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'If I were Queen for the day ,I would allow people to have their own
individual styles ,but be clean presentable and neat - its important not
to look scruffy ...'
i-D caught up with emerging up and coming fashion designer JW to discuss
her latest provocative collection and her future aspirations The interview chat
this time is centred less on the clothes -black bell shapes with an
eclectic mix of texture -than the creative journey
this designer has embarked upon .Born into a family gifted in fine art and fashion from the land of Buddha's , temples and gilded palaces - the awe inspiringly beautiful Thailand ,it was inevitable that JW aged 22 was destined to follow a creative path.
this designer has embarked upon .Born into a family gifted in fine art and fashion from the land of Buddha's , temples and gilded palaces - the awe inspiringly beautiful Thailand ,it was inevitable that JW aged 22 was destined to follow a creative path.
Whilst sitting at her work station ,dressed in what can only be
described as sophisticated and smart this diminutive figure oozes a firmly in
the moment sense of style no soul searching or second guessing here this
designer knows what she likes .J welcomes me with a smile and talks me through how
she has always been fascinated by art but never thought she would turn to
fashion design due to her 'ever so slight interest in fashion' a point she
makes without the slightest hint of irony . I am intrigued however by what
she tells me of her childhood antics 'When I was younger I used to love making
handbags out of materials I deconstructed .like old clothes ,old handbags and
jewellery' reinventing and recycling being at her core 'but
strangely enough I was never tempted to make clothes '
This has now all changed when she discovered that fashion was her forte
during her Art Foundation course at UCA. It was here she saw the light at the
end of the runway and decided to continue her studies on a fashion design
course 'This is where all the fun began 'she says laughing .
J has valued her work experience with growing popular couture designer
'Ralph Pink' whom she found hugely inspirational and a great mentor
enabling her to hone her design skills by creating heavily detailed corsets
Now firmly established as a brilliant young talent and firmly set on a
path in fashion J finds herself often admiring the work of the iconic
Viktor and Rolf however not wishing to define herself she is ever
on the look out for fresh inspiration and new ideas often finding this in
the diverse range of exhibitions available in London .
Her fearless instincts have led to the creation of her latest project
with a recurring theme of bells adapted to suit the body shape .'Its an all
black collection so texture is paramount in order to produce the striking
effect for this landmark collection and maintain the surprise element .
J says the best thing about designing is when you take a silhouette and
make it your own adapting and tailoring it to the body ' Unlike many other designers
I don't do a lot of preparation work ,I have to physically get on and make the
piece then adjust it later ' says J clearly she has a raw instinctive
quality which allows her to be uninhibited and let creativity rip . The
result feminine ,elegant and with an edgy sense of fun balanced
with a piece that is distinctly wearable by 'any young woman.'
Post graduation J intends to gain as much hands on experience as
possible whilst networking and creating contacts in the industry she sees this
as the way forward but for the moment a well earned holiday and short pause
before the next stage on this exciting journey.
Text by Olivia Todd
Photographer
Jacqueline Wattanajantra
Page 68
THE ROYALTY ISSUE
