A Twsited Love Affair part two

Last week I launched the first half of my graduate collection A Twisted Love Affair and so far we have had a great response, I couldn't be happier with the results of the collection as well as the behind the scenes video! Now it's time to launch part two of the collection, are you ready? When I was preparing and getting ideas down for what kind of shoots I wanted to go for as well as different looks to coincide with my theme and concept, I decided quite early on I wanted to use a court room, the reason for this was that I wanted to use the court room to express Harley Quinn in her original form. I looked back into the history of real life harlequins and what their role in court was which I found really interesting and the more I read the more I could see how much of this new found knowledge has influenced my collection. One of the most fascinating pieces of evidence discovered was how the real Harlequins of court had a lower status than a Jester but were always the center of the King's battle plans, which if you look at the comic books Harley Quinn is always the center of the Joker's plans and he does use her the way a king would. It was whilst reading and researching I learned more about the fabrics that Harlequins would wear such as the diamond print which I decided to laser cut for this coquettish creation.

The diamond print refers to the outcasts of society and some of the uniforms that have been assigned to them throughout history, such as diamonds for fools or stripes for the insane or criminal. As fashion evolved the diamond print has found it's way into modern usage and has been endlessly re-imagined into the the checks and hound tooth patterns that are so familiar today. You can see this clearly in the suit below which draws its palette from The Joker of the DC comics but uses the hound tooth check to ground this fictional character in our real world. This isn't just a suit for the Joker but for anyone who might find themselves, willingly or otherwise, swimming against society's tide.

A stroke of luck came when I decided to pursue the University of Derby's court room as the setting for one of my shoots. This location quickly developed into the inspiration for the finale of the the short film A Crime of Fashion that has been created to accompany this collection and incorporates all the designs and creates an entirely original narrative from which to view my work. It drew on our original ideas and built on the work of the illustrator Drew Askew who I commissioned to create a comic for this collection, with the intention of allowing my audience a range of mediums through which this collection can be interpreted. This collaboration has proved to be hugely successful and has gone a long way to bring my designs to life and express the violent, chaotic, amoral and at times charming nature of these two characters that have inspired me so much.

So without any further ado I am immensely pleased to bring you our short film A Crime of Fashion. I sincerely hope you all enjoy watching it as much as we have enjoyed making it and I can assure you this is an avenue I will be pursuing again in the future.  As always we would love to read your comments and feedback so please don't hesitate to get in touch. Much love xx

A Twisted Love Affair...

It gives me great pleasure to finally present to you all my final year of University graduate collection, man it feels good to say that!! I've been working extremely hard since last September with my focus solely committed to this project! During last summer whilst out on my DPP (placement year) it was time to start putting concept ideas together to present to my tutors on my return to university, I had no idea what I wanted to do or even the slightest clue of where to start, all I knew is that I wanted it to be big and completely out there! I needed it to be a challenge, I had to push my limits and my imagination but at the same time I wanted it to be something special to me and something that I love.
It was one evening I treated my self to some wine, put my feet up and decided to watch The Dark Knight which happens to be one of my favorite films. I was half way through the film when I was inspired, I don't know how or why but my head was exploding with ideas. I could say it was purely down to Heath Ledgers performance as the Joker but I've always been fascinated with that character, he has no boundaries and Ledgers performance inspired me so much because he portrayed the character in such a way I had never see before and if I'm perfectly honest I don't think there will be anyone else who could top his incredible performance!

At first I was just focusing my collection around the Joker but through my research and sketching process I found myself spending more time in the local comic shop, it was here that I picked up a Sirens comic when it all clicked! I couldn't do a collection based on the Joker without including his chaotic girlfriend into the mix, so I introduced Harley Quinn and boooom! I started to see clearly where I could take this collection. What I really wanted to do was incorporate fashion and costume together from a different point of view.
It's fair to say I was nervous about how my tutors would react as sometimes I felt like I was fighting a loosing battle to persuade others how or why comic and fashion could meet as equals without it looking like my collection was solely aimed at comic cons but I'm glad I stuck to my guns and saw it through to the end, the collection took a lot of work and extra hours as four out of the six outfits had some form of laser cut techniques especially "The Jokers Quinn" which is a full length a-line skirt with over 700 laser cut Joker cards.

 One of my proudest moments of the collection I think for me and House of Denham (who created the artwork) was actually going ahead with the scripted suit which I decided to call 'A Scripted Man' which is a custom made tailored suit with the The Dark Knight script by Christopher Nolan digitally printed over cotton drill.  The collection itself is based on the relationship between the two characters as well as historical references such as actual Harlequins and the costumes they had to wear, I linked the characters together through fabrics and the techniques of laser cutting which really helped to push my boundaries and limits. All in all I spent over 200 hours laser cutting and I can honestly say I it was well worth it.  I worked along side some amazing people who contributed massively to the ending of the collection such as my amazing MUA Lizzie Mazza who I have had the pleasure of working with on many occasions, I also got to work along side Ben Cope a fantastic hair stylist from the Francesco Group in Derby. A big well done and thank you to my Harley Quinns, Sianne Tudge, Sophie Kelman and Coral Bell who actually runs S!LK Model Management and not only did she model her self but also supplied my Joker, Alex Hannah. Last but not least I would like to say a huge thank you and a big well done to my amazing team of photographers and film produces Liam Enser and Ash Stanley from Artifex Studios and Victoria Denham who not ony has contributed greatly to this project through artwork and film making but she has been my rock throughout the last year and has been with me every step of the way! My team rocks I love you all, here they are hard at work in our Behind the Scenes video!

Well anyway guys, I really hope you have enjoyed reading this post and I hope even more you like the collection, please feel free to leave any feedback and comments as I would love to hear your thoughts! Until the next time amigos x

A Day in the City

Hey everyone I hope your all well and had a great Easter! I've been off the radar lately due to a number of things, firstly as Victoria mentioned in our last post we are in the middle of building my new website where eventually my blog will also be. Secondly I've been keeping busy with my label and currently in the middle of making one of my close friends bridesmaids dresses for her wedding day (eeek how exciting) and thirdly university has been so intense I'm happy to say I only have two more weeks to go before the deadline HURRAH!!! I'm so pleased with my collection and seriously can not wait to unveil it to everyone, I already have some of the images but I'm being very strict and not launching them until May 12th so keep your eyes peeled!

Anyway, in January Victoria from House of Denham and I took a trip to Manchester, where I styled a photo shoot purely for experience, portfolio uses and generally to meet new contacts! It turned out to be a great day and the team were really nice people to work with. On styling the clothes I collaborated my own pieces with another local designer Megan Crook for Crooked Knitwear. The looks I created were based on a edgy eclectic city girl who is diverse with style, I wanted to give it a soft touch of punk but also bring in a feminine essence to add to the city girl look.

I hope you enjoy the shoot and I welcome any comments and feedback! Also, if you haven't already take a look at the behind the scenes video.

Adios amigos.

Behind the Scenes: An Update

 Hello again, it's Victoria here from House of Denham continuing with my guest posts for Leren Connor and I can't believe it's been a month since I posted something! Recently we've decided to take a step back from posting as we are now concentrating on Leren's brand new flagship website launching this summer. We will be saying goodbye to our to-be-irreplaceable domain that we have stuck with for nearly 3 years and operating under lerenconnor.co.uk in order to coincide with Leren's departure from university. We feel our newly graduated professional needs a brand new website and we can't wait!

A few other reasons have contributed to our absence, for one, I have been suffering with some ill health so had to leave everything on ice for a month while I concentrated on getting fit and healthy so as the person who maintains all the stuff under the bonnet poor TBI got a bit neglected. Apologies.

Leren remains working hard on her new collection as final preparations have gotten well under way. The garments are now complete and we have moved onto the best part - the presentation stage. On this respect there is a lot we both look forward to showing you. Over the past month Leren Connor, House of Denham and our new friends at Artifex Studios have been collaborating in a big way. The up-coming collection is going to be accompanied by photo shoots, installations and best of all a promotional short which has been inspired by and incorporates all of Leren's new work. We don't want to spoil the fun but here is some behind the scenes shots that I took of our first day of filming. It was such fun day and credit is really due to the whole team because it was a long day with a lot of waiting around and everyone really pitched in, especially with their acting skills!

So keep an eye out for updates as the launch date is May 12th! Adios for now amigos. xoxo

 Our trusty make-up artist Lizzie Mazza.

And here's Ben Cope, the magic hands behind the hair.

Guess who..?

 Let's not forget our fearless leader with one of our photographers Liam Enser.

A Small Update

As you will have noticed I've been off the radar for the past week, so I would first like to apologise to you all for being slack with the blog. It's not because I haven't wanted to write or haven't wanted to share with you it's simply due to the fact my schedule has been a tad crazy the last two weeks, uni is almost at it's end and the work load is so intense I've lost count how many times I've had breakdowns and basically just wanted to crawl into a little hole and stay there, boo hoo I know I've stopped feeling sorry for my self now. The last post I talked about the progress of the studio and I'm pleased to say that It's coming along perfectly, I've started moving my machinery in along with some of my fabric and patterns. There is still a way to go before I will fully feel like this is my work space as I'm working at uni every day getting my collection finished and I still have stuff to move in there. Everything seems to be fitting into place though, in and outside of uni, my collection is really coming along and I've been working with some great people to help build it into so much more than just garments. I'm so excited to get it finished and to push it out there, It's safe to say I have major plans for this collection. I really want to share some behind the scenes images with you but I also don't want to spoil the surprise. You will all just have to wait...patiently. Until next time, amigos, I leave with a few snaps in the studio.

Styling with Leren Connor

Where to even begin, the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind not to mention stressful and tiring with the work load of my University project. However I am very pleased to announce that finally I will be moving my work load out of my home and into a swanky new studio that I will be sharing with House of Denham, which as you know is a frequent collaborator and colleague to Leren Connor. Currently the studio is having a makeover and it is looking fantastic! I'm super excited to get in there and have all my ideas out in the open but not only that; I'm immensely pleased to be I will be able to separate my work life and my home life. I will be keeping you updated on the progress of the studio with pictures of it when completed to follow

On another note a few weeks back me and House of Denham made our way to Manchester where I styled a photo shoot in Piccadilly, it was such a great fashion filled day and the team we were working with were fantastic people and very professional which always helps. Piccadilly is one of my favorite places especially for scenery and more importantly shopping, so when asked to style this shoot I jumped at the chance. The idea was to portray this uber cool, eccentric and edgy city girl who can pull off any style and still look fabulous, and with it being shot in Piccadilly it proved to be the perfect location. The reason I wanted House of Denham to accompany me on this venture is simple...for her talents! Although she has many skills which has contributed to not only my business but some other small local businesses also, one of the goals for this one man band is directing and film producing so I thought it would be good practice for her to film some behind the scenes footage and put together a short film, naturally she agreed and as always didn't fail to amaze me. Considering the fact it's her first attempt I personally think she did a fantastic job and I'm thoroughly happy with the end result. I am still waiting for the final edits of the shoot to share with you, but In the meantime feast your beady eyes on this, please leave comments we always welcome your thoughts and feedback!

Runway - Inkberrow

Last year I got my hands stuck into a lot of pies and by pies, I mean shows and events. In November one of my last shows of the year was at the Inkberrow Design Center, which is where they show there annual college fashion show. Although it is a show for their students they do allow other designers to get involved and I was one of them. Unfortunately I was unable to attend as I was actually taking part in another event so I didn't get to see my collection on the runway, however a fellow fashion buddy from my university hand a hand in organising the show so she made sure all my models and the collection was on point. Fashion shows are a great way to promote your work especially if your an emerging designer, so for me this was a great opportunity to show people my creations. From what I can see from the images I was sent, the models did a great job and sources tell me it was a great show.

The Cycle

From The beginning of my journey into the fashion industry I have always been a huge believer in sustainable fashion, As much as I appreciate, accept and use synthetic materials I also believe it's important to not waste fabric and to always try and find a use for something. Recycling and up-cycling is a significant part of Leren Connor, I strongly believe that giving something a new lease of life is just as beautiful as creating something from scratch. Over the years I have worked on many sustainable fashion projects from a denim collection to festival gear but my latest collection takes you through 'The Cycle' from combining handmade and up-cycled materials together

I decided to call it The Cycle for more of a play on the overall aesthetics of up-cycling but also wanted to portray how up-cycling comes into play from chucking things away, scrap fabric, odd findings, a touch of handmade and finally pulling that all together to give material a new lease of life. This collection was inspired by a sequel of vintage looks (another great love of mine) but with a modern twist, it takes you through a path of elegance to an essence of evasive.

The view the rest of the collection head over to my portfolio. As always I'd hear to here your thoughts and feedback so please, I urge you to leave a comment. I'd love to hear what you think. 

Quick Christmas

HO HO HO, It's Christmassss! This time of year for many is a special time of year, People celebrate this season for a number of reasons each in there own way! For me I love the togetherness, family and friends coming together, I know it doesn't take Christmas for this to happen but It is that special time where a world remembers a story from history and importance we as one enjoy love, giving, great food, good wine. We rejoice we sing, we dance, we try our best to give our children a good Christmas by remembering what it was like when we were children! Not just with presents but memories, traditions, laughter, board games and your childhood films that really make Christmas like home alone and miracle on 34th street. And we can't forget those quality streets.

This year I'm having two Christmases, Every year me and my daughters father take it in turns who gets to wake up with her and have Christmas dinner with her. I would hate it to be any other way it's important she also gets to spend her special Christmas memories with her daddy.

Tomorrow we are waking up and having our special day, we have friends over in the afternoon as well as also spending my 1st christmas with my partner! I'm so excited as I'm sure many of you are. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, lot's of love...

Tis' the Season

   HO HO HO It's almost Christmas I am well in the festival spirit!! I have almost finished my shopping and the wrapping has begun (yes i'm that organised) although I have bought gifts from the high street I have also supported local makers around my area and have brought my loved ones some handmade goodies which I know they will love! As a designer maker myself I do think it is important to support other creative beings on there quest to making there business more sustainable. With Christmas around the corner it is the perfect opportunity for you to do the same, so instead of giving the high street your hard earned cash this Christmas why not invest in something a little more special and sentimental...something that is handmade with love.

I currently have a lot of sales on my ASOS shop with up to 50% off as well as FREE delivery on my Etsy shop so have a gander you never know the perfect gift could be waiting for you

This month I have two Christmas fairs coming up which I'm super excited for not only do I get to sell my work but it's also a perfect opportunity for me to buy some last minute gifts for my loved ones or even treat my self :)

December 14th I will be at the Guildhall Market in Derby at the market square from 10am - 4.30pm

December 15th I will be at the Venue on Abby st in Derby.

I am still waiting for confirmation on times for the 15th of december but it is a charity event to help raise money for homeless people, it is also a family filled day with lots of activities for children to do.

Viva la Vega

  A lot of new stuff is happening with my blog at the minute, we are in the process of setting up a shop where you can buy my designs directly from here we are also working on changing the web address so it will all shiny new. At the moment we have been working on building up my portfolio page where you can view all of my collections to date and other projects I have worked on from collaborations and photography projects.

The latest work that has been added is my collaboration with T-shirt designers VEGA, the boys at VEGA sent down a batch of T-shirts and left it to me to sort out the shoot. I decided on the background by covering the walls with magazine pages from Dazed and Confused, Vogue and POP it took about an hour to bluetac them all to the walls but it was worth it as it set the concept of. I decided on a black and white setting as I thought it would work well against the pictures and it just added that extra edginess. Due to this shoot both VEGA and me got some really good publicity and sales, it was a great shoot and all of us that was involved had so much fun.

This Photo shoot enabled me to push my boundaries in terms of photography, I love directing and shooting but I am an amateur, the only experience I have with photography I have is from my GCSEs, my foundation year at uni where I had a module on photography and over the years what I have taught my self. When I did this shoot I learned so much more from the lighting and also positions and in the end it ended up looking quite professional so naturally I was pleased with the outcome.

You can view this collaboration in my Portfolio.

Skulls n' Dolls

  Halloween has long been one of my favourite celebrations, most likely because inside of me still dwells an imaginative 6 year old who loves to play dress up. My first foray into Halloween started when I was about 7 years old and I had been invited to my first fancy dress party at a friends house since her birthday fell on or around the holiday. My Mum helped me with my costume but I never considered for a second that I might stand out when, walking into the party dressed head-to-toe as an adorable little red Devil, twelve perfect witches in pointy black hats stared back at me stunned and a little bit perplexed. Apparently (for what would certainly not be the last time in my life) I had missed a memo. Feeling what I now remember as my first ever pangs of self-consciousness I had no choice but to shrug it off only to be quickly relieved and rewarded with praise for my seemingly bold originality. This one party could be considered a fitting metaphor for much of my life.

  All Hallows Eve may have started as a day to remember the dead but I think in our time it has become a chance to show another side to yourself, to inhabit another character, think outside of normal everyday expectations.  Perhaps in my past the idea could have caused me anxiety but now it's one I embrace. So when Leren and I discussed attempting a Halloween inspired photo shoot I was genuinely excited, primarily by the opportunity to attempt some more fashion/editorial style photography and secondly to be in an outfit styled by Leren with professional make-up by the excellent Lizzie Mazza. I was particularly impressed by Lizzie's candy skull make up which was styled with a Leren Connor waistcoat, vintage shirt, black trousers and spats. My concept was a cracked and aged porcelain doll, the waistcoat is also a Leren Connor piece and she made a collar and cuffs especially for this shoot, paired with a lace dress and knee high cotton socks sent it truly into the realm of the creepy.

  So I hope you all enjoy our little Halloween special and get involved yourselves, I love seeing crazy and creative costumes and am always surprised by what people come up with .  I also encourage anyone reading to leave us some comments, I'd love to know what you think! Oh and... Happy Halloween!

  Victoria has pretty much summed it up of what we were aiming for with this collection so I would like to say a big thank you for all the help you provided and most of all the general creativity that you contributed to making this happen! Halloween is a great time of the year where you get to dress up and be someone else for the evening whether it be one of your favorite characters or just something creepy you want to try out for the evening. I have fond Halloween memories from my childhood and with being a mother I now get to share the memories from this time of year with my daughter.
  For this shoot we literally worked with our own imaginations in terms of bringing out the best in what we had to work with, fortunately it worked to our advantage. The image of Victoria on the settee with all the dolls and teddies was taken in my daughter's room, Victoria set it up, sat right in the middle and off we went. It took quite a while to get those images right and a lot of adjusting to the camera and lighting but we got there in the end. For the shots of me as the skull we captured the nightlife with the use of street lamps as well as using Victoria's house as she has a very dramatic staircase that worked perfectly for the concept of the shoot. We hope you enjoy the post and happy Halloween.