Everything Alex Perry touches turns to extravagant, and his new collaboration with jewellery empire, Diva , falls nothing short of fabulous!

Watch the exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the Alex Perry for Diva campaign shot by fashion photographer Georges Antoni and featuring the gorgeous model-of-the- moment Juliana Forge from Chic Management. Listen to Mr Perry reveal the design inspiration behind the collaboration and find out which pieces he says are red carpet worthy!

Fancy a very fashionable walk for a fabulous cause? You might even get a cupcake.

On September 22, Ralph Lauren will be hosting Australia’s first Pink Pony Walk to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the brand’s Pink Pony Campaign – a perfectly inspiring mix of fashion and compassion.

The Pink Pony campaign is a global initiative that was launched by Mr. Lauren following the death of his dear friend and former editor of the Washington Post, Nina Hyde, to breast cancer.

Pink Pony represents Mr. Lauren’s vision, a vision which aims to raise awareness and reduce disparities in cancer care in under-served communities. For Mr. Lauren, ‘Breast Cancer is not just a woman’s issue – it affects all of us, the brothers, husbands, fathers, children and friends’.

While the first Pink Pony Walk might have been a lovely stroll through New York’s Central Park, Australia’s first Pink Pony walk will be set amongst the gorgeous surroundings of Sydney’s Centennial Park at the sprightly time of 7am.

The participation fee is just $20 which, of course, goes straight to the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Foundation. And, not only do you receive a cute, pink wristband and balloon, upon completion participants will relish in cupcakes and other delightful breakfast goodies.

The Pink Pony Walk, which is expected to attract more than 100 Ralph Lauren staff, family, friends and celebrity campaigners, is an amazing opportunity for the community to come together and show that we can all make a difference and be in involved in the fight against cancer.

But never fear, if you can’t attend the Pink Pony Walk to support this great cause, the Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Collection will be in stores on September 13 with proceeds going to the Pink Pony Foundation.

This season’s Pink Pony Collection is, in typical Ralph Lauren fashion, contemporary, stylish and wearable, with every piece featuring the international brand’s signature pink polo player.

Most excitingly, this year marks another milestone with, for the first time, the introduction of a men’s line to the Pink Pony Collection. As one would except from Ralph Lauren, the men’s line is classic, impressively sleek and impeccably structured.

The Pink Pony Campaign directly benefits the Australian National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre of Australia who will receive 25% of all sales from the Pink Pony Collection.

So far in Australia, Pink Pony has raised more than $650, 000 of which every cent has stayed in the country to help support local nurses and communities across the country.

Ralph Lauren has been dedicated to the fight against cancer for more than 20 years, and has been recognised universally for persistently using his worldwide influence to raise breast cancer awareness.

With his inimitable style, sophistication and dedication, Ralph Lauren combines fashion with philanthropy through an abundance of initiatives and non-profit organisations, the Pink Pony Foundation very much included.

If you want to get involved in this fusion of fashion and good-will, visit http://www.nbocc.org.au/pinkpony/.

Mario Testino is about to unveil his tenth book entitled “Kate Who”.  Set for release on September 1 through Amazon. The book pays tribute to his work with the world’s most famous supermodel over the last twenty years. The book provides a never before seen images taken by Testino, that covers both their professional and personal relationship. There are some incredibly nostalgic images that span the countless iconic looks of Kate Moss. Only 1500 copies have gone to print, making it a true fashion collector’s item.

Mario himself writes the foreword, but it’s the personal essay about the photographer written by Kate Moss that is the bones of the book. It’s rare that we get to catch a glimpse into the private world of Ms. Moss, but here she opens up about her love and admiration for Testino. “He always gives so much of himself; it’s never just about him. He’ll teach people, he’ll help people and he’s really sensitive to people and who they are” writes Kate.

Perhaps the most interesting point made by Testino in his foreword, is how he and Kate first came to be friends. They met backstage at Kate’s first ever Galliano show. Mario approached Kate to congratulate her on a successful show. Kate was in tears, disappointed that she had such minor role in the show. From there they formed a friendship that catapulted both of them to be two of the world’s most definitive style leaders.

The content of the book varies from an array of shoots, parties and editorials across the last two decades. From backstage at 90’s runway shows or to the current work they are still producing. Both Moss and Testino are still in demand from the world’s biggest magazines and fashion houses. The book is Testino’s personal tribute to his greatest muse. He says that Kate “captured his heart and eye with her beauty, humor and spirit. Her image in photographs has captured imaginations the world over”.

On July 21st – timed just prior to the release of “Kate Who” the book- Testino also opened an exhibition in London’s famous Saatchi Gallery also aptly titled “Kate Who” featuring eighteen gallery sized images from the book. The exhibition has been such a huge success that it will be opening in Madrid on September 21st. Tesitino’s gallery work is not just limited to this exhibition. He has permanent collections at both the V&A Museum and The National Portrait Gallery in London.
Mario now has ten published books under his belt, some of his most famous include; ‘Let Me In,’ with Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher on the cover. The book explores parties, parades and princess’s all from Mario’s inner circle. Another of his other notably outstanding books is entirely dedicated to his work with the late Dianna Princess of Wales.

Testino has been the subject of six documentaries as well as having an influential role in the 2009 documentary September Issue. Testino is from Italian heritage on his father’s side and Irish heritage on his mother’s. He grew up in Peru, and is the eldest of seven children. He attended the University of San Diego before permanently relocating to London in 1982.

The collaboration of careers between Moss and Testino, could possibly go on for another two decades with no sign of either taking a backseat in fashion any time soon. The phenomenal glamour and industry influence from these two heavy weights has shaped fashion today as we know it. To both Mario Testino and Kate Moss, we thank you for your unfaltering vision and lasting contribution to the fashion industry.

“Kate Who” is available on Amazon for £300 on September 1, published by  Taschen.

Shilpa Chavan, the designer behind the ornate accessories label Little Shilpa, is like the little engine that could. She has chuffed her way all the way from her hometown, Mumbai, where she studied design and manufacturing, all the way to the runways of London fashion week and the gallery halls of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This journey has had a stop over at London’s Central Saint Martins Fashion College and with famed milliner, Philip Treacy. No boring detours there.

Here we should mention that the queen of eccentric head gear, Lady Gaga, has also donned two of Little Shilpa’s Swarovski helmets for an interview with Flare magazine, where she fittingly described Shipla’s work as, “ creating shapes and balancing outfits like paintings,” a sentence that fairly accurately sums up the work of Little Shilpa as well.

Little Shilpa’s handcrafted headpieces and accessories are wearable artworks, which juxtapose the traditional aesthetics of India’s exaggerated adornment with its overnight modernization. Her headpieces and accessory collections incorporate an array of bright coloured found objects and industrial materials such as Perspex into intricate sculptural shapes.

Her headgear has graced the runways of designers including Manish Aurora; where kitsch materials were collected from the New Delhi markets to compliment the Indian inspired clothes. She has also collaborated with, Unconditional, where she referenced traditional tribal themes, creating wood and bone neck pieces and feathered headpieces. Little Shilpa’s often over sized, statement headgear and accessories could easily steal the show every time, but somehow she manages to maintain equilibrium, elaborately framing the whole picture instead.

This is one of the elements that sets Shilpa apart from other accessories designers, her pieces successfully manage to navigate their way between the worlds of art and fashion, creating their own little settlement right on the border, where they can cross from one world to the other whenever they please. And they often do.

Shilpa has also participated in the Hedonism art exhibition, which opened the SS10 collection shows in London; here Little Shilpa’s installation rang true to the life of its designer; materializing the visual aspects of an amalgamation between India and London by contrasting found items from each culture.

Little Shilpa’s work, be it art or fashion, always has a cultural reference and more often than not it is from her own Indian up bringing.  Her installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum literally brought the streets of India to London. Back bones and head and shoulder pieces were constructed from Indian street sourced materials and styled into images as abstract, almost body parts.

Shilpa not only pays homage to our multicultural society though, she reflects our modern multitasking society as well. Swapping between the hats of designer, stylist and artist in an average working day.

Tangent caught up with her to find out exactly what the inner workings of each of  her own figurative headpieces looks like.

TM: Did you always want to be an accessories designer?

Little Shilpa: No it was unplanned, it all happened by chance. I used to design clothes, then I started working as a fashion stylist and I was always making pieces for my shoots. My model friends then told me I should do my own collections.  So I did a small collection, packed my bags and came with it to London.

TM: Do you always try to link the different avenues of your work together somehow?

Little Shilpa: Yes my accessories are really a scaled down version of my installations.

TM: How do your sale collections differ from your couture collaborations?

Little Shilpa: They are less complicated, easier to wear and lighter weight.

TM: Can you talk me through how your headpieces and accessories develop?

Little Shilpa: They develop through shapes. I work as a fashion stylist as well so I always think of my pieces as pictures first. If it makes a good picture in my head, then it will be a good piece.

TM: How would you describe your runway shows?

Little Shilpa: I think that shows are a great canvas to show your complete inspiration…the various layers of one complete look. To be able to tell the complete story is the reason why I do accessories in addition to my headpieces.

TM: You have had a whirlwind of great collaborations so far which has been your favourite?

Little Shilpa: My apprenticeship with Philip Treacy!

TM: What did you learn from working with a millinery master like Philip Treacy?

Little Shilpa: I learnt how to finish my pieces inside – out, but most importantly I learnt what humility was in the face of so much talent. To be so unbelievably creative and so unbelievably humble, that is Philip Treacy.

TM: What drives your passion for accessories

Little Shilpa: I feel that a garment is incomplete without an accessory. Almost like it is missing its better half!

TM: How would describe Little Shilpa in three words?

Little Shilpa: Vibrant, nostalgic, individual.

TM: If you could collaborate with one person in the future who would it be?

Little Shilpa: John Galliano.

TM: What are you currently working on?

Little Shilpa: My new collection for India and London fashion week.

TM: Where do you see Little Shilpa in five years time?

Little Shilpa: In a space between fashion and art doing a lot of experimental works.

Your guide to beautiful Victoria’s Secret hair. Ever wondered how you can have Miranda Kerr’s beautiful bouncy runway hair? The answer is MYCURL!  Loved by celebrities and celebrated by Australian women who want fab hair in under fifteen minutes.

After three years of research and development, Dario Controneo and his team at DCI have successfully created the perfect tool to create beautiful natural curls and waves. MYCURL is used with your conventional straightening irons to deliver consistently beautiful “S”-shaped waves and curls.

Since coming onto the market over a year ago, MYCURL has build a cult following. Celebrities such as Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Gracie Otto, Kelly Landry, Laura Dundovic & Zoe Naylor all love MYCURL.

One of the many advantages of MYCURL is the ease and flexibility of the product. If you are after looser, more tousled waves, use only a few rods. If you are after a curl with more bounce, than you can use up to eight MYCURL rods at one time.

MYCURL is a flat rod that shapes the hair into a natural ‘S’ bend wave or curl. Simply weave your hair around the rod in a figure eight pattern, fasten, and clamp with your straightening irons.  Leave to cool and then remove the rods and give your hair a shake  for a natural beachy look.

MYCURL is easy to travel with and quick to set. Once you have your rods in it only takes ten minutes for them to cool. After removing your rods, tip your head upside down and shake out your waves. Dario recommends spraying CAVIAR Anti-Aging Rapid Repair Spray by Alterna onto the ends.  Finally, spray  CAVIAR Anti-Aging Extra Hold hairspray by Alterna to secure your style.

For step by step video instructions visit mycurl.me

MYCURL retails at $89 for a pack of six. To get your hands on your very own pack of  MYCURL Visit mycurl.me or call (02) 9380 2217 for stockist details.

Tangent is giving away two MYCURL packs to our lucky readers.  To win your MYCURL pack email info@tangentmag.com and explain in 25 words or less, whose celebrity hair you would like most and why! Winners will be drawn on Tuesday September 7th. Good Luck!

TO ENTER THIS COMPETITION, YOU MUST BE A SUBSCRIBER OF TANGENT MAGAZINE.

Subscription to Tangent Magazine is free and will only take you 2 seonds: Click here!

The Screening are a relatively new band – can you tell us how the band started?

Tom Nurse:  We’ve been around for about two or three years now, but we started off as school friends who just got together from listening to the same sort of music.

James Dunn: Living on the same street pretty much

Tom Nurse: And we’ve just built up a bit of a fan base in our home town of Leicester, things are going really well at the moment, we’ve started touring round the UK and are doing lots of exciting stuff.

Do you ever get sick of each other?

Tom Nurse: Yeah massively, every time I look at him now (J) to be fair, No we’re very close as people and as friends, we’re a very happy bunch, a very happy group.

What’s been the most exciting thing that’s happened to the band so far?

Tom Lewitt: We went to LA a couple of times, did some gigs there and that was great

Owen Ross: There was a good showcase in South By Southwest

T.N.: Yeah that’s probably one of the highlights so far, headlining loads of shows in LA, and South By Southwest was really good. We did a sold out show in Texas and had lots of brilliant feedback last year, and just lived the dream in LA for a couple of weeks. There’s been lots of good memories so far.

When someone comes to one of your gigs what can they expect?

T.L.: Energy, a great performance and good times

T.N.: And excitement, and great looking people. And brilliant songs. Anything else? (He laughs)

J.D.: Buy a tee shirt!

T.N.: (Laughing) Yeah you might be obliged to buy a tee shirt or two as well. No, we just try and put on the best show, and try to make sure people want to  come back again.

You’ve been quite busy recently with the new single coming out, but what do you do on a day off?

O.R.: When was my last day off? I probably woke up late, put clothes on, sat on the sofa, feeling terrible, eat some left over pizza from the night before, watched some CSI DVD’s and probably ordered some more pizza.

T.L.: I think about the band and the next gig

T.N. We write songs constantly, it’s like a 24 hour creative burst of enthusiasm

T.L .: And watch Blackadder!

T.N.: There’s no days off in the screening actually, there’s always a phone call or an email saying go here, go there. It’s good though, when you sit at home all day it gets a bit depressing. This is just what we do.

Do you have any guilty music pleasure?

J.D.: Take That

T.N.: I don’t think Take that are a guilty pleasure

J.D.: They are in some ways, aren’t they?

T.L.: I downloaded ‘Hold Me Now’ by Thomson Twins

T.N.: Warren G- ‘Regulate’

O.R.: That’s a tune, that’s not a guilty pleasure! I borrowed my housemates ‘Best of Destiny’s Child’ album

T.N.: Everyone loves pop, it’s what it’s there for.

If you could, what would you change about the music industry?

T.N.: Small time promoters should be shot. People who put on gigs in “London”, bands come down and play in front of no people, and don’t get paid anything

T.L.: And you don’t have to be like that, there’s a well known venue we played at the other night called the Casbah in Coventry, and people there treat you like they want you, they’re keen to have you play there

T.N.: There’s so many promoters, especially in London, everyone’s in a band and everyone’s a DJ and everyone’s a someone who’s gonna put on a great night, just bring 50 people down from wherever and you’ll get paid twelve pound, you buy all our beer we’ll make loads of money and then you go home.

T.L.: The good thing for us is that those days are behind us, we’ve experienced that

J.D.: I think they encourage the rubbish bands and then they kind of swamp the industry

T.N.: If every small time crappy band said, “we’re not going do this anymore” , if they all teamed together and said you stop going to London and taking your 50 mates on a coach and getting paid £2.20 to do it, you don’t do that, no one does it, and things might change

J.D.: It needs a massive overhaul because the way it is, nothings ever going to change

T.N.: If you’re a 17, 18 year old kid the idea of playing in LONDON if you’re not from London is like oh wow, or even playing anywhere that isn’t where you’re from, but bands end up getting ripped off, there’s so many nights where the promoters will put a pretend record label name to it, but you need to come and bring your own people and I mean, they might be crap, but you still can’t just rip them off

T.L.: There’s got to be a point to every gig you do, even if you don’t get paid, the person that organised it for you should get you something bigger next time, there should always be a point to it

The single Diem is available on iTunes now, and The Screening have begun their UK tour too – click here to find a venue near you…

Written by Bee Pahnke

In recent years, Copenhagen has cemented its position as a fashion destination offering minimalistic style, with a modern twist and opulently embellished wardrobe classics.

Peter Jensen

The style on show for SS11 did not disappoint with favourites including, Peter Jensen, Wood Wood, Spon Diogo and Bruuns Bazaar, showing alongside the fresh faces of Copenhagen’s top design schools Teko and Designskolen Kolding, who offered innovation in abundance.

The overall feel of the week was one of simplistic, edgy elegance. Designers turned out collections defined by an ability to deconstruct and reconstruct classics across the board; from street wear to suiting and occasion wear. Collections were predominantly dominated by monochrome palettes with yellow adding a colourful lining and geometric prints also offering an alternate aesthetic. Asymmetric hemlines and overtly defined lines were also a recurring theme, carving silhouettes into sharp angles.

Notable moments included UK based designer Peter Jensen’s weird and wonderful collection of impeccably constructed printed patchwork combination’s, which were finished with a touch of metallic sheen and playful over sized bows. The sports socks and sandals, some resembling Christmas decorations, were also a delightful highlight.

Simon Rasmussen also turned out a lighthearted collection rich in colour and texture. The theatrics included

movable props constructed of obscure objects, which mirrored the garments on the models controlling them.  Simon Rasmussen took patchwork to a whole new level that could accurately be described as recycled magic. Think leopard fur, leather, flannelet, denim, from head to toe and pants and jackets constructed entirely from stuffed toys, donas and plastic bags. If there was an underlying message there it would certainly have been one about a material society where wastage is en mass and quality is over ridden by quantity, but message or no message the collection was certainly creative.

Simon Rasmussen

Other designers worthy of a mention were Wood Wood, who have made a name for themselves based on their avant-garde street wear. The duo behind the label Karl Oskar and Brian Jenson delivered relaxed tailoring, dynamic prints and intricate draping that continued the themes of deconstructed minimalism and polished juxtaposition of casual and occasion wear that weaved their way throughout the week.

Wood Wood

The well-established luxury label Bruuns Bazaar offered simplistic tailoring with subtle details and muted print blends. While Danish favourites Mia Lisa Spon and Rui Anderson Rodrigues Diogo of Spon Diogo delivered their much loved signature graphic tailoring rich in structural detail.

Spon Diogo

Bruuns Bazaar

The top two design schools Teko and Designskolen Kolding presented a future full to the brim with the promise of bulbous shapes, strong lines and the occasional burst of outlandish brilliance. For shows composed of multiple designers the presentations were relatively seamless proving that the future, though rich in innovation, remains steeped in a coherent sense of style that extends the boundaries of wear ability to all kinds of new proportions and directions. It’s safe to say Copenhagen fashion week looks set to stun for a while, consistently opposing the art of deconstructed tailoring with the definition of form through structural lines.

Teko

Designskolen Kolding

Directional fashion with slightly left of centre detailing is perhaps the best way to describe the Copenhagen fashion industry both present and future. It is a place where an unconventional approach to the conventional reigns supreme and individuality is widely celebrated. The SS11 collections confirmed that Copenhagen is the home of the new fashion royalty that is putting the art in Street Smart.

Feature image by Clara Abrahamsen at the Vilsbol De Arce show

The Mulberry AW10 party at the Chateau Marmont hotel in West Hollywood had all the right ingredients for a night to remember. Luxurious surroundings, fashionista’s dressed to the nines sipping on Mulberry Mojito’s and a few wild leopards who were equally as colourful and sparkly as the guests.

Kate Bosworth and Emma Hill sported their own animal characteristics; printed on their tee’s, while Alexa Chung toted hers on her arm. Molly Sims sparkled in a geometric print dress complete with the vibrant jewel necklace. Cat Deeley sported the little black dress look of the night putting it back with a Lizzie Chain leather jacket and Kelly Osborne looked neat in her black skirt, top, cardi and specs.

Mulberry really know how to through a good style bash and we’ve got the pics to prove it.

Alexa Chung and Kate Bosworth

Kate Bosworth and Emma Hill

Kelly Osbourne and Alexa Chung

Cat Deeley

Emma Hill and Molly Sims

]]> http://tangentmag.com/blog/2010/08/23/mulberry-goes-glam-at-the-chateau-marmont-for-aw10/feed/ 0 http://tangentmag.com/blog/2010/08/10/kim-gordon-musician-actress-muse-producer-artist-and-designer/ http://tangentmag.com/blog/2010/08/10/kim-gordon-musician-actress-muse-producer-artist-and-designer/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:25:13 +0000 hayley http://tangentmag.com/?p=6181

All you 90’s kids out there will know who Kim Gordon is, however, the younger end of Gen Y may actually have missed the incredible influence Kim Gordon had on grunge culture. Along side husband Thurston Moore, she was the front women of rock band Sonic Youth, foundered in the 80s, but influential in the 90s. An incredible visual artist in her own right. Kim has held art exhibitions in New York, London, Gothenburg and Tokyo, with her latest collection Performing/Guzzling causing a stir amongst the art world. She has produced albums for Courtney Love’s band Hole and has made appearances in Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls as well as music films such as I’m Not There and Last Days.

Kim’s arrival in the fashion industry is nothing new, she has had her own clothing lines in the past, and Kim is willing to admit, her label X, was not quite the success she was hoping for. Her latest label called Mirror/Dash, is exclusive to Urban Outfitters. It’s a simplistic label that has a rock chic edge to it. Kim’s goal was to create a line that is “a little less trend oriented”, that is suitable for fashion conscious women perhaps entering their 40s or even 50s.

Kim Gordon and Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs made his first appearance as a stylist for the group on the set of a Sonic Youth film clip for their hit song ‘Sugar Kane’. Marc was working for Perry Ellis and the styling he used for the video clip, was from his ‘grunge’ collection. The film clip was shot in the Perry Ellis showroom, and stared and unknown girl called Chloe Sevingny.

The relationship between Kim and Marc was instant and she soon became his muse. Kim appeared in the first advertising campaign by Marc Jacobs in 1998. From there, many other musicians were featured in Marc Jacobs campaigns within the year, including Kim’s husband Thurston Moore, Meg White, Michael Stipe and Rufus Wainwright. Several years later Kim and Thurston made a second appearance in a Marc Jacobs campaign, with their daughter Coco and niece Louise. Kim has also been featured in campaigns for Calvin Klien, along with the other first ladies of rock Shirley Manson from Garbage and Melissa Auf de Maur from Hole.

Marni & Kim Gordon collaboration

Marni’s Autumn Winter 2010/2011 collection features Kim’s artwork as the prints on their t-shirts and shift dresses. This association with Marni is the perfect fit for Kim’s talents, combining her work as an artist and her love for fashion. This is not Kim’s first collaboration with the brand. In 2009 Kim’s prints were used on Marni’s biggest selling handbag of the season; the Canvas Balloon bag.

Kim has been working on a range for Italian fashion label Sportmax – part of the Max Mara family- where she will be producing beautiful basics for the fall 2011 collection.

Words: Hayley Mears

Liquorice All Sorts, trips to the circus, elephants and balloons these are few of Norwegian designer Fam Irvoll’s favourite things.  After graduating from ESMOD Fashion College in Norway and Central Saint Martins in London with a BA in Knitwear, Fam Irvoll started her namesake label and that’s where the colourful fairytale begins.

Think 3D knitwear, sequins from head to toe, Swarovski crystal beading and polka dots galore. Fam’s garments could be described as ready to wear for the brave hearted or viewed as costume for an alternate Disney movie, but whichever way you look at them they are a whole lot of fun.

With blue hair and a lurid wardrobe of her own to match, Fam is a walking commercial for her enigmatic label. Next week, on the 18^th of August, the Norwegians will show up, in a colourful frenzy of their own, to celebrate this vibrant designer. Her hometown shows in Oslo normally attract a crowd of 3000 strong. It’s not just her home town, Italian Vogue, French Elle and musicians Marina and the Diamonds have also recently embraced Fam’s designs.

Her AW10 collection was inspired by the Circus and saw models with towering clown hair styles and theatrical face make up strut down the runway in all manner of animated uniforms from polka dot tights and jumpsuits to sequin and pompom skirts. Then came the clincher, dumbo blouses and dresses.  Everything Fam does, is done in a literal sense, that is part humorous and part genius construction.

Aside from the Elephants, the collection included 3D hands that wrapped the body and plenty of Fam’s signature 3D knitwear. The 3D idea developed in Fam’s mind before the label had even been born. After seeing Gwen Stefani’s music video for What You Waiting For in 2005 she was so inspired she watched Alice in Wonderland fifty times and decided she wanted to make all the fun things in the movie, but in life size and attached to clothes and so her penchant for 3D was born.

The Alice in Wonderland theme still rung true in this collection, which featured knitted blouses and dresses with balloon arms in a checker pattern. Other jaw dropping 3D pieces ranged from over-sized multicoloured polka dot dresses to a balloon dress; including the hands to hold them and an over-sized jumper filled with Swarovski crystals in every colour under the sun, not to mention the enormous bows that wove their way throughout the collection.  As if that isn’t enough Fam also custom designs all her own prints or in this particular collection full blown cartoon style illustrations!

So you can see why the crowds roll out when Fam is in town, it literally is like the circus has come to town and this time round at Norwegian Fashion Week there is some wide-eyed fun for the whole family. Fam will be showing two collections, one for the ladies and one for the littler ladies. With its childlike motifs and aesthetics children’s wear does seem like a natural step for Fam Irvoll but perhaps that’s the best thing about Fam’s imaginative creations they treat the little kid in all of us. Come on you know want to indulge.

Fam took five minutes out before the pre-show madness to talk to Tangent about life before fashion, the future and where her crazy creations come from.

TM: Why Fashion?

Fam: It’s a coincidence actually it could easily have been something else. I was travelling back in 2001 and my mum was sick of me just being lazy so she applied to several schools back in Norway and the first one I got into was ESMOD fashion school. I’ve always been creative so I thought why not! After the first year I knew this was what I wanted to do.
TM: Tell me about your life before fashion?

Fam: Before fashion I was a Goa travelling hippie with dread locks and a Bindi stuck on my face, wearing Hare Krishna clothes and sleeping in a hammock on the beach. Quite nice actually.

TM: Was your wardrobe as colourful when you were a child as your label is today?

Fam: Yes it was, it was mostly pink and purple ballerina dresses. I even had pink hair as a five year old.

TM: How would you describe the girl who wears your label?

Fam: Fun, Colourful, Kind of Quirky and a person that likes to make people laugh.

TM: If you could collaborate with one person who would it be?

Fam: It would be the wonderful Gareth Pugh. I love him; he’s such an amazing designer and wonderful person. He is probably the complete opposite to me so it would be interesting to see what could come out of that. His stuff is very dark and mysterious and mine is very naïve and colourful. Ahh I love Gareth.

TM: What is the natural colour of your hair?

Fam: I’m Scandinavian Blond

TM: Who was your childhood hero and why?

Fam: I think it must have been some Disney character. I used to love Disney so much. It was probably Cinderella, because she was so strong and hardworking and obviously because she got to wear a glass shoe and I really wanted one.

TM: Where do you see Fam Irvoll in five years time?

Fam: Hopefully the label has expanded into selling in different shops all over Europe and I really want to try to get it into Japan I think it would be right for that market. As for where I see myself, I would have two kids, a boyfriend and a small house with a garden and a studio for all my things somewhere in London. That would be amazing.