Amongst this years stellar line up of designers at the Fashion Scout
Graduate Showcase, we have Central Saint Martin’s graduate - Jaimee Mckenna;
whose solely ultramarine blue collection has made quite the statement both on the catwalk and amongst the press.
Pushing the boundaries of traditional knitwear technology, Jaimee’s
collection centers around intricate pleats, concertina folds, dramatic layers,
complex knitting techniques and structure; and the mergence of these key
factors makes for a collection which personifies Gina Fratini style elegance, and
structured silhouettes, in that dramatic hue. We managed to steal a quick
interview with Jaimee at today's exhibition, here’s what she had to say:
Where does your
inspiration for this collection derive from?
So my inspiration for the
collection was mainly post-war French artist Yves Klein. So colour - that
piercing saturated blue; and that’s kind of what I wanted to put onto my
collection, that one striking colour which just grabs you.
Then for silhouette, I was inspired by this one picture of this skirt in an old Vogue. I don’t actually know who
designed it (which is really annoying), but it’s this big massive cocoon shaped
structure skirt; and that’s what made me decide to do the pleating. The
silhouette was like classic Balenciaga and then a bit Gina Fratini, you know,
flowy, layered, a bit 70’s and effortlessly beautiful.
What about your
techniques, I know it’s knitwear, but I also know there is a lot more too it
than that…
Ok, so they are all knitted
on a machine, some parts are a normal rib knit. Then the felt, I made myself, for
felting you basically just knit the fabric then wash it at a high temperature
to make it into felt. For the pleating, I used Cement Pleaters and worked on my
designs with them. They had all sorts of amazing patterns, like vintage Dior, so I
chose the pattern and they did it for me.
With the metal bars, that
was actually an accidental mistake! Basically, when I was draping the fabric, it was
realy really heavy and it kept falling off, which was so frustrating, as the
placement was so important, so I used safety pins to secure it into place, then
I thought – ‘I like the metal on it, how can I get that?’ So I found these
jewellery bars and I hand stitched them all on! The safety pins inspired the
idea, then they evolved.
We know you have worked a
lot for Mark Fast, how has that influenced you?
It hasn’t influenced my
design, as obviously they are quite different, but it influenced me
technically. For example it taught me the process of how to produce a thirty
piece collection. Since I specialised in textiles, which was usually one square
of fabric, it also taught me where on the body pieces go and how they should
move etc.
What about your future
plans, do you see yourself working for a fashion house or continuing to develop
your own label?
I want to do my own thing.
It’s just getting the funding and the support, I mean I used my life savings
for my MA. It just costs so much to do it. The next thing I really want is to
get a studio. I want some real studio space, it is not ideal working from your room!
I already think I have gone a little insane from it! Before I’ve had a
magazine wanting to come interview me at my ‘studio’… I was thinking ‘Don’t you
mean my bedroom?’… I had to reply saying that the ‘studio’ is my flat! Luckily
I am not a messy person, so it was okay.
What about Fashion Scout
as a platform, what are your thoughts?
I love it! I mean, it is
brilliant, this opportunity is great for meeting people. I get to be with my
work and meet people first hand, which is something that is hard to do
nowadays. It’s difficult. So to have this opportunity is brilliant; it’s nice
to know that there is support out there.
It’s already clear Jaimee
is destined for big things, we can only anticipate her future collections.
Written by Brooke McCord, Fashion Scout Contributor. Follow me on
Twitter @BrookeMcCord
Photos by Benjamin Turgel, @benjaminturgel