Mary Katrantzou debuted her first collection at London Fashion Week (LFW) in February 2009 and has since taken the fashion world by storm. Last year, the Greek-born print master received her first nomination for Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. Entering the New Year on such a high note, she put on a show for fall/winter 2013 that proved to be one of the hottest tickets at LFW.
There was a ghostly allure to her latest print venture, which was inspired by architecture and landscapes.
We had the chance to interview the designer before her show to get the dish on her crafty niche.
The Thread: Last season you were fascinated by everyday items. What motifs are stimulating your creative juices at the moment?
Mary Katrantzou: I always like to take inspiration from the beauty found in design, whether that is found in a beautiful or interesting building or structure, a room in someone’s home, a piece of jewelry or an object of art to everyday inspiration such as postage stamps or banknotes that you wouldn’t instantly assume could be luxurious. Because print is so visual you can really do and say a lot with it, and print has allowed me to create my own distinctive world. I can spend hours trawling through books and the Internet for images that really inspire me, and I am constantly taking photos when I travel. Once I have a theme in mind for the collection, we then start to explore fabrics, embellishment and silhouette.
Take us through your artistic process for fall ’13.
Mary: For autumn/winter 2013 we are moving away from the tangible nature of an object to explore a more romantic setting that allows us to further develop my work beyond print. That doesn’t mean moving away from print entirely, but building on that language through further diversifying my work.
Check The Thread February 22 to read the full interview with Mary and hear her thoughts on fabric manipulation, digital technology and how you can make print fashions work for you.
–Qianna Smith
Click For More: Designer Collections, Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Mary Katrantzou, Nordstrom at Fashion Week, Nordstrom at London Fashion Week