emma bell interview

Here is a teeny version of the interview I did with Emma Bell















It's supposed to be for Draper's. The layout is copied directly.. Draper's is a business magazine for the fashion industry, so the interview had to be that sort of level.
Anyway, here's the text.

Emma Bell has been busy since she graduated this June. Indeed, she describes her summer as, ‘pretty hectic.’ After spending a few months doing some much deserved travelling around India, she is working on a new collection, as well as a ready wear diffusion line and jewellery range. A fashion graduate from the University of Westminster, Emma’s first collection has been featured in Dazed and Confused as well as London style Bible, Super Super, who described her as ‘the future of fashion.’ Her work is also currently being used for the Irregular Choice spring/summer 2007 look book.

The collection, entitled ‘Charvas, Trailer Trash and Trinkets’ was debuted at London’s Graduate Fashion Week during the University’s highly commended show. Christopher Bailey, Westminster graduate and creative director of Burberry, was in attendance, and told The Telegraph, “These collections are what British fashion is really about… They are rebellious, rude and individual. Most fashion colleges are too afraid to shock.”

Emma is certainly not afraid of controversy, describing her work as ‘hideous’ and taking inspiration from sources including “mail order brides and chavs sniffing glue at fairgrounds… I like things with a lot going on,” she explains. “Anyone can create a replica of an Ikea showroom. People, places, objects… anything with a unique personality – that’s what really inspires me.” It is this unpredictable catalogue of influences that makes her work so interesting. Back from India, Emma is full of inspiration for her new collection. She reels off her latest thoughts; “Corrupt Maharajas, Chapati rolling divas, buckets exploding with strawberry cider, cheesy Bollywood movies, super sparkly textiles… My head is filled with a gazillion ideas!”

So how do these ideas get filtered down into designs? Emma admits that the initial creative thought process is one of the most valuable aspects for her. The preliminary thoughts that allow for the ensuing ‘crazy spiral of ideas’ are vital to her, and subsequently she dedicates a lot of time to collecting trinkets and treasures for inspiration. “Postcards, sketches... a tea cosy, an empty biscuit wrapper. They all have their place.” Then, when she is surrounded by scrap books and oddments, the designing starts. Fabric sourcing is also one of her favourite parts of the process, which is perhaps unsurprising when you see her work. It is all about print, colour, texture and trim, so she considers it vital to find something that is unique.

Her use of unconventional materials is notable. Interior fabrics such as vinyl printed tablecloths and tea towels make an appearance, along with clashing prints and embellished textiles. Surface decoration such as beadwork and foil printing are all specialities of Emma’s, although it is perhaps her penchant for spandex, PVC and “spangly hologram disco-Lycra” that has attracted the most attention. The collection may sound gaudy, and Emma admits it is garish. However, she goes on to explain that she doesn’t see this as a bad thing. “Sure my collection is tacky, I love tacky. Too many people take fashion too seriously. Who says things have to match? It’s all about personality, if you like something then wear it.” But how does she deal with negative responses to her work? “It genuinely doesn’t bother me in the slightest,” she says. “It’s all about what I like, and the world would be a boring place if everyone had the same views. I really admire the fact that people are opinionated and adamant about what they like and dislike.”

The 23 year old is as individual as her designs. “Straightforward things just don’t do anything for me,” she admits, “I hate boredom.” Fashion has been a life long infatuation for Emma. As a child, weekends were spent playing dress up at her Grandma's house, complete with catwalk shows in the living room. She soon learned to knit and crochet and before long, she was using a sewing machine. Whilst studying at Westminster, she worked on several freelance projects, but it was her year out that was to prove most useful. She deferred her final year to travel and gain work experience. Two seasons were spent in New York working as a design assistant for Rebecca Taylor, before she moved on to Tokyo for a month’s placement at Renown America. Finally, she took off for travels in South East Asia. She used the time to create sketchbooks, collect fabrics and trimmings, and most importantly, get inspired. She admits that by the time she came back to study for her final year, she felt ‘super motivated… full of ideas that I had picked up en route.”

Emma considers her time at university as extremely valuable, and says that her tutors were incredibly supportive. “They gave us so much freedom, and there was lots of encouragement to be ourselves, which was great as there was so much diversity in class.” They never told her to tame her work down, or try to be someone she wasn’t. The university also offered training in business skills for the students, which offered insight into the ‘real world’ for the young designers. This is something many courses neglect to teach, and one reason why many graduates struggle with setting up their own labels. Emma confesses that although she isn’t business minded, she found these modules helpful. “Learning about things like proposals, marketing and advertising isn’t necessarily very interesting, but it’s important to be knowledgeable about all factors of the industry if you want to set up your own company.” As with many graduates, money is an issue for Emma. She describes designing her graduate collection as, ‘a horrendously expensive venture’ and explains how difficult it is to adjust once you no longer receive student funding. She is planning to move to New York this year, so as well as saving for materials and equipment, she is also preparing for the huge cost of starting a new life abroad. At present she manufactures everything herself, and combines a full time job with the design and make of all her collections.

Emma sells her jewellery through Skirt in Newcastle, and is currently negotiating with several boutiques internationally, as well an online vendor. However, for this new generation of designers, the networking website, Myspace, has become a revolutionary marketing tool. It is accessible to anyone, and as well as hosting images, the site connects users with others of similar interests. For Emma it has been a great help. “It’s amazing for creating links with others in the industry. It raises your awareness of who else is out there doing what. It’s a great showcase for new designers.” The communication that arises through the site also means that designers receive valuable feedback from their peers in an accessible forum.

So what next for the irrepressible Emma? As well as the New York move, there are plans for work in styling, as well as a burgeoning interest in fashion journalism, not to mention the three collections. Is there no stopping her? “I don’t know how exactly I would identify what I do…” she explains, “I would just like to think of my work as one piece in the varied patchwork that is contemporary British fashion.”