During London Fashion Week Twin headed to the Designer Showrooms at Somerset House to meet the designers behind a young London-based label Pavane. Having worked for a range of big names in design, Hussein Chalayan, Yohji Yamamoto, Marc Jacobs, Erdem and Richard Nicoll to name a few, the designers, Georgina Edmonds and Fiona Ransom, decided to go it alone. Showing their third collection for AW14, they bring together their different disciplines (cutting and textiles) to create pieces that are both delicate yet strong, and structured, but with a certain fluidity in their designs. When asked about their process, they talked about their differences: “as we are both women with different aesthetics and body shapes, what we each want from a garment is different – this sets up an interesting tension with our design process – a questioning dialogue about the desirability and even validity of each piece.” It is this dialogue between the two designers that helps them create highly considered collections.

The Pavane woman, come autumn/winter 2014, will be wearing winter florals and kimono inspired silhouettes in a colour palette of blush oranges, deep reds, pale pinks and shades of charcoal. Key pieces from the collection: “the coat dress and jacket made from the bespoke woolen roses jacquard –  strong and feminine at the same time.”

pavane-london.com

 Photography: Rupert Tapper 

Tags: AW14, london fashion week, Pavane

For our last look back at the shows at London Fashion Week, Twin focuses on the details backstage at the Jonathan Saunders AW14 catwalk presentation. Here we take a look at photographer Ash Reynolds‘ interpretation of what happened.

Photography: Ash Reynolds

Tags: AW14, Jonathan Saunders, london fashion week

For the second in our backstage series, Twin sent photographer Ash Reynolds to capture the atmosphere behind the scenes of the Richard Nicoll AW14 show at London Fashion Week. Here we can take a closer look at the models, styling, beauty and designs that made the show what it was. 

Photography: Ash Reynolds

Tags: AW14, london fashion week, Richard Nicoll

With London Fashion Week officially over, Twin reflects on some of the fabulous shows. The first in our series takes a closer look at the goings-on backstage at Erdem’s Autumn/Winter 2014 show.

Photography: Ash Reynolds

Tags: Erdem, london fashion week

Juliana Sorelli, the young french director who we interviewed when she released her film Pretty Pretty, is launching a store in Hollywood. Technically the store has no name, only a logo, but lets just call it The Evil Rock N Roll Hollywood Cat. Located in a 1920’s blue house just off of Hollywood boulevard, it gives the impression of someone’s living room from that decade, one that has been taken over by a group of punks and jailbirds – an aesthetic also found in her film work. As well as Julianna’s own designs, which consist of custom made denim and leather jackets, embroidered sweatshirts and a basics range, the store will feature pieces by JFO, a new brand by Matthew Damhave who originally started the label Imitation of Christ, a new designer named James Flemons and his brand PHLEMONS and custom made jewellery from her friends. You can also expect to find photographic prints by Brad Elterman, books, zines and other smaller items such as pins, patches and records. In the future Juliana hopes to host events such as screenings, talks, shows and she even has plans of turning another room into a small secret gallery, so keep an eye out.

To celebrate the launch of her unique boutique, the Los Angeles based director has created a film titled Hollywood Lucifer. Watch it below…

sorellipresents.com

The Evil Rock N Roll Hollywood Cat – 1608 N Las Palmas Ave. Hollywood, CA

Tags: film, Juliana Sorelli, Sorelli Presents

For Spring/Summer 2014 Kenzo looked to America’s West Coast and in particular California in the 1960’s. To convey these themes, the brand collaborated with director Hala Matar and actors, Anton Yelchin and Lydia Hearst to create a short-film titled, Automobile Waltz, where we see the protagonists riding around in vintage cars, crashing into orchestras and carrying out stunted conversations, all in a set reminiscent with old Hollywood movies.

The connection between the cars and the collection is that they “both share the timelessness and classic feel,” states Matar. For Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, the wave prints recall an age of visiting the beach during the heyday of 60’s surfers.

kenzo.com

Tags: Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, Kenzo, SS14

Bella Freud, the queen of punk knitwear launched her eponymous label in the 90s, and has held a cult status among the cool crowd ever since. The pre-spring line, Close To My Heart is no different, featuring girl crush Adwoa Aboah. For this collection Bella draws from her love of film noir, 70s reggae album covers, graffiti and images of her mother as a 1950’s teenager.

The new word jumpers of the season include: Hey, Psychoanalysis and Power, with the range also consisting of the Lion Star Tee, the instant hit Lion Stripe Jumper and the Distressed Dog Tee (a la the Bella Freud logo). These tees and fine wool sweaters come in a palette of Gitane Blue, Dirty Pink, Grasshopper Green, Grey Marl and of course the classic BF Black and White.

‘The reason for making anything, from a garment to a film, is because it excites me and because I like it’ – Bella Freud.

bellafreud.co.uk

Tags: Bella Freud, SS14

Fashion stylist’s are not the enigmatic creatures they used to be. Social media has created the era of the celebrity stylist, yet there are still some who’s work comes first. Aurelia Donaldson is the Deputy Style Editor at The Telegraph Magazine, a self-confessed tomboy and an insider to look out for. Trinity Ellis photographs Donaldson in Notting Hill where she lives.

Was a career in fashion always on the cards for you?
My father is a photographer, one grandfather an artist and the other an art deco dealer, with the rest of my family also in creative industries so I grew up surrounded by a very creative family and knew from an early age that I didnt want a 9-5 job.

As a stylist, what do you like to use as references?
I use everything as a reference- movies, art, books, things I see everyday and people I am around.

You’ve created fashion films for The Telegraph and NOWNESS in the past, are you working on any at the moment?
I am working on a short film for a British brand at the moment and am in talks to do another series of films for the Telegraph Fashion site. In the past I have co-directed a short for Markus Lupfer, styled films for Louis Vuitton, and have worked on films for NOWNESS with Zebra Katz, Alice Dellal and Lily Donaldson.

How would you describe your personal style? Does this reflect your work?
My personal style is pretty relaxed, I’m a tomboy. My uniform is normally black jeans and cashmere jumpers- I often end up wearing black, navy and grey but shoes is a weak spot. Girly shoes, ugly shoes, sexy shoes. I’m sure my personal style reflects somewhere in my work- I always like a little bit of androgyny.

What photographers and stylists do you like to collaborate with? 
I shot a story in November with Perry Ogden (which is coming out in March) in the west of Ireland. I have always loved his photographs and I had this story in my mind for so long and he just got it straight away. Jeff Hahn is another photographer I like working with, his shoots always leave me excited to see the images. For me if I book a photographer, model, hairstylist, makeup artist etc its because I love their work so I want their opinion and the same for the rest of the team- it has to be a real collaboration to make it work.

Tags: Aurelia Donaldson, Trinity Ellis

It’s time to start buying into Spring/Summer 2014. One key piece, seen on the catwalks of Carven, Dries Van Noten, Christopher Kane and Givenchy, is the pleated knee length skirt. This versatile garmet is set to be a wardrobe staple come spring, worn with everything from luxury tee’s and logo sweats, so why not start wearing them now. This week we pick Twin‘s top pleated skirts, so you can get ahead of the game.

Asymetric Two-Tone Pleated Skirt, £39, zara.com & J.W. Anderson Pleated Crepe Wool Skirt, £495, brownsfashion.com

Proenza Schouler Pleated Skirt, £709, farfetch.com & Givenchy Pleated Silk Jersey Skirt, £575, brownsfashion.com

Tags: Givenchy, JW Anderson, Pleated Skirts, Proenza Schouler, SS14, Zara

Trevor Undi is a British/Canadian video and film director and photographer, who has previously worked with Balenciaga, Acne Studios, Alexander Mcqueen, Burberry and Chanel, to name but a few. This season, his attention focuses on Erdem, shooting backstage at the SS14 show to create this cinematic piece that captures the true beauty of the designs.

trevorundi.com

Tags: Erdem, Fashion Film, SS14, Trevor Undi

Meadham Kirchhoff’s London Fashion Week shows are a favourite among press and fashion enthusiasts alike. For the past nine seasons their shows have been scented by Penhaligon’s and this April they are taking the collaboration further with a new scent, Tralala. The London frangrance house sent Master Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour to Meadham Kirchhoff’s East London studio to immerse himself in their world and capture the essence of their brand – the outcome, an opulent, hedonistic blend of saffron and whiskey, layered over soft and supple leather, resins and balsams, then enfused with musk and vanilla.

“We do not have a signature but rather a handwriting. We like to tell stories in different ways.” – Meadham Kirchhoff

Tralala will launch on 21st April exclusively at Harvey Nichols.

meadhamkirchhoff.com

penhaligons.com

Tags: Frangrance, meadham kichhoff, Penhaligons

“You can totally do it, nothing should be stopping you.” This is the message Jillian Mercado wishes to spread to anybody with a disability through the new Diesel campaign. As the Executive Editorial Director at We Are Urban magazine, Mercado first met Formichetti through a shoot they were working on. The ad features a line up of 23 creatives, who were picked to represent all aspects of current youth culture. In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Formichetti said of Miss Mercado, “It’s never easy for her to move from point A to point B, but she’s totally fearless and has really been an inspiration to me. You don’t have to be a conventional model type to represent a brand.”

The campaign, shot by Inez and Vinoodh, will begin running in the March issues as well as being displayed in Diesel stores worldwide.

diesel.com

Tags: Ad Campaign, diesel

Black White Denim, voted one of the best boutiques outside of London has launched its own range of luxury basics. These include super cool wearable tees, vests, long sleeved tops, cardigans and leggings. Already a big hit, they have out-sold the Wang and Victoria Beckham basic lines in their Cheshire based store.

“The collection is designed with the woman’s body in mind,” states Jo Davies, Founder and Buyer for the store. “I have spent time getting under the skin of what my customers really want and expect from an essential basic piece. They are made from the highest quality cotton and modal fabric, meaning that the tees and leggings not only offer a softer and smoother feel to the skin, but are also colour fast and resistant to shrinkage. They act as the foundation blocks of every woman’s wardrobe and give women a base to style their looks from that will never let them down.”

These luxe basics are made entirely in England, and prices start at a very reasonable £50.

blackwhitedenim.com

Tags: Basics, Black White Denim

Miu Miu turned to Inez and Vinoodh to shoot their Spring/Summer 2014 campaign staring Elle Fanning, Bella Heathcote, Lupita Nyong’o, Elizabeth Olsen. They also asked the photographers and collaborators to create a fashion film for the collection, showcasing a techno interpretation that is both colourful and playful, highlighting the key motifs from the line. Featuring the same four Hollywood talents as the print campaign, the film shows the four actresses in their imaginary bedrooms with music by Porter Robinson.

miumiu.com/en

Tags: Bella Heathcote, Elizabeth Olsen, Elle Fanning, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, Lupita Nyong’o, Miu Miu, SS14

Charlie May may be well known for her fashion blog Girl a la Mode, but each season she reminds us that she is a talented designer-to-watch also. When creating her SS14 collection, May focused on childhood nostalgia. “Growing up in the North Devon countryside as a tomboy and farmers daughter, whilst alternatively listening to the Spice Girls and getting mixed up in the questionable late 90’s fashion,” inspired the introduction of metallic pink and turquoise to her usually minimal aesthetic. Not only does May experiment with new colour palettes, textures are also a focus this season, working with mills for the first time to produce exclusive materials such as a woven polyester/silk metallic fabric that demonstrates a growing confidence in her designs. We find interesting shapes and silhouettes  such as flared trousers and cropped tops, which are those 90’s inspired pieces, pulling the line together in a delicately elegant way.

Androgyny is always at play when it comes to Charlie May’s collections and this season that meant a collaboration with Hudson shoes. Creating a white slip on brogue, featuring silver zip detailing – the epitome of a perfect summer shoe, according to May herself. “I was really excited to work with Hudson as I love what they do, and am so keen to move into footwear and accessories myself, but don’t quite have the resources to do that yet.”

The collection, including the limited edition brogues, goes on sale at the beginning of February.

charlie-may.co.uk

Tags: Charlie May, Hudson Shoes, SS14

The legendary Kate Moss turned 40 last week and to celebrate, journalist-turned-artist Russell Marshall has curated an exhibition at Imitate Modern. 40: A Retrospective features ten photographs from her long-lasting career. The images were then created on ten canvases, in ten different colour combinations to give us a visual tour of Moss’s modelling endeavours. “Celebrity can be so short-lived these days, but not so with Kate,” states Marshall. “While other celebrities have come and gone, Kate has stayed. Kate’s not just a survivor and she’s not hanging onto fame. She grows bigger, brighter and more iconic each year”.

Prints from the show are available from £285 at beautifulcrime.com and canvases are also available from £3600 on the gallery’s website.

Open until February 15th, entrance to 40: A Retrospective is free.

imitatemodern.com

Tags: Intimate Modern, kate moss, Russell Marshall

London has cemeneted itself as home to some of the most interesting and talented emerging designers. Danielle Romeril is one of those names. If you didn’t hear about her eponymous label last year, you certainly will in 2014. Twin caught up with the young designer to talk fashion memories, first jobs and future collections.

Was fashion always on the cards for you?
The short answer is no. I started studying Psychology, Politics and History of Art at university. After my first year, I took my exams and decided I needed to try something else – that university experience was just too dull and vacuous, and generally an inspiration void zone. I had always had an interest in fashion and can remember at aged nine having these design competitions with my nemesis in school. Both of us would draw and colour up designs and our friends would judge them – I usually killed it. It was my amazing camo-combos of neon colours and black that did it. When I was 16, in school we had this year that they call Transition Year in Ireland, you are supposed to spend the year doing subjects less focused on academic results and more focused on what you might like to do after school, before you start into the senior cycle and take your final exams. People study subjects not typically on the curriculum, they learn to drive or they help out in the community. We had to do this tome of a project, completely self led on anything you wanted. A scary idea for most 16 year olds. In Transition Year I partied a lot so I decided to teach myself to pattern cut, from a book I bought and I designed and made a coat from scratch. It was a huge undertaking but I loved it. The purpose of the coat was to make me look old enough to get into pubs and clubs while also looking cool – it worked, I got served and an A in my project. I should have applied for a place in an art university straight from school but I didn’t have the courage. I come from an academic family and I didn’t excel in art in school so I chickened out and hence ended up in the wrong university, studying the wrong thing.

Who were your early fashion influences?
I guess as a young teenager I would have been a bit unaware of fashion in terms of the fashion system. My education came from my mother who shopped in a beautiful store in Dublin called Havana. She was wearing Yohji and Jil Sander but in a really unselfconscious way – she bought the pieces because she loved them as garments, she didn’t read the press, she didn’t care what name was on the label, she just knew what was beautiful and special. At that time I dressed as I still do now, arranging my appearance based on my gut instinct. I remember a silver puffa jacket worn with a velvet A-line mini and rubber soled, lace up platform canvas trainers that I loved, until people started shouting spaceman at me in the street! That infamous Levi’s ad and Dublin being a sort of conservative place in the mid 90’s probably didn’t help. I always stuck out a bit, I was a very headstrong teenager, if I wanted to do something, I did it. When I started to study fashion I became a bit obsessed with Rick Owens – that obsession lasted a long time. I loved his raw but beautiful fabrics and tough leathers, the tough girl attitude with the sublime drape and fabric that just swept around a woman’s curves. You can’t see any of that influence in my designs now. I have lost my desire to design tough, heavy clothes for scowly but beautiful girls. I don’t try as hard now and I think I am happier, which I think you can see in my work. Oh and how could I not mention Cristobal Balenciaga and Miuccia Prada – as a woman and as a designer.

Your debut collection launched for SS13. How have you grown as a brand and as a designer since then?
I guess when I launched I still had the concerns that permeated the Alberta Ferretti studio ringing in my ears so I was thinking about customer, age, wearability, different fabric groups – all this stuff which sort of mashed in with my own thoughts and feelings and lead to a collection that wasn’t as cohesive as it could have been. By the following season I was just doing what I wanted to do, which always works much better. The label is now stocked in 10 countries across the globe which I am proud of. I think I have learnt the same lessons that you keep re-learning throughout your education and working life as a designer: trust your gut, do what you like and the rest will follow. I collaborate with an old friend and stylist, the very talented Kieran Kilgallon, and besides bringing another angle to the collection with how we shoot it and style it, he is like my cheerleader who helps me keep focused on my gut feelings and is always telling me to never do anything I don’t want to do.

You bring a certain sophistication to street inspired designs. How would you describe your aesthetic?
This is the bit I always fail miserably at, describing my aesthetic; it seems so concrete, like I have to nail my colours to the wall and never change my mind. I also wonder if people can’t just look at what I do and judge it based on what they see, what they touch and feel. Words are so often a clumsy tool to describe visual three dimensional objects. If only I was famous, it would seem mysterious and interesting that I don’t describe my work rather that I just have a poor way with words when it comes to my own designs.

I will try though, here goes. Firstly, I like to change my mind. That is what I love about the fashion system, that one season I can be all about Voodoo and tribal influences and the next season it is bubble wrap and sticky tape. How cool is it that fashion actively encourages us to scrap everything every six months – what liberation! Secondly, the label is vibrant and youthful, the clothes are fun but with plenty of cool attitude. A Danielle Romeril girl is going to stand out. As a designer my real passion is decorative possibilities, I love fabric and surface detail, I like clothes that feel simple, almost utilitarian. I guess that is the street influence you can see. You should be able to just throw on a Danielle Romeril item with a pair of flats and go but these same garments are extraordinary up close. They are clothes that should be seen in real life, garments you want to wear.

You previously worked as a designer for Alberta Ferretti and Amanda Wakeley. Did the experience drive you to set up your own design brand?
Amanda Wakeley was my first job after my BA course, and having nearly killed myself on my graduate collection it was a nice break, basically an easy enough job that allowed me to move to London and make some money but it wasn’t what I got into fashion to do. There was an absence of passion and excitement in the studio so I left it to study for my Masters at the Royal College of Art, which was an enormously positive two years – the years that cemented in me that I would never do anything other than design again. From there I was selected to work in Alberta Ferretti’s studio in Italy and I more or less decided on the spot to go. I needed money and a job; an MA is an expensive business. It was a so-so experience – I hated living in this teeny town in the middle of nowhere in Italy and the design team was miserable but when I left I was at a loss as what to do next. I just couldn’t think of where or for who I wanted to work for. A lot of design studios like you to work in one particular way and I like to combine drawing, draping and fabric manipulation. It took me six months of indecision before I took the plunge to start up the label. Maybe I lacked courage but once I get going on something, I don’t stop. My Dad’s mantra – corny as it may be – is when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. On crappy days I say it over and over to myself.

Your collections feature a lot of lace and leather. Would you describe them as a Danielle Romeril staple or can we expect very different materials in the future?
There is no leather and almost no lace in AW14 so I guess you’ll be seeing something new. I am very excited about one fabric in particular; it has beauty, geekyness and crazy nostalgia all tied up in it.

What is your design process like? What does a typical day look like to you?
It completely varies. Firstly, you are the boss of a company before you are a designer. I know that probably sounds strange to people who think we just sketch all day but there are a lot of emails, press, stores, factories, PRs, fabric suppliers, accountants – all the sexy stuff to deal with first thing in the morning – the buck stops with me for all the serious stuff so you have to juggle a lot of balls. I start at 9, go through the day with my amazing team, I answer questions, we bounce ideas around. I aim to have a really creative work place that keeps people feeling excited and passionate, hopefully I succeed some of the time. Then I get down to design and collection development and as it comes together you see what is looking really beautiful and add similar styles or utilise a successful technique or fabric more often. So I will sketch or get on the machine and work out a new technique or collage fabrics and colours together for new styles. Sometimes in the afternoons we will do fittings, sometimes I will have a meeting. I really love to collaborate with other creative people. For SS14 I collaborated with milliner Laura Kinsella and currently I’m working on a bag collaboration. Fingers crossed for more exciting collaborations in the future.

What is it like to be a young designer in London?
It’s amazing as long as you don’t think about the money and I don’t mean the fistful of fifties being shoved through your letter box every morning.

What did it feel like to receive exhibition sponsorship from NEWGEN?
It was a pretty big moment, I guess a career highlight for me. I was just tapping away, doing my thing, building the brand and the Danielle Romeril vision. I applied and then I got to the second stage, which a lot of people get to and then I got to the third stage and then I was in front of an 18 person panel, feeling completely out of my depth and then you wait and see. A week later they send you an email and I suppose it’s like the smallest thing and the biggest thing all in one. It changes nothing – you are still working on your new collection and sorting out production but it changes everything too. This thing, that has been a dream and a massive goal, that you have been busily pretending to yourself is no big deal, just lands on you one day. It’s like fuck yeah, but then you can’t tell anyone for two weeks except your family who don’t really get it – there is nothing worse than trying to explain to someone who doesn’t get it why it is such a big deal. So myself and Kieran Kilgallon (the stylist I work with) and my team basically just patted ourselves on the back, felt smug and went to the pub to celebrate.

What can we expect from Danielle Romeril the brand in 2014?
Hopefully, to be surprised and maybe to hear the name a few more times.

www.danielleromeril.com

Images from Danielle Romeril SS14

Photographer: Joshua Gordon
Stylist: Kieran Kilgallon
Make-up & Hair: Sarah Lanagan
Hats: A collaboration with milliner Laura Kinsella

Tags: Danielle Romeril, NEWGEN, SS14

Killer stilettos, now commonly known as pumps have never been so popular. Elegantly proportioned, super sexy and versatile they’re a wardrobe staple that never goes out of fashion. Seen on the runways from Saint Laurent Paris to Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana (an autumn/winter seasonal staple for the Italians), who are we to argue with these fashion houses. We’ve gone through all the styles to give you the top four Twin picks…

Saint Laurent Pais Two-Tone Leather Pumps, £613, MyTheresa.com & Daniel Black Leather Mustio Court Shoes, £149, DanielFootwear.com

Alexander McQueen Suede Pumps, £485, MatchesFashion.com & Charlotte Olympia Fairest Of Them All Pumps, £407,  MyTheresa.com

Tags: Alexander Mcqueen, Charlotte Olympia, Daniel, Saint Laurent Paris

Today sees the opening of the Gareth Pugh Monolith installation at Selfridges. Created with the department store to mark Pugh’s first appearance on the London Collection: Men’s schedule, Monolith takes you on a virtual reality journey, visually immersing you into the world of Pugh’s menswear collections. The two-metre tall chamber is located in Menswear on the store’s first floor, and is ‘part art installation, part futuristic fashion film and part fairground ride’. The project was brought to life by East London creatives Inition, with a soundtrack by Matthew Stone. The installation serves as a preview to the mid-January launch of Selfridges’ first store-wide creative concept of 2014, The Festival of Imagination, which celebrates the world’s most inspiring innovators, creatives and architects.

selfridges.com

Tags: Gareth Pugh, LC:M, Selfridges

Steven Meisel’s Spring/Summer 2014 campaign for Prada reflects the fierce and independent spirit of the collection. Teams of models hold us in their collective gaze, looking forward in a united vision.

Glowing with independent truth, a youthful idealism and aggressive optimism unites this modern feminine troupe.

Models: Julia Bergshoeff, Dorota Kullova, Ashleigh Good, Gracie Van Gastel, Amanda Murphy, Viktor Van Pelt, Maggie Jablonski, Lieke Van Houten, Maja Salamon, Ola Rudnicka, Sabrina Ioffreda, Magdalena Jasek, Nastya Sten, Cindy Bruna, Anna Ewers, Ophelie Guillermand, Malaike Firth, Lexi Bolling

www.prada.com

Tags: prada, Steven Meisel