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Editor-In-Chief NADA ABDUL GHAFFAR A rt D i re c t o r & M e d i a Pro d u c e r E L I Z A S M I T H W I C K Fa s h i o n E d i t o r & Pro j e c t M a n a g e r H E L E N W O LT E R I N G Sub Editor & Media Editor NOTHEMBA MKHONDO Managing Editor & Stylist CARLOTTA BUOSI Feat u re s E d i t o r & Co n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r K S E N I A R Y B I N A Fa s h i o n E d i t o r & Co n t r i b u t i n g Wr i t e r DA N A E L- G H A Z A L Graphic Design ELIZA SMITHWICK & JESSICA BAILEY
CONTENTS F E AT U R E S
3-4 5-6 7-15 16-29 30-36 37-39 40-47 48-49 50-55 56-57 58-63 64-76
Looking Forward With Fashion and Technology Holition: In Conversation With Chirag Grover Click-Tap-Swipe Sharp Edges; LCF MA Graduates Cutting their way into the Fashion Industry Vernez: An Insider’s Look Secret Uncovert: In Conversation with Kate Unsworth 9 to 5: Women in the Fashion Industry’s Daily Uniform Hyper-Connected Fashion Show and Tell: What’s Inside your Closet? Style Surfer Catwalk Collaged Dear Double
THANK YOU V e r n e z Te a m
Backers
M o y a n g Ya n g Arron Wu Johanna Regårdh
Allison Dickinson Clay Dickinson Betty Maizlish A n n e t t e Po r t e r Ansley Smithwick Pa t r i c k S m i t h w i c k John Zhang Hala Isber
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FROM THE EDITOR
Technology is an area of fashion that can feel intimidating, especially when you realize how massive it is; something new is introduced every day. The relationship between fashion and technology quite intriguing. For many years, fashion as an industry, was hesitant to incorporate technology. Today, you can’t imagine one without the other. Technology has profoundly changed the way we create fashion, consume it and communicate around it. It has become such a global, mass-enveloping industry with participants trying to break in daily. Due to the latest technological innovations, anyone is able to start a blog overnight, buy an item directly off the runway thanks to Twitter, and watch a live stream of a show from the comfort of one’s home. It’s fascinating to see how technology is slowly emulating the fashion industry. Today, fashion is anything but predictable. Like the industry as a whole, the field of fashion technology has become over-saturated, with only the strongest surviving. Ultimately, the ones who will flourish are the ones who are able to enhance our lives in some way. That’s where we believe a company like Vernez comes in. Vernez, a social-media platform with fashion at its core, invites everyone to be part of the conversation. Not just for the fashion elite, but also for anyone with a smartphone. It encourages users to be their own stylists, editors, and trendforecasters. The app, set to be launched officially in the near future, aims to bridge the gap between
the latest innovations in fashion’s digital sphere whilst remaining relevant to women across the world. In this inaugural issue of Vernez magazine, we celebrate the release of this new platform; one that my team and I believe has the potential to be the “next big thing.” Alongside digital fashion, we also look at forward-thinking design, and how this digital movement is shaking up the world of retail. We hand it over to the tech-savvy experts to reveal their inner workings and what they see to be on the horizon. In our shoots, we celebrate some of the most innovative designers from the London College of Fashion. They work in novel techniques to create pieces that are both functional and covetable. Vernez, at its core, is about storytelling through fashion. We have been lucky enough to meet inspiring women in the industry who showcased the looks that empower them. In addition, we were able to take a peek inside some of the most extraordinary wardrobes of women from all around the world to find out more about their favorite belongings. While putting together this publication, we look at the most advanced initiatives while celebrating print; the most traditional and tangible form of fashion communication. In a sense, we aim to introduce the digital Vernez to paper. We’ve learned so much along the way and we hope that after experiencing Vernez magazine, you feel informed, inspired, and excited about what the future holds.
Nada Abdul Ghaffar
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LOOKING FORWARD WITH FASHION AND TECHNOLOGY Nothemba Mkhondo
Sophia Banoori - H&M Senior PR & Social Media Executive
Mouhannad Al-Sayegh Re s ea rc h Fe l l o w a n d D e v e l o p e r at Lo n d o n Co l l e g e o f Fa s h i o n
Q. What excites you about digital technology? A. I love that it’s ever-changing, there is constantly a new channel or fun new app to share content on, and get insightful information and numbers from. Everything now happens online, numbered through clicks, impressions, engagement rates; it’s incredible what we are now able to see, which simply was not possible before. Q. What role do you see digital tech playing in our lives in 5 years time? A. Digital technology can only evolve and will allow us to be extremely precise in our figures & previsions. It will allow us to strategically target the correct individuals at the proper timings. For marketing, it’s the dream.
” “ Nearly half of consumers are now shopping online for clothes, and online sales reached £5.6bn in 2014
Q. What is your dream wearable tech piece? A. I would like to see wearables that can think and work for me without the need to stare at a screen. By limiting the element of human interaction and connecting sensors to work with each other (Internet of Things) we see the true power of wearables. I’m hoping for more wearable technology in clothing that truly transforms our day-to-day lives, moving away from the current multitude of gimmicky marketing-led concepts. Q. How do you think wearable is changing our relationship to our clothes and gadgets? A. These new abilities allow clothing to think, feel and even potentially carry some of our memories. In a way, sensors could humanise our clothing and make us more hesitant about throwing garments away, subsequently reducing waste. In my opinion, wearables will not only bring us closer to our clothing but also bring us back closer to the real world by taking us away from screens and other traditional forms of computer interaction.
£46 billion = The predicted value of the clothing market by 2017
Lulu Mohamed Ali Fo u n d e r & E d i t o r o f Q at a r Street Style
Q. What excites you about digital technology? A. Personally, the thing that excites me is what can be achieved by digital technology. A few years back, accessing information online was not as simple. Nowadays, everything we need is a click away. Communication was so difficult 20 years back. Now, this is made easy through the growth of technology and its affordability to most people.
Q. What role do you see digital tech playing in our lives in 5 years time? A. I imagine, in the future, digital technology will allow us to operate things, but through technology that is similar to wifi, invisible, responsive to touch, and in the air. Everything can be controlled through the wave of a hand. People will have interactions through holograms and feel through digital senses 100 miles apart. Live simulations of countries, cities and venues can be brought to one’s home through ground-breaking hologram and next generation technology. I’m not dreaming. Trust me this will happen.
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FA S H I O N A N D T E C H N O LO GY
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Almost half of consumers regularly use three or more channels to do their shopping, so an integrated retail experience is vital
Miller Bowron - Social Media Specialist at Sam Edleman in NYC Q. What excites you about digital technology? A. Two things: It has given everyone a voice. It’s incredible how customers can shop the runway, while street style unfolds instantaneously. What is exciting about technology giving everyone a say is that it turns collections into more of a collaboration between the designer and the customer. Instead of the designer just doing their own thing and hoping it appeals to their target audience, there is now a public forum and a dialogue, which opens so many more opportunities to learn exactly who the customer is and exactly what he or she wants, needs, and likes. Q. What role do you see digital technology playing in our lives in 5 years time? A. Honestly, I’m a little nervous about the role technology will play in our lives in 5 years time. I think that we will be more dependent on it than ever and living even less “in the moment.” With this being said, I still think that the coolest thing about where technology is going, is the connection forming between people in spite of geography. We will all be able to introduce ourselves to people across the globe and form legitimate, complex relationships and I think that the best things for any creative community is diversity and numbers.
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Emma Slade – Back of The Wardrobe Q. How do you think technology is shaping the retail industry and the consumer/shopping experience? A. To be honest, to date it’s probably been a key driver for the rise of fast fashion, but now with fabulous new retailers like The Acey, Brothers We Stand and Gather and See, there is a chance for the growth of ethical/ sustainable online retailers. Technology through the availability of knowledge can be used as a tool to share information on how things are made and where they are made. This transparency creates interest in new and emerging brands and could be instrumental in the proliferation of choice in more thoughtful options for the average consumer. Q. Do you prefer shopping online or physically and why? A. Personally, I prefer shopping in person but that’s because I mostly buy second hand and vintage fashion. You sort of have to be there to touch and feel the garment to really understand it before you buy it. I also love rifling through one offs and looking for a gem.
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What is exciting about technology giving everyone a say is that it turns collections into more of a collaboration between the designer and the customer
£ 7 . 5 b i l l i o n = Pre d i c t e d annual online fashion sales by 2017
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HOLITION: I N C O N V E R S AT I O N WITH CHIRAG GROVER Carlotta Buosi speaks to Chirag Grover, designer at one of London’s most innovative agencies, Holition, about what it takes to find the right balance between form and function while always offering novel experiences.
Holition is an agency whose main aim is to create state-of-the-art technology. Armed with a team of designers, engineers and experts, pretty much anything seems to be possible for this Londonbased company. They produce installations for some of the biggest events in the country, the launch of Heathrow’s newest terminal is just one example, as well as create one-off campaigns for major fashion brands worldwide. Holition is an example of how agencies in the arts use technology for a creative advantage, something that goes beyond its mere utility. Chirag Grover is a graphic designer who specializes in fashion. During his MA in Fashion Media Production at the London College of Fashion, one of his projects caught the attention of Holition, who then welcomed Chirag to the team upon his graduation. “That’s the project that genuinely changed my life”, Chirag says, referring to MA14: an app produced to share a live experience of Fashion Week, opening its doors for all those who want to access to it. As a member of the Holition family, Chirag’s role includes designing, developing ideas and making sure they fit the brief; whether that’s an installation for a fashion show or a new concept for an app. “We basically try to innovate each time, which is challenging but inspiring”, explains Chirag, giving us a quick summary of the technologies Holition constantly applies to its projects. From holograms to motion sensors, along with experimentations such as projection mapping and wearable technology; they have it all covered, yet it seems as though this is only the beginning.
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HOLITION
The next step for the company is to launch a series of original products, which they then aim to pitch to their clients. The first one to see the light is Face, a newly developed beauty app that uses innovative sensors to simulate the application of makeup on the user’s face. Using the same technology, Holition recently put together a very special exhibition in collaboration with the London College of Fashion, Entitled Warpaint: Alexander McQueen and Makeup, to celebrate Alexander McQueen’s most iconic catwalk makeup looks. Coinciding with Savage Beauty, the exhibition takes place at the Fashion Space Gallery inside LCF and uses projection mapping to slowly layer the makeup on visitors’ faces who consequently morph into McQueen’s beauty creations. In a world where everything moves at a much faster pace than one can fathom, we’re facing a future where technology is going to play a progressively wider role in our everyday lives, and apps will keep evolving into more complex, useful and creatively designed tools. This will result in a balance between utility and aesthetic, which was previously found in design, and now in fashion. “Any kind of technologic fashion needs to be simple yet beautiful,” says Chirag, underlining that the practicality of the technology applied should never compromise the quality or the appearance and vice versa. “That’s what fashion apps should do: finding the balance between being useful and purposeful, but still nice to look at.” According to Holition’s research, the next big thing will be customization. Online shopping, which is not only able to provide a wider choice than a physical shop, but will also understand and memorize the needs of its customers, which will consequently create an entirely new shopping experience. Wearable technology is another topic generating buzz amongst brands and designers. That’s how fashion and technology met, realized how much they had in common and how much one could help the other in finding new ways of developing and growing. It’s true; fashion and technology are slowly finding a balance between each other’s needs and a way of enhancing each other’s best qualities. Compromising will be an inevitable part of the process, but what’s a marriage without a little bit of compromise and sacrifice from both sides?
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C L I C K -TA P - S W I P E The growing chemistry between fashion and technology is undeniable. With fashion tech on the rise in every way imaginable, fashion consumers are spoilt with their choices of apps, websites and gadgets. We delve into the world of fashion apps to find out what they have in store for you.
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A S A P 5 4 ASAP54 makes your style inspiration a reality by bridging the gap between what you see and what you buy. Using top technology, the app can link the clothing you see in the street or online to find the product and purchase it. ASAP54 has had a resounding a n d s u c c e s s f u l y e a r o f b u s i n e s s a s t h e y w e r e f e a t u r e d a s “A p p o f the Week” over 100 times. Rebecca Dowell, Business Development Manager at ASAP54, tells us more. Eliza Smithwick
Q. What would you say is the most important social media outlet for ASAP54? A. Instagram. Q. What is your primary age target? A. Our main age target is females from ages 18-26. There are a high number of male downloaders because of our positive press in the app store, but women are the ones who engage and use the app the most. Q. How would you describe your typical user? A. That is a hard question! We have a mixture of users. We have the fashionistas who are working within the industry, but then we have the moms who are staying at home and simply want a new way to shop. We have created a system called, Top 54, which showcases our top users. We use them as an experimental group to see how they are engaging with the app. For example, we have a woman from Dubai who has the most incredible wardrobe you can think of and then we have a German Violinist. The members of Top 54 are employed by us and are sometimes even more engaged than employers at ASAP54. Q. What would you say was the light bulb moment for the creation of ASAP54? A. Daniela, our founder, was also the founder of FarFetch. She was looking for her own project and was thinking of either starting her own company or going back to school. ASAP54 stemmed from Daniela searching for a pair of pearl Chanel sunglasses, and
not being able to find them. She then came up with the concept of ASAP54. Imagine if you could take a picture of something you wanted and use it as an entry point to find it. Q. What are the top markets for the application? A. UK, USA, and Brazil. France is also a top user. Q. How has ASAP54 been doing thus far? A. We have been doing incredibly well. We have over 300 retailers featured in the application and over 3 million products. We have been awarded the App of the World award last year and it has been the “App of the Week” over 100 times. The Andoid version was launched this past February, but it is still in its beta version. Q. How would you describe some typical consumer behavior? A. Consumer behaviour is really quite fragmented. It’s hard to track the user’s journey because there are so many different shopping options now. People may start in the store, then go to the website and then may go to the app. There are so many points that we use before making a purchase. This has been trouble for us because it is hard to track where or how to capture this moment to insure that users will purchase through the app instead of an alternate way. Most people also use ASAP54 for inspiration. The “Wishlist” is the most used feature, but we really want people to start purchasing things through the app.
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Q. How would you describe your typical user’s style? A. Surprisingly our users are primarily very feminine. The top products that are bought through our app are very feminine dresses or blouses in lilac or pinks with florals. We suspect that this is because we are such a global brand that people with different climates and styles are using the app a lot instead of just Londonbased users. Q. Where would she shop? A. We have a very diverse spectrum of brands. We have a high level of sales through our high street brands. We also offer high-end designers, but we do not produce many sales on these items yet, which is something that we want to change. Q. What magazine would she read? A. We usually think our users would read magazines such as Grazia, Elle, or Vogue. We think that our users frequently want a luxury shopping experience, but for less. We don’t think our users would read the more edgy magazines such as Dazed or ID magazine.
Q. Do you see blogs or other websites as competitors? A. Yes, we see Pinterest as a competitor because all of the editorial content is stored together. We don’t see Blogs as competitors as much because we can work with them, but sometimes they can be competition if they list all the products that they are wearing with links to shop them directly. Our main competitors are ShopStyle, Polyvore and Danielle sees Google as the biggest competitor. Q. How do you see ASAP54 evolving in 5 years time? A. Daniella always says that she wants to be the “Google for Fashion.” We want people to go to ASAP54 instead of going to Google when looking for fashion products. We will continue to invest a lot of time and money into the technology of the App to improve the image recognition search. The key markets we want to grow will be the US and Japan and eventually we will translate the application into different languages.
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B E S P O K Y Looking for your fashion match? Bespoky will play matchmaker in the form of an in-store app that connects y o u , t h e c u s t o m e r, w i t h a n i n - s t o re s t y l i s t o f y o u r c h o o s i n g , giving you a personalized shopping experience at the touch o f a b u tt o n . Fo u n d e d b y G i o v a n n i Ra v o n e , C l a u d i o L i s c o a n d A l e x i s C u d d y r e , a t a D e c o d e d F a s h i o n H a c k - a -T h o n , Bespoky is using mobile technology to change the shopping experience and develop in-store connections. Nothemba Mkhondo
Q. Tell us a little bit about the Bespoky App? A. Bespoky is an app that connects customers and stylists in store, so it’s basically an interface between these two audiences. You go up to an iPad in store, where you can see the profiles of the stylists that work there, and those profiles will have a moodboard and a brief description – like you one you might see on Twitter, a picture of the stylist and stuff they like; they listen to REM or they’re really into Hip Hop and they love Converse shoes, or they go to festivals all the time. You’re more likely to buy something from someone that is similar to you or has similar interests. We are introducing customers and stylists in a new way and essentially leveraging the abilities of the people that work in the store and helping them make connections with customers. We are really interested in seeing how the shopping experience can be changed by something like this. It’s basically like Tinder for shoppers and stylists but it’s live, so it’s only available to the people that are in that store, have logged in that day, and are free. Q. How did it come about? A. It all started from a Hack-a-Thon by Decoded Fashion. We went to the Hack-a-thon and ended up being one of three ideas that won. None of us had any expectation of winning or getting the opportunity to actually work with All Saints but we won third place. During the Hack-a-Thon, we worked specifically with All Saints and they talked a lot about how the stylists in their stores are really qualified and they’re really interesting people; some are musicians, some are fashion designers, but they have a lot of knowledge that doesn’t ever get passed on to the customer because the customer-stylist relationship doesn’t really exist.
Q. What was the lightbulb moment in the apps creation? A. We met the night before on a platform called Challenge Post, where you sign up and look for team members. It was so funny. We just ended up working together and it worked out really well. The lightbulb moment obviously happened during the Hack-aThon, which was 48 hours long. Q. How do you think consumer behaviour has changed since the explosion of the digital era? A. I think in the last 5 years, consumers have become a lot more savvy when it comes to finding deals and the best version of what they’re looking for. It’s not necessarily digital that’s done that, but just the ability to search for loads of stuff and cross reference. I think mobiles specifically have changed things even more, consumers are researching in the store as they are looking at products and trying to see if they can find it cheaper somewhere else. I think consumers are a lot smarter about what they buy, where they buy it and they are a lot pickier. Brands have to work a lot harder because it’s not just about going to see what the brand has to offer anymore; it’s about how to get people in stores, and what types of experiences you can offer them that help them do all of their shopping online. Now, it’s not just about buying clothes, it’s about experiencing brand moments. So I think technology has enabled those things to happen. Q. How would you describe the typical user of Bespoky? A. Our current user shops at All Saints is looking for a premium experience. He or she is looking for a personal stylist, someone that can help them choose the right things and someone that will spend a little bit more time with them. Having someone help you shopis an added value, so in that sense they are more of a premium shopper but they are also curious.
N o w, i t ’s n o t j u s t a b o u t b u y i n g c l o t h e s , i t ’s a b o u t experiencing brand moments
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Q. Do you view fashion magazines/blogs as competitors? A. No, because we are not content creators. We are sort of a relationship management platform if anything, so I think content could only enhance our experience. For example, if we were to have a waiting time between bookings, we could create content or work with a brand to create content, but we could also partner with a publication or a magazine to provide that content. Basically, we would look at publications as partners instead of competitors. Q. How do you see the app evolving in 5 years time? A. At the moment, we have a three-year roadmap. On a trip to San Francisco last year, I met the All Saints team. It was a trip that opened our eyes to where we want to go from here. They have a behaviour called “clienteling”, where you’ve got a client book that is a binder with handwritten notes about the preferences and tastes of the stylists’ clients. I went in and saw this first hand. It’s an analogue form of having a relationship with a stylist. We think that Bespoky can really tap into this and provide an additional service to stylists and customers, where they can communicate, send each other inspiration and book appointments ahead of time. They might not even have to come to the store, the stylist may send them recommendations based on what they know, and then the client may be able to buy straight from the app. The future for Bespoky is endless but essentially, it sits at the heart of where customers and stylists interact. It’s really
up to us to define what we do next. Right now we are working towards piloting the app in one of the All Saints stores, to see how it works. Then based on the learnings that we get from that, we will either develop it into an iPhone app or we’ll integrate it into more retail stores. Q. Why the name ‘Bespoky’? A. The Hack-a-Thon was 48-hours long and at midnight we didn’t have a name. We wanted it to be a single word and for it to be catchy, and really it’s a bespoke service that we are giving the customer, so Giovani suggested we call it Bespoky. At first we thought it was silly but then when we got up on stage to pitch our idea, they called us “Bespoky”, so the name just stuck. We think it’s quite memorable and it does tie into this whole idea of a bespoke service. Q. Do you have any direct competitors? A. I think there are a lot of apps trying to tackle the one-on-one relationship between people who shop and the people who work in store. and there are also a lot of brands trying to do it. I think Mall zee has a little bit of a similar proposition. There’s also an app called Knomi, but I think both of them are more data focused, so they utilise user data to make recommendations, whereas we don’t ask as much about the user. There are a lot of people trying to work through this but I think the more the merrier. Someone will crack it. Hopefully it’ll be us.
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M A L L Z E E Simple, clear and highly addictive, Mallzee is one of the most used shopping apps on the market, bringing high street brands and independent boutiques to hundreds of thousands of users around the world on a daily basis. B u t t h i s ‘ t i n d e r f o r f a s h i o n .’ a s i t s C E O a n d f o u n d e r C a l l y Russell likes to call it, wasn’t born overnight. The app as we see it today is nothing but the result of a journey that started with a laptop and a dream, back in 2012. Carlotta Busoi
Q. What is Mallzee? A. Mallzee is the shopping app that lets you hold the Mall in your hand and search over 100 stores quickly, simply and in a fun way. Q. How was Mallzee born? A. Mallzee was born out of the realisation that shopping was moving towards mobile devices but it was still difficult to shop from multiple stores on them. We wanted to make it easy to buy from all of your favourite brands in one single place. Q. What was the journey that brought you from the very first idea to the app as it is today? A. It’s been a long road but we’ve learnt a lot and continue to learn all the time. We’ve grown from one person, a laptop and an idea to a team of eleven reaching hundreds of thousands of users across the world. Q. How is Mallzee different from any other shopping app? A. We offer a totally different experience through our Style Feeds feature. On other apps you might get one feed or just one selection. With Mallzee we allow you to set up Style Feeds for every part of your life, whether that’s going to the gym, a Saturday night out or a weekend away. The Style Feed tailors to your tastes through the filter and updates itself every day, meaning you’ll never miss out on that perfect purchase.
Q. What was your main goal when creating the app? A. To make people’s lives easier and help them find great clothes. There is so much choice out there now but so little time to find what we actually want to buy. We want to allow people to have that wow moment when they find great clothes more often. Q. How would you like people to think of Mallzee? A. As the ideal place to go when looking for great clothes. Whether that’s a prom dress or a new pair of jeans. Q. Do you have a specific audience in mind? A. As a demographic we focus on under 30s’, but have an equal offering for both genders. Q. Tell us three things that make a shopping app great. A. That’s a hard one! I don’t want to be giving others ideas so I’ll just say: ease of use, personalisation and simplicity. Q. What are the reasons for your design choices (colours, shapes..)? A. They’ve come about after a lot of testing with users and through shared love from our own team. Q. How do you see shopping apps developing in the future? A. I think we’re going to see the lines between online and offline getting blurry at some point, which I find interesting.
“Tinder for Fa s h i o n ”
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“ ” Mallzee lets you hold the Mall in your hand and search over 100 stores quickly, simply and in a fun way
Q. Do you think of shopping apps as the only way people will shop in a few years time? A. I really do. I think from the consumer’s position it makes a lot more sense to use products that allow you to pull together everything in one single place.
Q. Describe what your ideal piece of wearable tech would be? A. Anything that allowed my iPhone to last a full day! I currently carry two separate batteries as it’s in constant use. Q. What are your views on the use of technology in fashion in general? A. I think as we become more accepting of technology in general we’ll start to see more and more of a crossover. You can see, for example, Apple’s move to turn the Apple Watch into a fashion piece and not only a piece of technology. With them leading the way, I think there will be some great movements in the fashion/tech space. From our perspective, being able to create a new way to shop that can be tailored to the shopper through Style Feeds is a great step forward which will ultimately save people a lot of time.
Q. Do you shop mostly through apps yourself? A. Just one – Mallzee. Q. What are the advantages/disadvantages of using a shopping app? A. Being able to have all the stores in one single place is a huge advantage and can save a lot of time. Our fun ‘Tinder’ style swiping is also highly addictive, which makes it a little dangerous: I often find myself getting sucked into the app and swiping hundreds of products in a single session. Q. Do you think technology will become a fundamental part of fashion in the future, not only in the way we shop but in regards to what we wear? A. As a retailer, being able to use data and testing the audience in the process of deciding what to stock and sell could have a significant impact on their business. Using data in this way could help them and might stop a few fashion disasters along the way too.
Q. What would you say to people who have never used a shopping app before? A. Give Mallzee a try right now, it will change how you shop!
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L Y S T Lyst, the highly followed personalised shopping site, was launched in London in 2010. Inspired by living with three Shopoholics, co-founder Chris Morton decided to provide everyone, men and women, a chance to shop their own way with the touch of a f i n g e r. Th e ke y w o rd : p e r s o n a l i s at i o n . I t ’s t h e g o - t o feature for every Lyst-er and the driving goal for the team behind this innovative platform. Carlotta Busoi
Q. What is Lyst? A. Lyst is an innovative online fashion destination used by millions every month. Partnering with the world’s top fashion brands and stores, Lyst uses technology to give every user a personalised shopping feed, unique to them and their style. Q. What was the journey that brought you from the very first idea to the app as it is today? A. In 2010, when we launched, social commerce was the big thing and a lot of Lyst’s early aspirations were centered around the concept of following your friends in order to get the best product recommendation. Lyst revisited the model and came up with something that works much better. Since then, Lyst has raised over $20million from a range of all-star investors, grown the team, launched a universal cart and checkout system, and a mobile app. Q. How is Lyst different from any other shopping app? A. Lyst is personalised for you. So it’s not only different to any other shopping app, it’s totally unique to each individual user. Plus Lyst’s breadth of inventory is unrivalled. You can shop over a million products, from 9,000 partner designers and retailers globally. Q. How important is the balance between its use as a shopping app and the production of original content for you? A. Lyst recently launched its first content channel, The LongLyst. Following on from a rebrand last
year, which saw Lyst introduce a new logo and a discovery-led homepage, The LongLyst brings an additional level of content and inspiration to the Lyst experience. Q. Would you say having content enriches Lyst? A. The LongLyst brings the site’s brand personality to life. It reflects Lyst’s commitment to enabling and celebrating personal style, by exploring how real people think and feel about style and achievement. Everything is written in first person with insight and experience. Q. Do you see shopping apps developing into something else in the future? If so, what? A. The future is mobile. More time is spent on mobile apps than on all of the web now, and smartphone shopping generated $78 billion in revenue for US and Europe combined last year. By 2020, 80% of the adults on earth will have a smartphone. For shopping, this means that consumers can use up to three devices; and each is not being used in isolation. A typical journey for Lyst users starts by browsing on mobile, returning on a tablet later in the day and then checking out on desktop. Revenue from mobile is only going to increase this year, with retailers investing more in their apps to capitalise on the ‘snacking’ shopper.
“Lyst is personalised for you”
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“ ” By 2020, 80% of the adults on earth will have a smartphone
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SHARP EDGES London College of Fashion G r a d u a t e s C u t t i n g T h e i r Wa y into the Fashion Industr y
Photography Eeva Rinne Fashion & Creative Direction Nada Abdul Ghaffar, Carlotta Buosi, Dana El-Ghazal. Makeup & Hair Josie Chan a& Snowkei Lan Model Klara Krukenberg @ FM Models Eeva Rinne Studios VERNEZ 16
CHIARA PAVAN MA Fashion Artifact
Q. Describe your collection in three words. A. Silent, tactile, handmade. Q. What was the most challenging aspect of developing the collection? A. The concept behind it. Good objects come from observation. The analysis of human matter is what you will achieve. It makes you richer intellectually. As a designer, the interaction between people and objects is crucial. Q. If you could dress anyone in your design, alive or dead, who would it be and why? A. A contemporary one, as I believe that design should speak of its time and place.The Japanese dancer Kaori Ito while performing in “Plexus”. Entrapped by five thousand cords, she conquers the observers, floating in the spacem, respectful and powerful.
Q. Give us three words to describe what’s fashion for you. A. A confused precision. Q. What excited you the most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. Technology is a great resource for fashion when it comes to tools. In my productions, I use Milling machines and Cad programs. They are precise and prove to be good assisting technologies.
” “ As a designer, the interaction between people and objects is crucial
Dress & Coat - Diana Diaz Glasses - Chiara Pavan VERNEZ 17
DIANA DIAZ
MA Fashion Design Technology
Transparent Coat & Dress - Diana Diaz Marble Clutch - Elena Karavasili Q. Describe your collection in three words. A. Modern, experimental, sophisticated. Q. What was the most challenging aspect of developing the collection? A. The use of unconventional materials such as foam and silicone was very challenging, but also exciting. Q. If you could dress anyone in your design, alive or dead, who would it be? A. Lucky magazine’s Editor in Chief, Eva Chen.
Q. Give us three words to describe what fashion is to you. A. Passion, expression, lifestyle. Q. What excited you the most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. It is always interesting and exciting to research new materials and techniques that are normally linked to cutting-edge technologies. In my design process, technology will always be one of the main sources of inspiration.
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Neck Piece & Jumpsuit - Diana Diaz Glass Bag - Begum Yildrim
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VIKTORIJA AGNE MA Fashion Artifact
Dress - Diana Diaz Headpiece - Viktorija Agne
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Dress - Diana Diaz Headpiece - Viktorija Agne VERNEZ 21
Dress - Diana Diaz Headpiece - Viktorija Agne VERNEZ 22
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Multifunctional, innovative, advanced
Q. If you had to pick three words to describe your collection, what would they be? A. Multifunctional, innovative, advanced.
Q. What was the most challenging aspect throughout this journey? A. Time management. Sometimes it can be unpredictable, no matter how good you are with planning and managing your time. Q. If you could dress anybody in one of your designs, alive or dead, who would it be and why? A. Robyn, Olivia Palermo, Miroslava Duma.
Q. Finish this sentence: Fashion is... A. Fashion is endless human expression. Q. What excites you most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. The whole fact that technology and fashion nowadays can be combined together. I myself use a lot of technology in my designs, not only as inspiration but also technically, since my pieces are multifunctional.
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ALEJANDRA SMIONETTA MA Fashion Footwear
Q. If you had to pick three words to describe your collection, what would they be? A. Sculptural, handmade, delicate. Q. What was the most challenging aspect throughout this journey? A. It was a challenge to work with a huge variety of unconventional materials, which involve different methodologies and manufacturing processes. I also used different textures so my main worry was to make them all look well-balanced and simple at the same time.
Q. Finish this sentence: Fashion is... A. Fashion is a contemporary way of communication. Q. What excites you most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. I think it’s the idea of thinking what can happen. It is about exploring new possibilities within the materials, methodologies, designs and established concepts of what a shoe should be, and breaking them into new ways of understanding in order to generate new aesthetics.
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Q. If you could dress anybody in one of your designs, alive or dead, who would it be and why? A. Well, I can honestly say that I would choose a female artisan. Maybe a talented one but not necessarily a known one. Why? Because those women, who are so passionate in their work, have
the skills and the modesty to face new projects and they do not realize how good and innovative they are in their own way. They are the ones that inspire me. I think they deserve to be shown like individual pieces of art, and that is the way I want my shoes to be worn and shown.
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ELENA KARAVASILI MA Fashion Artifact
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Fa s h i o n i s a w a y o f d o i n g something...It reflects and even sometimes mediates how the world revolves around us
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Q. What was the most challenging aspect throughout this journey? A. One of the main challenges was trying to work with a material that is both rigid and fragile and having to shape it to fit the receptacles. I had to test different marbles, their density, and watermarks to see how finely they can be cut based on the density and stone. In order to make the pieces functional and control their weight, as well as how they interact with the body. Q. If you could have anybody wear one of your designs, alive or dead, who would it be and why? A. Miuccia Prada! It would be an honor to have her hold one of my designs because she has set some high standards in the fashion and luxury accessories industry that I admire. Her iconic black nylon handbags are just an example of how she combines craftsmanship and innovation and pushes the industry’s boundaries, which is something I hope to achieve through my work. Q. If you had to pick three words to describe your collection - what would they be? A. Minimalism, receptacles, and materiality. Q. Finish this sentence: Fashion is... A. Fashion is a way of doing something, whether it is dressing, eating or even daily gestures. It reflects and even sometimes mediates how the world revolves around us.
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Te c h n o l o g y h a s b e c o m e a n integral part of trends and even sometimes shapes the outcome of fashion”
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Q. What excites you the most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. I believe technology enables designers to push the boundaries even more and create new design possibilities. What excites me the most is how technology allows fashion to penetrate new industries and interact with the consumer in a new manner. Technology has become an integral part of trends and even sometimes shapes the outcome of fashion.
BEGUM YILDRIM MA Fashion Artifact
Te c h n o l o g y h e l p e d me overcome many production difficulties
Q. Describe your collection in three words. A. Body, aesthetics, manipulation. Q. What was the most challenging aspect throughout this journey? A. The material I was working with, glass, and the way I used it in my designs. I decided to use glass as sculptures and how they fit into relevant parts of body based on prosthetics principles. I wanted to keep the traces of the body embedded in the glass parts. That was a really challenging way to use the glass. Another challenging aspect of the process was integrating leather and metal parts with glass.
Q. If you could dress anyone in your designs, alive or dead, who would it be and why? A. Tilda Swinton. I admire her powerful character, sophistication, bold style, talent, intellect, and charisma Q. Give us three words to describe what’s fashion for you. A. Body, image, change. Q. What excites you the most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. For me, technology is the most valuable catalyst and accelerator that enables my dreams. It also feeds my creativity since I am inspired by materials and techniques. Technology helped me to overcome many production diffĹculties.
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LIZ CIOKAJLO MA Fashion Footwear
Q. If you had to pick three words to describe your collection, what would they be? A. The collection is called Natural Selection so maybe, Natural Selection Manufacturing. Q. What was the most challenging aspect throughout this journey? A. Editing - I aim to bridge future manufacturing with emerging technologies and retain the benefits of using natural materials. The technology of 3D print (additive manufacturing) is currently not able to deliver natural materials in a way that promotes both the sensorial and emotive qualities we associate with the feel of soft textiles next to our skin. So I am working speculatively to suggest, from a humanist perspective, design ideas, forms and constructions. Q. If you could have anybody wear one of your designs, alive or dead, who would it be and why? A. I don’t really design with a muse in mind. To me, it does not matter who wears or likes my shoes as long as the shoes are relevant and enjoyed. Q. Finish this sentence: Fashion is ‌ A. Fashion is an extension of ourselves - physically, emotionally, mentally. It is a bridge of function between our natural and man made worlds reflecting politics, values, function, how we interact and express ourselves to each other and to nature. Fashion is poetry. Q. What excites you the most about the fusion of fashion and technology? A. Technology is driven by function and human interaction from a product perspective. Fashion can operate in the arena of dreams; very useful for innovation and especially poetry.
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VERNEZ: AN INSIDERS LOOK M OYA N G YA N G ; T H E D I G I TA L F O R C E TO B E RECKONED WITH Nada Abdul Ghaffar
Photography Silvia Dee Makeup & Hair Snowkei Lan Fashion & Creative Direction Nada Abdul Ghaffar & Carlotta Buosi KITSCH Studios VERNEZ 30
It takes a lot of courage to switch from one career path to another, especially when the industry you’re trying to break into is fashion, even more so if you’re based in London where it’s oversaturated and relentlessly competitive. However, courage is not something that Moyang Yang lacks. The twenty-something psychologist-turned-digital fashion entrepreneur is the creative founder of Vernez, a platform that you must experience to fully appreciate. I would describe it as a virtual wardrobe that allows you to style different pieces, create magazine-like collages, and ultimately buy the looks you’ve created. Moyang might be the engine behind this whole thing, but what makes Vernez stand out is that it is run by individuals for individuals. No partial opinions allowed here. It’s almost impossible to be in Moyang’s presence without being charmed by her childlike optimism, acute self-awareness, and relentless determination. I sit down with the brains and beauty behind Vernez and immediately abandon most of my preprepared questions to find out what makes her tick. Like most successful fashion moguls, Yang saw a gap that she was frustrated with, thought of how she could cater to it, and started executing her idea before anyone else could beat her to it. When describing her light bulb moment, Moyang says, “we’re completely overwhelmed with information. There needs to be a way of filtering out the information in terms of relevance to people. I’ve always
had a deep passion for fashion. When I was considering quitting my job in psychology, wanting to do something on my own, I remember flicking through magazines and thinking, that there was absolutely nothing relevant to me, nothing I wanted to see, nothing I could afford in the first place.
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The demand coming from fashion users is what that will shape the requirement of technology significantly in the future
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I wanted something that comes from people and serves their best interest, that fits them, that is personal.” Today, fashion is for the mass rather than the elite, and it has become fashionable to be into fashion. “People are just crazy about fashion,” agrees Yang, “It’s very rare nowadays to see in any other industry. People will beat themselves up to get into it even though they don’t get paid properly. There are a lot of obstacles, but people are still so passionate to be a part of it.” Nowadays, fashion graduates are having a hard time finding a place in the industry, so I ask Yang how she transitioned from psychology to fashion. “Ironically, I still tell people that I’m a psychologist,” Yang laughs, “I think digital media, that’s the most accurate word to describe the industry we’re in now, is all about psychology. I feel more like a psychologist now than I did before. I was doing a lot of data analysis before, whereas now I am really drilling into people’s heads. From how people consider their own selfimage, to how they tend to communicate fashion to others; it is key to understand the psychology aspects in order to design a good product. Very often this is more important than picking the prettiest dresses to sell… and more interesting too! Fast information anywhere at any time, has been the main driver,” she says, “E-commerce became so popular because you can buy stuff 24/7.” Why create an app when there are so many out there? “Social media became the toy of the century, because it lets anybody become a fashion icon and influence millions of others with personal opinions in seconds.
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There was no hesitation, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it
But I believe that very soon people will need more than just fast reaching material. They will become pickier about the tools they use, the content they read and things they buy. It is a no brainer that technology is accelerating the growth of fashion industry. The demand coming from fashion users is what will shape the requirement of technology significantly in the future.” I can’t help but ask, wasn’t she hesitant? “There was no hesitation, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it,” Yang says firmly, “but I was a little scared. I had zero connections in fashion when I started. But the good thing about being scared is that you quickly identify your area of weakness. From very early on, even before we had a proper product, I already started putting myself out there to meet people. I joined pretty much all of the social groups related to fashion, and went to as many events as possible. The same goes for technology as well. Now, just over a year in, I feel very much loved, surrounded by this community, that absolutely loves fashion and share the same visions we have for Vernez.” Vernez is proof that it ultimately takes a lot of effort to make something look effortless. Tracking the platform’s progress from all angles while getting an insider’s perspective has been fascinating. Yang has spent more than a year developing her ideas and conducting necessary market research before taking the plunge. What surprised her about the world of fashion and technology? “Well, loads of entrepreneurs would tell you that when they had the ‘light bulb moment,’ they thought no one else had their idea yet until they started researching and realised there were many similar businesses out there already. My surprise was actually the opposite. Even though I found loads of people trying to do similar things, surprisingly they were all earlystage start-ups. Through my research, I did not find a leader in this area, in terms of personalising shopping recommendations that push creativity. This is astonishing considering that fashion is such a huge market. There are lots of competitors and startups, but I take that as a really good sign because it means that there’s a true demand for this kind of product.”
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M OYA N G YA N G
This led me to my next query. How is Vernez going to change the world of fashion? Yang is not fazed by my big question. “I definitely notice a decentralisation trend. With blogs moving up in the past 10 to15 years and more people joining the bloghosphere, there’s definitely a shift even from readers as well. It taught the readers of today to look for unbiased opinions. These individuals, everyday people are making a real impact in fashion. The pace of our daily lives is getting increasingly faster, people have less time, and attention spans are getting even shorter.” I can’t help but notice the psychologist in Yang coming out. “More people are trying to voice their own opinions and more people want to read that but it’s all about the format, how to deliver that, I believe it will continuously change. That’s where I believe Vernez will come in to make a huge contribution.” Yang is exceptionally forward-thinking with a focused long term plan. “We want to become the go-to place for the fashion mass when they think about what to wear. I’m talking about everyday people, people who have day jobs. We want people to think about Vernez as the go-to place for what to wear, what to buy, whatever that’s trending. That’s the ultimate goal”. And what a goal it is! “With that goal in mind, we’ve drawn out different types of people who might be particularly interested in our app, including fashion students, young professionals, or women who are experiencing changes in their lives. Although the social platform aims to cross borders and reach users worldwide, the Vernez team is surprisingly small and extremely close-knit. Yang co-founded the app with her longtime partner and soon-to-be husband, Arron Wu. The UCL-graduate, educated and working in finance, also finds time to act as product and tech-thinker of the company.
Yang lights up when I bring him up, the same way she lights up when we she talks about her company. “Arron and I have been going out for nearly nine years now and we’re getting married in June. I’ve known him since I was 16 so we practically grew up together. That’s quite important. Obviously we heard people saying, ‘it’s not a wise idea doing business with your partner’. We’ve known each other for such a long time that nothing can surprise us. Still, there are surprises! We share a lot in terms of our passion and our obsession to make things perfect but in very different ways. He’s a very business-oriented kind of person. He thinks commercially and logically whereas I’m on the other side of the scale. I love hearing people’s opinions, emotions, and having that connection with people. To run a business, you have to have both sides. You have to deal with clients, which are for us, the retailers and that’s very much Arron’s territory, whereas I deal with the users and fashion enthusiasts. His passion is more about operations, execution and making something happen and I think about the audience, creative solutions, and the overall vision of the brand. To put it simply, Arron’s the brain, I’m the spirit.” My time with Yang is nearing its end, and I selfishly ask her the question that has been lingering on my mind since the very start. Any advice for young fashion entrepreneurs who want make it in the industry? “There’s no simple way to put it,” she says, “passion and resilience are the two most important things. Without passion, it will be toruture. You have to enter this world thinking you’ll die not achieving the goal. That’s how much you need to want it. It’s like a roller coaster ride, some days it feels like you’re on top of the world, and others days it feels like you’re drowning. At the end of the day, you have a much bigger chance of failing than succeeding, but make sure that if you fail you still loved every minute of it.”
“ ” Yo u h a v e t o e n t e r t h i s world thinking you’ll die not achieving the goal
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THE RIGHT HAND Johanna Regardh: Creative Assistant
Q. What’s your earliest fashion memory? A. I’ve always had an interest in clothes and fashion. I remember trying to dress like different characters from TV shows and films, which most of the time resulted in some very bad outfit choices! I started reading my mother’s fashion magazines when I was about 12 years old and became fascinated with the runway shows and highend designer brands. I sewed my first dress for myself when I was 15, and realised this was something I can see myself in. Q. What were you doing prior to Vernez? A. I graduated from Arts University Bournemouth in summer 2014, with a BA in Fashion Design & Technology. I had recently finished my final collection, doing menswear, and had my mind set on getting a job either in design or pattern cutting. I moved to London right after graduating, where I interned for Martine Rose, as well as working freelance as a pattern cutter and studio assistant for Monster Coat Club. I also worked in retail to be able to pay my bills. At the time I was applying for any job I could find in fashion, I got an interview, and eventually I was lead to my current position at Vernez.
Q. How does it feel to be a part of something so new and exciting? A. I think it’s an amazing opportunity! Working for a start up, and working for Vernez, has taught me so much and really given me confidence as a professional. Because of the nature of the company, I have been given a lot of responsibilities and learned a lot of things that most graduates haven’t. It’s hard work and it’s often very challenging, but definitely in a good way. You learn by doing, which I think is the best way to learn. I’m excited to see what the future has to offer. I think the world of retail is changing, and becoming more digital, and it’s exciting to be a part of that! Q. What do you love most about the app? A. I think it’s a great way for “real people” to express their fashion opinions, and to inspire each other, instead of being directed by the big magazines out there.
Q. Can you explain how you felt when you first heard about Vernez’s concept?
Q. Are you a very digital, social-media driven person by nature? A. I find new technologies really exciting, and the opportunities that come with them too. I like being updated and knowing what’s going on, but with social media, I’ve always been more of an observer rather than a participant. I like reading about others, and keeping up with what’s happening as well as getting inspired, but I’ve personally never felt the need to share my own stories. I like how easy it is to find information and inspiration online and I now find myself online most of the time. At the end of the day, technology is definitely making life easier and more entertaining. However, I do still enjoy indulging in a print magazine. When it comes to shopping, I’m pretty old school and I prefer actual brick and mortar stores, rather than shopping online. This being said, in most cases I don’t take the time to go out shopping in stores, so I end up doing it online anyway.
A. To be honest, I was a bit confused at first to what it was all about. I wasn’t really familiar with Polyvore or any other fashion apps that were booming at the time, so I didn’t have anything to compare it with. However, the more I found out about Vernez, the more I liked the concept. I think it’s a great way of mixing something useful, (i.e. multi-brand shopping in one place), as well as easy accessibility to fashion for anyone with something personal and emotional. This is really what fashion is all about.
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THE BACKBONE Arron Wu: Co-founder of Vernez
market is rapidly becoming international. You can easily identify the latest European trends in the shop windows in Shanghai. However I was also intrigued by how the industry, given its importance, is still working in a rather oldfashioned way (e.g. most of the interactions between products and consumers remain offline, countless layers of distributors/ resellers in the chain). This created disconnect between the creators of the products and the end consumers, with the exception of the high end brands, so interaction between fashion and consumers became dominated by campaigns focused on selling products rather than genuine efforts to build long term and trusted relationships. Q. What were you doing prior to Vernez? A. I spent a few years in private equity and management consulting, trying to turn all tangible and intangible things into measurements we can calculate, manage and (hopefully) buy and sell. Q. Considering that your background was not in fashion, how do you perceive the industry, and what do you like and dislike most about it? A. One of the things I like the most about fashion is what it means for its consumers. It is intensely personal and impacts everyday life in a subtle but profound way, for example, we try to seek self identity, or fit into a new environment, or make a statement by adjusting what we wear, as a result it carries incredibly sustained emotional value in a world where most aspects of our lives are quickly commoditising into values and efficiency. The early conversations we had with people from different parts of the industry were real eye openers for me to the size and diversity of the fashion value chain (designers, manufacturers, distributors, resellers, shopping mall operators, marketers, publishers … the list goes on), and the
Q. Do you remember how you felt when you first came up with the concept of Vernez with Moyang? A. There was a huge amount of excitement. We stayed up for most of the night fantasising about it! We thought that we have come up with a solution, although we still need to determine if that could be a channel for everyone’s fashion ideas that they could rely on and immediately use, as well as a platform where they could discover and express fashion in their very own ways. Q. Can you break down your role within the Vernez team and how do you and Moyang compliment each other? A. Moyang loves fashion and is extremely focused on making sure anything we build is something she can’t live without! She is very detail-focused and patient, and has a unique sort of sensitivity to what people are feeling. This has, on multiple occasions, allowed us to capture some very subtle reactions during our user feedback conversations and improved our user experience. Moyang is full of energy and positivity, which was really crucial, given the hardworking and uncertain nature of a start-up. For me, I do everything Moyang doesn’t have time for or want to do, so my typical roles include accounting, tax, legal, managing our technical team, and cooking!
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Arron Wu
Q. What do you love most about the app? A. We work very hard to continuously improve the user experience and create a completely personalised window in fashion for everyone of our users, and the part that excites me the most is our ability to cater for most of our user’s fashion needs in an integrated user experience. Here are a few examples: if you are a busy at work with very little spare time, Vernez can be the easiest way to find what’s trending, or discover ideas for the next special occasion. If you are looking to get a new look, Vernez can help organise your inspirations, and check whether the new purchases in your mind match with your wardrobe. And if some cool outfit ideas struck you, Vernez can provide a quick and easy way to get it off of your chest so others can marvel at it! I hope this sends out a strong message of encouragement to our users to be confident with their own views of fashion and express them.
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Vernez can help organise your inspirations, and check whether the new purchases in your mind match with your wardobe
Q. Are you a very digital person, socialmedia driven person by nature? A. I have always been very curious about new technologies and I believe that when we look back 50 years from now, one of the biggest drivers of differences between our lives then and now, would be new technologies that have emerged and matured along the way. Whilst I’m not an opinion leader of any sort on social-media, I certainly cannot imagine a life without it!
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SECRET UNKOVERT I n Co n v e r s at i o n w i t h Ko v e rt Fo u n d e r, Kate Unsworth Ksenia Rybina
Q. Tell us something about your background. What brought you to Kovert? A. My background is kind of a mix. I’ve always been a creative person and I grew up painting, dancing, and modeling but I was very fascinated by music. At the age of 13, I wanted to become a DJ and I really got into electronics. A few years later, this passion for music turned into a growing interest about the science behind it. I wanted to know how sound worked and understand the mathematic sequences in it and I became fascinated by sacred geometry as well. So, when I had to pick my university course at the age of 17, I found that mathematics literally
encompassed everything I loved. In both my BA and postgraduate degree in econometrics, 20% of the course was coding, so it kind of drew my love of music, art, creativity and sacred geometry into technology. After university, I became a technology consultant, and I was focusing on the interface between the clients and the development team. So I would not necessarily be coding myself but I had to understand the technology quite in depth to define the technical and strategy behind it. This gave me great training and grounding for what I’m doing now…and that kind of naturally fit into Kovert.
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K AT E U N S W O R T H
Q. You are based here in London but you have also lived in hectic cities. Did they influence you in any way while developing the idea of Kovert? Did you maybe feel the need to disconnect from any place you lived in? A. While I was consulting, I was working across a different number of platforms and had clients in Malaysia, in Europe and the U.S. and I was just always connected. Even though I was not expected to reply instantly, I was always responding to emails. I just couldn’t help it because my phone was so accessible and I found it really difficult to distance myself and create a separation. In 2008 I took a trip to India and studied meditation, that helped me to connect with myself and live in the moment. However, some time after returning, I was traumatised after realising that I did not have time to appreciate life anymore. The shock was so strong that I completely switched off my phone for a few weeks and made an agreement with my boss. During those weeks I would keep my laptop at work and only respond to emails from 9 to 5 while at the office, which was a big change for me..
Q. How does Altruis work?
Q. Is there anything really urgent you missed during your digital detox from your phone?
A. Altruis is a technology inbuilt within a Zirconia Ceramic stone - the analogically closest thing to diamonds. The stone is entwined into pieces of jewelry that are connected to an app, which allows you to set different profiles to filter through specific notifications and make the stone vibrate. You could literally leave your phone in your bag and have the benefit of disconnecting with the confidence that urgent things are still going to filter through.
A. Surprisingly, by compressing my time, I learned that I was just as productive between 9 to 5 as I was before working from 7 to midnight.
Q. What does urgent mean to you then? What are the important things that Kovert helps you to be connected to while leaving the rest out?
I felt like a new, happier and reborn person, but it was really unpractical because sometimes people would need to reach me at different times and luckily I did not miss anything important but it could have happened and if I would have messed it up, I would never forgive myself.
A. That’s a good question, because I have different profiles for different occasions. In my work profile, important notifications can be a contract coming in or an urgent matter at the office. We have an emergency keyword that is ‘banana’ and I know that if something immediately needs my attention, I will be aware of it.
So this is why I set up to try and find a solution that would allow me to disconnect from my cell phone to some extent but keep just the important things. This is when the idea for Altruis, our first product, was born.
My play profile is where I have my best friends, but if you, for instance, have kids, your priority notifications might be the ones from the nanny.
“Time is our greatest luxury in modern life. Te c h n o l o g y i s o u r greatest resource. L e t ’ s u s e t h e m w i s e l y .”
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“The way that we see it is almost like it quantifies health, like a fitness tracker but just applied t o y o u r d i g i t a l l i f e .” Q. What inspired you before Kovert? What was the thing in your life you were missing the most because of technology?
You can set it up however you want, but I find that one of the hardest struggles to overcome, is to train yourself not to check your phone. So the next stage we’re really looking at is psychology, as even people who have all the good intentions and want to disconnect and improve their relationship with their smartphones, find it so hard to stop that impulse of checking. Q. Nowadays we’re psychologically affected by this 24/7 Internet connection. Do you think that Kovert could be a digital well-being tool to help you find the balance between being too connected and less connected? A. The way that we see it is almost like it quantifies health, like a fitness tracker but just applied to your digital life. Imagine you set a goal to check Instagram only three minutes a day: we help you manage that, both through our perks and an open discussion with the community about how we respect each other’s space and time with all of our digital communication. I had an overflowing inbox, full of unnecessary emails. My most inspired moments are when I’m away from email, this allows me to be the best version of myself. So I asked my contacts to refrain from sending me emails and rather go for a much more preferred phone call…and people really respected it. So I could be productive and creative again and give my time to my team instead of a screen.
A. What inspires me the most is people. When I meet amazing people and I really am able to connect with them I feel a spark, an energy, and they inspire me to create things. My digital life was taking me away from that, because I was not able to connect with anybody on a level that I needed, so I realised that I had to spend less time online. Since that, my whole life has changed. I feel so much more inspired and excited by life because when you can really connect with somebody, that’s the most magical thing in the world and I do feel like our generation is starting to forget that. Q. Would you define Kovert technology or as lifestyle?
as
wearable
A. If wearable-tech is technology that you wear then yes, but Kovert is a lifestyle brand. We are trying to lead a movement and get people thinking about how they’re using their technology by helping them to find a way to have a relationship with it. In May we’re going to launch the hashtag #BeKovert, which means you’re being more conscious about the way you’re using technology. We want people to use #BeKovert for a period of time when they’re scaling down the technology in their lives. This movement has nothing to do with the product, with wearable tech or the brand - it’s a mindset. This is not about business or about making money, it is a way to integrate technology into our lives in a more balanced and human way. Q. How would you describe Kovert in three words? A. Real human connection. We care about making eye contact with people and being able to see the smile on their face, being able to hear the tone of their voice if they respond to something. We like to say: ‘We care about human connections far beyond bits and bytes’.
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FROM 9 TO 5 Working in fashion means communicating through your clothes. See what these accomplished women consider their daily uniform.
Fashion & Creative Direction Helen Woltering, Eliza Smithwick, Carlotta Buosi, Nothemba Mkhondo Photography Meike Linthorst, Emmi Hyyppa, Helen Woltering & Carlotta Buosi Hair & Makeup Michaela Fiedler
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VERONIKA VIMPELOVA Fashion Designer
Veronika Vimpelova is a Czech fashion designer based in Hackney. Her designs combine traditional prints with modern shapes. Her roots play an important role in tailoring her garments. The aesthic is clean, technical and geometrical with an emotional bond to her heritage. Delivering quality and transparency to the consumer is of great matter to the 29 year old. The interaction with her home country is her source of inspiration.
Q. How would you describe your style? A. Simple, chic, and comfortable. Q. Why did you pick today’s outfit? A. I like to add some special or modern piece like this necklace to my everyday look. Moreover this shirt is very conformable and made out of cotton, which is my favourite fabric. Q. How do you usually decide what to wear? A. It definitely depends on my mood and the occasion. Sometimes I want people to see that I spent a lot of time on my look and other times I don’t care that much and I even want to be invisible. Q. What does fashion mean to you? A. Fashion to me means art. Not Zara fashion but Balenciaga, for example, is clearly art to me. Fashion also means to express yourself. It communicates your individuality to the outside world.
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KAT KOCH
Fashion Editor at the F Word Magazine
Austrian born and London-based, 28 year old Kat Koch juggles with art and fashion. As the Arts Editor at F-Word magazine, a young online publication showcasing creative talents of today’s generation, Kat creates a crossover between those two entities. After studying History of Art and French at the University of Warwickand she saw the next logical step in working in Contemporary Art. Although she never studied fashion, she always had a passion for this vibrant industry as she was drawing ballgowns for women when she was younger.
Q. How would you describe your style? A. Personal, practical and feminine. Its only been a few years that I’ve braved color. Now I love color and bold prints. Q. Why did you choose this particular outfit today? A. Today’s outfit represents my personality while also issuing a practicality that I feel is necessary for day-to-
day working life. Obviously not the shoes though, they were a gift from a designer that I organised a fashion show with. Until about a month ago I was the London Showcase co-ordinator for RAW natural born artists, a US multidisciplinary arts event.The coat is my favourite piece in my wardrobe. It’s made by a German brand called drykorn: clothes for beautiful people (I obviously love that addendum). Q. What is your favourite fashion piece? A. Well, I named the drycorn coat already, but I have this blue-greyish leopard faux fur which I got last year. You can wear the coat to glam up an outfit or just with jeans. It always makes me feel really sexy and it keeps me warm, too!
“Lipstick and nice clothes cannot change the world but i t ’s a g o o d s t a rt t o f e e l g o o d a b o u t y o u r s e l f .”
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Q. What does fashion mean to you? A. I think fashion is a truly personal way to present to the world who you are, what your interests are, where you’ve been and who you want to be! If I’ve had a bad day or am in a bad mood, it’s amazing what an outfit can do to turn everything around. It may sound superficial, but I’m grateful that I’ve got fashion as a vehicle to get me through rough times. Lipstick and nice clothes cannot change the world but it’s a good start to feel good about yourself.
NATALIE BULL
Digital Group Manager at Harpers Bazaar
“Tilly” Bull, aged 26, is originally from the UK. She is the Group Digital Manager across the Hearst Luxury titles – Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire and Town & Country. Tilly has worked on these titles for nearly two years now. She originally moved to Hearst to launch Esquire Weekly, a tablet edition of the print magazine, and before that was at Condé Nast for three years. Last year, Tilly came number 15 of The Drum’s Top 50 Women under 30 in Digital.
“A w h i t e s h i r t i s m y staple item in my work wardrobe. Chic, timeless and goes with absolutely a n y t h i n g .”
Q. Who are your favourite designers at the moment? A. Whistles & Topshop. I like mixing investment pieces with high street brands to keep my look fresh and updated for work. Q. Why did you choose this particular outfit today? A. A white shirt is my staple item in my work wardrobe. Chic, timeless and goes with absolutely anything. Q. What would you want to do if you were not doing what you are doing now? A. I would be travelling the world.
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SARAH MIKAELA Fashion Blogger
Q. How would you describe your personal style? A. My personal style is quite unpredictable, I would say. I try not to narrow it down too much, I like to experiment with it and don’t limit myself in any way. I love thrift store vintage.
Sarah is a young fashion blogger who, since founding her blog Framboise Fashion in 2009, has grown into a successful style influencer. Her skills vary from writing to styling to photography. UK ambassador for Olympus Pen Generation, Sarah travels around Europe communicating ways to implement daily life photography.
Q. What’s your favorite thing about fashion? A. What has always attracted me the most is purely the clothes and the differences in which designers do their thing and how you can interpret clothes in your own way to make them fun and comfortable for your daily life. For me, it is all about the fun and the creativity of this industry. Fashion is a wonderful thing so why not enjoy it?
When she is not traveling, she lives in East London and collaborates with major brands such as Liberty London, L’Oreal and Hunter. She is followed by readers from all over the world.
“ Fa s h i o n i s a w o n d e r f u l t h i n g , so why not enjoy it?”
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ELLA HUNT Fashion Illustrator
Ella Hunt is a young fashion lover from London. Her passion led her to study Fashion Textiles and Print at The London College of Fashion. The 20 year old is also a very talented fashion illustrator. You can admire her illustrations in the Style Surfer feature and find more of her work on Instagram at ELLAKAHUNT.
Q. How would you describe your style? A. I wouldn’t say I follow a particular style, it kind of just depends what I’m into at the time. 60’s and 70’s fashion are eras that I have always found exciting. Generally ,I think that my style and my designs often have a bohemian vibe to it. Q. Why did you choose this particular outfit today? A. The main reason why I like this outfit is the fabric. I like cotton because it feels comfortable on the skin. The flared culottes and sleeves of the crop top give an interesting silhouette, it’s relaxed yet modern and feminine. Q. What does fashion mean to you? A. It’s just a way of expressing yourself. I don’t like it when people say it’s shallow to judge someone by the way they dress; it’s not shallow, you can tell a lot about a persons interests and the type of person they are by the way they present themselves.
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EMMI HYYPPA Fashion Photographer
Fashion is probably Emmi’s second favourite F-Word as the 26 year old just moved to London to do her MA in Fashion Photography. Emmi is originally from Finland. Sustainability is really important to her which also reflects in Emmi’s style as she loves second hand and inherited items.
“ Fa s h i o n i s w h at marks a certain era, it is how this time that we live in will be remembered for people to see what i t l o o k e d l i k e .”
Q. How would you describe your style? A. My style is really simple and mostly black and white, very clean and sleek. Q. Why did you chose today’s outfit? A. I have chosen this outfit because parts of it are from relatives. A large part of my wardrobe is either secondhand or gifts from friends and family. The shoes I am wearing belong to my mother. My Finnish background is represented in the black and white Marimekko sweater. Q. What’s your favourite fashion piece? A. My favorite fashion piece is a white shirt - it’s always fashionable and you can’t go wrong with it. Q. What does fashion mean to you? A. Fashion is what marks a certain era, it is how this time that we live in will be remembered for people to see what it looked like.
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JENNY UDER Fashion Student
Jenny is 19 and lives in London. She moved to the British capital from Munich to study Fashion Business in the prestigious Fashion School Marangoni. Jenny recently achieved a one-year placement in luxury shoe company Jimmy Choo and aims to become a part of their Online Marketing department in the future.
Q. How would you describe your personal style? A. I don’t think I have a very specific style, I can be very casual chic. I don’t like dressing up every day. I usually take it easy! Q. What do you love most about fashion? A. What I like about fashion is how inclusive it is: everyone has a personal style which makes fashion big part of everyone’s life. I also love how everything is becoming so digitalised right now. I’m interested in the ways in which this is going to develop.
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HYPER-CONNECTED FA S H I O N From online shopping to a Cher Horrowitz virtual closet: The journey of retail as it morphs into the future Dana El-Ghazal
While society still exists as it conventionally does, forms of technology have completely transformed our experiences as consumers of fashion. One defining moment can be traced back to 1978, when computersavvy Michael Aldrich, conceived this idea: the ability to purchase goods without having to move from your couch. Today, we recognise this as e-commerce, or online-shopping, a common practice amongst our daily lives and for some, a favorite pastime. With Internet connection, from a smartphone, tablet, or computer, we can tread the worldwide web and virtually shop for swimwear from Australia to kaftans from India; the possibilities are limitless. Indeed, this development of shopping has completely revolutionised, simplified and maximised our retail experience, but can we predict what’s next? What could be the “next big thing”? Or perhaps the better question is, will there be a “next big thing? Online shopping is the fastest growing retail market in Europe with sales that are expected to grow from last year’s value of £132.05 billion to £156.67 billion by the end of this year, with even higher predictions for the year 2016. Certainly, e-commerce is an ever-expanding sector with no prediction of it slowing down anytime in the near future. In March 2015, we learned of the mega
merger between Italian online fashion retailer, Yoox and London-based rival, Net-a-Porter. It is said that the new group will attract approximately 24 million visitors to its website a month. Once launched, this deal is anticipated to create a business with combined net revenues of £950 million. The latest news to send virtual shock waves across the industry is that Condé Nast’s online “fashion bible” Style. com, known for its high-quality reporting and up-to-date editorial content, is now transforming into an e-commerce site. The new site, overlooked by Franck Zayan whose previous job was head of e-commerce for Paris’ Galeries Lafayette will target Condé Nast readers and sell items across fashion, beauty, and technology. The digital audience of Condé Nast can reach up to 300 million, which is five percent of the world’s adult population, giving them a customer base that exceeds any other fashion e-commerce site that’s currently operating. Zayan has also revealed that Style.com is signing contracts with up to ten brands a week for the re-launch of the website, illustrating the increase in momentum, while conveying the authority of the online brand. A few decades back, shopping used to be a physical pursuit; engaging with retail required the consumer to physically visit a store to browse through a collection,
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We can tread the worldwide web and virtually shop for swimwear from Australia to kaftans from India; the possibilities are limitless
speak to sales people, and try things on. But online, shopping is merely a personal, cyber-reality-store with digital shopping bags and clothes organized by the click of your finger; Category: Dresses *click*, Color: Black *click*, Style: Maxi *click*, Size: 10 *click*, Checkout *click*, and voila your dress will be delivered to your front door by courier. We sometimes forget how technology radically changed retail and the way we build our closest. Virtual wardrobes: a technical innovation that was first presented to us twenty years ago in the movie, Clueless, is now in the works. The lead female and style mogul, Cher Horowitz’s high-tech virtual closet was one scene that remains deeply rooted within our memories. More importantly, it was a glimpse of fashion’s possible future and potential. Horowitz’s computer system helped her create daily ensembles on her own virtual body without trying different things on. Wouldn’t that simplify our incessant need to create and re-create outfits? Today, there are many attempts at integrating that far-fetched fantasy into our lives, such as the London-based tech-company Metail. It isn’t the first attempt to reconstruct Horowitz’s morning ritual but it’s the first that directly references the teen film. Not only can you see the clothes displayed on a 3D MeModel but there’s that added layer of sharing looks on social media with the hashtag #ShareYourCher. Kathryn Barash, a Consumer Marketing Expert explains, “The problem is, consumers have much more shopping satisfaction online, than with a retail experience. Retail shopping is declining greatly.” Due to factors such as price comparability, access to an abundance of clothes and the comfort of being home, online shopping becomes preferable for many. However, retailers’ attempt to counteract this is to offer a more much exciting and interesting experience using virtual dressing rooms. Swivel, a virtual try-on system developed by FaceCake in Calabasas, California, is a software that permits you to see yourself wearing clothes and accessories on a screen reflected in front of you. The software has not infiltrated our lives just yet, but is currently available for
use in stores and even at home. Their vision is to replace traditional dressing rooms with a simulated one. We can see just how much fashion adopts technical methods by taking a look at what some of the big names do at London Fashion Weeks. Britain’s most celebrated fashion brand, Burberry, is an ultimate example of how fashion, technology and digital media are all fusing to create social rigor and online buzz. For Burberry, the catwalks are all streamed on Twitter, Facebook and their own websites for anyone with an Internet connection to tune into. They give fans intimate access and behind-the-scenes glimpses by making use of Vines, GIFs, Hyperlapse and YouTube Videos. In their most recent LFW show, Burberry also trialed the new ‘buy’ option on Twitter, which basically allows users to buy the products directly from a tweet, before it arrives to stores or online retailers. The British fashion house even manages to take it a step further with one of their newest flagship stores on Regent Street. Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer, Christopher Bailer, incorporated a theatrical, digitally driven store that’s described as an “inspiring breakthrough.” The first thing that greets you walk into the store is a vast digital screen that is so overwhelming large. The sales associates are all walking around with iPads, ready for instantaneous queries and purchases. However, the most fascinating aspect of the store would have to be the use of radio-frequency identification. This state-of-the-art technology helps bring product information to customers in the most innovative way. With chips hidden inside the products, it sends signals to digital screens inside the changing rooms and displays details about its craft, completely transforming the way a consumer experiences shopping. Burberry is raising the digital bar in comparison to other retailers, their mentality is revolutionary and are pioneering retail’s upcoming era. This progress in the fashion world with such technologies, applications and software means that the narrative of how consumers engage with retail is constantly changing. The idea is to continuously take it a step further, to fuse existing ideas and technologies to create a more stimulating experience. The visions are neither too futuristic nor too fanciful. On the contrary, it will all eventually be omnipresent.
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SHOW & TELL There is no better way to get to know someone than by going through their closet. Here, five girls reveal their most precious belongings.
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MOYANG YANG Creative Founder of Vernez
Moyang Yang, 29 year old, is based in London where she lives with her soon-to-be husband. Moyang is the creative founder of Vernez, which will launch later this year. I couldn’t live without my... Sneakers, a pair of Skinny Jeans & an oversized jumper
This is the dress I bought for our wedding registration ceremony in London. Our proper wedding party is a week later so I bought a less dramatic dress for the registration.
“On the first sight of this ring, I knew I was the l u c k i e s t g i r l i n t h e w o r l d .”
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DANIA SHINKAR Fashion Textile Student
Dania, 20 year old Fashion Student is from Saudi Arabia and based in London. Two years ago, the word “textiles” did not even come to her mind. However, studying foundation at LCF completely changed her path. It helped her rediscover herself, and the specific field that she was truly meant to pursue.
“A t i n y g i r l w i t h a b i g closet”
“Now, textile design allows me to merge art with fashion by translating my drawings, mark-makings and collages into prints and patterns for fabric”
I couldn’t live without my... Stella McCartney shoes, Topshop skinny jeans & Chanel bag
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ISABELLE EWING Fashion Illustrator
Isabelle Ewing, aged 24, is a Fashion Illustrator based out of Brooklyn, New York. She describes herself as a “medium rule breaker” and her closet as “electic” and “anything but boring.”
I couldn’t live without my... Leather Madwell jacket, black snakeskin booties & vintage Doony & Burke crossbody bag
“A n y t h i n g b u t boring”
“Medium rule breaker”
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TALA ABUISSA Fashion Entrepreneur
Tala Abuissa, aged 27 years, created her dream closet with her husband right after they married and moved into their first home. If she’s not at home being the adorable housewife that she is, she’s off helping with her family business, which consists of an enormous department store, Salam and an even bigger mall, The Gate.
“I love this room the most, more than my own bed, I just love being around my clothes and accessories”
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I couldn’t live without my .. Céline tote, black pumps & colourful clutches
LAURA MORIARTY Fashion Make-Up Artist
Laura Moriarty, 24, is a New York based make up artist. She has worked in a variety of fields, but always knew that she wanted her creativity to grow through makeup. She works primarily within the fashion industry and loves adding her own special flare to whatever she is working on. She says that, fashion and makeup are her primary outlets of self-expression.” I couldn’t survive without my... Nike Roshe Sneakers, Topshop army green bomber jacket & Boxem mascara
“Minimalism with a pop of flare”
“ Fa s h i o n a n d m a ke u p a re my primary outlets of selfexpression”
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STYLE SURFER Helen Woltering
Our look, our spirit, our flair – we construct it. We have the chance to design a new version of ourselves every day by creating our signature style. Still, the signature is not entirely fixed: we use our fashionselves to convey a certain impression. This habit, also known as style-surfing, treats our identity as something that constanly fluctuates. Technology has changed the traditional notion of who we are and how we wish to be perceived by others. In present day, social media plays a tremendous role in allowing us to experiment and explore changes with our style, and sometimes, with our personal identity. If we’ve learnt something from our overly saturated, digitallydominated, self-obsessed world, it’s that the ones who’ve made it are the ones who have also managed to successfully turn themselves into a brand. Bloggers seem to be more like fashion labels while fashion labels try to become more personified.
Women are constantly putting themselves out there through social media, whether it’s through blogs or vlogs, allowing fashion, a field that once seemed to be an untouchable vacuum to be more accessible than ever. And blogging is the pioneer of this change. The increasing number of bloggers is transforming the attitude of fashion brands and for the first time, these brands are paying special attention to what people have to say. Opinion leaders such as Susana Lau (aka Susie Bubble), Leandra Medine (aka The Man Repeller) and Kristina Bazan (aka Kayture) have forged distinctive voices in the industry, managed to achieve profitable collaborations and turned their hobby into a business. Chiara Ferragni’s sky-rocketing success presented her with the opportunity to be on the cover of Vogue Spain, making her the first blogger ever to appear on a Vogue magazine and even had her business platform turned into a Harvard University case study. By now, bloggers really need to step up their game in order to stay in it.
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Bloggers’ Vogue covers and street style snapshots are another reason why fashion has become more democratic than ever. Style icons are now moving mannequins that sell an aesthetic and a lifestyle and encourage millions of women to recreate their looks. Fashion experts no longer only curate spreads in beautiful publications, they are now walking editorials themselves. Yasmine Sewell, leader of one of the world’s most famous retail, fashion and lifestyle consultancies, Etre Cecile, has her photos taken everywhere she goes because of her effortless yet covetable approach to fashion. Caroline Issa, Chief Executive and Fashion Editor of the biannual title TANK, fuels a street style frenzy for photographers when arriving to shows. Her distinct style, emulated by many women, landed her a modeling campaign with J. Crew, a capsule collection of shoes for LK Bennet and Nordstorm. I remember when I launched my own fashion blog two years ago. At that time, I was working for a magazine and I felt the need to express my style. The truth is, the blogging scene is so overcrowded and over saturated that it’s almost impossible to stand out. It felt like it was more about presenting a picture-perfect version of my life rather than expressing myself, which is what I really wanted to do. After a while, I found myself more comfortable working behind the scenes, and allowing my work to speak for itself. Vernez, for example, draws on the developments in fashion and technology and invites everyone to take part in them without pressures to schowcase yourself in the latest it-piece. It is about communicating who you are through browsing, collecting and collaging whatever and wherever you feel like doing it. The platform celebrates style in a very personal way. Since VERNEZ cares about the users’ opinions, the editorial team conducted a survey which revealed that potential users are highly visual individuals, and very much enjoy sharing their style on social media platforms. Instagram and Pinterest are the most popular sources of fashion inspiration among 18 to 35-year-old women who use social media regularly. Tell me which brands you like and I will tell you who you are. It’s impressive to see that 90% of the women following fashion brands on social media and that half of the
respondents indicated that those brands influence their personal style. It also helps them figure out which label they want to be associated with. Women highlighted that fashion imagery on social media makes them try new things, sometimes items they never imagined themselves wearing. For the ones who rarely post pictures of their style on social media, it’s still flattering to receive positive feedback for when they do. According to them, it boosts their self-confidence; a great value as a consequence of social media. Women who empower other women-what more coud we possibly want? But it’s even more rewarding than the boost of self-confidence. For instance, it brings a vast array of networking opportunities. Personally, I made some very useful connections through my blogging period which I still utilize until this very day. So if we use it accordingly and to our advantage, social media can provide us with useful and advantageous prospects. A few days ago, a friend of mine landed a job thanks to Twitter. Does this mean we are missing out on opportunities if we are not entirely exposing ourselves on social media? Not necessarily. Luxury brands such as Chanel and Céline demonstrate the possibility to step away from the digital limelight and preserve a delicate approach that is not so digitally exposed. Resisting the hype is not only refreshing, but it makes the brand seem more exclusive. In the case of mega brands, it does not cause a dent in their sales. On the contrary, designers who start their business nowadays are literally bound to Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. J.W Anderson, Simon Porte Jacquemues, and Olivier Rousting for example have not only confessed to being addicted to social media, but have managed to build a strong digital brand identity through selective posts. So what can we draw from our overly exposed world that tries to constantly sweep our identities into a screen? As with everything else in life, we need a balance, in this case, a balance between the real space and the cyber space. Although it might be tempting to create an enhanced digital version of ourselves, modern women have proven that authenticity is key to generating attention and acquiring success. The good news is that social media is not reserved for the fashion elite but is accesible to everyone. We all have the opportunity to create our own brand. Whether we build it in private or in public, depending on the individual, it’s important to know the doors to the digital world are always open if we choose to enter.
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C AT W A L K COLLAGED Sequins, Metalics, Lace, Graphics, and Sheer Fabrics; five established trends that frequent the runway. Vernez presents a trend report for how they manifest to Autumn/Winter and Spring/ Summer 2015 runway shows.
Words by Helen Woltering Artwork by Jesse Jones
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LACE
This historic threadwork is loved by many. Lace can be worn all over as shown in Sibling’s SS15 collection, or more subtle with silk and transparent fabrics as in Bora’s AW15 designs. A classic “it piece” is the white lace summer dress. It’s always en vogue and a true summer companion; an homage to the romantic and the playful. However, Sibling’s SS15 collection transformed it into tulle and combined it with bold graphics and transparent fabrics to shows that it’s everything but romantic.
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M E TA L L I C
Golden girls rule the runway, but silver is not far behind. Emilio de la Morena’s AW15 collection demonstrates how metallic takes on a whole new dimension. Felder Felder uses electric blue to make their floaty SS15 collection more magnetic, de la Morena celebrates it as a sparkling macro trend. Metallic pieces can be combined with casual whites, greys and blacks to keep it classy, but this season even a combination with bordeaux suede can be adopted. It puts all eyes on you.
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SEQUINS
Shine bright like a diamond! Sequins and glitter allow you to sparkle. In her AW 15/16 collection, Holly Fulton emphasised that sequins and glitter don’t necessarily have to be applied sparcily. Coats with crystal cuffs and collars, shimmering dresses with trickling sequins, speak ultimate glamour. Ashish’s SS15 collection goes a step further and embodies this trend from head to toe and is even more electric. Bright colours, shiny fabrics, light reflecting surfaces; there is no holding back this season as sequins are worn all over.
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GRAPHICS
Geometry to cartoonish style illustrations on dresses, jackets and coats– there is unanimous love for allover prints and graphic elements. Nothing is to be hidden away in the back of the closet as bold prints want to be seen. Bright colour prints have an “it factor” and certainly draw attention, but timeless cuts and shapes make bold graphics work on an everyday basis. David Koma’s SS15 collection uses bold, angular shapes and various colours, which together transform into graphic art pieces. In addition, Osman’s SS15 collection plays with prints. The mixing and matching of patterns almost seems like a collage on the garment.
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T R A N S PA R E N T
Bare it! Your body is in fashion. Transparency allows one to show skin in a sophisticated manner. Sheer fabrics are a great eye-catcher and work well in combination with other materials such as leather. It offers a touch of nudity while being fully dressed. Marios Schwab, PPQ London, Felder Felder and David Koma all celebrate this trend and they incorporate it in their designs to mix translucent fabrics with bold graphics, lace or sequins. For everyday, it might sometimes feel intimidating, but the key, as it is so often, is subtlety.
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DEAR DOUBLE
In the digital era our smartphones and social media can serve as a mirror. It either allows us to reflect our style or it absorbs us into a space where there’s room to discover who we want to be.
Creative Direction & Styling Helen Woltering Styling & Production Assistant Nothemba Mkhondo Photographer Stephanie Galea Make Up Laura Gutierrez Hair John Katsikiotis
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Electric Mini Bag Miami - Stevan Saville
Baby Blue Bag - Chiara Pavan VERNEZ 66
Navy Python Mini Bag - Stevan Saville
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White & Rose Trousers & Vests - Zara
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Dress-H&M Shoes-Nike
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Pastel Robes - Haili Jin VERNEZ 74
Straight Cut Ensemble – Diani Diaz VERNEZ 75
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