced ingredients and free-range meat un ey her disco w n % • All food is made to order and to your liking ntio u a 10 e M e yo giv 16 Sydney Street, Brighton, BN1 4EN. (01273) 911640 info@sixteenbrighton.co.uk www.sixteenbrighton.co.uk www.facebook.com/sixteenbrightonuk

2014

8 9 10 11 12 oct th

●

FAB NETWORKING INDUSTRY NETWORKING SUSTAIN DEBATE SUSTAIN CATWALK ZEITGEIST FASHION MARKET SHOWREEL CLOSING PARTY

@BFW_Zeitgeist

Like us on facebook ä @/BrightonFashionWeek www.brightonfashionweek.com

SHOWCASING INNOVATION