Fabfrocks chats to: Tats and Tempest

Hi guys,
Ever since I got my ipad, I have been slightly obsessed with it. And when my parents got me a leopard print Steve Madden case for it, it became my favourite fashion accessory: it gets all dressed up and goes everywhere with me! So I totally get why technology accessories are becoming such a fast-growing market. And where there is market growth, there are new brands popping up all the time!

One such brand is Tats and Tempest. Founded and designed by Marcus Tezcan, this is a brand that specialises in gorgeous leather technology accessories: think cases for ipads, laptops, and mobile phones. As soon as I checked out the website I fell slightly in love with a couple of the designs: on-trend enough to make you stand out, but subtle enough to match whatever else you're wearing. Here are some of my faves:

Because i'd fallen slightly in love with his brand, I decided to ask Marcus a couple of questions about his inspirations and where the brand began:

1.When and why did you start making technology accessories?
I started making technology accessories about two and a half years ago on my mums old Singer sewing machine. I'd never sewed anything before so was a bit of a mess to start with, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly and managed to make something that I could actually use. There wasn't a lot available from other designers at the time so I made a sleeve for my new laptop.

2. Why do you work with leather?
Because leather feels great, is luxurious, there are lots to choose from and good quality leather will last a life time which is how long i want my products to last!

3. What inspires you?
People, designers, blogs and Twitter; I love seeing what people are talking about on Twitter. And my mum.

4. Who is your favourite designer?
Currently JW Anderson for his design and structure of clothing. And because they're quite simple but effective. Also, Chris Bailey because he's from Yorkshire and the impact he has had on Burberry has been amazing.

5. Which celeb would you most like to see using your products and why?
I think Alexa Chung would be cool because she is beautiful (like Tats & Tempest products), I think she's going to be around for long time (like Tats & Tempest products) and quite fun (like Tats & Tempest products).

Are you addicted to your ipad? And how many cases do you have for it? I currently only have one for mine, but I'm giving serious consideration to getting a couple more, so that I can mix and match them which every item! As technology is definitely here to stay, it looks like figuring out how to make it more fashionable is going to be my next step!

Love Tor xx

Interview and competition: Emma Hadley jewellery

Earlier in the month I wrote about my discovery of Emma Hadley's beautiful jewellery, so you can imagine how delighted I was when Emma agreed to do an interview with me for you guys. I wear my tiny bumble bee necklace all the time: it's one of those pieces that goes with everything! Emma has also generously donated a beautiful piece as a competition prize for you guys (details of how to win are at the bottom of the post)

Before we talk about how to win the prize though, lets find out some more about Emma. I also thought it would be nice to see the lovely lady at work, so these are the images dotted through the post:

-How long have you been designing jewellery?
I started designing seriously a year ago when I learnt the technique of Precious Metal Clay to make pure silver peices, although I've always had images in my head of my ideal jewellery I would make if I could.

-What made you want to be a jewellery designer?
Now I'm doing it I don't know why I didn't start earlier it seems so natural to me! designing and making is definitely in my blood, my mother is an artist and I grew up being very creative; making clothes and crafty things. I've come from an exciting and challenging career as a Fashion Buyer but I knew one day I'd like to start my own business and create a brand of my own. The opportunity to explore this came when I was made redundant at the height of the recent recession, not wanting to sit around waiting for the high st to recover I enrolled in a jewellery course at the London Jewellery school. Designing and making jewellery suits my character, I love the delicacy and attention to detail, and I've always been like a magpie drawn to beautiful shiny things.

-If you could only wear once piece of jewellery for the rest of your life what piece would you pick?
Only one :( well it would have to be my Bee Blossom necklace, I think it has a timelessness that i'll never get bored of, and it goes with everything, dressed up and dressed down.

-Which other jewellery designers do you admire?
I like Jacey Withers completely original and ethereal style, and I also like NYC duo Dannijo, their style is completely different to mine but there's a full on modern glamour that looks fab.

-Where does your inspiration come from?
A big influence is from nature, I'm definitely a city girl with a country heart, I was born in Cumbria and my introduction to the Lake District at a young age has never really left me. The overriding factor in all my designs is the need to make each piece become something more than just functional jewellery, I like my designs to tell a story and to mean something personal and special to the wearer. The people close to me are a big influence in this.

And now for the fashion!

-Where do you buy your clothes?
These days I buy as little as possible (the down side to starting your own business). It means being imaginative by refreshing my old clothes with select add ons from the High St - Topshop, H&M, Zara etc. I used to have the luxury of shopping in NYC and Paris as a Buyer and some of the finds from shops like Anthropologie, Big Drop, Scoop and Barney's, whether new or vintage, have great longevity.

-Who is your favourite designer, and why?
It has to be Alber Elbaz, no one dresses women as beautifully as him!

-Finally, if someone gave you £10,000 and an hour in Selfridges to spend it, what would you buy?
This is a nice little daydream! There would definitely be some Mulberry and Chloe handbags for me and my sisters, a stop at Balmain, Temperly, Paul & Jo and Anglomania. Citizens of Humanity and Paige jeans. Maybe a Bulgari watch, and the rest my husband can spend on himself.

And now for the competition. To get your hands on a piece of Emma's handcrafted jewellery (pictured above) all you have to do is sign up to her mailing list here, and leave a comment on this post. The competition will close on the 7th April when Emma will pick someone who signed up for the mailing list at random: Easy peasy (lemon squeezy!)

This prize is a gorgeous piece called the Stellar charm - A pure fine silver STELLAR tag with a Swarovski crystal AB star, on a split ring ready to be added to bracelets and necklaces. I wish I could enter myself! If you can't wait to get your hands on a piece of the Emma Hadley collection you can buy direct from her website.

Big thanks to Emma for her generosity and for answering all of my questions!

Love, Tor xx

Fabfrocks interviews: Ben de Lisi

Today I went to see the new Principles by Ben de Lisi collection. Under Ben's creative direction, Debenhams is moving the brand back to what it is celebrated for: a timeless modern collection with a designer twist aimed at the discerning fashion lover. There are some really lovely pieces (a striped cropped jacket and an embellished navy chiffon dress had me particularly excited) and also some non-descript ones (a tan stripey cardigan was especially yawn-worthy) but I will be writing a full post about what I thought of the clothes later. I will say the collection is definitely aimed at a woman older and smarter than myself, but it was still fashion forward, if not a little predictable. However, this post isn't about the clothes but about the man himself.

After I had seen the showcase of the new collection I was given the change to talk to Ben de Lisi, and find out more about what he felt about the new range:

How do you think this collection differs from your usual collections, which usually focus on eveningwear?

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It's effortless, it doesn't require too much thought. It's easy to wear and easy for people to understand. Some of the dresses just require throwing on, they don't need anything else. Flashes of colour are also important.

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How hands on were you throughout the design process of the collection?

I go to the office everyday and input to the collection everyday. I am the same with anything that has my name on it: this isn't just a celebrity endorsement.

Who are your style icons?

Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis. I saw Michelle Obama eminating that style and wearing J Crew and I thought that was exactly the right thing to do and that really helped inspire this collection.

Everyone has a career defining moment. What would you say has been yours so far?

Kate Winslet wearing my red dress to the Oscars (I knew he was going to say that but I had to ask!)

Each collaboration collection has one piece that everyone is trying to get their hands on. What piece do you think it will be from this range?

I really like the mac, which comes in two colour ways. It's fully lined and will retail at, I think, £86. I also like the lined monochrome dresses with the pattern which was influenced by the New York skyline.

You studied sculpture in Brooklyn before becoming a fashion designer. Do you think this has an influence on you as a designer?

Yes I think it does. I view the body as a form, as something to sculpt around. I think it also influences the patterns I use which can be graphic.

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What do you like about the existing Principles brand, and what will change under your leadership?

I liked that before had a strong identity and it was accessible to the consumer. Now I intend to bring a touch of class!

Principles by Ben de Lisi will come in sizes 8-20 and the petite range will come in sizes 6-18. My next post will be a full review of the range.

Love, Tor xx

3 questions with Fearne Cotton: Very.co.uk launch part 1

Hi Guys,

Last night was the launch of Fearne Cotton's collection for very.co.uk. Whilst at the collection launch party I was lucky enough to have five minutes with Fearne. She seemed really lovely and really pleased with the way the evening, and her collection, had turned out. Here are three my questions about the collection answered by the lady herself:

There's nothing like standing next to a gorgeous celebrity to make you feel like a very ordinary young lady!

What inspired you when you started your sketches for the collection? (OK, so we're starting with an obvious one!)

FC: Well, I think a lot of my inspiration came from the 70s, it all has a very 70s vintage feel. I was inspired by the music, by David Bowie and photos of my mum, of the way my mum looked and dressed in the 70s.

TB: What is your favourite piece from the collection?

FC: I really like this (points to the Leopard print coat) I think it's gorgeous, I almost can't wait for it to get colder so that I can wear it (laughs) I also like the black coat which is being launched in the mid-season collection that went down the catwalk earlier.

I told Fearne that the leopard print coat was my favourite piece from the collection too (and it is!) Great minds think alike!!

TB: Is there any piece that didn't turn out the way you imagined when you created your original sketch?

FC: Ooh contraversial question! No, there isn't actually, I like the way the whole collection turned out. During the creation of the collection the team at very put together some samples that we didn't like or didn't think worked but they didn't make it beyond that stage. I'm very happy with everything that made it to the final selection.

NB: If I had to choose the least successful piece in the collection it would be the silver floral and stripe dress. Although I will admit it looked much nicer when you could see the detailing up close, it's very off putting that it photographed so badly; anything that's going to make Fearne Cotton look bad certainly isn't going to look good on me!

My full review of the collection and the launch event is coming up next.

Love, Tor xxx

Fabfrocks interviews: Lindsay from EmandSprout

Hi All,

As i've already mentioned on this blog once or twice, I have a major shoe crush on the etsy store EmandSprout. Their chihuaha shoes have been one my mind at least once daily since the first time I saw them, and they give a fresh take on the phrase "putting the fun into footwear."

So imagine my delight when the lovely Lindsay Gibson, owner and designer of EmandSprout (which was lovingly named after her two cats) agreed to do a short interview with me for your reading pleasure:

How cute are Lindsay and her enviably thick fringe!?

TB: Tell me a little bit about your background:

LG: I've always been a crafter at heart! I know it sounds so cliche but I've just been into making stuff since I was a little girl. My earliest and fondest memories of being crafty were making Valentines Day mailboxes for card swaps in school, you know the kind you make out of shoeboxes? I remember always staying up all night making sure my box was perfect! Fast forward 10 years and I ended up going to art school and graduated with an emphasis in graphic design. I worked professionally as a designer until my interest waned because I wanted to start working for myself instead of for someone else. Plus I'm a terrible morning person, ha! ;)

........................................Lindsay's workspace: where the magic happens!

So about 5 years ago I taught myself screenprinting and created a line of screenprinted t-shirts under the name Kid Pirate. The success of that business allowed me to do extra things with my spare time, and so Em&Sprout was born! Em&Sprout just started as a little side project, but after seeing the response people had to my shoes it's sort of grown into something alot more special that just a side project.

TB: When did you start making your wonderful shoes?

LG: It's been a little over a year now!

TB: Why did you choose to focus on designing shoes?

LG: The shoe idea just popped into my head one day, I didn't really choose to focus on shoes - it just came to me and I went on my whim and made them! I ended up really liking the idea of making cute shoes especially for us grown-ups! Why should only little girls get all the fun shoes?

TB: A bit of a cheesy question, but what is your inspiration?
LG: Animals!! I'm a huge animal lover. Especially my two cats, Em & Sprout (Emily Pussyfoot & Beansprout Sassypants) who the shop is named after! Other than animals I find inspiration in so many things including: Candy wrappers, 80's cartoons, classic arcade games, halloween, monsters, silliness, vintage toys, carnivals and fairs. All things colorful and wacky with a twisted sense of humor :)

TB: What is the most bizarre custom order you have ever received?

LG: Puffer fish maryjanes. They had these huge red fishy lips and I made it's fins coming out the sides of the shoes. They were pretty crazy but the girl loved them. HAHA!

TB: Of all the designs on sale in your store, which is your favourite and why?

LG: Definitely the zombie cats because they're a little cute and a little creepy. How can you not love a little kitty with a gouged eye?

TB: Who are some of your favourite fashion designers?

LG: Betsey Johnson, Erin Fetherston, and basically anyone who has a young, flirty, whimsical aesthetic. An indie label I admire is Kelly of I'm Your Present, she is so fabulous and creative!

TB: As your design style is so cartoon focused, I have to know who your favourite cartoon character is:

LG: This is seriously the hardest question ever, but I have to go with Rosie the Robot from the Jetsons. I watched that show so much as a kid and I have such a soft spot in my heart for her! She was so warm and hilarious, the show wouldn't have been the same without her. I could go on and on about all my other favorite characters but I'd never shut up so I'll stop now! ;)

TB: Describe your fashion philosophy in less than 20 words:

LG: Your personality is your style, be comfortable in your own skin, and don't worry about what others think!

I love Lindsay's style philosophy as much as I love her favourite designer (Oh Betsey!) but not quite as much as I love her fabulous shoes which you can buy here and here.

Happy shopping!

Love, Tor xx

Oh by the way, if you are a designer, illustrator, blogger or creative-type and you would like to be interviewed on the blog just drop me a line at torberry00@yahoo.co.uk and I will be in touch!