I received an email newsletter from Flannels.com yesterday celebrating female fashion designers for International Women’s Day, I love this notion of highlighting some of the industries phenomenal women so I’ve adopted the idea and created a blog version of some of my personal favs. I'm aware that a 2 min read won't do them justice but in my mind they are creative heroines and exceptional role models to the next generation of designers.
My top 4:
GANNI - Ditte Reffstrup
She heads the brand that has a cult following of #GanniGirls, champions sustainable fashion and is redefining Scandi style. Reffstrup's vision for the brand is romantic, ruffled, unafraid of quirkiness and has made Ganni a womenswear world-beater.
My view: I’d happily wear Ganni all day everyday whilst fashioning the undone, done but cool but effortless exterior whilst eating, sleeping and designing Ganni. You get the jist.
'My inspirations come from the women that I meet from day to day in real life and also from fantasy women. I think we all have this sort of fantasy women in our [subconsciousness]. I also keep a notebook with me so I can jot down ideas and sketches wherever I go.' Read Here
My View: Alessandra's collections, the styling and the imagery are undeniably breathtaking, there's newness injected into garments with a vintage reference. So chic and so effing cool.
'I learned a lot about craftsmanship, detailing and that you shouldn’t be afraid to be feminine and romantic in your approach, which for me is so important to carry on in my brand today… but also to mix it with the minimalistic Scandinavian aesthetic that I grew up with.'
My View: A brand that always captures my attention on Instagram, the images have a sombre vibe whilst the garment texture makes me want to reach in and touch it. Exquisitely crafted, my mind can't help but wonder how many hours goes into each piece.
Osakwe often uses her collections to reexamine the notion of sensuality and the nuances of the female form—vulnerable and strong (vogue.com).
My View: Relatively new on my radar but one that's caught my eye, her collections combine tailoring, satin, print and embellishments, another collection I just want to feel the textures and appreciate the craftsmanship.
If it was a little earlier in the evening I would continue to write about Stella McCartney, Simone Rocha and Molly Goddard but I have a toddler who really enjoys waking up in the early hours and testing my eyelids functionality. If Mabel does move on from testing my sleep boundaries I think I'll point her in the direction of a series of books called 'Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World', no doubt they would be smeared with cheerios and used as a plate to feed the dog her leftovers. All in good toddler time!