CRAZY, COLORFUL, COOL : Q&A WITH CAMILLE HARDWICK

Camille Hardwick up close [photo by Ezzidin Alwan, provided by Camille Hardwick]

The United Kingdom credits the craft of fashion with an army of accomplished alumni. From Alexander McQueen to Zac Posen and many more in between, the British art school scene is the birthplace for designers who clothe the fashionably elite. Among this year's graduates, Camille Hardwick attracts attention by pairing color and transparency in knitwear. After presenting at Graduate Fashion Week, Hardwick is chosen to show at the Best of Graduate Fashion Week Awards Show 2014. One of 3 winners in Urban Outfitter's 2014 ARTS THREAD X UO "Make It" design competition, I become acquainted with Hardwick after picking up the limited-run dress produced from her concept. Most recently, Hardwick is a UKHKA 2014 finalist and will be exhibited at Alexandra Palace and Harrogate. Her 2014 collection is currently exhibited in the "visionary" section at the Fashion and Textiles Museum's Knitwear: Chanel to Westwood exhibit. Keep reading for my Q&A with the designer... 

WHEN MINIMALISM AND MAXIMALISM MEET: A Q&A WITH KIRSTY WARD

Kirsty Ward wearing a self-created necklace [photo by Hayley Benoit, provided by Kirsty Ward]

Prize-winning couturier, former Alberta Ferretti designer and '07 graduate of Central Saint Martins, Kirsty Ward brings brilliance to the brink of bourgeois fashion. During London Fashion Week, tassels and polka-dots land atop layers of multi-tier draping as Ward presents her 9th collection. Launching her own brand in 2010 after 3 years of working for Alberta Ferretti, Ward becomes an overnight sensation, called out as a Rising Star (2011) by Elle.co.uk, a Designer to Watch (2011) by vogue.com and a chosen exhibitor for Selfridges' Bright Young Things (2011). Ward's UK-made ready-to-wear is synonymously paired with her handmade jewelry, formalizing the relationship between simplicity and embellishment. An emphasis on form drives the uniqueness of her brand as season-after-season, she continues to surprise; a signature interplay between hardware and soft wear  often results as a multitude of ring-splayed pieces in metallic enlightenment meld with textured translucence. Keep reading for my Q&A with designer Kirsty Ward...

MEET THE MILLINER : JESS COLLETT

Jess Collett Milliner in her atelier, photos provided by Jess Collett

Handmade hats, haute hairpieces and high-performance horses become functional--not to mention fashionable--highlights of the derby/summer sporting season both domestically and abroad. With the Epsom Races passed and the Ascot Races upcoming, Jess Collett, a familiar favorite in the world of high-profile headgear, staves off the sun with a range of subtle to show-stopping styles. A graduate of Kensington and Chelsea College, Collett's couture creations are wielded by British royalty, actors and actresses and the general public. Established in 1999, Collett's atelier in Notting Hill continues to be the birthplace of all her handmade floral, felted and feverishly fantastic hats. Keep reading for a sincere and insightful Q&A with the designer...

TWO BRITISH BELLES TELL OF BEAUTY, BENEVOLENCE & BEING BEULAH

Lady Lavinia Brennan and Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, photo provided by Natasha Rufus Isaacs

The sleek, silky dresses and free flowing femininity of Beulah London exudes innocence, romance and elegance; a far cry from the haunting tales of human trafficking that compelled two British belles to build a humanitarian fashion label. In 2009, Lavania Brennan and Natasha Rufus Isaacs spent time in India working at Atulya, an aftercare home for enslaved and abused women. On return to London, the sights and stories of abuse, human trafficking and organ smuggling prompted Lavinia and Natasha to fuse their flair for fashion and desire to empower wounded women in India. Beulah London was founded on the premise of a 'butterfly effect' where "a small change at one place in a complex system has a large effect elsewhere," ultimately supporting "the journey of each woman out of darkness and despair, into a new life of hope and restoration" [source]. Keep reading for a Q&A with "Lavs" and "Nats" on style, food and their journey to building a benevolent brand...