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Update:
Designers of New Couture do not copy other designers work - they have the ethics of a fine tailor; they are not like the typical dress maker who will copy a garment.

In case you forgot, this interview will remind you, why you really liked Victoria Beckham in the first place!

Models go on castings on a daily basis, the rest of us make up artists, hair stylists, photographers and stylists go on appointments. It’s hard to make the time when you’re busy shooting but it’s important to meet new people and show your work. You’re basically going on mini interviews all day.

What’s great and not so great is that you might be running all over the city while going to appointments. So I generally use this opportunity to check out any cool shops or cafes. Near Dalston Station there are two Oxfams quite close to each other - one for clothing and then just a few doors down an Oxfam book shop. It’s huge and all the books are 99p!

I had an interview this afternoon for Jincey Lumpkin - fashion lawyer and blogger. I met with her UK interviewer Simone Baret Innamorati in Selfridge’s for coffee. And of course after the interview we had to go and look at all the fabulous bags!

I love this bag, I could fit so much stuff into it!!

The silver bag on the top shelf left hand side is surprisingly soft!

Simone and I both hate fakes - now these bags are so fake and can’t be mistaken for anything but fake. I just find it so weird that the fakes are located right outside of Selfridges, and right inside, just wall between them, are all the luxury designer bags. It’s cruel in so many ways…

I really enjoyed watching Wim Wenders’ film Notebook On Cities And Clothes (1989): the story follows Yohji Yamamoto in Paris and Tokyo as he prepares for his Paris fashion show. The second image is a picture that I took of the film on my television screen. It’s a shot of Yohji Yamamoto editing all his clothes for his fashion show. I loved how he lays all the clothes out to see how they look together; it just seems like such a better method then using a rail!

All day I was looking forward to the fashion debate at the Design Museum, it’s part of the “Matthew Williamson 10 Years In Fashion” exhibition. The panel featured Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue and Joseph Velosa, CEO of Matthew Williamson, and there was an additional guest Anna Garner, head of fashion at Selfridges.

This wasn’t really a fashion debate but more of a question-and-answer forum. Two fashion students had the opportunity to ask the questions. This was a good lecture for design students, as much of the focus was the business of fashion: the importance of a business plan, understanding your buyers and your relationship with the media.

The lecture was worth it just to listen to Alexandra Shulman speak about Vogue, advertising, designers and London Fashion Week. Years ago I did work experience at Vogue and I told Lucinda Chambers that I was amazed how friendly and helpful everyone was (I think I was expecting a Devil Wears Prada type of atmosphere), Lucinda said it was all because of Alexandra, that she sets the tone.

This is what I love about London: for £10 I can go and listen to one of the most influential women in British fashion and see the work of one of London’s top designers!

The exhibition is on until January 31st.

It’s cold and grey outside so I’ve been forcing myself to look ahead and think of spring dresses! So of course Nicola de Main comes to mind. OK, so I do wear lots of black but I can imagine myself on a hot sunny day sitting at an outdoor cafe with an ice latte wearing a colourful girly dress.

Here is an excerpt from an interview that I did with Nicola De Main:

Tell us about your catwalk debut!

NdM: This season Spring/Summer 08 has been my London catwalk debut as part of London Fashion Week which has been amazing, the show was incredibly well received and we have been working extremely hard ever since just to keep up with demand. Prior to that I was invited to show in Budapest by the British Council representing London as a rising design talent, which was great experience being involved in such an incredibly high profile event which definitely contributed to our London show being such a big success …a little experience helped a lot.

Have you dressed anyone famous?

NdM:Yes I have worked with a few exciting names, I used to be a stylist before I started my own label and in this time I worked with a lot of high-profile bands, my personal highlight probably being Razorlight. The great thing about all of that was that I am still in touch with most of these people and their friends/girlfriends etc, so I am beginning to become a popular name in the music circles, which I’m really happy with because that is where I like to hang out too as a music lover.

Tell us about your fabrics.

NdM: I am keen that everything about the garment is exceptional and I feel that that starts with the fabric, you have to use high quality materials to get a luxury product, this really sets the label aside from others as you can tell the quality just by touching it. Wherever possible I like to use natural fabrics such as silk/cotton/linen and have recently been using bamboo; I feel it is the least I can do to be a responsible clothing manufacturer, bamboo in particular is a highly sustainable resource and does not require high levels of pesticides to grow which is a great thing to know that you are contributing to helping the environment…even in a small way.

Nicola de Main can be found in the UK, Italy, Sweden and Panama!

It’s just been announced that Hannah Marshall will receive a New Generation Sponsorship to show her autumn/winter 2008-9 collection at the London Fashion Week Exhibition!

I love Hannah’s work; in it’s simplicity it’s true luxury. You always feel great when you wear her dresses. Above is a picture of the silk chiffon trapeze dress from her lookbook, which was shot by Carlos Lumiere and styled by me. Hannah’s the type of person that you can’t help but adore. She’s not a jaded fashionista; she’s sweet, extremely hard working and
very funny.

I asked Hannah for a quote, and here it is!

I have been in business less than a year, so to receive recognition and support from the British Fashion Council is so exciting, and I am really looking forward to exhibiting as part of New Generation sponsored by TOPSHOP this February.

An interview with Julie Bérubé

R: What is the name of your collection or last collection?
Bérubé: I don’t normally give names to my collections… I don’t know why! Maybe I will give the next one a name.

R: When did you graduate?
Bérubé: In 2000.

R: Are you working on a new collection?
Bérubé: Yes, S/S 08. I find it harder to work on a summer collection, I’m from Canada so winter stuff comes a lot easier to me! But I believe that working in season is less and less relevant somehow…

R: Where are you from?
Bérubé: From Montreal, Canada.

R: Are there any family members that inspired your work? An Aunty that sews etc?
Bérubé: I was born in the 70’s and my mom was into the back to earth movement. She did everything from scratch including sewing our clothes. So I’ve learned to sew when I was even too young to remember. One of my aunty’s did study fashion before me, she even completed fashion studies in Paris but never worked in the industry. And my dad’s mother was always dressed to the nines. I remember she had a black monkey fur hat which is the chicest thing I’ve ever seen. (it’s so un-PC!!) she was always wearing brooches on perfectly pressed silk blouses. She was far from being rich but she took really good care of her clothes.

R: Have you always wanted to have a fashion label?
Bérubé: Yes, I knew when I was studying that I wouldn’t be able to work for anyone else. I have problems with authority!

R: Has being a mother influenced or changes your work?
Bérubé: Not my creativity but the way I approach the business side of it. I’m much more focused because this business needs to work for my family. It’s not just about me having fun designing anymore.

R: What is your signature? Is there a specific fabric or print that you are known to use? Or a detail?
Bérubé: I’ve been addicted to pleats for a while! I love to work with big wooly felts for winter coats. I also love to play with leather.

R: What are some of your favourite colours, patterns, weights of material to work with?
Bérubé: I’m really into black and grey and the moment. Boring as it may sounds, I don’t fancy colours anymore. I love fabrics who move and drapes or are quite heavy. I love working with volume.

R: Who are your favorite designers that you look to for inspiration?
Bérubé: I’m quite inspired by Claire McCardell at the moment, there is a very modern feel to her designs. Balenciaga (Cristobal) is someone whose work I always go back to and Coco Chanel for her attitude and use of menswear fabrics into womenswear.

R: What outside aspects inspire your designs?
Bérubé: Everything, clouds, houses, holes in the pavement, food I cook.

R: What were some of the struggles you had to overcome when beginning the label?
Bérubé: Beginning is quite easy! It’s basically just a bit of madness and naivety. Now it is getting tougher… juggling cashflow, deliveries on time, pressure to produce good collections every season, getting the press interested…

R: Have you been featured in any publications, TV shows, etc…? If so, when/where?
Bérubé: I have some press coverage all through the year. We are in Vogue this September issue, hurray!

R: Do you wear your own clothing?
Bérubé: Absolutely!

R: What is the name of your current collection and why?
Bérubé: It hasn’t got a name! But the main inspiration is the female character in the film La Strada from Fellini.

R: Where is the collection currently sold and who are your dream stockists?
Bérubé: We are stocked in Rough Sleepers in London, Mix in Italy and Tanglewool in the US. My dream stockist would be to have my own boutique, but I’ve got my online boutique now so I’m happy. It’s working really well!

R: Which celebrities would you most like to see wearing your collection?
Bérubé: I don’t like this celebrity culture, I find the whole thing bland and empty and insignificant. There are so many amazing real women out there.

R: Do you remember your dreams?
Bérubé: Sometimes. I dream a lot about houses!

R: Do you eat breakfast?
Bérubé: Yes.

R: Do you have a pet?
Bérubé: No, I’ve been broken hearted by the lost of pets in the past and I don’t think I can deal with the sadness of losing one again.

R: When are you showing next?
Bérubé: I’m not showing on the catwalk this September but I will be exhibiting at On|Off. I want to take a season away from the catwalk to concentrate on making a small but perfectly cut collection. I also felt that the exhibition in the tents is very poor and I feel On|Off offers an environment that suits my collections better.

R: Favourite food, restaurant?
Bérubé: I love good hearty food like Turkish and Greek cuisine.