Tag: London fashion

#SuzyPod: Philip Treacy

Posted on by Natasha

26 JANUARY 2021

Behind the story of the little boy who sneaked over to use his mother’s sewing machine is a man who has had a profound effect on famous fashion houses, from Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel to Ralph Lauren, Valentino and Gianni Versace.

He has made hats not just for his friends, like fashion lover Isabella Blow and designer Alexander McQueen, but also for the Royal Family, plus all the clients he has across the world. Some of his creations are formal, others are wild and wonderful – it is Philip who describes the hat as “not only an accessory, but a visual indicator”.

Philip Treacy at work on bespoke commissions in his London studio

The secret of Philip Treacy’s success is not his connection to fame – although well deserved – it is his extraordinary talent. This is all currently displayed in a large-scale exhibition of his hats at the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art in Saint Petersburg, Russia, which has people queuing round the block to see it.

Learn more about his fascinating career here.

#SuzyPod: Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood

Posted on by Natasha

8 DECEMBER 2020

This week I am joined by by Andreas Kronthaler, the designer otherwise known as Vivienne Westwood’s husband.

Andreas talks to me about transforming the Westwood story of sex, fun and punk into a thoughtful and successful brand. It now has a goal of activism, sustainability and a mission to persuade people to shop wisely and consciously.

Andreas Kronthaler with Suzy in his London studio

What did Andreas bring from his Austrian roots? Was he inspired to study jewellery from the influence of his blacksmith father? And how did he move from jewellery to fashion?

Andreas – usually leaving the talking to Vivienne – reveals unexpected details of the Westwood tale we thought we knew so well.

#SuzyPod: Paul Smith Talks Golden Jubilees And His Fashion Future

Posted on by Natasha

23 SEPTEMBER 2020 for Vogue.co.uk

For the second season of “Creative Conversations With Suzy Menkes”, the first four episodes are dedicated to the fashion capitals – New York, London, Milan and Paris. In Episode 2, Sir Paul Smith invites us into his London studio 

Paul Smith is celebrating 50 years in fashion. In this episode, he reveals the plans for his anniversary, and how – with his wife Pauline – he has built the Paul Smith label over half a century. Sir Paul, knighted by the Queen of England in 2000, opens his soul in the conversation, revealing his wisdom and explaining how he built his entire fashion empire, root to branch, over the last five decades. 

Suzy with Paul Smith at his London showroom-studio

Smith’s company was founded in one tiny Nottingham store and has grown into a global business spanning five continents. He takes me through the myriad quirky objects and funky toy animals sent to his London studio by doting clients. There is probably a bicycle buried somewhere among the lines of books!

To stay connected with and learn more about Paul Smith, visit him at Paul Smith and on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

To join our conversation, tune in here or on  iTunes; Google; Spotify; Stitcher, and YouTube.

#SuzyPod: Duro Olowu’s Artistic Heart

Posted on by Natasha

23 JUNE 2020 for Vogue.co.uk

In Episode Nine of “Creative Conversations”, Suzy discovers how the designer navigates his many creative passions 

The London-based designer, Duro Olowu, works at the crossroads of fashion, art and culture. The wonder of Duro is that he has developed himself as an art curator as well as a creative fashion artist. The two fit hand in glove. He is able to express himself artistically through his fashion creations and through selecting art for museum exhibitions.

The greatest skill of this remarkable Nigerian-born creator lies in his delicate, artistic mix of joyous patterns. In his elegant embrace, the African influences come alongside super-sophisticated silks created for Parisian haute couture. Together they express the originality and elegance of exceptional fashion art, so beautifully displayed in his London boutique.

Suzy with Duro Olowu in London

Duro’s instinctive love of fabric stems from his childhood in Lagos, where he lived with his Nigerian father and Jamaican mother. He is married to Thelma Golden, the Director and Chief Curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, and his own exhibition, ‘Duro Olowu: Seeing Chicago’ – combining photography, painting, sculpture and film with his own work – is currently on show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. 

Female visitors to the exhibition opening in February 2020 were dressed almost entirely in a rainbow coalition of his designs. He is too discreet to reveal his famous clients, but we know Michelle Obama heads the list.

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