What was your inspiration for spring 2008?
The collection is titled “Désordre Anglais," a phrase used by the French to describe the haphazard English chic. I was inspired by the eccentric oddball glamour of a quintessential London girl. She mixes references - vintage (think: early '70s, Mick and Bianca Jagger at the Hotel Byblos in Saint-Tropez where they were married) with something from her travels. I have just returned from India and picked up a lot of textile inspiration at the markets there - with something modern, cool and unexpected.
What colors, fabrics and silhouettes can we expect?
The colors are bright fairy-light shades of cobalt, hot pink, jade and Sunkist yellow mixed with neutrals and highlighted with metallics. I love textiles and have collaborated again with artists Deanne Cheuk and Ben Copperwheat on prints, which include Paisley Rain, Monsoon and Feather Oasis. We’ve also hand-screened a foil print in my studio for a few showpieces, too, which was a first. The silhouette is slimmer and longer than previous seasons, but still relaxed and effortlessly glamorous.
Are bubble/sack dresses really over, as claimed by NY mag and all the other proponents of the new long and lean look?
I do have a number of cool longer dresses in my spring collection and I think they’re really relevant again.
If you had to choose a single woman, real of fictional, who best represented your spring 2008 collection, who would it be?
The model Marie Helvin in the early '70s, at the time she was married to David Bailey.
What trend are you loving at the moment?
Headbands and playsuits.
What trend are you over?
Knockoffs.
What trend are you hoping to ignite for spring 2008?
Feathers, braids and raffia details.
Sue Stemp is scheduled to show her spring 2008 collection on September 5th at the Maritime Hotel.
I worked with Sue as an asst. doing production for Daryl K during Fashion Week a million years ago. I loved her! She was so cool and funny and really full of chutzpah. I so love to see her doing her own thing and fully support her. She rocks! Go Sue!
Posted by: Laura Wehrman | August 30, 2007 at 12:21 PM