One for the future...Yasmin Bawa

Yasmin Bawa is currently a Menswear student at Middlesex University who has sent through her pre-collection, entitled Lattice, for our viewing pleasure. This honours student has taken this opportunity to gather press, media and most importantly feedback on her design work. Bawa has found time to complete a seven look capsule collection and accompanying film. Along with the obvious creative talent it demonstrates she has the business nous to promote her debut offering through the blogosphere. We were surprised and excited when we opened the speculative email from the young talent and had to share it with you. In addition to the film and a selection of stills, the student has sent through a few scans of her research book.

Bawa looked to the hugely popular photography project Family Stuff by Huang Qingjun and Ma Hongjie for initial inspiration. If you are not familiar with the project, it documents the homes of fifty (and ever growing) rural Chinese homes, sees the family with all of their possessions taken from inside their house and placing it outside. The series shows the original artwork and furniture mixed in with modern appliances. Every facet of contemporary life in China is on display, including evidence of those that have changed and remained during this period of modernisation. Bawa's collection combines elements from these rural Chinese villages and the traditional lattice design artwork with a more technical element, showing the social change taking place as modern culture seeps its way into these homes and families.

Inspiration wall.

A look inside Bawa's sketchbook depicting lattice work, fabric swatches and inspirations.

Another look inside her sketchbook and assortment of inspirations for each look.

Chinese lattice work was a huge inspiration for the prints used throughout the collection.

The seven looks sketched.

The battle between traditional and modern elements runs courses through the veins of the seven piece collection to beautiful effect. Natural fabrics, hand dying and screen prints echo the traditional element whilst laser etched prints on cotton drill and leather shows off the use of modern technology. Gradient effects on the fabrics add a further emphasis on the sense of change that is taking place all around the famlies depicted in the photography project, with one colour slowly taking over the next. As a menswear collection it showcases classic shapes whilst creating a whole new look with the colours, prints, function and detailing.

LATTICE Installation hand in

There are times when images just aren't enough. Thankfully, upon the completion of this capsule collection, Bawa soon decided to showcase her designs with a film by Liam Simpson. The design talent was inspired by Carolyn Massey's stunning SS11 film.
 

We think we'll be hearing a lot more from this creative talent in the near future. However, if you are impatient, you can follow the student's progress via her blog.

ASOS Ma}ke

At the beginning of the year, the first crop of fashion design graduates showcased their work with the LCF MA show taking place in the ornate Raphael Gallery at the V&A. As mentioned previously, I was fortunate enough to take my seat to watch it all unfold and I was utterly blown away by the menswear design talent on show. From the nineteen students who were showcased it was the menswear design graduates that really shone through. Among them was Domingo Rodriguez who went on to enjoy a hugely successful 2010. Since showing his widely acclaimed MA collection back in January, he has presented his SS11 offering in Paris as part of Esquire's '7 Brilliant Brits' and has now collaborated with ASOS.

The enticing fruits of ASOS MA}ke, Domingo Rodriguez and Yong Li Lee's capsule collection.

As part of its continued commitment to nurturing and supporting emerging designers, ASOS selected one menswear and one womenswear designer from crop of MA graduates to embark on MA}ke. Ma}ke is an exciting mentoring initiative which culminates with both designers creating capsule collections to be sold on the hugely popular and ever growing site. The successful 2010 graduates selected to be part of MA}ke were menswear designer Domingo Rodriguez, and womenswear designer Young li Lee. The two graduates joined ASOS in April and have since worked closely with the different functions of the business to help create their capsule collections. Each year there are a handful of extremely talented graduates from each of the main institutions but the question of how best to develop this raw talent in to success (commercial or otherwise) is an intriguing one. This initiative is ASOS' answer and the results are extremely promising. To mark the imminent availability of Rodriguez' understated cool capsule collection, we sat down with the designer to discuss the initiative, to look back over a remarkable year and also to look forward.

SS:Describe the moment you realised you wanted to be a menswear designer?

Domingo Rodriguez: I've always had a desire to do fashion - I started off studying art and graphic design but was very daunted to admit it! It’s a very women’s dominated area at college level but I quickly got over myself and started my BA in Fashion Design and Textiles. I quickly realised I didn't connect to a woman’s form, womenswear comes easy but I was stuck on... boobs! I moved over to menswear and everything just clicked. I haven't looked back since!

SS: How did you become involved with ASOS Ma}ke?

Domingo Rodriguez: I got involved with the project after the MA show, they came to the V&A catwalk and then we met up and I got to show them the collection up close. My MA collection is very subtle so I was able to show them all the soft detailing and pattern cutting details in person. After working tirelessly on the MA collection for months leading up to the show and to be recognised for all the hard work was fantastic!

SS: Along with Young li Lee, you joined ASOS.com in April and have since worked closely with the different functions of the business. The experience must have provided invaluable insight into the business of fashion. What have you learned over the last seven months? What advice would you give to a prospective menswear design student?

Domingo Rodriguez: Working with the design team has been one of the most eye opening and freeing experiences of my career so far. I got to go through the whole design cycle, from inception to tech packs, pattern cutting, fabrication, samplings, fittings, I got to see how the real creative commercial world works. The amount of detail and the quality of the MA}ke collection is fantastic, we've done things technically that I can’t produce for myself so its been exhilarating! My advice for students is to get experience in the real fashion world, just seeing how it works means you can make that leap from dreaming of fashion to understanding and realising it.

SS: What was your starting point for this design brief and how did it evolve in to the capsule collection we see today? How did the ASOS team help realise your creations?

Domingo Rodriguez: I have tried to build upon the world I created for my MA collection. So the core vision; the design, cut and pattern-work are all extended from catwalk show. I reworked my signature styles, translating my distinguishing details such as J-shaped sleeves, drape fronts, chevron textures and grosgrain details. Tonally I slightly tweaked the colour palette from the show to make it more accessible, mostly because I want to be able to wear them everyday! We have some amazing details like the flat suture stitch and magnet fastenings!

SS: I love the beautifully cut, soft tailoring pieces crafted in luxurious fabrications but how would you describe the collection in your own words?

Domingo Rodriguez: I think soft is a key word, soft progressive menswear. My pieces feel very familiar, echoing on traditional men’s pieces but up close subtle details become apparent. Bias rib going down the spine or rib cage, one piece cutting around the body and waterfall drape fronts with a very tonal and homogenous colour palette.

SS: What type of man do you envision wearing your designs?

Domingo Rodriguez: I hope it appeals to a broad range of men. I've tried to create a balance of more familiar pieces and more accessible progressive pieces so that there is room for it to fit into any wardrobe.

SS: 2010 has undoubtedly been a pivotal year for you. Since showing your widely acclaimed MA collection back in January, you have presented in Paris as part of Esquire's '7 Brilliant Brits' and have now collaborated with ASOS. Are you working on anything else in the near future? What do you hope 2011 will bring?

Domingo Rodriguez: I hope to carry on the momentum of the past year into the future and slowly build something in my name. I'm currently working on my next collection for AW11, and I have some exciting collaborations with Kopenhagen Fur and PHI-NOM in the works to look forward to. I'm very excited about the future and the launch of the MA}ke project!

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Through MA}ke, ASOS want to give their customers access to beautiful, considered pieces whilst giving young designers a vital leg up in the industry. Both Rodriguez and Lee were designers to watch the moment they unveiled their MA collections but with the online powerhouses help, we have been afforded an early opportunity to support their talent.

Nicomede Talavera x Eastpak

Since the blog began way back in June 2007 we have watched, documented and applauded as the London menswear has evolved before our wanting eyes. During this time, one of the real highlights has been the opportunity to watch design talent grow. Nicomede Talevera is certainly one of the talented few that caught our eye and it has been an absolute pleasure to watch his continued rise. Back in October 2009, we featured a debut capsule collection by the then Central Saint Martin’s BA Menswear Fashion Design student. Created before he embarked on his placement year, we were as impressed with his business nous as we were were by his obvious design talent and could not resist learning more about this exciting prospect. We kept in close contact with him as he honed his talent with placements 3.1 Philip Lim in New York and Lanvin Homme in Paris, and presented his sophomore collection back in February 2010. In June, the London based menswear designer graduated from the Menswear Design BA at Central Saint Martins and presented his pulse racingly good ten look BA collection that showcased a ten piece bag collaboration with Eastpak. Inspired by restructive tailoring, Talevera offers a balance of playful yet functional, detail rich staples. The collection explores his ongoing experimentation with fabrics to enhance a design whilst offering new opportunities and shapes in the process. Now, just as he embarks on MA Fashion Design course at CSM under the teaching of professor Louise Wilson, Talavera's much lauded collaboration with Eastpak has been reimagined for Selfridges. Earlier this week and just before the four piece collections lands in store and online (October 24th, mark your diary) we sat down with the design talent to learn more about the collaboration.

The collaboration, first seen in June, started out as 'show pieces' for Talavera's BA Central Saint Martins graduate collection, originally consisting of ten styles in a monochrome palette. "The Eastpak collaboration meant that I was able to design and produce a range of showpiece bags to go alongside my BA graduate collection and have the backing of an incredibly experienced company who have opened a realm of possibilities that I didn’t imagine would be possible at this stage in my career." He is the first undergraduate designer to work with the Eastpak since Christopher Shannon, and follows in the footsteps of designers Kris Van Assche, Gaspard Yurkevich, Rick Owens and Raf Simons. "I feel extremely fortunate to be alongside such talent and Eastpak have been unbelievably generous and open throughout the whole process; they gave me free reign over the designs, details and fabrics etc. which was fantastic and have been really amazing to work with! Working with them has enabled me to benefit from their experience and also reputation for quality and innovation."

From a design and practical point of view Talavera really wanted the range to be as vast and varied as possible and "to cover as many of the areas that I personally use bags for on a day-to-day basis, depending on what I am doing and how much I need to carry." One of Talavera's main focuses was for the bags to fuse with the aesthetic of the collection and story as a whole but to also stand alone as a strong statement collaborative collection. It was clear that the graduate was keen for many of the shapes to be variations of classic Eastpak shapes but strived to create a range that was really unique and offered something different to Eastpak’s fanbase whilst still being very ‘Eastpak’. It is this perfect balance that caught the eye of so many and made the collaboration so covetable.

As mentioned above the collaboration originally consisted of ten styles that were not going to go into production, but due to the unprecedented response and positive reactions, Selfridges approached Eastpak. "They were really keen to sell the bags so we worked with them directly to choose a handful of styles from the original ten, that encapsulated the overall feel of the collaboration and are also inkeeping with Selfridges’ ‘White Christmas’ theme for the winter season – so white is the dominant palette of the four chosen styles. It all escalated very quickly and wasn’t something we had planned but it felt like the right time and I am so happy that people are now able to buy into the collaboration and a part of my graduate collection which I didn’t think would be possible at this stage because I’m aware of the difficulties of going into production when you are a young designer." Every time I speak with Talavera I am impressed. From the very first introductory email received from an ambitious student right through to the latest honest and humble admission, it is obvious to me that he is a talent that will go far.

Lookbook images supplied by Nicomede Talavera

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After talking us through the evolution of the collaboration, Nicomede Talavera now introduces the four styles that will be available at Selfridges. Here, trying not to sound like he is on QVC, he introduces us to the black Padded Pak’r backpack, a white backpack, a white large holdall and a grey duffle bag.

"The black backpack is a reinvention Eastpak’s iconic and well-loved Padded Pak’r backpack in a combination of black leather and washed cotton. It has ruched leather detailing on the straps that are a reoccurring theme throughout the range, a front patch pocket with two zip fastenings, a section inside to hold a laptop. This is probably my favourite bag out of the four and since my graduate show a few months ago I have not stopped using the sample – I can’t think of a day when I haven’t used it!!"

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"Then there is the all-white backpack which is a statement style and a shape that I designed for the collaborative collection. It is made from a combination of white matte leather, white nylon rip stock with a subtle grid pattern and has an outward slanting silhouette with concealed pockets and compartments beneath the top flap. The backpack also has ruched leather detailing on the straps and several pockets and white compartments inside."

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"The all-white holdall is another shape and style completely unique to the collaborative collection and is the largest of the four bags. It is also made from a combination of white matte leather, white nylon rip stock with a subtle grid pattern and can be worn over the body or by hand. The holdall has ruched leather detailing on all the straps, a large flap pocket with magnet fastenings, a concealed pocket at the back, and mesh and zip fastening pockets inside. It has so many different sections and can be held in lots of different ways."

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"The upright duffle bag style is made from a grey coated linen and matte grey leather. It can be worn on one shoulder or across the body and has ruched detailing on the strap, as well as a large concealed vertical zip pocket at the back and a mesh compartment and zip fastening pocket inside. The bag has a relaxed cylindrical shape and is unlike any of the current EASTPAK styles."

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As he begins his MA course, Nicomede Talavera is going to focus on his studies, channel and hone his aesthetic and no doubt grow as a designer. I cannot wait to see what this young talent creates next but first look forward to this collaboration dropping in to Selfridges next week.

Introducing Trine Lindegaard

RCA's MA graduate show is undoubtedly one of the most exciting places to discover the fashion stars of the future. The press show took place at the College in the Henry Moore Gallery on 10 June 2010 and I was able to admire a gathering of some of the newest and freshest menswear and womenswear talent to be be unleashed this year. The subsequent weeks saw me interview a few of my favourite graduates but there was one collection that impressed me immensely but for whatever reason, I failed to secure an interview with the student behind it. Weeks rolled past and then fashion month was upon us and the collection was pushed back to the deepest, darkest cavern of my memory. Thankfully,  the story doesn't end there. The current issue of Fashion156, The Urban Country Issue, pushed Trine Jensen's collection to the forefront of my imagination once more. Guy Hipwell's latest editorial celebrates Trine's colourful and eccentric final collection and reminds me that she is one of the mouth watering prospects of this year's crop. The young talent drew inspiration from her childhood memories of being surrounded by weird and wonderful eccentrics and collectors when she  grew up in Denmark. Her fabric choices of corduroy and waxed cottons along with the silhouettes recall these rather geeky people, whilst the embellishments echo their collections. Having been reminded of her collection, I couldn't miss out on interviewing her twice so here we learn about her recently launched brand Trine Lindegaard, discuss her experiences at the RCA and acquire her advice for future menswear design students...
 

SS: What were your inspirations, your dreams and the driving catalyst for launching Trine Lindegaard?

Trine Lindegaard: Starting my own label has always been the plan; the initial idea was to work in the industry for a couple of years before hand. After graduating I decided to do it straight away. Why waste any time?

SS: Aside from it being your name, what does Trine Lindegaard mean to you?

Trine Lindegaard: It means a place I can experiment in my own time and do as I wish. I don’t have anyone to answer too and can play with ideas that I perhaps wouldn’t be able to in an established fashion house.

SS: Describe the moment when you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer...

Trine Lindegaard: I started making clothes from a young age, mainly from the lack of interesting clothing available in the Danish town where I grew up. From there I started studying fashion but never really felt passionate about it, also I always felt like I was designing for myself and found it difficult to really push my designs. I quickly realised that menswear was where my interest was, the challenge of making wearable yet interesting clothes for men appealed much more to me.

SS: What were the first and last items you remember designing?

Trine Lindegaard: In Denmark, it is compulsory for everyone to do sewing as a subject in school in fact you spend half a year taking the drivers licence for the sewing machine. That was at the age of ten and I quickly started to design and make simple garments for myself. The last is a coat.  I have been working on a small range of coats for Spring/Summer 2011.

SS: RCA's MA graduate show is undoubtedly one of the most exciting places to discover the fashion stars of the future but what attracted you to the RCA MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course?

Trine Lindegaard: The best thing is the size and diversity of the students. We were only eight students doing menswear design in my year and everyone had really different views on fashion. RCA is an old art college with great traditions, and amazing people that have been involved in the college for years. It is a very inspirering place with so many different subjects all under one roof. Everyone is up for helping each other and there is such a friendly atmosphere. It is truly amazing.

SS: Now, your graduate collection itself was wildly colourful and rich in texture. Inspiration came from an assortment of passionate people with unusual hobbies and obsessive collectors. Who were they and how did these obsessive collectors influence the collection?

Trine Lindegaard: I drew inspiration from my childhood by visiting these geeky people I remember being surrounded by when I grew up in Denmark. People who already fascinated me back then. One, my friend’s dad, who has always been super weird but who I always had a great relationship with, was the first person I went to see. He is a book collector and has a whole warehouse full of them. His face changes totally when discussing his books.

My favourite people I went to see, was at a train fair in Enfield, there were hundreds of people here showing of there model train tracks. All so proud and happy to talk. I really wanted to bring a part of their work into my collections. That is how the little men and cars came about as embellishment on shirts. My overall fabric choice and silhouettes were also inspired by these rather geeky people, which resulted in use of lots of corduroy and waxed cottons.

SS: A few pieces incorporated found items on your journeys to provide a playful take on embellishment. Could you talk us through some of these found items and describe how they were integrated in to the finished garments?

Trine Lindegaard: I have never been a knitter but I have always had quite a textile-ish approach to fashion. After visiting all these collector-types, I decided to start a collection of my own, and I wanted to carefully incorporate it into my collection with a similar obsessive manner as these passionate people. I started collecting gold, I went around weird little shops and markets and purchased funny buttons, screws and other items. I then hand knitted it all into jumpers with thousands of little shiny objects.

SS: The collection showcases colourful and light hearted yet functional and highly wearable clothes for men but is the a particular type of man you see wearing your designs?

Trine Lindegaard: I would like to think I design for fairly normal men, with an interest in what he wears and who doesn't take himself too seriously. I am trying to keep my costs down as it is very important for me that an ordinary man would be able to afford my clothes.

SS: Having graduated with first class BA honours from Middlesex University, completed the RCA MA with critical acclaim before launching your label, what advice would you give a prospective menswear fashion student?

Trine Lindegaard: I think doing an MA really helps. There are so many people graduating with a BA in fashion and it is extremely difficult to get a job afterwards.

Make use of the internet and all the other young people out there who are also trying to get noticed, there are so many great stylists, models and photographers who are in a similar position. I have not yet turned anyone down, and I have had so many people contacting me and borrowing clothes after I graduated. It’s great to meet people and build your own network of people you enjoy working with.

SS: If you could go back in time and experience any fashion moment, what would it be?

Trine Lindegaard: New York in the 1980’s. I would love to have watched some of the shows happening in the documentary Paris Is Burning. A truly fantastic time. Then you had that whole downtown thing going on – the art, the clubs, the DIY fashion - all mixing together. Seemed like a fun time over there then.

SS: What excites you about the future of menswear?

Trine Lindegaard: I think there have been amazing interesting menswear available for decades, but what is really changing is the way more and more men are becoming open to fashion. Now, I live in East London and I think men are just as concerned about what they wear as most of the girls in the area. But even people like my dad, living in a small town in Denmark is into his clothes, and looking much more interesting now he is in his sixties.

SS: What can we expect from Trine Lindegaard?

Trine Lindegaard:: Time will show. But I hope that exciting times are coming....

Look Book Credits...Photographer: Barbara Anastacio. Model: Andreas Sjoqvist at M&P Models. Hair by Angela Hertel

LCF BA Graduate Showcase: Makoto Taguchi

The footwear design craft of Makoto Taguchi

Over the last few months we have been treated to an array of graduate design talent from this years crop. I have shared my highlights throughout and there is more than enough time to showcase another. At the beginning of the month I shared the talents of Minako Tsuda whose playful leather schoolboy rucksacks and gentlemanly document holders harked back to a different, altogether more romantic sartorial era. Tsuda was of the LCF BA Footwear, Accessories and Clothing students graduates on show at the pop up gallery space on Carnaby Street that left me inspired. Makoto Taguchi was the other and I can now excitedly share images from his intriguing footwear collection. I was taken by this Cordwainers Footwear graduate's talent at combining various shoe making techniques, from traditional hand sewn methods to modern glued shoes, with the introduction of his own, fresh ideas. Taguchi's design philosophy is simplicity after complicated process. The best way for me to demonstrate this to you is to show you his collection in some detail...

I'll begin with my own personal favourite. Taguchi's Derby, removable boot.

A closer look at the Derby boot from all angles.

Transforming the boot in to a shoe with the help of beautiful leather lace work.

I love the sense of well crafted quality that exude from this pair.

Taguchi's second design. Classic plus whole cut.

Once again the boot transforms...

I love the combination of the contrasting leather and wood sole.

Ornament, Structure, Button. This boot seemingly has it all.

A close up at a few of the key details.

Ornament, Structure, Ski hook. This is certainly Taguchi's most adventurous design but once again there is a real balance.

A closer look, ski hook and all.

The last design is simply titled, Cut.

A look at a few of the processes involved.

A closer look at the shoe's profile.

Makoto Taguchi's graduate collection displays an array of techniques, traditional and otherwise. The graduate ultimately showcases a real and exciting passion for shoe making. Each design is close to bursting point with meaningful details but nothing feels superfluous. There is a real balance between them. The diverse details combine to create shoes to covet. The real surprising element for me is that each shoe exudes a well crafted quality that is most rare to find in a graduate collection. I for one am excited to see what Taguchi does next but one thing is for sure, my feet will no doubt be treated to a pair one day soon.