Fashion, Art, Travel and lifestyle
Fashion, Art, Travel and lifestyle
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Posted on FATIMA LOPES
Fátima comes from the Portuguese island of Madeira. She was born and grew up in its capital city, Funchal. In 1994 she exhibited her collection in Paris at the “Salon du Prêt-à-Porter Feminin”. Two years later she opened her first international store in Paris, located in the famous rue de Grenelle. At the same time she began to diversify her collections by creating bags and shoes for both men and women.
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Posted on DESIGNER NAME: Huishan Zhang
BACKGROUND: Born in Qingdao, China. Huishan is a graduate of Central Saint Martins. During his time studying, he worked for a year at Dior, including six months in the couture atelier. He founded his label upon graduation.
SIGNATURES: “Chinese tradition meets Western influence and modernity.”
TRADEMARK PIECE: “The cheongsam dress is a recurring piece in my collections. I think it embodies everything that is sexy and feminine about the Chinese culture and tradition, yet it remains very adaptable to Western society and easy to embellish with a modern twist each season.”
IDEAL CLIENT: “Confident, feminine, cultured and elegant… Maggie Chung!”
THE COLLECTION: “I have drawn inspiration from culture and the way it influences how people dress in the West and the East.”
CULTURAL INFLUENCES: “Contemporary art is an important element for me. It reflects what I experience at the time. It represents what is modern.”
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Posted on 
DESIGNER NAME: Henry Holland
BACKGROUND: Born in Ramsbottom, Henry went on to study at the London College of Printing. He was a stylist before setting up his label.
SIGNATURES: “Bold, colourful, irreverent.”
IDEAL CLIENT: “I design with a London girl’s aesthetic in mind and love to see girls wearing my designs in their own unique way.”
TRADEMARK PIECE: “The T-shirt.”
THE COLLECTION: “Raving nanas, Disco Sally and Summer of Love ’89.”
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Posted on 
DESIGNER NAME: Haizhen Wang
BACKGROUND: Haizhen is originally from Dalian, China. He graduated from Central Saint Martins with an MA (Hons) in Womenswear, having completed a BA (Hons) in Design Technology at London College of Fashion. After graduating he worked for Max Mara, Boudicca and All Saints.
SIGNATURES: “Masculine femininity with architectural references. Classical tailoring, bold design joined with precision and impeccable quality.”
TRADEMARK PIECE: “Masculine, tailored jackets with an edge.”
IDEAL CLIENT: “An extraordinary woman who is confident yet sensual and appreciates shape and form.”
THE COLLECTION: “For AW13, I drew inspiration from architecture by looking at gothic style buildings – the multi-faceted constructions, their lines and the negative space of architectural lay plans. The same theme is also interpreted through looking at the contrasts revealed between masculine and feminine characteristics, and how proportions are displayed in human form.”
CULTURAL INFLUENCES: “I am always open to the culture surrounding me in my daily activities, and often find myself fascinated by photography, a tune or a story. This may lead to new, unexplored areas where a new source of inspiration can be found. A lot of my work is rooted within art history, both British tradition and foreign cultures.”
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Posted on DESIGNER NAMES: Marjan Pejoski (Creative Director) and Koji Maruyama (Head of Design).
BACKGROUND: Following the success of Marjan Pejoski’s own brand, KTZ arose mutually by himself and Sasko Bezovski – Pejoski studied fashion design at London’s Central St Martins University. It was shortly after the launch of KTZ that Maruyama was made head of design by Pejoski.
After touring the world as a renowned DJ throughout the 1980’s, Bezovski generated the umbrella of retail stores ‘Kokon to Zai’ in London and Paris, combining the passion for music and fashion that has birthed a renowned cult hybrid since opening of business in 1996 as a music store; a space dedicated to all creative artists. Bezovski manoeuvres operational, commercial and financial areas throughout Kokon To Zai.
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Posted on 
DESIGNER NAME: Katie Eary
DESIGN BACKGROUND: Eary studied at the Royal College of Art. She worked at Levi’s before setting up her own label.
SIGNATURES: “Glamorous streetwear.”
IDEAL CLIENT: “Treading the monumentally versatile line between Vogue andVice.”
TRADEMARK PIECE: “Street couture is at the core of all my pieces.”
THE COLLECTION: “Flamingo Massacres.”
IMPACT OF LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN: “Yes, it’s now thriving!”
FIRST PIECE OF MENSWEAR DESIGNED: “Hmmmm, something very, very Hedi Slimane inspired. Quite ‘suity’…”
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Posted on Ji Cheng is a luxury designer brand from Shanghai. Ji Cheng values womanhood, originality and the celebration of life. Inspired by a variety of elements from daily life, Ji Cheng honors the female form in a way that is both innovative and reflective. By applying its symbolic Chinese character, XI (Double Happiness) into most designs, Ji Cheng intends to deliver the most essential message of contentedness.
Recognized as one of China’s leading designers and influencers, Ji Cheng’s design philosophy blends Chinese chic with modern wit. Her designs feature elements of tradition tempered by intelligence and humour, resulting in a unique signature style. After training at the Instituto Marangoni in Milan, Ji Cheng worked at Basic Krizia, Missoni Sport and D’A as a designer and visual director. Ji Cheng founded her eponymous label,La vie by Ji Cheng in 2002, a fashion and lifestyle brand that combines the essence of Chinese sophistication with contemporary tailoring. The brand resonates with the growing population of young, independent women. Since the label’s inception, it has been making waves across Asia. In 2004, Ji Cheng was invited to join the Nokia Complete Fashion event in China and Thailand, and she presented her spring/summer 2005 collection on the catwalk at Shanghai Fashion Week as an up-and-coming designer to watch out for. The following year, Ji Cheng was invited to present her collection inspired by Peking Opera at both Singapore International Fashion Week and China Fashion Week. In 2006 Ji Cheng was selected as one of China’s most sought-after fashion designers to take part in a documentary entitled, Growing China produced by the New York Times and the Discovery Channel. In 2008, Ji Cheng participated in the CNBC TV programme, Wisdom Talk where she interviewed Vivienne Tam as a key representative for emerging design talent. Ji Cheng was also honoured with the Shanghai Creative Leaders Award and Hurun Fashion Pioneer Award. In 2009, Ji Cheng was the creative and styling lead for Shiseido’s gift collection design and she presented the opening show of The China Award, which was broadcast nationwide. Ji Cheng partnered with Unilever’s LUX brand again in 2010 and launched her third store in the XinTiandi Style mall in Shanghai. In 2011, Ji Cheng presented her Haute Couture Collection Red Candle at Shanghai Fashion Week, as well as her ready-to-wear collection The Embroidery Lady in partnership with Johnnie Walker Gold at Shanghai’s Bund 18. Selected as one of the leading mentors for Johnnie Walker’s Yulu/Quotation campaign, Ji Cheng contributed to the brand manifesto along with six other key opinion leaders in the fields of publishing, sociology, economics and business.
By Staff
Posted on JEAN PIERRE BRAGANZA
DESIGNER NAME: Jean Pierre Braganza
BACKGROUND: Born in Canada. Having graduated from Central Saint Martins, Jean-Pierre worked with Roland Mouret before setting up his own label.
SIGNATURES: “Constructed tailoring.”
IDEAL CLIENT: “Strong and confident with good taste. She’s not afraid to embrace the dark side of life.”
TRADEMARK PIECE: “The structured, tailored blazer.”
THE COLLECTION: “Sacred geometry, samurai and Frank Herbert’s Dune. The boy in me couldn’t resist the pull of Game of Thrones either.”
CULTURAL INFLUENCES: “I was a drummer in an industrial rock band. This sonic harshness has always influenced my aesthetic and imbued my design. The influence of modern art is also undeniable, and science fiction and fantasy are always there tainting my imagination. In essence, it’s modern ideas that I’m attracted to.”
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Posted on 
DESIGNER NAME: Jasper Conran
BACKGROUND: Conran started his own label at the age of 19 and was among the first group of designers to show at London Fashion Week. He studied at Parsons in New York.
SIGNATURES: “Timeless, contemporary British style.”
IDEAL CLIENT: “Anyone who finds pleasure in my work.”
THE COLLECTION: “It came from a desire for simplicity mixed with layers and tones of colour.”
CULTURAL INFLUENCES: “The influences are far and wide and constantly changing.”
By Staff