it would be boys and girls who like to look like Christmas or birthday presents
—Inspiration behind the collection
This time it was as based on cocktails and sweets. A mixture of marshmallow soft chunky knits mixed with spiral metallic bits, like the cocktail decorations that spill over the edge of the big fish bowl glasses
—What did you learn while working with Gareth Pugh?
I was really inspiring to seeing large flat shapes on the floor being pinched up and draped over the body and how changing the position of the neck and arm holes how it changes and drapes over the body.
—Where do you get inspiration from?
I often tend to look at the places where I’ve grown up, referencing the seaside towns where I went on holiday. I try to bring some element of the experience into my work, could be to do with bright over powering amusement park lights to the intricate decorations of the cocktails
—Is gender (men, women) important for your design?
In a way no, I generally don’t a fixed idea when I’m making an outfit and often if I make something for women, it’ll generally look better on a man and vice versa, so I don’t really worry about that until I’ve seen pieces on both genders.
—Who are your design icons?
I love Fred Butler, everything she does is always an explosion of shiny rainbow colours and crazy spiky folded forms. Knitwear wise Sandra Buckland and Sid Bryan for their extreme knitting. The Russian performance artist Andrei Bartenev is an icon for his super surreal/ cosmic costumes.
—How would you describe your customer?
I think it would be boys and girls who like to look like Christmas or birthday presents and people who like to be surprising and bright.
—Does your design activity always follow the same process?
Generally I think so, with the inspiration I will either start knitting some sample pieces, then work on the stand trying to figure out shape and form or the other way round and start working on the stand when figure out the knitting. But I learn for taking photo’s from the stand, that’s how my designs develop.
—How was the response (press, buyers) after the show?
I think the response was good, press liked it because Beth Ditto wore one of my outfits in the May Issue of Dazed and Confused magazine. I think people like the contrast of the fuzzy fury metallic yarn verses the softer chunky ribbon knits. I haven’t got a stockist yet though.
HP – http://www.craiglawrence.co.uk/
