Modest Materialist Dec 2014

SIMON UNGLESS

WAITI NG FOR A CHALLE NG E

By Marlen Hernandez

Photo: Wes Sumner

He has an impressive roster of connections in the fashion industry, and the education and experience, desired by many, to be a successful fashion designer. A 1992 graduate from the prestigious school of Central Saint Martins and hailing from a South London studio shared with creative thinkers, Simon Ungless currently holds the title of executive director of the school of fashion at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

It wasn’t his intention to become an instructor. He needed a facility to create fabrics for his colleague and close friend, Alexander McQueen, so he recommended himself when Natalie Gibson, the head of textiles at Saint Martins, asked him if he knew of anyone who could fill a position in the textiles department.

Simon became the technical tutor of the textiles department and worked closely with Will Broome and his second year assistant Sarah Burton on Will’s senior collection. The three got along really well and although Simon wouldn’t consider the hundreds that asked to intern with McQueen, he however introduced Sarah. He saw something special in her, “I saw something beautiful in her. Very gentle and calm and kind person. Very unlike Saint Martins’ students, wasn’t interested in dressing like a wacker, was more about the work and skill development.”

Since then, he has enjoyed working with different groups of students and their collections because it is always a different approach to design. Simon finds it interesting to watch the students grow, “I’m always amazed and inspired by their creativity and

skill.” Simon also realized that he couldn’t accept creating the same product for the same client year after year. “Well, this is stupid” he recalls from working for a brand.

As executive director of the fashion school, Simon Ungless oversees projects such as the new permanent store Shop657 opening up in Union Square on December 10th. He is also the editorial director for the school’s 180 Magazine. Against the wall in his room he has a sizable white board with student inspiration images set for photoshoots for the magazine. Although he is part of the process he doesn’t plan on using the store nor the magazine as a venue for his work. He draws, paints, and creates things on his free time but is not eager to put it out. He is gratified with the liberty he is given with every job at the school to take his

right trend at the right time.” Everything else is derivative work he has seen repetitively in his 23 years in fashion education. He reminisced about the props he and McQueen included in the collections such as deer heads on models, “Maybe it was really naive or weird but it was part of a story and it made sense.”

Simon believes there are too many students creating things that have been done before and with no story behind it as well, “I don’t think it is considered about”.

His view point is not that fashion is moving too fast in today’s age, but that there is too much and it is boring. “They’re driven by retail too much…there are so many people in our industry who don’t know what they are doing,” Simon says regarding designers who are producing for today’s market.

There was an economic recession and many are afraid to take risks but Simon insists that, “All the more reason to not play it safe…Everything good has come out of some kind of hardship.” Simon is determined to turn around the insecurity and such low point of view in the industry. Paul Wilner the Journalism Coordinator at the Academy of Art says, “His work ethic is amazing - he sets the bar very high, and it’s not unusual to get emails from him at 5 or 6 in the morning.”

“I’m dying for somebody to do something new and really challenge me. A challenge for everyone, the industry is so ready for that again.”

-Simon Ungless own direction. He also works with the students showcasing their collections at New York Fashion Week, “It gives me enough of the taste of that side of the industry to keep me satisfied. I love shows, casting and show production.”

Simon is actually eager for a designer to challenge him, “I’m dying for somebody to do something new and really challenge me. A challenge for everyone, the industry is so ready for that again.” There are some students that blow him away even when their collection is very wearable, but it so happens that, “That student completely understands the

A tip for success that Simon wishes the students will follow is to pay attention to who their classmates are.

A team is needed to create projects, and collaborating with students

from other majors can be very helpful as well. It is easier to get through to people if you build relationships and are friends. Simon lives by this philosophy which is how he has attained some of the jobs he has had. The majority of the fashion students at the academy can agree that Simon seems intimidating and a cold man but Paul Wilner says, “He has a British sense of reserve, which can be misinterpreted by some”. Simon says he never wants to be cold, controlling and uninspiring, “If a student challenges me in some way, and I can’t help, then I’ll say I don’t know but I will find out.

Mr. Ungless feels secure with the job he is doing and dedicates a great amount of time doing so, however during his free time he loves spending time in nature. He recently pur-

chased a home in the Marin County and is developing a green thumb as his yard requires a lot of work. He loves living in Northern California as it has easy access to the desert, beaches, mountains, and forests.

Flying is not a common way of traveling for the soft-spoken brit. He enjoys road-tripping to the desert and shooting clay pigeons with his friends. The desert is a very inspirational place where one can also go and free themselves of all distractions. The need to be resourceful at a place like the desert let’s a designer concentrate and make the best of his or her craft. He strongly disagrees that one should live at a fashionable city to create art projects or pursue an education in fashion. It can be done anywhere, even in the middle of the desert.

Photo: Kim Lucian

Badgley Mischka’s Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear Badgley Mischka’s Spring 2015 Readyto-Wear collection had more than just ready-to-wear, it had fairytale pieces.

The show took place on Tuesday September 9th at The Theatre in Lincoln Park, New York City. Mark Badgley and James Mischka remained true to their design philosophy, and did not disappoint with their feminine silhouettes and luxurious detail (badgleymischka.com).

The daywear clothes were so fresh and elegant that it was easy to picture the Duchess of Cambridge wearing them.

Truly fit for royalty. The collection progressed cohesively but it was still possible to pick out looks for day and nighttime. The opening look was fresh and flirty with a bandeau and breezy silk pants. The following looks were also in the category of dressy day wear and perfect for a lunch out with girlfriends. There was a tweed jacket paired with a cotton skirt, as well as a tweed with wool dress appropriate for a day at the office. The pieces could easily be interchanged with a cashmere sweater, silk shirtwaist, cotton skirt, and tweed shorts. The colors were relatively high key for the first sportier half show. There was white, gray, beige, light pastel blue and green to notice.

It was a gradual progression towards Bradley Mischka’s princess-like dresses. The first sighting of a strapless glitzy gown came in long with sheer silver florals and a fitted bodice. It was a great opener since the rest were in silk organza, intricately designed bodices, florals, ruffles, and head-totoe sequins (wwd.com). Also, the

gowns were occasionally tiered with sheer tulle fluttering gracefully down the runway. The colors blended well with more white, gray, blue, purple, pink and beige. The youthfulness was conveyed through the model’s beach waved hair and colorful streaks and eyebrows.

It was a very feminine lavish runthrough and historic since Badgley and Mishka were celebrating their 25th anniversary of partnership.

Naomi Campbell escorted them for their final bow looking glamorous in a shimmery gold dress. And of course it wouldn’t be an anniversary celebration without balloons falling from the ceiling during the designers’ bow.