Divided by Two

I have gathered all my inspiration, travel diaries, fabrics, leathers and the oldbag Winter 2010 collection is under way. The idea actually came about whilst I was travelling in Thailand. Bangkok for me is just a city that is always alive. South of Bangkok lies Ko Samui, an island which would resemble paradise for the most of us. From my travel experiences, I came up with „Divided by Two“ a story about a journey through a land that is overpowered with freshness, water, friendliness and a youthful resonance. The Contrast between modern and traditional, peace and chaos, along with an abundance of temples, prayer, meditation, relaxation, nightlife, colours, lights, food, noodles, buddhas, honesty and people, gave me enough inspiration to be able to base my collection around this theme. The collection is about divisions and opposites within a place. Soft and calm like water or strong and grounded like concrete. Pulling and pushing, conflicting and agreeing, contradictions and honesty. Happy, though poor. Rushing, though at peace. The collection include dresses which are half silk/half wool, some dresses include billowing silk details that look like soft waves, neck pieces made from fabric that resemble bamboo or noodles that stretch and transform in many ways. The day bags are made of leather, big and roomy in stormy and sandy colours, and can be used for light travelling. Suede and Natural leather mixed. They have magnetic closures or Riri quality Swiss zippers with inside pockets. Evening clutch bags are also very roomy and fold down to feature a beautiful leather bow with gold buckle and enamel chopstick. They have 2 magnetic closures. The bags are hand made with slightly distressed vintage looking beautiful soft leather from a Swiss supplier who promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry. The leather is of high quality and has various finishes from matt to glossy. Here are some preview pics into the collection ... the fashion launch will be on the 3rd of December in Arbon, Switzerland.

Keep Me Warm...

The Autumm leaves have started to change their colours, shades of orange, yellow, red decorate the pretty streets of Switzerland. The temperature is chilled, outside my window the Pine trees are still green and lush, and the smell reminds me that Chrismas is just around the corner. Winter is a romantic time for me. Eating hot Marooni whilst walking on the lake is the highlight of a chilly winter day. My inspiration is drawn from simple things like the textures and colours on bark, pale driftwood , the way a city lives and breathes, chocolate caramel and icy colours like storm-blue, Absinthe, glass-green and steel. I love it when a storm is approaching, the colours change so rapidly. Music also plays a major part in my thought process, at the moment im listening to „When Im Sleepy“ and „Hooting and Howling“ by Wild Beasts and the new albums by Bat for Lashes, PJ Harvey and Massive Attack. I am inspired by watery, dreamy sounds. My looks are to inspire you, when I put together a collection I design single items with a theme, but it takes accessories, hair, make-up, and the individual to make them work. I might combine a woolen jumper with a pair of brown leather boots, then throw on an old Blazer found at a Second-hand shop then add some bracelets and a bag from the „oldbag“ collection. I use a lot of recycled items in my collections, from buttons, to fabrics to belts. They are like a jewel, a treasure to the finished product. I have started to design a new collection of suede leather bags, roomy and looks great with day street-wear. It’s still in process...

"Ruffle My Feathers"

What I love about Fashion is that it is an ever changing, medium.
I begin with a plain Canvas and create something which is personalized.
I dont just think of clothes as a material, they also give someone a feeling of joy, pleasure, comfort, and make them feel like a unique individual.
I want to inspire people to experiment and be brave enough to try new things.

I will use myself as an example, adding photos and ideas, inspiration, experiments, new trends, products developed by my label oldbag.

My first idea is for the hair, something extravagant, feminine, a little bit of fun!They are feather-flowers made up to a hairpin. Fun and original!