DOUBT magazine

Doubt Issue 1

“It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.”

Joseph Joubert

Editor’s Letter & Contents

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The Story of D.Effect

DOUBT is a contemporary European art and culture publication dedicated to the discovery of new concepts, sophisticated aesthetics and the outputs proposed by a range of exciting creatives and tastemakers. DOUBT aims to challenge, question and explore, finding positivity in the elements of doubt surrounding a subject.

DOUBT investigates the boundaries between graphics, illustration, fashion and art – searching for new answers and limitless possibilities.

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Seventies Metabolism

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Third Wave Feminism

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Dissolution of the designer

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The White Shirt Twist Palmer // Harding

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Back to Silk Marina London Interview

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Simplicity of Form

Minimal Europe An interview with Hannah Kim Ford Interview by Lori Lefterova

Which European designer inspires you the most? Martin Margiela, when Margiela worked there himself. Preferably he’s earlier stuff, it was so new and fresh compared to everything else that came out around that time. There was this anti-fashion feel to it.

What’s your favourite gallery in Denmark?

My favourite gallery in Denmark is Louisiana, they always have exquisite exhibition featuring artists from all over the work. Last time I went last summer I saw Yoko Ono’s exhibition.

Where would you spend your free time this summer? I would love to spend my free time around independent London bakeries and cafés, just eating cake and drinking coffee all day. I’d also really enjoy spending my summer days back home in the countryside just biking around and enjoying the picturesque scenery, plus breathe in the Copenhagen summer air.

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An interview with Linnéa Karlsson

Which European designer inspires you the most? Jil Sander, Paul Smith, Celine, Yves Saint Laurent. He wasn’t from Europe though, but the brand is French, isn’t it? But I also like brands such as Cos, & other stories and Tiger of Sweden.

What’s your favourite gallery in Sweden?

When I’m in Stockholm I like to visit the “Fotografiska” that always has new exhibition on. and ‘national museum’ which holds some of my favourite paintings.

Where would you spend your free time this summer? Hopefully in London visiting exhibitions or just walking around in the city looking at architecture and discovering new places.

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An interview with Stephanie Birkett

Which European designer inspires you the most?

Celine and J J S Lee are my most inspirational sources.

What’s your favourite gallery in England?

My favourite gallery is Hayward Gallery in London.

Can you tell us a place where you would you most like to spend your free time this summer?

I’m spending my free time in Scotland this summer!

Art Direction and Styling: Lori Lefterova Photography: Karolina Valeikaite Shoes: Stylist’s Own Model: Kelsey @ M+P models

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Dissolution of the designer Dare to compare couture vs hight street, it is only a question of creativity Written by Alexandra Browne

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wice a year the fashion world group together for a month of fashion. Each season following this event, the high street is filled with copies from the designer collections previously seen on the catwalks at recent shows. Instead of making it difficult for the high street to do this – keeping the designers creations unique – collections are becoming increasingly more commercial and easier to duplicate.

Figures from London Fashion Week last year show the UK fashion industry is up by £5 billion from £21 billion in 2009. The increase in this is due to a number of factors including; the recession – which the UK are currently coming out of, and the rise in online sales in the fashion sector. 43% of designers at London Fashion Week this year had e-commerce sites. House of Holland teamed up with retailers Metail for their show. This enabled the viewers to try and buy the clothes in real time using an avatar.

However, the question is raised as to why the high end fashion designers are allowing their creativity to become commercial and easily accessible. The UK spends more on clothing and shoes (5.6%) than on health (1.7%) and education (1.5%). With fashion being such a key factor in our existence and our individual expenditure, the high street plays a vital part in being at the forefront of fashion. Peter Dunn, Graduate Trainee Print Designer at Alexander McQueen argues that “what is shown to the public may feel samey...the actual creative process to get to that stage is immensely creative.”

“They do follow the same trend forecasting” Dunn explains. He goes on to say that it is so easy for the high

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street to replicate high fashion collections because “the high street watch the high end designers very closely, and that’ll be replicated immediately because… they don’t have to come up with that original concept… And then there only has to be seven points of difference between a high street piece and a mainstream piece.”

The integrity of high end fashion has diminished because of this. We are seeing more designer x high street collaborations and the change in consumer patterns is the reason behind this. 84% people prefer to shop in store with a high street brand than online according to a recent study.

Swedish fast-fashion brand H&M lead the way for designer collaborations. Spanning 10 years, H&M have collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld, Isabel Marant, Versace. Their latest collaboration is with designer Alexander Wang. Other retailers have followed in H&M’s footsteps, with River Island last year collaborating with Eudon Choi last year and Liz Black. Vivienne Westwood for ASOS and Topshop collaborating with Ashish.

Wang told WWD “there will be a new element of lifestyle offering that’s a completely new way of approaching the collaboration” when the news was announced in April this year. He went on to say “they are very open to pushing boundaries and to setting a platform for creativity”. Wang seems to be allowing the high street to take hold of his creativity and make the collection easily accessible to the public.

Although, when the collection launched on 6th November in selected H&M stores, it was very popular. The H&M concession in Selfridges made a

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Illustrations: Ruth McCarthy 12

slightly different alterations gets them out of being sued for plagiarism, that they can then pass off as their own.”

Derek Lam reportedly will be making his luxury fashion brand more accessible to the public.

He said “Traditionally, the plan would have been to just stick to high end. But I went into it saying ‘I want to do as many different levels as possible because I want to reach a wider audience.”

For the future of the luxury designer, the possibility of exploring creativity is becoming bleak. And the

total of £68,442 that day, three days later, the last day to return pieces from the collection over £5000 were returns from the Alexander Wang collection. Many customers remarked how the sizing was completely off. Adweek reported earlier this year that “most designer brands only go up to size 10 or 12. Very few accessible luxury brands have yet to touch that space.”

Peter Dunn thinks high street x designer collaborations are a good idea, “It makes the high street clients feel like they can really associate with not just the brand they normally shop [with] but somewhere higher. [They become] more informed about how fashion can be presented.” The collaborations may be seen as luxury fashion brands losing their credibility, Dunn understands the view point and believes that informing people would take this opinion away, “it’s like producing art work and people need to understand that”.

A spokesperson for H&M said, “the majority of stock is gone as people panic buy on launch day”. The exclusivity of such designer x high street collaborations show that fashion has progressed from an elitist group to spread across the world and is therefore in greater demand. The latest H&M collaboration with sportswear designer Alexander Wang produced queues outside of stores from 5 a.m. the day of the launch.

Neiman Marcus Fashion Director, Ken Downing said “With the onset of bloggers and Instagram, and Twitter, and Facebook, the fashion conversation has become enormous. Today, so many more people are aware of fashion and designers than ever before.”

The progression of social media incorporated into our everyday lives and the demand to be updated with all movements in news and fashion diminishes the surprise and exclusivity of designer creations.

Lam said “We believe in developing a conversation [with our customers]. It’s never about holding back information.” Therefore, the creative process is not as exclusive and special if other brand are able to access this information, making it easy to duplicate ideas. “There only has to be seven points of difference between a high street piece and a mainstream piece,” says Dunn, “Seven

opportunity for a young designer to create their unique identity and brand is hindered by such things as the economic climate in the UK and the shift in consumer patterns. The fashion industry is a notoriously difficult sector to “make it” in and halting the creative process for future design icons is stopping fashion in itself.

“A smart designer understands the importance of developing a business that’s profitable but without losing that creative spirit and losing that dream of what the runway is really about.” Says CEO of the Luxury Instititue, Milton Pedraza.

Fashion is known for exploring and breaking boundaries and the norm. Without recognition from certain agencies – the rise in design awards - it is a difficult industry to break without being commercial.

“The people who have been really pushed forward have won prizes, have been able to enter various awards, gaining recognition” Peter explains. He goes on, “It also needs to be commercial, you need to look at the buying demographics for stores. For example, Selfridges won’t buy certain pieces because it doesn’t fit their customer. The same with smaller boutiques, those two alone could possibly eliminate some of the pieces that are produced for a collection.”

Another problem with fashion becoming so easy to duplicate is that future generations are learning from fashion now. “Young consumers are looking for quality and design, but they’re also looking for ‘new’,” says Pedraza. “They’re much more open to new and affordable brands.” It seems that fashion houses that have been established for a number of years are more successful at keeping their designs new and creative. Adweek reported that Chanel and other “top-tier” luxury fashion brands “sky-rocketed 70% in the past five years and are inflating their prices and reducing access to entry-level products in order to create exclusivity and differentiate themselves from the lower-priced brands encroaching on their territory.”

“Ubiquity does breed some backlash,” says Pedraza.

“The problem with luxury retail is that you often don’t know where the line is until you’ve crossed it.”

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Thrid Wave Feminism A discussion about feminism. From low maintenance t-shirts to Karl Lagerfeld SS 15 Written by Alexandra Browne

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fter the Mail on Sunday reported the £45 Elle UK t-shirts with the slogan ‘this is what a feminist looks like’ is being made by women in a Mauritian factory, working for 62p an hour, questions are raised as to whether the latest surge in the feminist campaign is doing the cause any good.

The ‘this is what a feminist looks like’ t-shirt has been plastered all over the internet, showing how many celebrities and media personalities are in support of feminist ideals. Labour leader Ed Miliband, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alexa Chung and Emma Watson have been pictured wearing the shirt. Author of Not That Kind Of Girl and creator of hit series Girls, told The Guardian “If feminism has to become a brand in order to engulf our culture and make change, I’m not complaining”.

On the other hand, Bad Feminist author, Roxane Gay said in relation to the current feminist movement from media personalities, “It frustrates me that the idea of women enjoying the same inalienable rights as men is so unappealing that we require – even demand – that the person asking for these rights must embody the standards we’re supposedly trying to challenge. That we require brand ambassadors and celebrity endorsements to make the world a more equitable place is infuriating.”

Interestingly, there have been more promotional photos of men wearing the shirt than women.

Especially, MPs; the World Economic Forum released

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statistics that the UK parliament is 23% women. A percentage that has only risen recently with the cabinet reshuffle after campaigning by feminist groups.

According to the World Economic Forum, the UK is now ranked 26th in World Equality, in 2006 the UK held 6th place. If the latest feminist movement, seen sweeping the nation has been positive for female equality there would be more changes in society.

Earlier this year, Emma Watson, founder of the HeForShe campaign and U.N. Women G o o d w i l l A mb a s s a d o r gave a p a s s i o n ate feminism speech in New York which was applauded with a standing ovation. She said: “I decided I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me. But my recent research has shown me that feminism has become an unpopular word. Apparently I am among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, anti-men and, unattractive.

Why is the word such an uncomfortable one? I am from Britain and think that it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think that it is right that women be involved on my behalf in policies and decisionmaking of my country. I think it is right that socially, I am afforded the same respect as men. But sadly,

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Screen Prints: Amanda Smith 16

I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive those rights.”

Emma Watson is right, social issues are influencing this movement. The word feminism leaves an air of stigma, negative connotations and stereotypical characteristics when spoken of. Stories are emerging daily from women who receive abuse, or are raped because they ‘asked for it’. Anti-harassment organisation

Hollaback! released a video in the hope to end street harassment which featured actress Shoshana Roberts who was catcalled over 100 times in 24 hours.

The social view of women needs to be changed before progress can be made for equal rights. This summer The Sun newspaper stopped printing Page 3 but society was in turn rewarded with Vine maker, Dapper Laughs, whose misogynist approach to women has won over the ‘Lad’ nation. Lad culture has become inescapable. University social clubs have been all over the news with stories about how they treat women. London School of Economics, Oxford and Nottingham University are amongst a list exposing women in a number of ways.

Media’s approach to women needs adjusting too. Magazines, like Elle UK, photoshop and edit their models to make them more ‘attractive’. This view, that women are never perfect until computer generated does not help how women treat other women.

Actress, Renee Zellwegger was recently abused online after attending the Elle Women’s award ceremony in Hollywood when she looked slightly different to how she did last time she was on a red carpet, 5 years previous. Women from across the globe tweeted how ‘unrecognisable’ Zellwegger was and how some ‘monster’ had possessed the actress.

Zellwegger hit back the following day declaring

she had changed her diet, “I’m glad folks think I look different! I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows”.

The fashion industry is constantly under fire for their un-feminist approach so it came as a shock when Karl Lagerfeld produced a feminist march for Chanel’s spring/summer ‘15 collection in Paris. Models waved banners reading “Feminist but Feminine” and “We can match the machos” for a designer known to criticise females. Katie Yoder, a media researcher for Fox News said, “With Karl Lagerfeld’s previous criticisms of curvy women, the message he sends appears hypocritical and suggests that white, thin, tall women are the only acceptable champions of the movement.”

Dana Lam, former president of Aware spoke at the Singapore Writer’s Festival said how western feminsim is stuck in “intellectual cul de sacs” and claimed the future of feminism is in the developing world. Therefore, the changes from the feminist surge is not coming from western media personalities. Media researcher Katie Yoder explains, “feminism would include all types of women and all views on what feminism can mean...the movement has evolved into an obnoxious liberal clique”.

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THE WHITE SHIRT TWIST The white shirt should take centre stage and become the main attraction.

Written by Alexandra Browne

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t has been an essential item in every wardrobe for decades. Man or woman, the white shirt is that trusty, go-to item. For any time of the day and for any occasion. The staple that is the white shirt never goes out of fashion - but this year it’s having a moment. It’s time for the white shirt to take centre stage and become the main attraction. The most versatile piece of clothing is having a makeover this year.

The white shirt has been around for centuries. It was worn as an undergarment up until the sixteenth century when it became more extravagant with ruffles and detachable collars. Slowly befitting the item we see today. The evolution of the white shirt has since made it a popular garment with both sexes.

Spring/Summer ‘14 catwalks revealed changes to the traditional white shirt for both men and women.

The unisex wardrobe staple was seen cropped, with cut-out sleeves, an asymmetrical hem and in dress form. The popularity of the white shirt and the endless variations reminded us how versatile it is.

At the AW14 London Collections: Men the white shirt emerged on many catwalks –reinvented. London based designers Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding of Palmer// Harding created white shirts that were traditional, yet different and creative. Palmer told Style.com “We feel the white shirt is a neglected bit of a mans wardrobe” adding that it is “always though of as layering pieces, and we want to make the white shirt the star of the show”. Until now, the white shirt is usually seen on office workers as part of their suit and work attire or formally at dinners and parties. The design duo achieved their

goal, adding something different to each shirt. The display of asymmetric hems, built-in jersey panels and origamilike collars create a less formal side to the white shirt.

Although, the shirts Palmer//Harding created are different and inject attitude into the male wardrobe, the shirts are classic, timeless and versatile. “Men can be quite timid in their fashion choices, they want something traditional but they also need something to break up the same old, same old”.

Palmer said about the male wardrobe choices, encouraging them not to be less formal about their decisions when purchasing a white shirt.

Palmer//Harding have sparked a trend and have challenged the way the white shirt is viewed and worn. Although, they are not the only brand that has experimented with the white shirt. Massimo Casagrande added texture with a bubble effect running down the shirts, a bib and an inside-out pocket was attached to other shirts. Costume National, Brioni, Bottega Veneta and Salvatore Ferragamo amongst others have changed the classic white shirt into something more up-to-date and different. Leather look touches and a range of different collars have been spotted on the streets since. The high street have also taken a shot at creating their own white shirts with a twist.

As always, the high street versions are toned down making them more accessible. High street versions of the white shirt with a twist has been extremely popular for womenswear. Lace, boyfriend fit, ruffles, pleats and panels amongst others, are the most popular shirts on the high street available at the moment. TopShop,

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Warehouse and ASOS lead the way with the most varied and largest collection of white shirts. The popularity of these shirts have been seen on the streets at fashion week and day-to-day life. Rachel Montague-Ebbs, Editor in Chief of online magazine “Lady M Presents” says this is “bringing the white shirt up-to-date and taking it away from the school girl/school boy trend and adding something to it; making it more versatile”.

At the head of this trend for men is TopMan, with white shirts that have mesh panels, asymmetric and

mullet hems, bibs and have a variety of different collars.

ASOS have also adopted themes from Palmer//Harding in which they have incorporated jersey into the crisp white shirt. ASOS have also experimented with slight ruffles and pleats down the front of their shirts. Vivienne Westwood seems to have inspired Replay in which they have created a boyfriend shirt for men, which is most commonly seen on women. All these have a more relaxed and informal approach making them popular with the ordinary man.

Photographer, Alistair Guy explored the white shirt in his latest exhibition, titled “White Shirts” which focused on Hollywood Glamour, a label which has moved on slightly from the “white collar” worker but still has that social status theme attached to it. The emergence of celebrity culture has potentially aided this Hollywood Glamour culture. James Bond famously wears a silk white shirt with his tuxedo and has become an iconic figure with male celebrities wearing it on the red carpet.

Guy unveiled this exhibition in time for London Collections: Men, where the white shirt was centre stage for many designers. Guy asked his subjects - a collection of models, musicians and designers, including David Gandy, Sascha Bailey and Hugh Harris to wear “a simple white shirt to put more focus on them” to create “a classic and timeless portrait”. Words Guy also uses to describe the white shirt, he adds “it is clean and simple. The white shirt is always being reinvented”.

The white shirt was adopted by women during the First World War and since then has become women’s own clothing item with iconic images throughout time; such as Audrey Hepburn’s white shirt tied at

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the waist and Anna Wintour’s 100th anniversary of American Vogue featuring models such as Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer all wearing a classic white shirt. The classic white shirt for women has changed slightly over the years as lighter fabrics and a more fitted structure are common with women today.

Like the catwalks for Men’s fashion this season, the white shirt was seen all over for women. This white shirt that has been recreated is modern and injects a bit of fun into the wardrobe. Seen at Balenciaga, Kenzo and Carolina Herrera the white shirt had been cropped, volume was injected, pleats were added and different structures were experimented with.

The traditional men’s shirt was spotted at Chloé, Jason Wu and Kenzo. This oversized structure on a female gives the outfit a masculine edge. This was popular as tailoring was also a big hit on the catwalks.

Alongside this, romantic shirts were also spotted at Blumarine and Lavin, with oversized pussybow necks and frills. Petter Copping, designer for Nina Ricci opened the show with variations of the white shirt, with boyish silhouettes and elongated lengths.

Peter Som’s collection of white shirts added a masculine edge to his floral and feminine touches.

Som told Christiana Binkley at WSJ.com “It can be the star of a look or it can be a backdrop for a great print” He adds, “That’s the best thing about a white shirt - the world is your oyster with one.” And he is not alone as Rachel Montague-Ebbs agrees, “You can wear it formally, or you could wear it casually. You can do what you like with it and that’s the best thing about it.”

It’s time for the white shirt to take centre stage and become the main attraction.

Collages: Annie McGill 21

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Back to Silk We chat to Marina Guergova, the designer behind the brand MARINA LONDON. Interview by Ellen Nevrokopska

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arina Guergova is the designer behind the brand MARINA LONDON. Bulgarian-born, British-bred she found a gap in the market and set up her own business in 2011, after graduating from CSM’s Fashion Design and Marketing course. Now with more than 15k followers on Instagram and a spot at the Designer Showrooms at LFW she tells us more about the success of her brand and her healthy way of living.

What does it take to start from scratch and build a successful brand? I think to have good idea that is in someway unique. To do something, even if it’s just one thing, but do it well. Be a specialist in whatever you pick to do. Don’t try to do it all – it’s not possible.

Also, patience – there is a lot of trail and error along the way and if you can’t hack it, it’ll break you. You just have to believe in your idea and infect people with it – make them believe in your vision and see themselves within it.

Your clothes have an outlined feminine and sporty feel. Where does the inspiration behind that come from? I have always loved sports and I being a sporty person I love the idea of mixing the luxury of silk with sportswear details. My favourite decades were the 70s and 90s, so the latter shines through quite a

lot. From my silk trucker cap that I did last summer, to elastic details on shirts. I love playing with it.

A key factor in your success is your dedication to silk. How hard is it to run an all-silk brand?

It’s easier than running a brand that tries to do everything. It’s manageable and realistic. I have a wonderful silk supplier and I only work with them.

Their quality is exceptional and we’ve worked together for years. They know me and I know their product, we have a great relationship. You have to make life as easy as possible when you have your own business and in the beginning if you concentrate on just one thing – it’ll help you build strong foundations.

Are there any designers out there you would like to collaborate with? There are so many!

I mean I would love to work with Vans in some way, Penelope Chilvers, Jessie Harris, Moleskine.

We have to admit it. We are massive fans of your Instagram page, where you share many inspiring lifestyle photos, but can you tell us more about the role that the social media plays

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in your business. Thank you – I’m so glad to hear it! The social media phenomenon, or Instagram to be precise, started in 2010, a year before I started my business. I was immediately aware of what an incredible opportunity for brand awareness that is. Photography has always been a huge hobby of mine and being able to promote my brand through instagram, the way I wanted to, couldn’t have been more perfect. Social media, in many ways, allows young brands to grow and all the support from customers that we get because of that really is impressive.

It’s such a wonderful tool if used well and sensibly.

And finally tell us more about your daily routine. Where do you drink your coffee? What are your favourite activities? How does your day end?

I guess I always start the day with hot water + then a spoonful of Manuka honey at 8am. Love a DIY fresh juice first thing – carrot, orange, ginger, apple and sweet potato is great. I usually have big breakfast like eggs

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with avocado and chilli or porridge, coffee at Birdhouse or Story on St John’s Hill in Clapham. Go to my studio and work from there all day doing all sorts bits and bobs. I’m not a fan of lunch, so I don’t really have it during the weekdays – I just graze lots throughout the day. I try to go to the gym, do yoga or spinning three times a week. Have a hot shower at Shoreditch House, grab pizza in Pizza East (best pizza in town) and then I love the movies, so maybe watch a movie with my boyfriend and then go to bed around midnight. I’m an owl and not a morning person, but I’m constantly trying to be more of a morning person – it’s pretty hard!

Art Direction: Lori Lefterova Photography: Alissa Whitefield Styling: Lauren Newberry MUA & Hair: Hannah Williams Model: Sabina @ MiLK Management Clothes: Marina London SS15 Shoes: Stylist’s Own

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The Story of D.Effect The Creative Director of D.EFECT Egle Ziemyte tells us how she started her own brand and how she established the ideology of the beauty of imperfection Interview by Lori Lefterova

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an you tell us a little bit about yourself and how D.EFECT was born? Before starting D.EFECT, I used to work as a stylist and I think it has helped me a lot in terms of that I do not see the clothing I design as separate pieces living a life of their own – I see them as a collection, as a story, as a little world within the bigger universe.

When I was a teenager I won a few modeling competitions in Lithuania and in the Baltic States and was about to go to sign a contract with one of the bigger modeling agencies in Milan. I had always had a passion for sewing and was always making clothes for myself, but the first steps I had in the world of modeling really persuaded me that a career in fashion was my destiny.

I decided to choose design studies instead of modeling.

While studying I also started working as a stylist, which then led me into a fashion editor position in one of the leading Lithuanian magazines. That was such a valuable experience for me and something I really enjoy doing – creating lookbook shoots is always as fun for me as it is to design the collections. I think these past work experiences have also led me to thinking that we do not want to be just another brand that creates nice stuff. We are working really hard on sharing the story of the brand, sharing the idea of embracing #TheBeautyOfImperfecton. This is what we want to be known for – a brand that believes in women, believes that women are beautiful just as they are. And, oh yes, we also create really good clothing!

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Your clothes have an outlined sculpture and male silhouette feel. Where does the inspiration behind that comes from? I am a big fan of sculpture and architecture, it’s my constant inspiration source. If not for fashion, I think I would have gone into architecture. This is there my love for structure, architectural, monumental shapes and stiffer fabrics is coming from. But I love contrasts and experiments. These strict inspirations from architecture are always contrasting with my idea of a woman – she is intelligent and curious, not afraid to flaunt her femininity or reveal a more playful side.

I try to create clothes that have interesting design elements, but are very easy to wear at the same time. It’s interesting to search for designs which are not simple, but are very simple to wear.

Is it easy to combine traditional and modern influences in to your designs? It’s a never ending challenge. My goal is to create simple, wearable designs that have special details, something that you might not see immediately or something that your grandmother might think is torn apart already and not suitable for wearing anymore. It’s these little details that make our style more interesting, just like the flaws of personality that make us unique.

It might come through exaggerated or extremely shrunken details, rips done on purpose, contrasts, interesting asymmetrical details or constructions…

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Illustrations: Kriste Stankeviciute 28

The brand ideology is based on the notion of the beauty of imperfection, was it easy to create and establish these ethics at the beginning? It’s not easy or hard, it’s just something I truly believe in. My affection for imperfections started way earlier than D.EFECT. When I was doing my final collection at University, I focused on clothing which were seen as flawed, not suitable for sale. The more I was exploring this idea, the more I started noticing these patterns in our real life. We are all trying to show the best, the most perfect version of ourselves, constantly improving our bodies, curating our Facebook profiles and training our personalities to reveal certain traits and hide the other ones. The result of this is an army of people which are identical. It’s not how I feel it should be.

I am imperfect and I strongly believe it’s what makes me special, what makes me real. I do not need to wear masks anymore, to prove something to the world. I want women to start enjoying life and who they are more and worry less about things that are of very little importance. Beauty fades. I’d rather just enjoy what we’ve got now and enjoy every single moment that I have, stay free and natural. I am not saying we should stop trying to be the best version of ourselves.

I am just saying that there is no point in concealing who we actually are in order to become someone that some sort of industries or people are claiming we should be. This is how the name of the brand came together – we are aiming for the effect of defect.

We can see a big variety of fabrics in every one of your collections, how do you decide on the materials you will use each season? Timeless designs and fantastic quality are our priority. These items are not meant to be loved for just one season and replaced

the next one. Naturally, we are looking for fabrics that feel nice, that you can be comfortable wearing them.

It’s important they don’t restrict movement and I always prefer natural fabrics to synthetics. However, there are so many beautiful interesting synthetic fabrics these days as well, so we are not limiting ourselves to any options. Texture and contrasts are always on my mind as well. But there are no rules.

D.EFECT’s collections are photographed in a very minimalistic, but interesting way, looking more like editorials than lookbooks. Where do you draw inspiration for the photoshoots? Do you work with the same team every time? Usually, yes, we work with the same team. We are all very passionate about what we do and get super excited and can brainstorm for way too long on how our next lookbook photoshoots should look like. I think it’s also very important – pictures tell a story, they share a mood. They reveal D.EFECT as a person.

Your Stockists are pretty much all around the world, but is there a specific place you want to stock that you haven’t got the chance yet? Oh so many! World domination is still in our plans :) How do you keep yourself and your brand individual? I think most designers have their own individual vision. The fact that we are based in Lithuania, further away from all the main fashion capitals can be both an advantage and not to us. We are already based in a completely different environment then everyone else, meaning I am exposed to different things and can have different inspirations from other creatives.

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Simplicity of Form Inspired by Brutalist architecture and minimal shapes, accentuating functional aesthetics Written by Karolina Janicka

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he UK-based brand Vidur has released their new Autumn/Winter 2015 collection. They keep with their usual concepts, mantains a strong line of style-driven outerwear especially on anoraks, which are almost a brand staple item.

In this collection short and versions can be found of a lot of the items. The most prevalescent colours are blue, black and white; with these colours they maintain the feel of futurism and modernity and comfort.

One of the most interesting items is the thick blue shaped jacket. It ties in the waist for a hugging shape.

With really thick material it makes for a perfect choice of autumn or winter coat for those cold rainy days.

With square shaped tunics and shirts it brings a classical feeling with a modern twist, they give a feeling of technological improvement and futurism almost as if from a science-fiction film. The collection brings a strong reinformencent of the brand’s modernist and futuristic identity with soft twists of colour to add personality to the clothes.

Photography and Styling: Lori Lefterova and Lauren Newberry Clothes: Vidur AW15

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Compulsive Orderliness The designer Isabel Helf tells us about her latest multifunctional collection and her innovative techniques she used producing it Interview by Lori Lefterova

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ow did you decide to do MA Fashion Artefact after studying Womenswear in Schloss Hetzendorf? Already during my bachelor studies in womenswear, especially during working on my final collection, other materials than just fabrics caught my attention and the idea of experimenting with different shapes, techniques and methodologies aroused my interest. In addition, it has always been a dream of mine to live and study in London some day.

Because a friend of mine studied Fashion Footwear at London College of Fashion I got to know the Fashion Artefact Course, which excited my interest immediately and I decided to apply to be able to change my subject, expand my professional knowledge and work more experimentally with new materials and shapes.

Portable Compulsion is your latest collection, where does the idea for it come from? The idea for Portable Compulsion evolved in the last couple of years when I have developed a strong interest towards varieties in human characteristics as well as typical ways of thinking or mind-sets for those who are

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affected by a behavioural or mental disorder, such as a neurosis or a compulsion. Depending on the degree and form of the illness, affected people are following certain behavioural patterns. I became interested in the form of these patterns and their cause. During my research on different forms, I believe to have found a compulsive orderliness in my own person, which is why this one gained my attention in particular and I translated its research into a collection of six artefacts.

Your pieces are not just accessories, they also look a lot like furniture, how do you achieve this?

During my research about a compulsive orderliness I found out that one origin that can be linked to the risk of developing this kind of disorder is lack of space within home. Enough room is a crucial factor for wellbeing, but because of the shrinking places nowadays, people are being forced to live in a space saving and efficient way. Therefore my pieces are designed to be used as a handbag, furniture or as a storage, where all parts can be used separately as well as together thus fulfil the criteria of my aims, namely space-

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Photography: Iringo Demeter 38

saving, multifunctional and practical. Because of this fact, and furthermore because I used traditional woodworking methods such as fingerjoints and dovetails, my collection does also look like furniture.

You create a balance between the objects and the surrounding area in Portable Compulsion.

How do you attain this? Every object within my collection is related to a place where it fits perfectly like a piece in a puzzle, therefore they are space saving and satisfying. The shapes of the bags do either fit into, onto or under a storage place at home, in this way the balance of order is preserved and they have a conserving function at the same time.

Can you tell us a bit more about the production of the collection, how did you decide on the materials and about your self-developed methods? For the furniture part within my collection I used hardwood,

such as Tulipwood, American Walnut or Wenge, in order create their shapes, get stability and make furniture characteristics visible. To produce the wooden part of my collection I had the amazing opportunity to work together with a joinery in Austria, who helped me to realise my ideas by providing me with a working bench within their workshop, their tools, machines and their knowledge. Thus I had the chance to expand my professional knowledge. I used traditional wood working techniques to show craftsmanship combined them with digital manufacturing techniques including CNC Milling Machine or Laser Cutter in order for them to survive for a long time period and to be a sustaining piece the customer’s could even pass on for generations. The bag part within the collection is made of an English cowhide, which is strong in general and possess the strength to stay by itself, but capable of collapsing as well. To highlight some wooden details I used gold plated brass.

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UTILITARIAN ESSENTIALISM David Cabra talks about his latest collection made from innovative tailoring techniques and mixture of synthetic materials Interview by Lori Lefterova

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an you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? I am a Colombian (not columbian) designer graduate from the Master of Arts in Menswear Design at the prestigious London College of Fashion in 2015.

Almost all of my professional experience has been with menswear. Firstly at Barcelona, where I got my bachelor’s degree in LCI FDmoda, while working for menswear designers like Josep Abril and Karlota Laspalas. Secondly while my stay in London where I worked under the Menswear Director at WGSN. Your research is very striking. What is your process? My design process is aimed at the interaction, research and development of new materials and fabrics, its relationship with utilitarianism and the use of innovative tailoring techniques.

Another of my major focuses is researching the relation between garments and accessories, reaching for functionality and essentialism.

Generally the concept behind of every of my collections begins with a aesthetically strong image that I found, then I start researching about of the

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origin of this image and how I can translate all its essence with my design process like similar colours, textures, and shapes. I like connect elements that not necessary are related to each other like for example in my last collection Functional Hybridisation whit the functionality of the space suit and the beautiful colour up cycling pieces of the artist Michael Johansson.

could be a pocket bags and at the same time could completely hide the mouth of the pocket making them invisible, so the pockets are there but not in your face. Behind the Functional Hybridisation collection every jacket and coat have this “hide” functionality and complex construction with the goal of make every single piece an essential-detail garment.

You use a lot of synthetic materials with different texture in Functional Hybridisation, how did you decide on the fabrics for the collection? Since I started my Masters course I was really interested in decontextualize the concept related with synthetic materials generally associate with cheap garments and protective uniforms. So my first project was about use PVC fabrics used for tailoring pieces made entirely with an ultrasonic sewing machine that eliminates needles and threads and seals the edges with no stitch holes preventing penetration of water. These are the construction processes that I really attracted elevating synthetic materials to a luxury level with sophisticated utilitarian designs.

The functionality of the spacesuit stays behind the concept of your accessories. Can you tell us a bit more about the interaction between accessories and clothes in your collection? During all my Master’s I was intrigued by how much integration there is between the various accessories and the spacesuit, such as with the PLSS (primary life support system) backpack which provides the astronaut with enough oxygen to survive in the space. With this concept as a reference, I based my design process in how the relation between garment-accessories could be more functional and sophisticated so I developed a system of openings in the jackets and removable straps in the backpacks.

The benefit of this methodology is that the accessory not only visually enriches its aesthetics but also provides functionality. The accessories to be part of the garment can be converted into “extra pockets” and can even change the silhouette and proportions of every piece.

You have a diversity of small, but very sophisticated details, which are not common for functional garments, how did you come up with that? In my research I found the generally concept when people talk about utilitarian garments also thinks in military and pockets all over the place. In my design process I try to change this preconception into something more refine and sophisticated. So, I started to play with the idea on how the pleats

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Portrait Photography: Diana Castilla Photography: Chairit Prapai Make-up: Yumi Noh Model: Aaron Lesta Candal

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SEVENTIES METABOLISM A crossover between tailoring and architecture

Art Direction: Lori Lefterova and Lauren Newberry Photography: Rosaline Shahnavas Styling: Eudon Choi Hair and MUA: Izzy Cammareri Model: Danielle @ FM London Clothes: Eudon Choi AW15

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The Domestic Feeling Scandinavian Design: Beauty and Simplicity Written by Karolina Janicka

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candinavian design emerged in the 1950 as the image of functionality, simplicity and modernism.

It has since earned respect and praise all around the world as a modern commodity and design choice.

In the development of modernism and functionality the idea that beautiful yet functional modern objects can be affordable was the basis for the development of the design. Possibly the most prominent of companies to advocate for this is IKEA, created in Sweden and known world wide for its easy to assemble furniture and simple design, they are now a world leader in modern affordable furniture and décor.

Scandinavian design came from the need of count r ies in nort her n Europe (Nor way, Finland, Sweden, Denmark) for functional and effective items with clean and simple lines that didn’t require any heavy parts which meant that they were really easy to assemble and use.

What gave this style elegance were the subtle decorative qualities of the early 20th century with subtle colours and prints as well as the simplicity of the lines and cuts used during the inter-war movements. At this time beautiful items had to

be very functional and this concept was highly regarded as this kind of design aimed to appeal to the masses, and was therefore known as “democratic design” for its accessibility and affordability.

This ideology comes mainly from the Swedish Society of Industrial Design, which aimed to promote design for the general public to easily access and enjoy. And the changes taking place in Europe in the 20th century affected this; people desired beautiful objects that were easy to use even if they were available to the masses. This important balance between beauty, simplicity and availability was identified by the Scandinavian people earlier on and has ever since been maintained which can be easily seen among Scandinavian artist and designers.

But this form of design wasn’t only applied to furniture and household items. It also invaded the areas of fashion design, photography, textile design…

Probably the most prominent textile company with simple Scandinavian design is Kvadrat. It is a textiles company that has co-worked with major international brands as an established textiles and upholstery provider for designers, be it fashion or

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interior, all over the world. It has 4 major showrooms in London, Copenhagen, Milan and Stockholm.

They have contributed to some of the worlds most influential architectural developments such as The Gherkin in London, The Museum of Mdoern Art in New York, The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the Oslo Opera House in Norway among others.

One of its most notable works is the collection created with Raf Simons, the Belgian fashion designer who began his career in furniture design and further moved on to menswear and landed a job as the creative director of Dior.

With Kvadrat, he developed a collection of home textiles that were presented during London Fashion Week last year. Simons presents in this collection his distinguishable ability to mix colours and materials, which made his collection instantly inspiring and innovative and earned him the Wallpaper Desing Award this year.

It came to life when Simons was looking for heavy-duty material for his 2012-2013 Autumn/Winter collection at Jil Sander when the CEO of Kvadrat got in

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touch to search for a designer that would replace the Swedish textile designer Fanny Aronsen after her death.

In creating it, “the domestic feeling” was a priority and according to Simons they actively tried to avoid any heavy duty, glam-impact fabric in order to give the fabrics a more human touch to provide for the home. The collection also included four of Arsonen’s original designs in new colours as a tribute to her work and innovation within Kvadrat.

What can be said about Scandinavian design, in all aspects of it, is that it aims to create beauty without being overpowering, allowing anyone to make it work for them, be it in the house or on their backs. This style and conduct has inspired many artist and photographers and is more and more cherished in the modern European culture and art world. It has brought reinvention of the old and the introduction of the modern blended together into a world where anyone can find something for them.

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Doubt Magazine Contriburors Editor

Photography Alissa Whitefield Ellen Nevrokopska Emily Hadden Iringo Demeter Karolina Valeikaite Lauren Newberry Lori Lefterova Rosaline Shahnavaz

Lori Lefterova

Graphic Designers Lucelia Foote Nicole Marshallsay

Writers Alexandra Browne Ellen Nevrokopska Karolina Janicka Lori Lefterova

Illustrations Ruth McCarthy Kriste Stankeviciute

Screen Prints Amanda Smith

Collages Annie McGill

Designers Palmer//Harding D.EFECT Eudon Choi Marina London Vidur David Cabra Isabel Helf Hannah Kim Ford LinnĂŠa Karlsson Stephanie Birkett

Styling Lauren Newberry Lori Lefterova

Hair and Make-up Hannah Williams Izzy Cammareri

Models Danielle @ FM London Kelsey @ M+P models Sabina @ MiLK Management Theo Spencer Vanesa Lu

Special Thanks To David Poole Philip Clarke

Photography and Styling: Ellen Nevrokopska Model: Vanesa Lu