FEATURE // YOUKUNST STUDIO

Our feature today is Youkunst Studio, a textile design studio based in Paris.  In collaboration with artists and designers from around the world develop original and exclusive print designs for contemporary menswear, womenswear and home.

Our collections target design and fashion professionals. We cover a wide range of design markets from high street to high-end.

We sell unique print designs, digitally optimized and ready for production. In addition to our seasonal collection, we also work on commission.

You can contact them directly and to view their website, go here.

FEATURE // FASHION ILLUSTRATOR - LAURA HICKMAN

Our feature today is Fashion Illustrator, Laura Hickman who has been working with clients in the fashion and creative industries since 2010.  Her beautiful illustrations has been featured in MilkX in Hong Kong, Amelia's Magazine and has been the subject of editorials in Company and Photoshop Creative.  To learn more about Laura, view her portfolio and to commission/collaborate with her, visit her website here.  

© Laura Hickman - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

TRENDS/FEATURE // MIRELLA BRUNO - S/S 2015 AND A/W 2015

Our feature today is Mirella Bruno who is based in the Chambery Area in France.  Mirella is a Freelance Print/Trend Designer for Fashion and Interiors. She's driven by good music, love and live, visual acoustics and inspiration information is her thing.  A must is to check out her website Mirella Bruno, where you'll find many of her mood board inspirations and her personal print and pattern designs.

For  collaborations, representation and commissions  you can contact her here. You can also follow her here:

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/mirellabruno/
Tumblr - http://mirellabruno.tumblr.com/


Below are some of her inspirational mood boards for Spring/Summer 2015 and Autumn/Winter 2015.

    SPRING/SUMMER 2015   

    AUTUMN/WINTER 2015   

FEATURE // DEANNA TOLLIVER - TEXTILE AND DIGITAL ARTIST

Our feature today is DeAnna Tolliver who is a self-taught, digital artist from the Atlanta, GA area. Born in Vicksburg, MS, DeAnna was introduced to the arts at a very young age. Growing up as the daughter of renowned southern-contemporary artist, William Tolliver, bright, vibrant colors and strong, bold lines was a mainstay in her household.

DeAnna draws her inspiration from cubism, geometric shapes and colorful ethnic art. These influences are evident throughout her works.

DeAnna's textile and surface designs are suitable for designers, ranging from home decor to fashion.  Visit her wonderful and interactive website here.

If you are a designer interested in exclusively licensing any of the artwork featured on this site, please feel free to contact the artist at tolliverarts@gmail.com. 

© Deanna Tolliver - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

FEATURE // DESIGNER + ILLUSTRATOR - MORGAN CHILDERS

Our Designer/Illustrator today is Morgan Childers who will complete her BFA with an emphasis in fashion design and construction this spring at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  Morgan Childers, aged 21, was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.

We are pleased to feature some of Morgan’s latest work, including sketches and images from her Spring 2013 womenswear collection, in addition to illustrations from her senior collection. This collection, entitled Being Bionic, is a five look menswear collection, debuting this May at SAIC’s The Walk 2014 fashion show.

Being Bionic explores the resonances and tensions between sportswear, tailoring, and wearables. When asked to describe the concept behind Being Bionic, Morgan explained that it "critiques the pursuit of human perfection by proposing a new construct for the male figure: one enhancing this figure without losing sight of its ultimate limitations."

We can't wait to see the final products, and we'll definitely be following up with her throughout this process. To find out more about her work and updates on Being Bionic, check out Morgan on:

Instagram: @morgan_childers 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgan.childers.73

And Beginning March 1, at her website www.morganchilders.info

 

© Morgan Childers - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

FEATURE // GEORGIA BOCCHETTA

Our feature today is Georgia Bocchetta, a print designer, illustrator and pattern lover who is based in London, UK.  She creates unique luxury scarves and prints. She finds her inspirations ranging from nature to cultural aspects, wildlife and mark making. She also experiments with illustration, photographic imagery, textures and watercolours to create contemporary prints with a quirky twist, giving her collections a unique style.

To learn more about Georgia, select the following links below to view more of her work and inspirations:

georgiabocchetta.tumblr.com
pinterest.com/georgiamayy
cargocollective.com/georgiabocchetta

© Georgia Bocchetta - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

FEATURE // GHITTA LASKROUIF

Our feature today is Ghitta Laskrouif, a Moroccan Fashion Designer/Blogger and Phoneographer  based in Casablanca. She is one of the few Moroccan Fashion Designers embarking upon a contemporary career with much gusto, imagination and patience.

She is passionate about slow fashion often referred to avant-garde, experimental and ethical fashion design: recycling, upcycling, knitting and handmade clothing.

You can learn more about her here:

https://www.facebook.com/GhittaLaskrouif   

http://laskrouifghitta.blogspot.com/p/collections.html

© Ghitta Laskrouif - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

FEATURE // TREND REPORT SS2015 by Mariana Flores Sosa

Our feature today is Mariana Flores Sosa who is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico.  She is currently an international student at the Savannah College of Art and Design pursuing my B.F.A. in Fashion Marketing and Management. 

A little more about who she is in her own words....
I have an eye for fashion and hands for design. I am passionate Fashion Designer and Illustrator and I firmly believe the true essence of Fashion Design relies in its craftsmanship and detail. Art has always been a part of my life and I like to think of fashion as the quintessential way of expressing it. I am a creative, I also love to illustrate, paint, and create these perfect mini worlds of my own people call terrariums. 

I have big plans for my future so I say I am a designer of expectation and a victim of wanderlust. I like trolls and firmly believe that my taste in music is perfect and that anyone who disagrees is wrong. I find most of my inspiration exploring and being outdoors. While I am very spontaneous on what I create I always stay true to my style and keep my aesthetic on everything I do. I am always aware of being original while developing over time.

Below is her Trend Report for Spring/Summer 2015 - The Quintessential Gitana Vibe. You can view her portfolio, here. 

© Maria Soromenho - all rights reserved. Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the trend forecaster.  

FEATURE // FASHION DESIGNER AND STYLIST - MARIA SOROMENHO

Our feature today is Fashion Designer and Stylist Maria Soromenho who is based in London, UK.  Her studies include Design at IADE, Creative University in Lisbon, Stage Design at École Supérieures d'Arts Appliqués Duperré in Paris and Womenswear at London College of Fashion in London.  Her experiences include internships with Peter Pilotto and Julia Pines Studio for Knitwear in London and as Styling Assistant to Alicia Keys and Peaches to name a few.

Images below are from her first capsule collection presented in her lookbook and also from a small fashion show, RAW - Natural Born Artists.  She is currently working on her second collection which she is launching in January and working on a project for London Fashion Week, collaborating with artist and art dealers.  

The focus on her brand as Maria Soromenho speaks it:

A clothing brand that is music and art conscious.  Has the aim to collaborate with artists specially musicians.  Each piece is different and unique.  An experiment of materials and different textures.  Experimental yet wearable.  Each piece has a story, a song and a name. Fashion to communicate, give identity and to turn a lifestyle into a look that can be translated in clothes.  An aim to shape a generation and dress the agitators.  Not just about the clothes alone but how people dress them.

If you would like to contact Maria to learn more about her collection or for a collaboration, you can do so here. 

© Maria Soromenho - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

TRENDS // FEATURE - S/S 2015 MEGATRENDS BY GREG TACKETT

Greg Tackett is an M.F.A candidate in the Luxury and Fashion Management program at the Savannah College of Art and Design.  His main focus is luxury brand management and marketing.  His Spring/Summer 2015 Megatrends project focuses on key future trends. The key trends in his report are Intergalactic Prosperity, Natural Liberation and Technological Urbanization.  Below is a preview of his report, Intergalactic Prosperity.  To read the full report and to view his portfolio, go here.

© Greg Tackett - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the trend forecaster author. 

TRENDS // FEATURE . MARTIJN VAN STRIEN - RECESSION FASHION . 2015

Meet Martijn Van Strien who is based in the Netherlands, developed a keen interest while at the Design Academy in Eindhoven creating and developing textile for the fashion industry.  He also has a passion for identifying trends and forecasting the direction for future concepts and products then translating concepts into materials or garments. Visit his site to learn more about him and his work, martijnvanstrien.com.

Martijn's trends for 2015, Recession Fashion is a concept on Russia's influence on world fashion.  With his permission, below are a few pages of his report.  You can view the entire report on his site.

© Martijn Van Strien - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the trend forecast author. 

DESIGNER FEATURE - LILY ATTWOOD

Lily Attwood studied at Central Saint Martins and is incredibly talented. She has interned for some pretty incredible design studios, Proenza Schouler, John Galliano, Richard James Savile Row and Louise Gray to name a few.  When we received Lily's portfolio, we were thrilled to feature her.  She has quite an amazing collection in her portfolio where she shows her inspirational mood boards, print designs and the finished product.  Below are a few of her images, and she has many more that it was so difficult to choose.  Read her story below as she shares her journey to design which all started by being surrounded by inspirational parents and friends.  

I grew up in Brighton with a mother who worked in fashion and a father in design. Visiting my mum at work first started my interest in fashion, going into the studio, looking at the vintage pieces used for inspiration and being given all of the samples that turned out to be too small even for the japanese market! My dad had to travel a lot for work so we spent a few years living in Saudi Arabia and America. This exposure to different cultures really shaped my eclectic taste and my own desire to travel. Growing up in Brighton was a very creative environment and my family and their friends were always very involved in the art festival. Soon I began to sell my drawings and photographs there too. Looking back at early art projects, they always had a textile like quality to them but it took me while to realise that I was going to pursue that path. Gaining a place to study at Central Saint Martins had always been my dream so I couldn't believe it when it actually happened. As well as having the most incredible, dedicated tutors, I learnt so much from my peers and made friends for life. My placement year before graduation was the most enriching and enjoyable time in my life. After spending some time on Savile Row completing a project for Swarovski I flew out to New York to work for a Menswear Designer. I then spent three months in Paris doing print design before going back to New York to work for my favourite brand Proenza Schouler. It was an amazing company to work for with an incredible team and beautiful design studio. Now I've finished my collection I'm really enjoying the opportunity to complete some self initiated projects but after August I'll be seeking a full time design role in London, Paris, Milan or New York.

© Lily Attwood - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

DESIGNER FEATURE - AMANDA HARRISSON

An impressive new talent, Amanda Harrisson has been shortlisted for the VOGUE Talents competition. She needs your votes to secure her place in the finals and hopefully go on to win. To vote for Amanda please go to http://www.muuse.com/#!vogue2013/483-amanda-harrisson . 

Amanda Harrisson Central Saint Martins recent fashion print graduate has a unique talent for incorporating illustration into fashion. Her stunning final collection of hand drawn black and white portraits which took over a staggering 300 hours to draw of contemporary icons. Amanda told us she "wanted to create a fully hand drawn collection, and my inspiration came from looking at Renaissance paintings and religious iconography of Northern European art. I was interested in the portrayal of cultural icons throughout art history" she went on to say "I decided to create a collection using my own contemporary fashion icons" and we think you'll agree she certainly has achieved this. Integrated textured prints, laser cut lace and jewels with Swarovski-sponsored crystals engineered within the print to create an illusionary effect. Challenging use of fabrics normally found in luxury jets and the backdrop on film-sets means her part-time Chemistry Degree via the Open University as well as her full time degree at Central Saint Martins has certainly paid off. Amanda wanted her final collection to acknowledge her love of nanotechnology within the collection and to use the basic concept of reshaping fabrics, manipulating fabrics and understanding the synthetic composure of fabric. Taking a smart fabric concept of adapting and changing this was utilised incorporating shimmering fabric which projected an electrotextile visual  without the weaving of computer components into the fabric.

British born Amanda Harrisson, 23 has racked up an impressive nine internships whilst studying Fashion Print during her studies at the prestigious Central Saint Martins. Internships include Balmain, Viktor & Rolf, John Galliano, Mary Katrantzou, Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen, Bruce Oldfield, Zandra Rhodes and Liberty of London. Amanda also successfully won Liberty of London Award and this resulted in her fabric print created for Liberty; this fabric was sold out within days and is still currently sold out online. 

Even before graduation, Amanda appeared in Vogue Italia and she has received offers from all over the world for commissions, requests to exhibit her final collection, requests to stock her final collection. Editorials are already booked into her diary and requests keep coming in. Amanda said, "the response to my collection from not only the fashion world but the art world, has been overwhelming." Amanda's determination, hard work and driven attitude has definitely paid off and she most certainly has a bright future ahead of her.

If you would like to take a further look at the collection, then go to www.amandaharrisson.com or follow Amanda @amandaharrisson.

© Amanda Harrisson - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the designer. 

FEATURE - JUDY WU . FASHION DESIGNER

Our featured designer is Judy Wu, a graduate of Central Saint Martin's in London.  Judy Wu has worked for the House of Holland, Jasmine De Melo and Ne-tiger - a couture house in Shanghai, before embarking on the launch of her own label this year. Representing chic elegance with a playful yet hard edge, Judy Wu combines structural pattern cutting techniques with with the finest fabrics to create truly unique garments. 

Her debut A/W 13 collection 'A Crack in Time' is inspired by an ancient Chinese totem. Totem symbols such as dragons, clouds, waves and fire are recreated through laser-cut tinted suede, silk and leather. Juxtaposing fabrics sit together to represent different symbols living in tandem. Luxurious fabrics are used to create each piece including 100% wool, cashmere blended wool, 100% silk and lamb nappa leather. As a luxury women's wear label, the recommended retail price begins at £200.

Judy Wu is currently stocked widely across Japan and the label is now focused upon establishment within the UK market. You can visit her website here to learn more about Judy Wu, an insight to her collection and images of her press coverage. 

Below are images from her A/W 2013 look book where you can view the entire collection here.  Also, stay tuned for her S/S 2014 collection....

© Judy Wu - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission. 

FEATURE - LESLEY MEROLA . HUNT + GATHER STUDIO

Lesley Merola is a talented textile designer based in beautiful Taos, New Mexico and I love her amazing work.  She started her studio Hunt + Gather after spending more than a decade designing for various fashion and home furnishing companies in NYC.  Her studio now creates original digital artwork for your textile and surface design needs, as well as design services.  

We are also thrilled to have her on board as an FV contributor.  Go here to visit her website and to follow her inspirational and informative blog, go here.

© Lesley Merola/Hunt+Gather - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission. 

FEATURE - ERIC MATYASH . FASHION DESIGNER

Our feature today are fashion designers Matjaz Plosinjak and Eric Maj Potocnik who established their fashion brand MEM couture in 2004 and worked under that label until September 2012, when they rebranded it as Eric Matyash. The new name starts a new chapter and liberates from needless brand labeling. To learn more about the designers and to view their lovely storytelling collections, go here.

The collection La Métamorphose (spring/summer 2013) gets inspired by changes in designers’ lives. The spirit of their femme fatale remains present. Nostalgia for the past and their fiction of the future both meet in the present time. The reign of blackness. Black is not monotonous, it changes and creates contrasts with itself. It can be clean matte and dark as autumn night at the countryside, or it can shine as well. It can be plain or even full of various shades and structures, enriching well-defined, almost geometric silhouettes. The black colour is being supplemented by chartreuse-yellow, symbolising brightness and the positivism of the morning sun. A palette of various fabrics is being used in this collection – from very light silk materials, viscose and soft velvet, to contemporary polyester materials, such as the quilted latex, sporty softshell and the very sophisticated lurex with the silver thread. The collection is being supplemented with wide silver zippers at the back of most of the skirts and with woollen hats inspired by nostalgic hairstyles. The skirt and jacket, hand-made of thousands of viscose ribbons, precisely inserted in the basic form, are certainly two of the most outstanding designs of this small collection.

© Eric Matyash - all rights reserved.   Layout may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior written permission.