28 March 2012
green velvet
22 March 2012
Audrey Grace New York pop-up
Tick tock New York, there’s only one day left till invasion of insanely sweet clothes. Audrey Grace New York pop up store will open its doors on March 23rd and I’m sure that Jaclyn, owner had ensured that this doors lead into the pages of a fairytale. You've read already about Jaclyn and her Jackson store here on misslikey in November of last last year . For upcoming store, that’s going to embellish 26th street, Jaclyn published Audrey Grace zine. (read/ download here). Publication is far away from an ordinary promo magazine. It’s more like an encyclopedia of sweet fashion, featuring interviews, illustrations and photographs, decorated with beautiful editorials by brilliant photographers such as Dan Estabrook or Marie Zucker (see misslikey on pages 44-47). Also for upcoming store, Serena Reynolds directed cute video The Little Tales of Love. So, if you are in New York area and you want to find your way to enter through these secret doors, RVSP here for the opening night (with performance of band Supercute) Reason? Not just one, but lots of them. Some are Orla Kiely, TBA, Vivetta, Lauren Moffatt, Erin Fetherston, Rachel Antonoff, Loulou Loves You, Lulu Frost, Stretsis, Matina Amanita, Katie-Louise Ford, Kelsey Genna, Alexandra Grecco, Samantha Pleet, Manoush, Family Affairs. In store will be also great selection of vintage pieces + illustrations, artworks, collages (including those by me).
March 23rd – 28th
ADDRESS
The Highline Loft 5th Floor
508 W.26th Street
20 March 2012
Tocca Spring 2012 and interview with Emma Fletcher
Emma Fletcher is super-talented designer and currently creative director at Tocca. Most of the pretty-clothes-seekers remember Emma as the brain behind super-lovely Lyell. Today, behind Emma are two successful collections for Tocca, loved both by critic and shoppers. The new spring 2012 ready-to-wear collection is all about prettiness, but also is very practical. Scalloped edges, lace details and crochet embellish these lovely pieces created for upcoming warm days.
I talked to Emma about new collection, Tocca and of course inevitable Lyell...
You are in Tocca for last two seasons, and the company didn’t have RTW line before you came so can you tell us a story about how collaboration happened?
Tocca is a big beauty business, selling across the world. They started clothes in 1994 but they had been fazed out. So essentially it was a re-launch. The owner and I met and instantly hit it off. We both saw the precession of the line and wanted to work together to transform TOCCA RTW in a new sophisticated collection.
I wrote on my blog that you left us broken-hearted when you decided to close the chapter of Lyell? How did you feel at the time? Was it hard decision?
It felt right. I felt like moving on. I am a big believer of jumping off the cliff so that the next chapter will come. I think it would have been harder at a different time because Lyell was my life with no separation. But I had just had a baby a month before and the lease had run out on the store and it just was automatic. I was relieved in a certain way too. Freedom from it. It was an intense 7 years. I was surprised at the response I got when I closed because you think you’re on your own when you work intensely. There was no regret. Tocca is a progression.
My impression of Lyell girl was the girl that possessed sensuality of 1930s, frisky vibe of roaring twenties and was enough interesting and refined to get a role in French 1960s film. How different or maybe the same is Tocca’s girl?
Nice description of Lyell girl - I like the frisky part. Tocca girl is clean, modern, sophisticated. It's stripped down, less frills, less fuss, more edge. But still oozes feminine sexuality. Still frisky.
I’ve read somewhere that you don’t sketch or sew. Is it hard to pass on your ideas and visions to your team?
I am not trained, I never sketched but now do bad drawings, which helps me more than anything. Yoko, our pattern maker is basically all the talent and knows now how to interpret my ideas. We have worked together about 5 years now.
Who is person behind once Lyell now Tocca wallpapers/ collages?
ME, I started doing it to use other photos that were edited out of shoot and now I am an obsessed collager.
Where are Tocca collections manufactured?
All the hand knits are produced in Peru and Bolivia and the ready to wear is sampled in NY and production is made in China. The industry in NY just does not exist anymore. China has surpassed the quality.
Where do you get inspiration from for your collections?
Photography, drawings, nature at the moment for prints.
Did you have anyone in mind when you created spring collection, or it was just a practical and full collection for classy girl in the springtime?
Now that I have done another collection in between it's hard to remember. I think of the girl as Jasmine now, the British model we used. I do know I started out thinking about envelope shapes. It is a practical collection, wearable knits etc.
Your selection of fabrics is very refined and you have interesting affair with lace. Why lace?
I love lace. I am using it in a different way at Tocca. A very strong, graphic, unfussy way. It makes so much sense to me, have those transparent shapes.
Details come at the end of designing process or do you immediately know what you want to achieve?
At the beginning mostly, but no I do not always know what I want to achieve, sometimes things evolve.
Your favorite piece from the spring line?
Print shorts and matching blouse, blush and black organza dress and crochet pieces..
What does girl need in her spring closet?
SHORTS, and scalloped handbag.
What are you wearing this spring?
Sleeveless scallop top, and I hope this summer rouch butt bathing suit!
A day with Emma Fletcher would look like….
It's not pretty, I don't know if I should describe.... wake up with a baby on me, take my son to school, get to work....
PHOTOS IN COLLAGES PROPERTY OF TOCCA/ EMMA FLETCHER
THANKS TO EMMA, TOCCA AND ALEXIS FROM LEXAMEDIA
For misslikey readers there's a 15% discount code (SPRINGINTOCCA) on the new spring collection at Tocca online store
18 March 2012
cupcakes and cocktails
I swear it upon Zeus when you ask me how old I am I don’t know the answer. Usual I will answer you I was born in 19xx so calculate. Birthday is a day when everyone knows your age, including you. That’s why I bought candle with little clown wearing polka dots and carrying the number one. I am not trying to camouflage my years spent here on the Earth; I just feel like a one-year-old, I said to my friends. At least, as I am getting older and every time I look upon the starry sky I realize I don’t have a clue about life. Clueless like that I woke up on a day of my birth day at 9 am. Went to bed the night before at 3 am, because I had to make candied violets. My boyfriend said I look like a Wisteria Lane housewife and I answered he didn’t have violet cupcakes for his birthday. My friends came at 3 p.m. Started like polite tea party with cupcakes, lemonade, coffee and strawberry cheese cake, it ended about 3am with empty mojitos and deviant 30-year-olds. “Sing along you fools”. Politeness is overpriced anyway.
P.S. For Jelly hearts strawberry cheesecake I used recipe from here, and for cupcakes with candied violets from here (just replaced rose petals with violet ones)
15 March 2012
Pierrot collar
Maybe the right title for this post should be Don’t do it yourself. I need to tell you I used to be afraid of clowns. Many of same age as mine and I won’t mention the numbers remember Steven King’s IT. Since I’ve always had pretty lavish imagination these mini series easily created additional phobia so I even didn’t go to toilette without pulling my mum. Don’t know at what age I forgot about the evil side of clowns and started to have sympathy for these friends of fun. But If I knew I would wear clownish collars I would keep some of the Halloween costumes, at least to use them as patterns. After I ripped apart few times Pierrot collar from old bodysuit found on the market, I felt very proud when I gathered the same on the neckline without visible stitches. But after I tried it I realized that logic is not BBF of mine. Bloody circular ruffle- I yelled at fabric and realized I spent too much time to throw it away. Whatever, I’ll pretend it’s Pierrot- I said to myself and went out for a walk.
07 March 2012
stalking Alexa
Today in Paris the show will be over. Not exactly over, but it will take a short time-out until the September of this year. This season I realized that all those pushing in the front rows became kind of boring, and the fact that every year there are more and more great shows kind of annoying. I didn’t see all the shows and all the pretty or less pretty clothes. I’ll stick to my favorites, I firmly decided. So I stopped with robe-sighting in the time of London Fashion Week between Orla Kiely, Erdem and Peter Jensen. The rest of the shows and my favorites I will see when the buzz is over. Photos of all those sisters, stars, celebrity bloggers, hip editors that are popping all over on my social networks are making me tired. Except in the case of Alexa Chung. Photos of good old Alexa in the times of the Fashion Week are like visitors that are always welcome. Never boring. Do you love 'Alexa stalking'?
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