LCF MA Graduate Showcase: Qunying Huang

Despite our eyes being fixed on the goings on in New York, we just had to continue our LCF MA Graduate showcase series. Recent posts have celebrated the cream of the latest crop of MA graduates and have seen us speak with each of our favourite students to learn more about their collections and their experiences at LCF. Here, we turn our attention to the collection of Qunying Huang.

Entitled Bound & Boundless, Huang's collection is focused on exploring and expressing different personal boundaries and Chinese philoshophy. Through the stunning combination of jacquard fabrics with flat fabrics, the design talent uses a design method that refers itself to modern art and traditional tailoring to express the four different personal boundaries as well as the feeling of protection and vulnerability of masculinity. Here we talk to the design talent to hear about her experiences at LCF, learn more about the processes and techniques used within the collections and reveal her hopes for the future...

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SS: Firstly, congratulations on more than playing your part in a dazzling, menswear rich MA show. How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk?

Qunying Huang: Seeing our MA show at the V&A was a monumental moment for all of us. I was enjoying the moment. We have worked a long time for it, this was our time and every one was watching us.

SS: Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer?
Qunying Huang: This idea only came from when I was in my BA Course, I was in China at that moment. In the third year we had a menswear course, and I found that menswear is more about subtle details and tailoring, which is quite different from womenswear. And I love to make some totally different things. This is a challenge to me.

Backstage at the MA show. Photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: What attracted you to the LCF MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course? And the worst?
Qunying Huang: We are free to explore anything we want to explore, and we have the opportunity to push things.

The best thing of my course is we can turn our original ideas in to real garments. It is very interesting to see our own design on models. In the process of making the collection, I have improved a lot in my project management, time management, tailoring skills and so on.

The worst thing is when we want to use some special machines, we need to travel a long way.

SS: Now on to your collection itself. Bound & Boundless experiments with fabric and tailoring techniques in a stunning way. Can you talk us through the inspiration for the collection?
Qunying Huang: I got the inspiration from the personal boundaries and Chinese philosophy “in the world, all things are born of being, being is born of non-being. Laozi”. There are four kinds of personal boundaries, they are soft, sponge, rigid, flexible personal boundaries. People will feel weak and vulnerable when they have a soft personal boundary, which has been expressed by jacquard and soft fabrics. People with rigid personal boundary would feel isolated and protected. For the Chinese philosophy, I tried to express the non-being, that space is what is needed. For example, look at a house, what we need is the space inside it. If the house does not have space inside, it offers no benefit to us at all. I focused on the combination of different fabrics and the proportion of every outfit.

Backstage at the MA show. Photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: The main focus of the collection has been on the silk jacquard outfits and the Tanaka technique. Could you talk us through these techniques?
Qunying Huang: Silk jacquard fabrics are really difficult to make for menswear and I wanted to express masculinity through very soft fabrics. The jacquard jacket is not traditional tailoring, I use some organza between jacquard and silk lining to support the front body and lapel. Jersey and wool are combined by the Tanaka technique. Wool has to be much heavier than the jersey. I put wool at the bottom of the jacket, so we can see the wool a slightly drop when the model wear it, it was subtle details.

SS: How would you describe the collection in your own words?
Qunying Huang: Soft but masculine.

SS: I know this is difficult question to answer but have you got a favourite, anything that you were most proud of?
Qunying Huang: The most proud of thing is that I can always get inspiration from our life, as well as I can do what I love and I did it well. When the people told me that they like my collection, I was proud of myself.

Backstage at the MA show. Photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: The menswear on show this year was so strong. I was amazed to see that fifteen of the twenty two graduates selected studied menswear. Aside from your own, which was your favorite of the graduate collections?
Qunying Huang: I love Mio’s collection, she used amazing fabrics and she is so good at tailoring. She worked very hard and used a very different way in V&A show to present her collection.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective menswear fashion student?
Qunying Huang: Don't be afraid to use some unusual fabrics and do whatever you like.

SS: Finally, what would you like to achieve in 2011 and beyond?
Qunying Huang: I will stay in London and continue developing beautiful menswear and womenswear to express myself. I am looking for a job at the moment, I want to get more work experience.

Backstage at the MA show. Photography by Morgan O'Donovan

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As she explored various personal boundaries, Qunying Huang has created collection a soft yet maculine collection through the use of uncommong tailoring techniques and light fabrications. I for one, am looking forward to watching her talent develop. I'll leave you with her eye catching look book. Shot by Nikolay Biryukov, the look book captures the essence of the collection perfectly...

Photography by Nikolay Biryukov, hair and makeup by Joanne Lui with Florian Pessenteiner modelling.

LCF MA Graduate Showcase: Michelle Quick

To celebrate the cream of the incoming crop of LCF MA graduates we have been speaking to each of our favourite students to learn more about their collections and their experiences at LCF. We kicked off this year's series with prize winning Matteo Molinari before turning our attentions to the wood craft of Yan Liang. Now it is time to highlight a hugely talented footwear design graduate that left this budding shoeist breathless.

Michelle Quick's graduation collection challenges traditional gender roles within craft practice by combining inherently feminine crafts with men's bespoke footwear. I was taken by her ability at combining various shoe age old making techniques with unusual materials. Entirely made by hand, the collection showcases intricate stitching, various welting techniques and utilizes cow horn as a structural and decorative element to stunning effect. Here we talk to the design talent to hear about her experiences at LCF, learn more about the processes and techniques used within the collections and reveal her hopes for the future...

The collection in Illustator

SS: Congratulations on more than playing your part in an exciting MA show (in terms of menswear in particular). How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk?

Michelle Quick: Thank you, it was an amazing experience. Footwear is generally displayed in a static exhibit, which is great for getting to look up close and see the details but it's completely different to see them on the foot and in motion. It was important for me to showcase the collection in both ways, so I paired up with MA Menswear designer Mio Jin. We both admire each other's work and thought our collections worked well together. The show was great, it was so exciting and really the end of all the hard work that had led to it. The shoes are now on display at Victoria House.

The Dress oxford catching the eye on the display at Victoria House

SS: Describe the moment you realised that you wanted to become a footwear designer?

Michelle Quick: I was attending The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, studying textiles and general art/design. When I took one of the shoe making classes in my 2nd year, something just clicked - I felt it combined all the disciplines I enjoyed into one craft. I continued to study footwear there and combine it with my other classes, I haven't stopped since.

The Derby shoe standing proudly at Victoria House

SS: What attracted you to the LCF (Cordwainers) MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course? And the worst?

Michelle Quick: After graduating from SAIC, I felt I still needed something before I could start my career. Resources are limited in The States for shoe making and there aren't any schools that offer an MA in Footwear. The UK is a shoemakers mecca in comparison. Cordwainers has an incredible history/alumni list but the MA Footwear and Artefact programs at LCF are very new and innovative, which is a great balance.

The best part of the course is the resources that are available to you - amazing facilities, knowledgeable staff - and that you are encouraged to push boundaries and try new things. It's really a self-taught course, the resources are there and you have to be motivated and utilise them.

I wish the course would have been longer, maybe two years instead of a year and a half because it was so intense and you really had to put any outside priorities on hold. I do think the timing for releasing our final collections is good though, just before LFW.

Boat Shoe. Nubuck and rough suede upper, concealed wedge and horn strip heel. Image by Tim Medley

SS: The collection challenges traditional gender roles within craft practice by combining inherently feminine crafts with men's bespoke footwear. Was this the driving inspiration behind it?

Michelle Quick: Definitely. I did a lot of knitting, weaving, and embroidery during my BA and when I came to London and started investigating the bespoke shoe shops here, I realised that a lot of crafts are still very gender specific. I wrote my thesis on the origins of gender roles in different crafts and how they can still hold true today. Obviously there are men who knit and women who make shoes or do wood-working, but there is still usually a dominant gender. For my final collection, I wanted to combine various crafts and make objects that feel somewhat neutral.

Stitch Oxford. Image by Tim Medley

SS: The collection features intricate stitching, various welting techniques and utilises cow horn as a structural and decorative element but how would you describe the collection in your own words?

Michelle Quick: For me, the collection is about balancing masculine and feminine characteristics - I used contrasting textures and style lines to establish that dialogue. I also wanted to creating something that felt modern and fresh even though I was using traditional craft techniques. Even though the designs are rooted in my concept and body of research, it was still about making shoes that people would desire and want to wear.

Boat Shoe with horn strip on the heel. Image by Tim Medley

SS: Could you talk us through a few of the main processes involved?

Michelle Quick: Hand-stitching onto leather was a new thing for me, it's very different than fabric because you can't make a mistake the same way you can with fabric because the hole from the needle is permanent. I had to measure and mark out all the stitch marks and really take my time with it. It changed the way I had to assemble the shoes.

Most of the shoes are hand welted. After the upper is lasted, you hand stitch a strip of leather (the welt) to the upper and through the insole - this stitching is hidden. You then stick the sole on and stitch through the welt and the sole - this is the stitching that is exposed around the shoe. It's an incredibly laborious process, you have to twist and wax your own thread and taper the ends so they can be attached seamlessly to flexible needles. You are stitching through very thick soling leather and have to make a hole first with an awl - my wrists were in a lot of pain for a while.

Horn quarter piece on the Monk Shoe

SS: Cow horn is one of the most prominent decorative and structural components in your collection. What attracted you to this material?

Michelle Quick: I've always been fascinated with horn objects, I love seeing old horn combs and caviar spoons in museums. The colours are so varied and you can polish it to such a high shine. It's a material that is present in all bespoke shoe houses (shoe horns, brushes, etc) but is rarely used on the shoes themselves. I was interested in how it could be used to adorn shoes in a new way.

It was difficult to figure out how to work the horn. There are very few resources online or in books and almost no companies still working with it. My initial research was quite frustrating. I was very fortunate to come across Abbeyhorn, the last remaining horn-workers in the UK (see below). After getting guidance from them, I was able to come back to my studio and experiment and figure out the process that worked for me. It does smell pretty bad (like burnt hair) when you are sanding and heating it, so my course-mates were never very happy with that.

The cowhorn toe cap on the Dress Oxford. Image by Tim Medley

SS: How difficult was it to work with?

Michelle Quick: It's an unpredictable material, each horn is unique in it's colouring, it also has areas that are more dense so it doesn't always heat evenly and you end up with kinks when you mould it. I was obviously making pairs so if one piece didn't work out I generally had to redo both to make them match. It took me a while to get comfortable and figure out the best way to do things.

A closer look at the horn toe cap. Strips of horn have been sanded together.

SS: All of your products are, of course, handmade and feature intricate detailing. How long did each pair take to make?

Michelle Quick: All of the shoes had different areas that took more time than others, some have a lot of hand-stitching while others only a hint, some have a traditional welted sole and others a cemented sole, etc. I calculated that they all took between 30-60 hours each, depending on the level of difficulty. That is from patterning to finished product, but doesn't account for the few months when I was experimenting and prototyping.

Desert boot in Nubuck and rough cut suede upper. Image by Tim Medley.

SS: In Abbeyhorn and Metropolitan Leather, you worked alongside some great craftsman, how did you find them and how receptive were they to your designs and what did they make of the collection?

Michelle Quick: The people I worked with were so amazing. I've found that if you are genuinely interested in someone's craft, they are more than willing to help you out or give you advice.

The quality of the veg tan leather at Metropolitan is incredible and the colourist Stuart can just look at the swatch you've brought in and mix up dye that's a perfect match instantly. They custom dyed all of my linings to match the threads and I also got soling leather from them.

Abbeyhorn was a great resource for me. They make mostly traditional horn objects and don't deviate from their catalogue too much, so I think they were happy to help me try and use the horn in a new way. I didn't understand the limitations of the material at first, so my ideas were a bit far fetched but the owner Paul helped show me what was possible and how it could be achieved.

I was also advised on my welting and other shoe making aspects by Carreducker. Welting is something you need to learn directly from a person (like most crafts), I had tried to teach myself from books but it was all the little nuances that James and Deborah taught me that allowed me to make shoes to the quality that I have.

I've had nothing but good feedback and support from everyone I've worked with, I feel lucky to have established relations with these companies.

Jodhpur boot with horn and leather strap. Image by Tim Medley

SS: I know this is a difficult question but is there anything that you're most proud of?

Michelle Quick: I'd have to say I'm most proud of how much my skills have developed throughout this course. I feel that my design skills are much stronger and that the quality and speed of my shoe making has greatly improved. It's hard to believe that the course was only a year and a half because it feels like so much has changed.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective footwear design student?

Michelle Quick: I think that learning the making process can only make you stronger as a designer, the more you understand about the product, the more you can experiment and push the actual design.

A closer look at the handstitched upper with raw edge and Herringbone stitch on the Desert Boot. Image by Tim Medley

SS: Finally, what would you like to achieve in 2011 and beyond?

Michelle Quick: My dream is to find a job where I can have a balance between designing and making. The craft side is so important to me, but I don't necessarily need to be making shoes in a workshop all day. Equally, I wouldn't like just churning out designs that I didn't have a tactile hand in somehow. It's all up in the air right now, I want to stay in London for a while and I would like to continue with men's footwear. I think it will be important to work for established companies before trying to pursue anything on my own. Hopefully only good things are to come.

The stacked leather heel on the Derby. Image by Tim Medley.

If the above leaves you desperate for more, I happily point you in the direction of Michelle Quick's informative tumblr. There can be little doubt that this was a labour of love and the results surely make the hard graft worthwhile. The graduate ultimately showcases a real and exciting passion for shoe making. Each design is close to bursting point with meaningful details but nothing feels superfluous or unnecessary. There is a real balance between them. The diverse details combine to create shoes to truly covet. The real surprising element for me is that each shoe exudes a well crafted quality that is most rare to find in a graduate collection. I for one am excited to see what Quick does next but one thing is for sure, my feet will hopefully be treated to a pair one day soon.

LCF MA Graduate Showcase: Yan Liang

Last week saw the first crop of fashion design graduates showcase their talents with the LCF MA show. It was a feast of menswear. Out of this year's crop of twenty two showing students amazingly fourteen were from the menswear discipline. To celebrate the cream of incoming crop of graduates we aim to speak to each of our favourite students to learn more about their collections and their experiences at LCF. We kicked off this year's series with prize winning Matteo Molinari but now we turn our attentions to the wood craft of Yan Liang.

Liang's research focused on the interaction and relationship between disease and wood. Through examining the unique and unusual malformations and deformed trees she translated a collection which mixed fabric and raw material to stunning effect. Here we talk to the design talent to learn about her experiences at LCF and his hopes for the future...

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SS: Firstly, congratulations on more than playing your part in a dazzling, menswear rich MA show. How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk?

Yan Liang: I felt relaxed when I saw my designs on the stage and found it to be enjoyable as well, because this was my moment and everybody was watching my designs during these two minutes. Though there was a small issue in that some of the outfits were forgotten but all in all, the whole process of my part within the show was memorable.

SS: Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer?

Yan Liang: I was a designer doing both womenswear and menswear during my BA time. When I first started my research in my MA course I realized menswear needed more attention and focus in the small details of design. The technique of pattern cutting and the control of silhouette were both important as the concept of design. I like challenges which lead me to become a menswear designer.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: What attracted you to the LCF MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course? And the worst?

Yan Liang: After my graduation of BA course in Shanghai I had a plan to have a further education overseas because I wanted my designer horizon to be international. LCF was my first choice because I watched a fashion show in shanghai in 2008 which was about the all the outstanding collection of LCF MA students. That was amazing and strongly affected my application of LCF MA course.

I think the best thing of my course was I had a chance to develop a design from the original concept to final pieces. I can do everything by myself and learnt a lot. What’s more, we had an opportunity to cooperate with an industry company which made it became a little competition to get selected.

I don’t think there is a worst part of my course because every part of the course exists for a reason. If I have to choose a weak one that was both womenswear and menswear were mixed during teaching in our year which was not a huge benefit for all of the students. But I heard the university already changed this situation this year and separated menswear and womenswear.

SS: The menswear on show this year was so strong. I was amazed to see that fifteen of the twenty two graduates selected studied menswear. Aside from your own, which was your favorite of the graduate collections?

Yan Liang: I like Matteo’s collection most and he won at the end. He came from a theory background but became a fashion designer. That was really praiseworthy because we all knew that was hard. We all saw his growing of designs and he worked so hard. Many people supported him and so did I.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: Now on to your collection itself. Mixture experiments with fabric and raw materials in a stunning way. Can you talk us through the inspiration for the collection?

Yan Liang: This collection is called Mixture because it explores diversity. Fresh ideas about new fabrics and raw materials were mixed in this collection. Most natural substances are mixtures. Some elements may seem irrelevant. However, an effective collision of different elements may produce a new thing when they are driven by external forces. The new creature is the mixture. This collection used the idea of mixture to combine several elements which show different angles of relation.

SS: Your research focused on comparing malformation and deformed trees. What was your starting point and how did the the collection evolve in to what we saw today?

Yan Liang: My research focused on the interaction between two elements – in this case I looked at the relationship between disease and wood – examining the unique and unusual malformations and deformed trees. This translated in producing a collection which mixed fabric and raw material. I decided to use wood to work with other fabrics. There were several kinds of techniques to get the effect of wood to make garments. One of the techniques was to use real wood. Wooden pieces were sewed onto garment in the same way as sewing a button or crystal. There was another technique which used other materials to imitate the effect of wood. People used digitally techniques to coat the pattern of wood on leathers or polyester to make fabric looks like wood. By using these techniques, the collection is characterised by a jacket made of beautifully warm toned wood and accessories like bow ties also made of wood. This has given the collection a playful and humorous edge – but it still remains elegant and chic.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: How would you describe the collection in your own words?

Yan Liang: Garments can be made from anything.

SS: The collection uses fabrics and materials that you wouldn't normally associate with menswear. How difficult were the substances to work with?

Yan Liang: It was not easy. The steps were:

Shape confirm - Paper toile - Separated pieces toile - Dye material - Cut material - Paint edge - Dig holes - Hand stitch - Hand stitch lining - Care method - Finishing - Even the Technique of woody box was difficult as well.

I made the wooden jacket all by myself which took me nearly two months to finish them. That is why I don’t have more time to make more jackets which are made of wood.

SS: What type of man can you see wearing your designs?

Yan Liang: I think this collection has a playful and humorous edge – but it still remains elegant and chic. So anyone who like humorous designs would wear them.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: I know this is difficult question to answer but have you got a favourite, anything that you were most proud of?

Yan Liang: A lot of people told me they like my first wooden jacket and they want to buy it which I was really proud of.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective menswear fashion student?

Yan Liang: Trust the voice inside of your mind. And nothing will be too crazy.

SS: Finally, what would you like to achieve in 2011 and beyond?

Yan Liang: I’d love to do more designs to express myself and explain what I want to say.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

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Yan Liang's collection undoubtedly has a playful and humorous edge but at the same time, her designs remain chic and elegant. The various techniques and processes used to create the effect of wood in various forms and states whilst still creating covetable pieces of wearable clothing, showcase her immense skill. 'll leave you with these fantastic look book shots by Raymond T...

Photography by Raymond T, hair and make up by Pace with Tommy and Patrick as models

LCF MA Graduate Showcase: Matteo Molinari

Last Wednesday saw the first crop of fashion design graduates showcase their talents with the London College of Fashion MA show taking place in the ornate rooms of the V&A. It was a true celebration of emerging menswear design talent and certainly whet this blogger's appetite for the year ahead. To celebrate the cream of incoming crop of graduates we aim to speak to each of our favourite students to learn more about their collections and their experiences at LCF. First up, Matteo Molinari.

It was Matteo Molinari's crocheted tailoring and reimagined classics that made the biggest impact on the graduation catwalk and ultimately saw him walk away with the grand prize. His highly desirable and beautifully tailored collection fused modern tailoring with traditional craftsmanship to stunning effect. Drawing inspiration from his childhood fascination for the small dots, lines and circles printed onto white paper that his mother and sisters used to create crochet lace. Here, Molinari created patterns which were converted into pieces of crochet and put into panels of this largely sophisticated black and white pieces. This complex technique of combining crochet into the luxurious menswear fabric creates a dichotomy between what is traditionally seen as masculine and feminine. Here we talk to the design talent to learn about his experiences at LCF and his hopes for the future...

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Applying the finishing touches to Matteo Molinari's prize winning collection. 

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: Firstly, congratulations on more than playing your part in a dazzling, menswear rich MA show. How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk and ultimately winning the main prize?
Matteo Molinari: I felt honoured to have been chosen to be part of the V&A show. It’s a real event with press, buyers and huge media coverage. When I heard my name I was shocked and very happy at the same time.

SS: Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer?
Matteo Molinari: During adolescence I started to be interested in fashion, but it was a very long path for me to come to the complete acceptance that I wanted to be a designer. My previous degrees were a Communication BA and an MA in Philosophy of the Languages. It was only after these experiences that I started to work as a freelance design consultant and then began my Fashion Design and Technology MA.

Applying the finishing touches to Matteo Molinari's prize winning collection. 

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: What attracted you to the LCF MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course? And the worst?

Matteo Molinari: LCF is famous for being well connected with the industry and well known for the high level of technical skills you can learn at this college. The tutors, lecturers and the technicians are very well trained and experienced, I learn so much from everyone of them and my collection is a reflection of my knowledge path. The only bad thing about my Masters is that there are so many things to do in so little time. Fifteen months is such a short time and this pushes you to work 24/7.

SS: Can you talk us through the inspiration for the collection?

Matteo Molinari: Usually young designers are experimenting more with shapes, extreme styles and eye-catching proposals and weird looks. Keeping this in mind, I tried to be different and began with the traditional male wardrobe, working on the essentials of menswear: the suits, the trench-coat, the coat and the white shirt. I changed proportions and I elaborated a personal silhouette: sharp for tailoring, structured and architectural for the coats adding the cross-gender twist of using handmade lace in a graphic and masculine way.

I’ve been focused on tailoring and hand-made crafts because these elements are a huge part of my Italian heritage. It sounds like a stereotype but I pay so much attention in the pattern cutting process to get the shapes I wanted. The silhouette is distinctive and the cut of the clothes accurate and thoughtful. The quality of the clothes was a central element. The structure of the collection reflects it: just tailored pieces, coats, trench coats, shirts and high waist trousers, no fancy or over styled outfits.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: What was your starting point?

Matteo Molinari: I started analyzing the meaning and the implication of symbols in the actual garment design.

SS: How would you describe the collection in your own words?

Matteo Molinari: Black, tailored, sinister, handmade, Psychic Youth, crochet lace, architectural shapes, androgynous, cut, cropped, NON, reworking men's wardrobe basics, European folk traditions.

Stunning detailing.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: Personally, I love the balance struck between traditional tailoring and textile techniques rarely used in menswear. One of the best examples of this is the crochet back tuxedo jacket. Could you talk us through some of the techniques used, for example the hand made crochet and your attraction to them?
Matteo Molinari: I was amused by the notation used to transcript the movements necessary to produce a piece of crochet lace. Small dots, lines and circles are printed on a white page to create intricate and beautiful pieces of work, if correctly interpreted by a skilled artist. I developed my patterns starting from the crochet panelling. I used crochet not like an embellishment but as a important part of the pattern. Crochet is a feminine technique, a knowledge shared between mothers and daughters in Italy. Doing menswear based on it pushed me to reflect about a lot of social and cultural implications related to gender. Not merely cultural concept of masculine and feminine but differences between art and craft and the unnatural.

SS: What type of man can you see wearing it?
Matteo Molinari: Confident and cerebral with a melancholic spirit.

A closer look

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

SS: I know this is difficult question to answer but have you got a favourite, anything that you were most proud of?
Matteo Molinari: The crochet back tuxedo jacket.

SS:Finally, what would you like to achieve in 2011 and beyond?
Matteo Molinari: Be free to decide what I care and what I don’t. Continue doing clothes for my SS 2012 collection. Be passionate in what I’m doing.

Two of Molinari's models mingling with the other collections.

Backstage photography by Morgan O'Donovan

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In addition to creating a collection that makes your heart skip a beat or two, Molinari's desire to breathe fresh life and excitement in to traditional skills and techniques should be applauded. The detailing of the pattern cutting, the sharp fit and the mixture of Italian manufacture, japanese fabrics, hand stitching and crochet produced by close family members makes this collection both luxurious and desirable but also hugely personal and emotional. I'll leave you with these fantastic look book shots by Christopher Agius Burke...

Photography by Christopher Agius Burke. Hair and makeup by Pace Chen.

Matteo Molinari’s collection will be available to order and a line of sunglasses and glasses is already available. I just can't wait to see this talent develop.