Thursday style crush

EMANUEL UNGARO wrap around ruffled sandals, £880

This morning we found these amazing ruffled sandals on Net a Porter's "new in" section, and to be honest STITCH is head over heels in love. These shoes conjure up images of Poison Ivy, with their beautiful organza ruffled vines appearing to grow up the model's legs. Architectural and structured as much as they are feminine and pretty, this is shoespiration at its finest from French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro, and the artistic heels even feature a full zip, making them as wearable as they are "stare-able". Yet another breathtaking example of wearable art and textile genius on the SS14 runways. 

#WCW - Beyonce's Tour Wardrobe

Here's a challenge: find a woman in the UK who doesn't absolutely idolise Beyonce? 

Yeah, we thought not.

A few days ago this amazing behind-the-scenes footage emerged of Beyonce's tour wardrobe, and unsurprisingly the clothes are as beautiful as the woman herself. 

Stage outfits are known for breaking conventional fashion boundaries, due to their "showgirl" quality and glamorous nature. However, add to this that they are worn by one of the world's most famous performers - who is known for her vigorous, fast-paced choreography - and suddenly things are a lot more technical. Beyonce's stylists had so many factors to consider: they needed outfits that were inkeeping with her tour songs, well-made so as not to fall apart during a hip thrust, not too restrictive for Bey to wiggle around in, and on top of all this keeping up her overtly sexual and glamorous aura. Mission impossible, right?

Somehow, it's been achieved. And with pieces designed by Versace no less (but what else could you expect for Queen B?!)

The materials and textiles used are as extravagant as their wearer. From jewel encrusted to suede fringed to leather panels to diamond embellished to metal buckles and straps. The artistry and dedication from the team behind the wardrobe is astonishing - it took 300 hours to make that beautiful Versace dress! However, STITCH's favourite look has to go to that beautiful sparkly polka dot jumpsuit. It's got movement, versatility, and incredible sparkly dots that glitter perfectly as Bey flies across the stage, and matching sparkly heels to boot. An outfit fit for a Queen indeed...

And that's why we've decided to award her tour wardrobe with the coveted #WCW (Wardrobe Crush Wednesday) crown. 

What's your favourite look from Beyonce's tour wardrobe? 

Pick of S/S '14's wearable art collections

I'm sure you've all had your fingers firmly on the S/S '14 fash pulse since last autumn's shows that revealed the array of pastels, punchy logos and artistic prints we should all be wearing by now (if you weren't wearing the trends by November 1st then shame on you...)

However, there is one particular trend putting S/S '14 firmly in the spotlight, and indeed making it STITCH-friendly. It's about time to give these collections a spotlight. Here's our pick of S/S '14's most wearable art that all you late-to-the-party fashion bunnies should know about now.

1: PRADA STREET ART

Miuccia Prada debuted a brave street-art-inspired collection for S/S '14. Featuring loose fit dresses with visible bra detail, and huge female faces splashed across the front, the collection used images from six artists from across the globe, and paid homage to themes of Mexican street art and... feminism?

"There is this debate about women again, and I want to interpret it. My instrument is fashion. I use my instrument to be bold. I had this idea that if you wear clothes so exaggerated and out there, people will look, and then they will listen," Miuccia said to Vogue of her collection.

Alongside the pieces, Prada created an artistic spectacle at their S/S '14 debut show that sadly isn't visible in any photographs of the runway. However, reviews and blogs reported the sight of huge murals of women's faces emblazoning the walls surrounding the runway - the same faces Miuccia has printed onto her garments, actually. She discussed the use of these colourful and empowering images as being "the multiplicity of guises that women assume in the course of a day, or a lifetime".

Textiles-wise, the garments appear as diverse as their design; with embellished bra-sections, the use of fur (albeit controversially as part of a summer collection), chunky ribbed socks and jewel-encrusted shoes to name a few. Prada's collection encompasses everything STITCH envisions as "wearable art", and is made all the more fabulous by its connections with feminism, links to Mexican street art, and showcase of global artists. Bravo, Miuccia.

CREATE THE STREET ART LOOK ON A BUDGET BY LOOKING FOR GRAPHIC PRINTS WITH PAINTBRUSH STROKES AND BRIGHT COLOURS, SUCH AS THIS ADIDAS JACKET

2: LIBERTY x NIKE

Nike x Liberty S/S '12, image taken from Office

Following on from their huge success in S/S '12, Nike and Liberty have joined forces once more for a new shoe collection due to drop next month (keep all ears to the ground, and all elbows pointed, of course) - and STITCH is very excited about it.

The marriage of art and trainers is certainly nothing new. While Liberty x Nike may stand at the forefront of this sector, other successful collaborations include Basquiat x Reebok and the recent Adidas x Raf Simons (there's now even designer flip-flops, hi! Valentino x Havaianas).

However, there's just something a bit special about Liberty x Nike. We're all about supporting the British textiles scene and the vast amounts of craftmanship that goes into creating heritage garments, and Liberty London is one of the most quintessentially British brands there is. Founded in 1875, the brand and mock-Tudor emporium that houses it, have become symbols of luxury and beautiful design. Liberty art fabrics were one of the first creations to come out of the brand, printing and dying onto imported oriental silks. Today Liberty art fabrics are as famous as the brand itself - you can recognise a Liberty print as soon as you see it, with their signature bright colours and vintage floral-inspired patterns. 

Nike have skillfully married sport with fashion, canvas with florals, and old with new for an outcome that is as beautiful as it is popular - their last collection sold out instantly - and so very wearable. STITCH suggests keeping yourselves poised for the next drop so you don't miss out again. Coming April 2014.

3. UNIQLO x MoMA

Over in the US, Uniqlo have joined forces with MoMA to create a range of T-shirts that represent a group of artists hand picked by the brand. "These artists are among the most innovative within their disciplines and most dynamic in stretching boundaries across various mediums. Their diverse works address a range of issues important to the global community" said Uniqlo of the project, which is built up of 14 white t-shirts with slogan designs on the front of them. STITCH's personal faves are "no more u, no more me" and "Life's 1/2 price for suckers in love." 

The artists featured are: Carlos Amorales, Emily Roysdon, DETEXT, Franklin Evans, Nick Mauss, Matthew Brannon and Lize Mogel, each of whom have created two tees (one male/one female design). Their eclectic backgrounds is part of what makes this collaboration so interesting - ranging from sculptors to photographers to installation creators. Especially inspirational, however, is the skillful way such a big brand have taken a group of artists and given them the recognition they deserve through the un-ignorable medium of fashion design. Just like Liberty x Nike, these pieces are extremely wearable from day to day - and isn't it great to know you're helping to represent talented artists in the process?

MORE INFORMATION ON THE MOMA x UNIQLO COLLECTION HERE (NB: CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN US)

4. LOUIS VUITTON TEXTILE PROJECT

         

Louis Vuitton is a brand that has become known for its high fashion pieces that are also highly wearable. The words "Louis Vuitton" have become synonymous with French glamour, sophistication and high quality since the label was founded in 1854. 

So how surprised were we to see this turn of events - a Louis Vuitton project seeking to showcase artists? Three artists from across the globe (Andre/Paris, Kenny Scharf/USA, INTI/Chile) were given the opportunity to splash their own designs onto signature LV garments, with two of them choosing the silk square scarf and the other opting to graffiti street art onto the infamous Monogram shawl. 

This project, again, marries the idea of street art and fashion, and gives a spotlight to up-and-coming artists. Supporting the next generation of artists is part of the STITCH mission, and what better way to achieve this than by collaborations with the most legendary labels in the game? These scarves are wearable, edgy and fresh, but undoubtedly with that coveted LV luxury twist. Shop the collection here

5. VIVIENNE WESTWOOD FOR ASOS

The pairing of legendary designer Vivienne Westwood with online-shopping giant ASOS could very well be a match made in fashion heaven. Add to this the fact that her Ethical Africa collection of bags are handmade by communities in Nairobi that are effected by extreme poverty (using upcycled materials like recycled canvas, roadside banners and leather scraps) - this is fashion that looks good and also does good. 

From a textiles point of view: the craftmanship is outstanding, the textiles is ingenious, and the pieces are so usable (and affordable, starting at £58). We're completely sold - are you?

SHOP THE (SLIGHTLY SOLD OUT) COLLECTION HERE 

ONE TO WATCH: Georgia Loveridge

When you meet Georgia Loveridge you would be forgiven for assuming she is your usual 21-year-old London-based Textiles student, living and learning at UAL's Chelsea College of Arts (one of London's most renowned Textiles art schools). 

But it is only when you go on to chat with the young student that you realise the level of enthusiasm - and talent - she has for the art medium she works with. Working predominantly with digital printing of fabric creations in exciting textures and bright colours, Georgia's work champions STITCH style: it's fresh, diverse and inspired. 

Her talent is such that fashion power house Louis Vuitton (menswear team), actually ended up buying one of Georgia's designs. "It was a good moment," she modestly describes.

So what inspires Georgia's unique designs? "Contemporary and post modernist art," she says. "But interestingly I also love the more retro too, like 50s architecture and interiors, and family photographs from the 60s and 70s."

"I chose to study textiles because I felt comfortable in that specific medium, and I've always enjoyed translating art work onto fabrics. I really like the idea of being able to wear art - with all the thought process, inspiration, and craftmanship behind it."

Some of Georgia's work

Georgia works as a digital printer, layering different brightly coloured fabrics together in different cuts and shapes before digitally printing her work. "I'm often working in quite a 'flat' way," she says. "But I love collage and layering up different materials to get a mixture of textures, which I then develop into these digital prints."

As any artist, however, Georgia is always striving to improve. "I think I have just become more sure of my own way of working, so slowly my designs are becoming more refined and achieving a better final outcome - I used to really struggle with this part of it!" When questioned about the future, she reveals the likelihood of a possible shift into another expression of textiles: "I can see myself moving more towards interior textiles rather than fashion textiles."

As previously mentioned, Miss Loveridge had unexpected success when some of her work was sold to the menswear team at Louis Vuitton, an achievement that she ranks as her proudest artistic moment yet. "I was so proud and pleased with it. I feel the colour combinations came out really well, and Louis Vuitton must have agreed too!"

Georgia's work that was sold to Louis Vuitton's menswear team

I decided to drop in the ultimate STITCH bombshell and seek Georgia's opinion on the future of textiles. This blog so far has focused primarily on diverse and exciting new ways to see textiles (and fashion) as art, and Georgia's inspired digital textile prints are no exception to this rule - challenging the usual expectations of how textile art should look (and a far cry from the image of knitting and stitching that the word "textiles" usually evokes!). 

"I think textiles have - and are always - evolving, much like fashion design itself," she says. "I think innovative textiles are needed for the fashion industry to make clothing exciting."

"There are always aspects of fashion that definitely act more as a work of art than actual wearable pieces of clothing. Couture pieces would be the most obvious display of that! Just like pieces of art they go for thousands, so there's not really that much of a difference."

Whether you like her innovative take on textile art or not, there's no denying that Georgia's work is very different, bringing new and fresh ideas to an evolving medium. Her inspiration only confirms our belief that art students really are the ones to watch. Aside from the obvious - they are students, learning new things and are the artists of tomorrow - today's art students are working in the most exciting time for their field, a century when barriers have been broken down and the rules around what art can and should be have been redefined. The most unique ideas are emerging all the time, and Georgia sits proudly amongst the throng. Her marriage of the old medium of textiles, with a very modern technique of digital printing, puts this unique twist to her work and signifies her ability to keep up with the 21st century art pace.

It is for this reason that STITCH - and Louis Vuitton - think you should watch out for Georgia Loveridge. Her digital prints could very well be seen inside your house in years to come...

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT STUDYING TEXTILES AT CHELSEA COLLEGE OF ART, click HERE

SPOTLIGHT: Wendy Moyer

Sculpture is one of the art world's oldest and best used forms, allowing artists to bring their inspiration away from the wall and into a multi-dimensional, touchable, textured and altogether more realistic piece. This can be achieved using any number of materials, from clay to paper mache and chicken wire. However, textiles is one medium that seems unimaginable to sculpt and work with in such a way.

That was until an elongated Google browse happened upon Wendy Moyer. STITCH is constantly looking for textiles artists, simply just to admire their work, but something about Moyer's 3D material sculptures caught the eye more than the usual barrage of embroidery and knitting. Aside from the obvious (clothes), I suppose I had never quite entertained the idea that you could mould the edges of scraps of fabric in order to create something stiff that didn't hang or lie flat.

Moyer uses heat to melt mainly synthetic fibers into her sculptures - a technique she found purely by chance whilst singing the edge of a piece of fabric to prevent it from fraying. She realised that if you held the flame on a little longer, synthetic fabric became really mouldable. Moyer now uses this method (often coupled with use of wire and hand stitching) to create a variety of fabric sculptures, focusing predominantly on natural elements and flowers.

"Fire as used with fabrics, particularly synthetics, is a bit like alchemy changing a once soft material - whose natural inclination was to fold and drape - into a rigid material that will hold its fold or drape forever."

(from interview with textileartist.org)

"Flor de pasion"

The talented textile sculptress collects fabric scraps from up-cycled, unwanted or shop "seconds" clothing to create her masterpieces. Moyer will search through local "mercados" in Mexico to find textiles to use for her projects, often originating from well-known brands like Calvin Klein and Banana Republic.

This is just one aspect of Moyer's work that is so interesting - she expertly gives old, unwanted and otherwise unloved clothes an entirely new lease of life. Thus the previously unwanted items can be admired every day on the walls or coffee table of someone's house, rather than in an old wardrobe or market stall gathering dust.

"Flor de la noche"

The unique approach she has taken to the marriage of textiles and art is completely awe-inspiring. Sculpture has been given a modern twist, and her beautiful flowers are breathtaking even through photograph - one can only imagine how they would look in real life with 3D design and fascinating textures.

Upon creating STITCH, the primary aim was to explore the unique relationship between art, fashion, and textiles. Since then we have veered into the more abstract - the pieces that challenge conventional values about what art should look like. Just like Anya Hindmarch's bag, Moyer's creations do just this: bringing an every day object (flowers) and translating it into a work of art by use of inspirational craftmanship. The pieces have a real story - from the upcycled clothes used to make them to the revolutionary melting technique.

Wendy Moyer, you can sit proudly as one of STITCH's favourite artists chanced upon in our journey so far. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit Moyer's website here  

Crispy genius

This week our attention was unexpectedly drawn to one of the most talked-about S/S '14 pieces: Anya Hindmarch's crisp packet clutch bag. Spotted in the hands of Emma Watson and Caroline Issa amongst other fashionistas, the bag comes in a choice of four colours and will set you back £995 apiece (deep breaths, please).

Photo: Anya Hindmarch website

Inspired by "space debris" (honing in on the futuristic trend that never seems to disappear from our fashion radars) the bag was debuted at the S/S '14 London Fashion Week shows.

In typical STITCH style, however, we're not really interested in who is carrying this beauty on their arm this season - or indeed in how this piece is styled, and why it is so popular. What's captivating about this bag is its undeniable uniqueness and obvious craftmanship.

You see, Hindmarch here has actually STARTED with the obvious: a crisp packet. This is photographed from all angles, and then computer generated. The first prototype is then taken to Italy where craftsmen help mould the metalwork, before the bag is moulded (using 8 moulds) and then sprayed with thin layers of colour to achieve the perfect shade. According to Anya's world, it takes SEVEN hours to make one clutch bag - inclusive of varnishing by hand. This bag truly is a work of art.

This bag symbolises a bold move in the textiles world. Whilst the idea of creating everyday objects in textiles form is not new (a great example that springs to mind is Kate Jenkins' crocheted art, including fried eggs and toothpaste), Anya's crisp packet seems to speak differently. 

Emma Watson with her crisp packet clutch

First and foremost, it is fabulously ironic - can you even imagine a model/fashionista/designer EATING a packet of Walkers crisps? At the risk of sounding too cynical, I cannot imagine that Anna Wintour ever brings in a packet of salt n' vinegar to eat for elevenses at her desk. Hindmarch has cleverly thrust Walkers crisps into the fashion spotlight, and actually made those age-old, beloved, crinkly packets, kind of CHIC.

Secondly, the craftmanship is really overwhelmingly brilliant. It is made out of partial metal - an undeniably difficult material to work with, and that's without the complicated asymmetrical design and high-shine finish. It also weighs under 500g, another amazing feat making the bag brilliantly modern and useable as well as an immediate classic. 

"The crisp packet was inspired by my love of everyday objects which are made in the most luxurious way by incredible craftsmenship. It is very complicated as it is completely asymmetrical and took many goes to get it right. It was a real labour of love, but we love it."  -ANYA HINDMARCH

Yes, textiles and everyday objects HAS been done before. But has it been done in such a way? Marrying luxury with mundane, extreme craftmanship with everyday, and textile/fashion design with metal/space age chic. 

Crisp packet + crumples + metal + Anya Hindmarch = unexpectedly genius. 

Or as the lady herself puts it: "wearable art".

When the first wave of Anya's luxe-crisps landed, the bag sold out within three hours. Several colours still remain out of stock, but with the next load of almost-£1k-worthy wonder-bags expected to drop in mid-March those on the waiting list can only hope they aren't disappointed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CRISP PACKET CLUTCH VISIT Anya's World

REVIEW: Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!

Isabella Blow in a signature eccentric look

Somerset House - the home of London Fashion week since 2009 - has been synonymous with representing the British fashion scene and its history for as long as anyone can remember hearing its name for the first time. So when a friend told STITCH about the current Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! exhibition, expectations pointed to another "V&A" style fashion display - all couture dresses encased in glass boxes piled into one small room. Nice enough, but fairly linear and lacking a sense of personality. The sort of fashion that you can't really write about, because you can't fairly view it as art. How wrong this was.

The exhibition started as many of them do: a small space giving background details about the artist's life. Isabella Blow's life has been arguably more tragic than most. Born in May 1958 as part of a noble English family (the Delves Broughtons), Isabella was in the public eye almost immediately - with photographs of her as a newborn decorating the pages of newspapers to feed the public's interest in British high society. Growing up, Isabella learnt of loss early on - witnessing the death of her two-year-old brother, John, by drowning in the family swimming pool. At 14, her parents decided to divorce as Isabella's mother left the household and in turn Isabella with a father she did not get along with.

Of course, none of this early life tragedy was represented in the dedicated "early life" area, which instead showed jolly photographs of a young Isabella wearing pretty party dresses and framed copies of some of her work with magazines in her early career as a stylist and editor. Her troubled childhood was only suggested through the use of extremely dim lighting and audio of Isabella's voice from home videos played on small screens - both of which created an ethereal and dark presence of something more sinister than a love of fashion. Printed upon a canvas in a paragraph of Isabella's life are the words: "Her gift was to take the ruins of her class, and the rubble of history to convey the co-ordinates of British fashion and style in the late 20th century."

Isabella Blow was not a designer, but scouted some of the most known British designers to date: Julien McDonald, Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy amongst others. All visionary designers, all who created what was more than just fashion - clothes that hinted to an immense craftmanship and artistic thought process. Clothes that were works of art in their own right.

The designs were sensational. From lobster necklaces to unfinished jagged-hemmed lace dresses and hats shaped as snakes, each piece was entirely unique. Encompassing mesh, feathers, lace, mongolian fur, chainmail it is clear to see that the textile techniques in Isabella's collection are as diverse as the inspiration used to create them.

One of the mannequin rooms

Isabella herself dressed in extravagantly crafted garments, drawing references from the natural world: "From the bottom of the ocean to the highest altitude, the things she wore raised a spectrum of flora and fauna from diverse religions. While fashion often utilises these symbols for decorative effect, Isabella strove for more visceral interpretations."

While the clothes represented some of the very finest of British textiles and craftmanship, the gallery space itself was far more connected to fashion. The upstairs area comprised of a long room with various booths and partitions along each side housing mannequins with outfits on. From the front of the room you could not see what lay inside the partitions and glass-fronted booths, heightening the sense of mystery that was so prevalent in Isabella's life. Different rooms housing clothes collections and fashion photography of models Blow herself had scouted gave the intense feeling that you were, in fact, inside her house - only enhanced by the sound of Isabella's voice eerily played from videos everywhere. As on observer you felt very much part of her life, and in fact part of the fashion and art that surrounded her life.

Fashion photography room - images of models Isabella scouted

Main room - mannequins in partitions

However, one important fact that can in no way be discovered from viewing Isabella's collection (or reading the snippets of her life printed and hung alongside it), is the struggle the visionary fashionista had with depression and tragedy throughout the entirety of her life. From being disinherited by her aristocrat father, being diagnosed as infertile, having ovarian cancer and of course the death of her brother at such a young age; loss and sadness followed Isabella Blow. This lead to a deep depression and numerous suicide attempts - a battle she eventually won in 2007 when she finally took her own life in 2007 by drinking plant fertilizer at a house party. Nowhere in the exhibition was this fact apparent, which could be one of the only criticisms of the event.

Or should it be? Did her battle with depression affect her work? Did it inspire her in any way? We think not.

Naturally Blow's untimely and tragic death received vast media coverage, and perhaps the exhibition was trying to deter attention away from this and back towards the true essence of Isabella Blow's life: her love for fashion, and the part of her that still lives on.

Philip Treacy hats

Walking away from the exhibition, fellow visitors talked about how the exhibition made them feel. "Inspired", "amazed", "beautiful", "intelligent" and "mysterious" were just some of the adjectives used, and never was a negative one uttered.

An inspirational collection housed in a thought-provoking and intriguing gallery space: Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! is well worth visiting if you have a love of fashion and an eye for art. STITCH could not think of a more fitting post to kickstart this blog, a perfect marriage of British art, fashion, textiles and beautiful craftmanship. Highly worth a visit but be quick - the event ends on 2nd March.

9/10

DETAILS:
Daily 10.00am - 18.00pm
Embankment Galleries, South Wing
£12.50, £10 concessions, £6.25 on Mondays
Nearest tubes: Temple, Embankment
More information here
All images credited to Somerset House website.