Upaul Chowdhury
28/11/11
Catherine Khim, London
Upaul Chowdhury
This is what I wore to the TellusFashion launch party. I toughened up a white lace dress with gladiator-inspired clogs and a studded waistcoat for an unexpected twist.I kept my accessories within the earthy theme, with a bronze chain and a cuff; I wore a burnt-red-and-gold leopard-print clutch for a pop of colour. My hair was in a messy, tousled ponytail, a la Selena van der Woodsen. So what do you think, hot or not?
28/10/11
Stephanie Grace Foy
Upaul Chowdhury
Post by Daniel Dunt from That's So New York. This post was one of the winning entries with TellusFashion and Independent Fashion Bloggers for front row tickets to the TellusFashion Launch Party.
By now I’m sure you’re all aware that I’m somewhat of a hawk when it comes to the release of new stores or finding brand new designer names who I can jot about on more than one occasion (what can I say? I’m not one for a single mention, yet instead like to border on the annoying with multiple kicks of information) whether it be in my notepad, on a sticky note or even right here, shouting about it like I’m some Victorian Londoner who is trying his best to sell the morning newspaper. Okay, so they might have had a slightly more demanding role if you consider the bad hygiene and lack of food at the time, yet either way I think that we’re all crammed into a similar category, right?
Before this turns into a full-blown history lesson, please do let me elaborate on my findings. TellusFashion.com is a brand new online-store (okay, so perhaps it’s not completely brand-new and I’m just a late customer-related bloomer, but neither is it an ancient online favorite) and crammed within this brand new online-store is an accumulation of independent designers, from the likes of Adolfo Sanchez and Heidi Mottram (both names which I have previously come across) to Stephanie Grace Foy, a new designer name in my eyes, yet to be fair knowing my luck, she’s probably right up there with the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen by now, right?
For those of you who are like me and have not been graced with the likes of Stephanie Grace Foy prior to this post, let me enlighten you. Stephanie was recently thrown the award of “One to watch” at the Irish Fashion innovation awards and I’m pretty sure that it doesn’t take a genius to work out that a “One to watch” award is kind of a big deal for an independent designer, whether it be Irish, British or even Spanish. After flicking through Stephanie’s MA, Autumn/Winter 2011 and Spring/Summer 2012 collection it has become apparent that she is all for the use of drapes and isn’t fazed at the thought of mixing two or three different materials together in one design. For example, one of my favourite collections from Stephanie would have to be her Autumn/Winter 2011 collection and throughout this particular assemblage of designs, Stephanie uses a mix of jersey, silk and what seems to be chiffon. Yes, so you’re probably thinking “So many fabrics! What on earth was she thinking?” But I wouldn’t worry, cause she only went and bloody pulled it off didn’t she?
(Note to self: The word bloody makes you sound like a top notch Englishman.)
Just in-case one of you stubborn-types are reading and are finding my persuasion techniques a little hard to believe, I went to the trouble of grabbing you an image of one of my favourite items from Stephanie's Autumn/Winter 2011 collection via TellusFashion.com, cause once again, I’m a top notch Englishman.
Image Credit: The Greek Dress by Stephanie Grace Foy via TellusFashion.com)
This particular piece sums up Stephanie's work in a nut shell. We have the use of pleats and drapes; two features which would almost instantly throw any designer to the top of my favorites list when used, followed by the somewhat clever use of reflective materials to ensure that the illusion of light is present in a season we all often relate with the dark and damp (or if you're like me and still attend school or college, you may welcome this particular season with frumpy sweaters and waterproof eyeliner, because being stuck in a classroom all day or alternatively outside in the rain in a pair of heels and a dress is simply too impractical and for most, impossible.)
Lastly, can I just scream about my admiration for all things Grecian and ancient? That's right everyone, I'm a sucker for a good ol' bit of history and yes, that does include them seemingly tedious documentary's we see on television so often.
(Note: If you would like to purchase a piece from Stephanie Grace Foy's Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, you can do so via TellusFashion.com)
28/10/11
Menswear Mondays - James Kearns
Upaul Chowdhury
Post by Grace Molan from Moda De La Mode This post was one of the winning entries with TellusFashion and Independent Fashion Bloggers for front row tickets to the TellusFashion Launch Party.
James Kearns Suit. Photo by Dani Riot
The work of James Kearns is not something that you can just pass by. His jackets may appear understated at first glance but the quality, technique and the texture of them alone are shouting out to grab your attention.
Kearns has designed a range of jackets which emulate suit (dinner) jackets, adding another dimension to the concept of leather jackets. The colours range from a crisp, clean white, a pewter grey through to a jet black, the traditional colours of dinner jackets. Kearns' trademark of sharp tailoring mixed with an rough/unfinished edge is prominent in this collection, drawing the attention of young, stylish men looking for a creative take on a wardrobe staple.
James Kearn Suit. Photo by Dani Riot
What makes his jackets so special is not just the impeccable tailoring but the choice of fabric used to create them. Each jacket is made from unlined pig skin which has either been waxed or used as suede to give each jacket it's own unique texture. Due to the fact it is unlined, the jacket can easily mould to the wearer's body creating a second skin and taking the term 'bespoke tailoring' to the next level.
James Kearns Suit. Photo by Dani Riot
James Kearns does not just stop there when it comes to his designing talents. Having been a successful designer for over 5 years,he is only just been recognised as an up and coming designer. He has taken this opportunity to branch out and has created a womenswear line which keeps the same principles of the menswear collection but adds a feminine, sexy edge to the garments. His new passion however, lies in women's shoes which also have been adapted from his original menswear shoes and given a feminine edge.
Moda de la Mode has been lucky enough to interview the designer himself and in addition to this, I have been given some exclusive photos of his new shoes for women. You will see them nowhere else....
James Kearns' Womens Shoes. Photo: James Kearns' iPhone
Womens Shoes by James Kearns. Photo: James Kearns' iPhone
What made you decide to design menswear?
I was designing for myself primarily as I was unable to find what I was looking for and after wearing my own designs I started getting outside interest and that's really where the label began.
When did you first start designing?
Just over 5 years ago.
Tell me about your decision to move into womenswear too!
It has always been a great interest of mine and it happened quite organically becoming the next step in the label and once I got started I got really inspired by the silhouette and the lines and how to give the designs a similar feel to the menswear but with a sexy, feminine edge.
What motivates you to design and what has been the most motivational thing to happen to you with regards to design?
It's all about the leather and the quality of the product I use. It is incredibly difficult to source the materials and leathers I work with and am starting to build up an international network of contacts who know and understand the type of leather and quality I am looking for which leads me to source from various countries and every now and then I will come across something so amazing that it can inspire 100 new ideas.
Talk me through the design process. Does the footwear design process differ greatly from the suit tailoring design process?
Yes absolutely. Everything I do is completely hand made including the shoes which is an incredibly laborous process and the only machines I use are my sewing machine and a machine to cut the soles out because they are too thick to do by hand which then get re-worked to give it that rounded finish, but the end result is something completely unique every single time, and the shoe itself becomes it's own story we dont hide the nail marks inside the shoe as it shows all our shoes are hand lasted and the carved sole is never sanded to a polish the whole process makes it a very honest.
Having said that at this very moment after having purchased just over 240 foot of leather and from that struggling to find 26 square feet to cut one jacket to specification can sometimes make the footwear process seem much simpler..
What is the future of the James Kearns brand?
Right now we are looking at pushing the standard conventions of tanning and hoping to soon be collaborating with a tannery in Holland to be working on some very experimental and unusual tanning techniques which I hope will show new possibilities that can be done with leather. "
If you are interested in seeing more designs by James Kearns, please visit his profile on TellusFashion
28/10/11
The way we see things is affected by what we believe.
Upaul Chowdhury
Post by Elisa from Style Bizarre This post was one of the winning entries with TellusFashion and Independent Fashion Bloggers for front row tickets to the TellusFashion Launch Party.
Ten names. Ten words printed on paper, and you don’t even know they existed before. Then you click on that name and a whole new world opens up in front of your eyes: the next big names of fashion are weaving the fabric of our dreams to come. TellusFashion brings these name up to our awareness.
I was stunned by one in particular: I’ve found a plastic world, made out of weird sea creatures in human shape. Kelly Bull is a talented designer who know perfectly well what she wants to say with her designs.
- INSPIRATION I know this is probably not what Kelly was thinking when coming up with her collection, but I can’t help but thinking about the abyss when I look at her creations, which is probably what you would see if you looked in the deep where her works come to life. Creepy, dark, full of creatures and deep like the abyss.
- MISSION Kelly states that her 2011 Collection is not about silhouettes, but it’s about marks. She wants to give shape to the feeling of manipulation, the feeling that we are and we will always be influenced by other people, if not constantly observed by them. She chooses to use strong images that keep lasting in your eyes even after you saw them. I have to say she could do it very well.
- SHAPES Edgy but soft at the same time, Kelly’s shapes are one of a kind: she doesn’t get inspired by any designer or garment I’ve ever known, she just creates shapes directly from the way her visions tell her. I think the title of this post perfectly fits her thought and modus operandi. Materials are now pulled out to sharp ends, now crumpled into rusty waves or winding ruffles, all geared in big metal bracelets and army boots.
- MATERIALS Here comes the good part: the designer used not only latex, which is a controversial clothing material, but liquid latex! This brings us to the very essence of couture, where designers are always trying to find new fabrics, new textures, new way of weaving. Kelly summed all this up, and decided to make sculpture out of fashion. Or fashion out of sculpture. She litterally carved, cast and moulded her creations into shape, from her hands to the catwalk. I can’t hold back an amazed “oooh!”.
THE STORY SO FAR A little summary of the steps Kelly took to arrive to this point; experimentations, photography, feelings, emotions.
KELLY’S SCRAPBOOK It’s her portfolio, actually, but I love the way she made it look like a scrapbook!
All the latex story sounds very familiar to me: I’ve written my whole graduation thesis about it. I’m very intrigued by the way we could use plastic/rubber materials and all the uses we could make out of it, and we still haven’t. Latex is still confined in the fetish carousel, and can’t get out of there! If you’re curious, here are some of my testings with latex material:
Be sure you check out Kelly Bull’s website, and TellusFashion. What do you think about these emerging designers? I loved other two of them, Stephanie Grace Foy and Vergi. Check them out, too, it’s really worth the time!
28/10/11
TellusFashion: Dominique Kral.
Upaul Chowdhury
Post by Ellenor Marie from Fashion Stitch This post was one of the winning entries with TellusFashion and Independent Fashion Bloggers for front row tickets to the TellusFashion Launch Party.
image credit: www.catwalking.com
Like any up and coming final year fashion student, I was glued to what was happening at this years Graduate Fashion Week. This was the level of work we were all aiming to achieve with our own final collections. While I didn't go to the actual event, I managed to watch some of the catwalks on our every friendly video website www.youtube.com.
While I had many favourites that showed at the exhibition, one of them being Miss Dominique Kral. So when a blogging competition came up through website TellusFashion (click on the link to look at the amazing fashions that they are selling) and Miss Kral was one of the new up and coming designers to write a blog post upon- well surely it was a sign to go for it right? So want to know more about this recent graduate?
Studied at Northbrook College, Dominique was the winner of the Zandra Rhodes Catwalk Textiles Award, an award that demands an innovative collection through original design and construction. This I believe is clearly shown in Dominique's collection. The prints are new and forward thinking. The mixture of the knits with the waist snitched armour gave the look that was intimidating but not something to be scared of; it made you want to explore the garments more.
image credit: www.catwalking.com
image credit: www.catwalking.com
I love the quality of the craftsmanship of each separate garment. And the knits- hard to believe that they were all done by hand and the only training she had was a ten minute lesson from her grandmother.
To find out more about what inspired the collection more and the work that she put into her collection, I decide to e- mail Dominique to ask her some questions; which she happily answered.
image credit: www.catwalking.com
1} What inspired your collection?
My collection was initially inspired by lyrics to songs by an american country/folk bands lyrics which inspired me to look at insects, mainly beetles and moths, combined with skeletal remains and bones. I was able to photograph loads of insects and bones in the New Forrest. Along with photographs, I took in various museums these became the prints.
2} How did you find working with the materials that you chose for your collection?
I knew the knitting was something I wanted to do so I asked my grandmother to show me how to cast on, do a knit stitch, pearl and how to cable and just learnt from there by experimenting with different ways of cabling and stitches. I love the outcome of hand knitting so was determined to learn which is probably the reason I was able to pick it up so quickly. I had also never worked with leather before making my collection, and I discovered I love working with that as well and combining the shiny leathers with knit which is such an opposite texture and prints creates a variety of textile qualities which gave the collection extra depth.
3} Who is your celebrity client for your collection?
In the design process I used Alice Dellal as a muse as I love her alternative, modern rock 'n' roll style which I kept in mind throughout the collection. Jessie J is another celebrity I could see wearing my collection as I think her style crosses over with some of the pieces in the collection.
4} How did it feel to win the Zandra Rhodes Catwalk Textile Award?
It was absolutely amazing, I never thought I would even get to Graduate Fashion Week at the beginning of the year; let alone win one of the awards. Zandra Rhodes has always been a inspiration to me, her book was the first fashion related book I got when I was about 13 and it's always on my shelf by my desk ready to be flicked through in times of inspirational need.
image credit: www.catwalking.com
5} What was to you the best thing about studying fashion?
Probably the people you meet while studying and the freedom you have to experiment and do whatever you want to do when designing. I would definitely do it all over again.
6} What do you hope to do now you have finished studying?
Currently I am selling my own line with TellUsFashion online but I would like to work in different areas of the industry as I want to gain as much experience as possible.
7} How did you find the pressure of creating a final year collection? Can you give any advice or pearls of wisdom to current third year fashion students?
Working on a final collection takes so much dedication, it involves working in every day for months. All I can say is experiment as much as you can with different shapes, cuts, fabrics, etc. before settling on final designs and don't give up.
image credit: www.catwalking.com
I hope this helps give people an insight into what an award winning graduate collection looks like, and the time and dedication it takes to do so. I think her last comment is refreshing for current final year students to hear, the long hours, sleep deprive and none stop working days do account to something and are worth it. I hope you have enjoyed my little piece and if you are a third year student, this has given you some inspiration and encouragement to your work. Good luck and have a good week everyone! Xoxo
28/10/11
100 % British
Upaul Chowdhury
Post by Victoria from Style Marmalade. This post was one of the winning entries with TellusFashion and Independent Fashion Bloggers for front row tickets to the TellusFashion Launch Party.
Just a break from my Day of the death and Tim Burton's week to talk about this new British designer Thom Neal and his modern twist towards British fashion.
For me plaid equals country side and U.K Heritage, In the right amounts could make a look stand out from the crowd and I think Thom Neal collection has the right amount of plaid combined with earthy colours and materials like ripstop nylon, cotton and a variety of wools woven in England and Scotland.
This brand is truly all British not only all garments are UK manufactured also the collection has been inspired around British music history. If you want to see more of his collection you can go to his website HERE!
For my everyday look this is my right amount of plaid. What do you think do you like plaid/tartan?
20/10/11
Would you like to blog for TellusFashion? Apply now
Upaul Chowdhury
We always strive to support upcoming fashion mad bloggers with a fantastic writing style.
If you feel you fit the bill, please email me, Upaul Chowdhury on upaul@tellusfashion.com. Applications outside of the UK are also welcome.
For the more established fashion bloggers, the Guest Blog allows applicants to take over the blog for a week with exclusive content about anything fashion. Foe further information please email me on upaul@tellusfashion.com
17/10/11
Kata, London
Upaul Chowdhury
Mega Fun with friends on the way home from Uni. Love me or hate me,
RATE ME!
