Before starting his eponymous label, Patrick Li worked for some of fashion’s most established designers of avant-garde. Names such as Hussein Chalayan and Viktor & Rolf, and as a graduate of Royal College of Art’s MA Womenswear course, he is a true master of his craft. The pieces he creates are sculpted from his imagination, giving us an insight into Li’s world of expression. One we can’t wait to see more of.

Patrick Li will be showcasing his SS15 collection at London Fashion Week, but we caught up with the designer before the fashion season rush to find out more about the man behind the clothes.

When did you decide on a career in fashion?
Growing up I was always drawn to art and crafts, anything creative. I knew that it was something I was good at and felt great doing. Although fashion was not something that crossed my mind at first, it was the stimulating images in glossy fashion magazines that drew me in. I took a foundation course in art and design and tried out different disciplines in alternative creative areas. As a result I came to study fashion and have never looked back.

What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is visual and a medium of self expression.

What attracted you to London as a place to start your brand?
London is one of the most creative and exciting cities to live and work in, I have liked it ever since my first visit. There are less boundaries and rules about fashion in London, which gives it the edge over other fashion capitals. It helps promote creative start-ups.

Your designs are heavily detailed and intricate. What inspires them?
The inspiration is drawn from various elements of research, mostly from visual imagery, which I then develop from there. I have taken quite a relaxed and free approach when beginning to gather thoughts and inspiration for AW14. Instead of focusing on a singular theme, I listened to 90’s and early millennium electronic tunes, and looked at abstract black and white photography of urban objects and city landscape. I was especially inspired by the composition of repetitive patterns and regimented lines in the images. The aluminum chain details were developed from there.

What are your favourite materials to use?
I tend to work with different contrasting materials every season, however, there are always silks in my collections.

Describe the Patrick Li design ethos in three words…
Modern, clean and graphic.

Your SS14 collection was very light with flashes of neon, whereas AW14 is very dark and broody. Can we expect another bright collection for SS15?
SS15 will be light and a bit more playful. Spring/Summer is always light for me, whereas Autumn/Winter needs a stronger and more protective feel.

patrick-li.com

Tags: LFW, Patrick Li

Dover Street Market, the oh-so-stylish retail outpost from Japanese label Comme Des Garçons, is about to break its conspicuous social media silence with the launch of its Instragram, @doverstreetmarketlondon.

While it is obviously not the first fashion brand to turn to the world wide web for creative inspiration, it is somewhat surprising given that, until now, DSM has been abstemious when it comes to social networking. So what has prompted this move online?

The Instagram heralds a series of celebrations to mark DSM’s ten-year anniversary. Since opening its doors in London on 10 September 2004, DSM has well and truly established itself as a fashion haven, and these festivities will be its crowning moment.The entire store will undergo some exciting changes, and the exclusive collaborations will have fashionistas in a frenzy.

After three days of closure, the store will reopen on September 1, with a completely transformed basement and second floor, while the first floor will be entirely given over to Louis Vuitton for the duration of AW14. The Rose Bakery will be enlarged, as will the jewellery and wallet display on the ground level. The basement will be home to a new NikeLab, to be celebrated by the release of a special edition shoe, and Tokyo’s Good Design Shop (a collaboration between Comme Des Garçons and D & DEPT). There will be event spaces dedicated to different designers that will change each week, and four open days throughout September when these designers will be in store to greet customers.

Perhaps most exciting will be ‘Market Street Dover’, some temporary market stalls that will be set up all through the building selling special collaborations and products celebrating ‘ten years future and past’ of DSM. The stalls will be hawking a bevvy of limited-edition creations from Sacai, Simone Rocha, Rick Owens and Phoebe English, to name but a few.

The festivities will kick off on September 1 with the launch of Pharrell Williams’ GIRL fragrance, as well as the unveiling of an installation designed by Comme Des Garçons’ creative director Rei Kawakubo that will cover the entire building’s façade. A happy birthday indeed!

doverstreetmarket.com

Tags: Dover Street Market, Fashion, london

Where better to reveal a killer collaboration between a hot designer and a high street stalwart than a rollicking party at Coachella in April of this year? Both Kate Bosworth and Katy Perry were in attendance, while Iggy Azalea was on hand to perform after the big announcement.

New Yorker Alexander Wang will be latest designer to collaborate with H&M, and is the first American to do so. This seems like the perfect partnership. The king of sport-luxe and the Swedish fashion brand will be working together on both men’s and womenswear, while also producing a line of lifestyle items.

So far the items have been kept firmly under wraps, so fans will have to wait until the range launches instore and online on 6 November.

hm.com

Tags: Alexander Wang, H&M

Charlotte Gainsbourg is known as an actress, singer/songwriter and muse, but now she can add designer to that too. In collaboration with denim brand Current/Elliot, the French beauty has created four exclusive capsule collections all inspired by her own chic and understated style.

“For me, denim has always been a fabric that can take on the personality of the person who wears it,” stated Gainsbourg, who designed denim jackets, coats, jeans and blazers for the collection. Serge Azria, CEO and creative director of Current/Elliott, said that “we both wanted to create something special, not a large line; the best shirt, the best jean, the best jacket.” And that, it seems, they have.

The Charlotte Gainsbourg x Current/Elliot collection is now available at Net-A-Porter, MATCHESFASHION, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. 

Tags: charlotte gainsbourg, Current/Elliott

Yves Saint Laurent will be celebrated in a photography tome set for release in October. The latest photography book, published by Thames & Hudson, paints a dazzling portrait of the famed designer and his world of fashion, captured by legendary backstage fashion photographer Roxanne Lowit.

As the pioneer of ready-to-wear and ‘Le Smoking’, Saint Laurent was, and still remains, one of the most influential designers of all time. Some of his haute couture collections won raves, while others sparked controversy, but they never failed to stir conversation, inspire trends, and point to the future. This publication gives us a look into the backstage world of YSL with contributions from his muses and admirers, including Catherine Deneuve, Lucie de la Falaise, Betty Catroux, Jacqueline de Ribes, André Leon Talley and Valerie Steele, as well as an introduction from Pierre Bergé.

Yves Saint Laurent will be released October 27th. 

thamesandhudson.com

Tags: Roxanne Lowit, Thames & Hudson, Yves Saint Laurent

We’ve entered the dog days of summer, and with that comes the realisation that it’s time to start trans-seasonal dressing. One item that finds itself in every girls wardrobe is the black ankle boot. A fashion staple perfect for the changing weather, one that will help you stomp your way into the depths of winter. So if you can’t bare to look at those last season booties, here are four ankle styles to help you start the new fashion season off with your best foot forward.

Jil Sander Ankle Boots, £570, thecorner.com & Yang Li Platform Chelsea Boots, £825, ln-cc.com

Block Heel Leather Boots, £135, cosstores.com & Miista Roberta Perplex Heeled Boots, £90, coggles.com

Featured image from ln-cc.com

Tags: Ankle Boots, Black Boots, Cos, Jil Sander, Miista, Twin Picks, Yang Li

New York-based label BLK DNM is hosting a six week, Autumn/Winter womenswear Pop-Up store at Harrods lauching Monday 1st September. Started in 2011 as a creative project by Johan Lindeberg, BLK DNM reflects his true taste and lifestyle: “I wanted to build a brand with a voice, to build the BLK DNM culture through images and to work contrarian to certain industry standards, using streets as the runway.”

Having photographed all the BLK DNM campain’s, Lindeberg’s imagery will decorate the space at Harrods. Muses such as Caroline de Maigret, Gisele Bundchen, Anja Rubik and Arizona Muse amongst others, have fronted the brands’ Wild Poster campaigns. “With Harrods, we can reach an international audience, and showing my own photographs among the product in the pop-up, we can explain who we are, reflecting the BLK DNM culture and lifestyle,” says Johan Lindeberg.

BLK DNM is available in select global retailers in more than 30 countries, in addition to a BLK DNM store in NYC and Stockholm. BLK DNM e-commerce will launch in Fall 2014.

blkdnmcloseup.com

EDIT started off as a contemporary consept store in Hong Kong. However, inspired by their clientele, the founders decided to start a ready-to-wear brand to match their style and fashion perspective, launching just in time for Pre SS15. With an eclectic mix of feminine and street-wear, EDIT’s first collection is full of wardrobe staples, day-to-night go betweens and bold statement pieces, all in reasonable price-points (everything retails at under £250), giving us the perfect addition to any modern girl’s wardrobe.

Having impressed the womenswear buyers at Liberty, you will find the tomboy cool meets high-end feminine label in the British store come October. We can wait.

edit-thebrand.com

Tags: EDIT, liberty, Liberty's, SS15

Twin contributor Robert Storey has designed the new Nike womenswear pop-up in New York. The space is broken into distinct areas that include pro bra, train, run and live. Running with the designs within the collections, the space focuses on symmetry and bold colour schemes of blue, green, pink and orange. You’ll also find an all-white gym for lucky visitors to work out whilst trying on the merchandise, as well as a fitting room for bespoke sports bra measuring.

Nike Womenswear Pop-Up – Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10013

nike.com

storeystudio.com

Tags: Nike, NYC, Robert Storey

In collaboration with MyTheresa Calvin Klein Jeans is revisiting nine of the brands iconic 90’s designs. The Re-Issue Project focuses on denim dungarees, logo t-shirts, a denim shirt and hoodie. Fronting the project is Kate Moss’s little sister Lottie. It was the Calvin Klein campaign of the 90’s that secured Kate as a top model, we wonder if this modern day version do the same for Lottie Moss.

Keeping the next generation theme running, Michael Avedon photographed Lottie in the campaign. Michael is the grandson of Richard Avedon, who shot Brooke Shields in the groundbreaking 1981 Calvin Klein Jeans campaign. Avedon has said that, “Lottie truly represents the essence of the Calvin Klein girl. Intriguing innocence with utter beauty – it was wonderful to photograph this beautiful young lady!”

Shop the collection at mytheresa.com

Tags: 90s, Calvin Klein, kate moss, Lottie Moss, MyTheresa

Pamela Costantini is a new name in the footwear industry, one to remember however. Before starting her eponymous line, the Italian born designer worked for the likes of Roberto Cavalli and studied at The European Institute of Design, but a jewellery collection sparked interest in going it alone. The first collection will be released in Spring/Summer 2015, however we couldn’t wait till then to find out more. Here, we chat with Pamela herself.

When did your love affair with shoes begin?
I think it really started when I was young – I used to be a real tomboy and hated wearing shoes at all. My equestrian boots really changed my mind – they were the first pair of shoes I fell in love with and now shoes are everything!

Why did you decide to start your own brand after five years in the industry?
It was all very spontaneous. Two friends of mine – Roberto and Diego – were designing a beautiful collection for their jewellery line called SCHIELD. Then we thought about how we could incorporate their jewels with a shoe line and it really just built on from there. I decided to do a few designs and try it out.

Tell us about the traditional handcrafted Italian techniques used to create your designs?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the best tanneries and factories in Tuscany – which all specialise in very high quality leather. Their craftsmen working on my line are artisans which a huge amount of experience in luxury products. It has definitely been a process going back and forth with my designs – the craftsmen have a huge amount of patience, listening to my ideas to develop a collection and make them a reality.

What sparked your thorn themed collection?
I have always been inspired by the 90’s grunge aesthetic and religious iconography. Also Helmut Newton photography – the feeling he is able to evoke through composition, colour and subject. When my friends showed me designs of their new collection with the thorn element – I had a clear vision for my shoes.

Do you design with your own taste in mind?
Yes, definitely. I think it is really the reason I wanted to start my own line. Now I can just design everything I would die to own and wear!

Just one more – heels or flats?
Flats are a trend, heels are forever.

Tags: Footwear, Pamela Constantini, SS15

Christie Fels is the Head Womenswear Buyer at the East London concept store Hostem. Working closely with founder James Brown, Christie quickly became Artistic Director also, and is shaping the way Hostem views luxury, not only in terms of the womenswear collections but for the brand as a whole. Above the well-loved, well-known mens space, Hostem completely renovated the building, adding new floors to cater for their growing business. Twin met with Christie at the recent store expansion to talk about the Hostem aesthetic, personal style and what luxury means to her…

Tell us a little about your background…
I’m originally from South Africa, I was born in Johannesburg and studied in Cape Town. Initially I studied Interior Architecture and that was what I wanted to do. However I moved to Antwerp, around the same time a store called Ra 13 opened. I had wanted to do more art-based projects with them, but in the end fashion was a much bigger part and so that’s where I began.

I was there for about three and a half years and I loved Antwerp, but I was too young to settle there. I decided to move to London and work for LN-CC. I tried PR and Marketing and thought it was for me, but it wasn’t. At this point, I was relooking at what I wanted out of the industry personally and professionally, and made a decision not to continue down the communications route but to look for a more creative role, this coincided with James [Brown] thinking about growing the business at Hostem. He approached me to join the team and build the brand so it was perfect timing.

What would a typical day be like for you?
I work very closely with James, which enables us to work in tandem on everything from product at the store to Hostem’s brand voice and special projects. I joined Hostem in advance of the opening of womenswear so my role developed quite quickly – I am currently Artistic Director/Head Buyer of Womenswear. This means I split my time between being in the office, on the shop floor, and travelling – no two days look alike.

Was it difficult to translate the Hostem aesthetic to womenswear?
We didn’t want to limit ourselves to a particular aesthetic. We thought about what was relevant to a womenswear customer, whilst staying true to what the blueprint of menswear stands for. There has to be substance and story, this is key to what we do. I don’t think it’s difficult, no – I do think people might be surprised by the way in which we approached womens by bringing in brands such as Thom Browne, Simone Rocha and Dries Van Noten. Saying that, mens has evolved so much since we launched, they’ve happily met in the middle.

Does your personal style reflect your buying choices, and vice versa?
It would be impossible not to have some kind of influence. It’s difficult to separate buying for yourself and buying for a store. I’m lucky that the store is very much me – I would wear everything we sell and I would put most of my wardrobe into it. There’s definitely a cross-synergy but that’s because I really get the brand. I genuinely love the product and that’s why I’m here. However, I do have my weaknesses and there are times when I have to stop myself and say no, that’s a Christie moment.

Who are your go-to brands and designers at the moment?
Well, they haven’t changed in a while. Yang Li is someone who I really respect and have been wearing ever since his first collection. In terms of emerging designers I think he’s one of the most relevant out there. Dries Van Noten is a an old favourite – I respect that as a designer, he’s still so involved with the brand on every level which shows as it’s a complete representation of himself and his passions. Simone Rocha, which is a surprising one for me as it’s more feminine then the things I would normally wear but in terms of London, she’s probably the only stand out designer.

What designers should we have on our radar?
We are about to start working with a brand called Raag who produce and make all of their clothes in India. They are creating an exclusive capsule for Hostem (available in time for Christmas). They don’t wholesale so this will be the first time they’ve worked with a store. CristaSeya is a lifestyle brand incorporating fashion, design and textiles who we’ll be stocking from Spring/Summer. Jeffrey Smith is a London based shirt maker who makes every piece by hand and dyes using natural processes.

What is it you look for when scouting new brands?
There’s supporting a person and their vision and really respecting the brand holistically and what their ethos is and then there’s responding to product without knowing any of the backstory. They both play an equal role.

We are always looking for value in product. That might be a designer who is militant in their approach like Yang Li – he is uncompromising in building his brand and the core values it stands for. Then there are makers who are doing things that hold a lot of meaning. We are constantly looking at the word luxury and what that means – it’s changing all the time. I think now, more than ever, people are looking for inherent value in the pieces they buy. If you look at Toogood, for example, every piece has a little passport with the designer’s initials as well as everyone’s who took part in the making process.

What will you be wearing this Autumn/Winter season?
The Elder Statesman cashmere and a Toogood coat.

hostem.co.uk

Photography by Trinity Ellis

Tags: Christie Fels, Hostem

Every girl interested in chic design deserves to own a luxurious pouch – perfect for late-night dinners, club crawls or those popped-out-for-the-latest-issue-of-vogue moments where only a credit card, Tom Ford lipstick and mobile are needed. To help you pick your hand-held accessory for the autumn/winter 2014 season, we’ve made it super easy, by choosing our top four.

Moschino Logo Clutch, £182.32, farfetch.com & Marni Pony Skin Clutch, £410, thecorner.com

Small Shiny Croc Clutch in White, £40, whistles.com & Sophie Hulme Keyhole Leather Pouch in Black, £175, coggles.com

Tags: AW14, Clutch, Marni, moschino, Pouch, Sophie Hulme, Whistles

Fashion Sunday is quickly becoming the place to shop, eat and be. Now, the duo behind the initiative have made it the place to think and learn too. In collaboration with Let’s Be Brief, this August edition will host photographer Dean Chalkley and designer Harris Elliot of H by Harris who’ll be talking ‘The Return of the Rudeboy’, their exhibition currently at Somerset House.

This month will focus solely on the talks and next month will see Fashion Sunday’s first edit of menswear designers and brands take center stage. Twin caught up with Tiffany Alwis and Sonia Williams, the two girls making it all happen, to find out more about what they set out to achieve.

“From working on our label [Hellespont] and meeting the designers that we’ve worked with, we’ve realised just how hard it is,” stated Sonia. “It’s the retail issue for a lot of small labels, obviously you can’t get a physical store and some have their own online platform but you don’t get that customer interaction or you do random pop-ups and they’re not geared towards the designers, so we thought there’s a huge opportunity there.” An opportunity there certainly was. Each month Fashion Sunday helps emerging brands by giving them a space filled with their contemporaries where they can not only sell their products, but a place where they can learn from their consumers. Getting that interaction with customers is key when starting out. And with a mix of current and past season stock, as well as sample and archive products, mostly discounted, it makes for a perfect place to do a spot of shopping on a Sunday.

“What we’re trying to do is give these designers a hop on, hop off place to use,” Tiffany explains, “and for the last six months it’s been like building the infrastructure for it.” At the beginning, the two of them would be on the phone, ringing up their favourite brands to get them on board, however now, more and more designers are coming to them, asking to be part of this new family. “We’ve created a little unit, brands that are with us all the time… Paper London, Emma Shipley, Finchittida Finch, Jessie Harris, Marina London. A lot of them are becoming friends, doing swapsies.”

“Really good quality, interesting design and people who put a lot of care and thought into the production,” states Sonia are the elements that they look for in a brand. “A lot of the designers we work with try and produce and manufacture in the UK and most of them have a real story about their manufacture.” With interest growing around where clothes are made and where they come from, Fashion Sunday is addressing the question of mass-produced clothing and is “bridging the gap between people who would love this stuff but don’t know how to find it.”

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Dean Chalkley & Harris Elliott at Fashion Sunday will be at Oval Space’s sister venue The Pickle Factory from midday August 3rd. Hackney comfort food legends Rita’s will be serving a selection of favourites from their restaurant menu along with their famous frozen margaritas next to our beer bar on the sunny patio. Get tickets at eventbrite.co.uk

thisisfashionsunday.com

Tags: Dean Chalkley, Fashion Sunday, Harris Elliot, Lets Be Brief, Return of the Rudeboy, Sonia Williams, Tiffany Alwis

For those with a love of simplistic design, minimal jewels and interesting shapes, take note of emerging jewellery brand Jenny Sweetnam. After graduating from the Edinburgh College of Art, Sweetnam founded her own label, got herself a London based studio and watched the stockists start piling up. With Twin favourites Darkroom and Celestine Eleven among them, we caught up with the young designer to get to know her a little better.

Tell us a little about your background… How did you get into jewellery design?
Whilst training at design school I would obsessively work with metal on a vast scale and always create work connected with the body.  With a love for fashion as sculpture, becoming a jewellery designer was the exact way for me to express my ideas.  I’ve never looked back and am immensely happy designing and running my label.

How would you describe the Jenny Sweetnam design ethos?
I want to innovate through form and create bold jewellery silhouettes to frame the body in unique ways. There will always be a focus on luxury through craftsmanship.

What soundtrack would we find in your studio?
It’s all about FKA twigs right now for me!

Any planned collaborations?
For SS15 I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Pavane London, showcasing at London Fashion Week in September. Watch this space.

Describe the Jenny Sweetnam girl in three words…
Defiant, minimalistic, fun.

Where do you source your materials?
All from within the UK.

As a new jewellery brand, how are you finding the London scene?
Exhilarating! I love the momentum in London and opportunities are occurring quickly. The array of independent, design-led stores is amazing here and it’s exciting finding my niche. I’ve just started selling at Celestine Eleven, an alternative luxury concept store in East London – I’m very excited to be represented by such an innovative store. London certainly is the most exciting place to be as an emerging design label.

jennysweetnam.com

With AW14, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, Kenzo’s Creative Directors looked to explore the myriad, fractal reflections of art into life and vice versa. Enlisting directors Partel Oliva and web/3D designers Kim Boutin and David Broner, AW14 is celebrated through an interactive 3D and video experience available online that features music by Fatima Al Qadiri and stars Sudanese-American model Grace Bol.

The videos and artworks will be displayed during a dedicated exhibition running from September 24h – 26th at Galerie 12Mail/Red Bull Space, 12 rue du Mail, Paris.

To find out more, experience the video and to also shop the collection, head to kenzo.com/fall2014.

Tags: AW14, Grace Bol, Kenzo

Fashion’s most famous feline is being celebrating in a new book. Choupette: The Private Life of a High-Flying Fashion Cat gives us an insight into one extrodinary kitty, one used to the finer things in life. Designers such as Goyard and Vuitton have made her dinner service, her handbags, her picnic hampers and the best Parisian chefs create menus for her. Known to travel only by private jet Choupette is a muse, not just for ‘daddy’ (her sapphire blue eyes have provided the inspration for Lagerfeld’s haute couture collections for Chanel).

The book itself is full of observations and precious advice from her vet, Madame Horn, and her housekeeper and maid, Madame Françoise, who keeps her daily diary and so this is Choupette’s complete guide to the art of living. Divided into chapters on diet, beauty, healthcare, fashion tips, secret loves and pet hates, this book also lifts the lid on the jet-setting private life of Mr Karl Lagerfeld too.

Choupette: The Private Life of a High-Flying Fashion Cat is released in September 2014. 

Pre-oder from amazon.co.uk today.

Tags: Chanel, Choupette, Karl Lagerfeld

London’s jewellery scene is full of innovative talent. Emerging designers are everywhere you look. Rachel Entwistle is certainly at the forefront. Inspired by different cultures and her travels to Mexico, Guatemala and India, Rachel’s philosophy is deeply rooted in her love of anthropology, symbolism and mysticism. Twin caught up with the East London jeweller to talk Thor & Wistle, primitive man and what it’s like to win two awards at once…

What started off your passion for jewellery design?
As a teenager I was always into clothing and jewellery and often up-cycled pieces I found in charity shops and made my own things. It was in Mexico though that my passion really took off – there are so many jewellery artisans there, great silversmiths and access to gemstones precious metals and jewellery materials made it an easy place to get inspired and start making. I began making with artisans in a very low key fashion and loved hanging out in their workshops. I then went on to study in Taxco which is the silver capital of Mexico and it all went from there.

When did you decide to start your own label?
I didn’t really decide, it was just what I was doing and loved doing. It evolved naturally. I was living and travelling in Mexico and then stayed to study jewellery manufacture. I started to approach galleries and boutiques with my first pieces in Mexico and then continued when I came back to the UK. I was working from my bedroom in Hackney to start with and very quickly outgrew it and moved into my first studio by London Fields.

What inspires your designs most?
I have a background studying Cultural Studies and have always loved travelling – my interest in culture, symbolism, anthropology are the roots of my inspiration – I love to explore the hidden meaning of objects and cultural stories behind forms. For me jewellery needs to have a significance and a narrative that connects the design, the designer and the wearer.

Tell us a little about Thor & Wistle, how did the store come about?
Thor & Wistle was a natural progression for myself and Kamilla Thorsen who I co-own the store with. We had been sharing a studio for a while and renting out various pop-up spaces when we had a very successful stint on Columbia Road with a pop-up for the Christmas period of 2011. It was a  great opportunity for us to manage a space and really get to know our customers and the people who really get our designs plus a chance to think about display. As the lease came to a close in Jan 2012 we realised we were ready to take on our own space. Bizarrely the Thor & Wistle premises was the first place we looked at and we signed the lease that day. We have our store, offices and studio on site and the space is perfect for us. Kind of felt like it was meant to be really!

What was it about primitive man that sparked your interest for AW14?
I am really drawn to tribal and primitive jewellery and love the thought that man has always adorned himself with a purpose – amulets and talismans that protect or manifest. I travelled to Indonesia last year and the jewellery and body adornment from Papua New Guinea really inspired my thought process and I began to explore the idea of primitive man and how ancient symbols can be translated into a modern context but still maintain that essence of strength and meaning. I like my jewellery to have a raw, primal and organic feeling but also an urban edge.

What was it like to win both Jewellery Designer of the Year and Boutique Retailer of the Year at the Retail Jewellery Awards 2014?
Unbelievable! It is such an honour to receive two awards at once. And such a surprise. To receive the ultimate recognition of Designer of the Year is incredible as I was up against some really great designers. I feel really happy to be recognised. We had just celebrated our second birthday at Thor & Wistle the week before the awards and so to receive the award for Boutique Retailer at the same time was really exciting and a great achievement considering we have only been established for such short space of time.

Tags: jewellery, Rachel Entwistle, Thor & Wistle

Fashion’s obessesion with all things surf and skate isn’t fading. Nor is the resurgence of the skate shoe. The slip-on style is effortless, chic and can be worn with nearly every wardrobe. Here Twin picks four designers and brands who have transformed this casual trainer into covetable luxury items.

Joshua Sanders Bordeaux Velvet Rubino Trainers, £220, avenue32.com & Lanvin Grey Leather Skate Shoes, £410, harveynichols.com

Common Projects Leather Slip-on Sneakers, £300, net-a-porter.com & Givenchy Leather Bambi Skater Shoe, £455, brownsfashion.com

Tags: Skate Shoes, Twin Picks

V Jewellery is a relatively new brand, one that should already be on your radar but if it’s not, take note. Grown from a love of vintage design, Creative Director Laura Vann noticed a gap in the market, one where affordability and quality should meet.

“When we began it was all about looking at themes and reoccurring styles that had survived the test of time and celebrating those,” states Laura. “I just started drawing; bought loads of art deco books and looked at old auction catalogues and took inspiration from those, analysing the shapes and styles.” Fast forward two seasons, V Jewellery is now about to launch its third collection and is stocked in around 90 stores in Ireland and the UK.

Having never studied jewellery design, Laura uses traditional forms of designing – old fashion drawing, using pen to paper, but it’s never a chore. “It’s pretty easy when designing for your own demographic – I just ask myself if I’d wear this.” As the brand grows stronger and its audience, larger, Twin headed to Birmingham to met with the V team and created this film with director Hazel O’Brien.

vjewellery.co.uk

Tags: jewellery, V Jewellery