PT 4: Interview: Jessica Origliasso of The Veronicas

Seemlessly gliding on the air across to her stool in a room dimly lit by a school of candles, Jessica Origliasso (of The Veronicas) is all the bit a veteran rock chick . Of course that isn't how it happened and instead it's 8am GMT and I'm compiling five questions from the top of my semi-conscious head that she may be compelled to answer, all the while on a conflicting time zone and via twitter messages.

I've always heralded Jess as being this cool, mother Theresa-esque figure with a don't give a f--- attitude and a penchant for the darker side of things. She's the kind of woman who, in the back of your mind, you know can work a gun. She's also a bad ass, crime fighting, mermaid witch pixie; a free sprit with her head screwed on and an INSANE vocalist, here's what she had to say:

In choosing what to wear, what would you say is most important? How something looks or how it makes you feel?

Always going in with the intention of how you want something to make you feel. If you're wanting empowering, sexy, effortless classic, don't give a fuck.... Fashion is identity, and another beautiful part of self expression. Whether is reflects how you feel at that moment, or what you would like to feel inside, to the outside world you create.

If you had to dilute your style down to its simplest form, what subculture would you categorise yourself into?

My style has evolved over time, I think it started out as 90's grunge glam, now, since being out of the public eye, I really enjoy a mix of 90's inspired Vintage grunge, moving into a 60's and 70's rock and roll inspired feel.

Would you say there is a relationship between what you choose to wear and the music which you create?

100 percent. Personally, music and fashion are all art forms of self expression and identity. When I write a bad ass song, I want to create a visual world around it to support that. If I write something vulnerable, then (I'd wear) something broken and beautiful to help accent those emotions.

Some of my favourite looks of yours came from the fashion shows you attended in 2010, how do you choose what to wear for a show?

I am forever going through an obsession with British fashion from the 18 hundreds through to now, So that period was mirroring that I believe! Hence my Oliver twist vintage pants, top hat and The Addicts band shirt. I think my fashion choices usually revolve around my bipolar love for fashion and against it. At times I am so Anti fashion that I'll refuse to wearing anything with a brand, and write my own Tshirts, then other times, I will embrace my vintage designer pieces as my most prized possessions. I really love worn in, vintage pieces above new designs. For our next record Lisa and I are getting Nudie Suits privately made by our own design company which I am INCREDIBLY excited for. My favourite style icons are people who stayed true to themselves, but didn't usually adhere to the fashion at the time. Ala' KD Lang in her Cowboy period, 90's Courtney Love, Jack White (all the time haha). And my favourite fashion model is Kelley Ash.

And finally, can you tell me what a witch is to you? And is that something you'd like to see more of in fashion? 

I have been drawn to metaphysics and magick since I was very young. It was a natural born interest and instinct as no one else in my family were interested or practicing. There is something a soul finds in the spiritual dimensions that cannot be satisfied by an unconscious physical life. Magick, meditation, and fashion have many things in common. Intuition, ritual, and ceremony. I would LOVE to see more intuitive fashion connecting sacred geometry, and symbolism. You already see an uprise in the use of Yin Yang symbol, Pentagram, the moon, even hindu deities. I would love to see people go as deep in the making of these garments in turn with the moon cycle (like they do in spells, and cooking!), and intensely intricate detailing. Very plain beautiful feeling organic materials, but stitching in pentagrams, instead of the very trendy slapped on Symbology. I think that gothick culture, and Witch fashion in that regard can go even deeper then it has, and I can't wait to see how deep some are really willing to dive!

Thanks for allowing me to share my thoughts with you my love I hope you are wonderful!!!

The Veronicas new album 'You and Me' is expected early 2014

Follow them on Twitter @TheVeronicas

Follow Jess @Jessica_Veronica

and Lisa @Lisa_Veronica

PT 4: SOMETHING WICKED

PT 4: PLANNING 2.0

Having found these images of John Hein, shot by Kacper Kasprzyk and styled by Tony Irvine for December's Dazed and Confused, I was inspired to strip back my ideas and look more at a monochromatic palette with a darker undertone such as this witch inspired shoot. Still true to my own style, the colour scheme is minimalistic and layers are maximal which is more easily acknowledged where the background is not as busy. I, on the other hand will not have access to  Juun. J, Jil Sander, FALKE, Diesel or McQueen so will have to emulate this idea of bolder silhouettes through clothes I have access to.

WORK-HOME-OUT

PT 4: PLANNING

STYLING

Alastair McKimm

-Freelance Irish Stylist
-BA in Fashion from Nottingham Trent
-Based in NY
-Moved to London in 2000 to assist w/  Edward Enniful @ i-D
-Has worked with numerous fashion publications including Vogue China, Vogue Italia, Vogue Japan, Purple, V, Numèro and Numèro Homme.

Having styled on the shoot for the F/W13 Jil Sander campaign, Alastair's styling bares relevance to my own venture into creating a fashion story, particularly the layering of achromatic hues and the minimal accessories. One of his shoots which I was particularly inspired by for my Industrial shoot was his work with Dazed and Confused for their December 1 issue.

What I found worked especially in favour for this shoot was McKinn's choice of tough patent leathers and the layering of bold silhouettes which are not too disimilar from those in my own wardrobe. The usage of muted monochromatic hues set against a pure white background really propels this story into the future for me.

LOCATION

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH
Photography Meg Urbani
Styling Jandy Monroe 
Hair Sonia Castleberry 
Makeup Samantha Lennon 
Model Anastasia w/ Q Model Management

ELLE - Fly Away, Fashion editorial January 2010 Issue

Photographer: Julius Bramanto
Fashion Editor: Amanda Prihutomo
Model: Anna B @ JIM

Model: Maria Loks 

Photographer: Susie Q & Leo Siboni

for Exhibition magazine S/S13

Fashion Editor: Hannes Hetta.

As I plan on keeping my looks quite minimal in terms of colour palette, I would prefer not to use the white or black wall of a studio to capture my vision against. Ideally, I would love to be able to gain access to an aircraft site to capture a similar mood to the Fly Away fashion editorial by Elle, however something closer to the Industrial Strength shoot may be more palpable. Alternativally I could aim to capture a similar editorial to Dazed by shooting on a building site or scrap yard as Photoshop would enable me to edit backgrounds and colours to compliment the styling/ story.

21st Century Wytch

PT 3

JIL SANDER 

Jil Sander's designs are synonymous with understated design and refined luxury according to the brand's Oki-No biography. Founded in 1973, the brand was under the creative direction of Raf Simons between 2005 and 2012 when he departed for Dior. During this period, Sander reclaimed control of her eponymous label, only to leave it again in October of 2013. Born 27 November 1943, German Heidemarie Jiline Sander is described as the 'Queen of Less.' 

When Jil Sander's menswear is achromatic, whether it's all black, all grey, navy... anything muted basically, that's the label at it's best in my opinion. I'm not much for bright colours in large quantities anymore. Sander does tailoring immaculately and it really shines through atop duller hues if ever there was a backhanded compliment. Fall 2011 was one of the best collections for the menswear line of the brand if I forget the oranges/corals/magentas happened. Done. Yes the layering was key, even if it was as simple as a suit or cropped, short sleeve sweaters over polo necks. Textures which added nuance. Beautifully executed black clothes better suited to the streets of Europe, upon mopeds or behind a cigarette.

Advance one season to the Spring/Summer of 2012 and perfection is defined on the bodies of male models with dark hair gelled to the face. Coats and trenches made of plastic, with accents of neons atop black similar to that of Tait's designs. The accessories really shine this time around without distracting from the glorious navy pleats or large witch like collars. It's crocodile print and it comes in grey's and oranges and blues and if ever I had to choose one collection to wear for the rest of my life, don't quote me but, this would probably be it. Raf Simons really pushes minimalism into the spotlight.

I think it may be the reference to my favourite Upper East Siders (Gossip Girl) which draws me to Sander's collections, elegant simplicity in private school colour palettes. In looking at Jil Sander as a brand, I feel it is something that we can easily emulate at much less of a cost, although it would be lovely to splash out a small fortune on a well-executed product by the house. Sander inspires something within me, which is to create this idea of something being expensive and luxurious in choosing minimal, yet well tailored garments. It's about details and about accessories not about how much money you invest.

PT 3

CHRISTIAN DADA

Whilst Christian Dada's biography remains scarce, I was able to source a few facts from the design house's social media sites. Christian Dada is, in fact, a brand fronted by  Masanori Morikawa. Born in 1984, Morikawa appoints his endeavour into his fashion to his grandfather whose embroidery work, he says, was inspiring. 

Having worked as a personal assistant for Charles Anastasej, Morikawa became independent in 2007; launching the fashion label Livraison with a friend which he left later in 2009. It wasn't until 2010 that a collection was released under the brand Christian Dada. Dada's first womenswear collection came in the fall of 2011 which was debuted on the runway. Christian Dada's credits include a studded vest design for Lady Gaga in honour of the 2011 MTV AID. According to the brand's official site, 23 retailers stock the label and Morikawa's designs have been featured on Style.com, WWD, and upon celebrities such as Korean popstar G-Dragon and Lady Gaga during her 2012 'Born This Way Ball' tour.

The label dresses both men and women and explores themes of androgyny and bizarre aegis (breastplates, headpieces.) Morikawa told DazedDigital that he started to design womenswear and realised the algorithm was a key point in creating menswear which may bare reason for his choices of silhouette.

On his A/W11 collection: A slight light “Gleam”, noticing that there is a lot of confusion in this world, I wish this collection could be a slight light for everyone. I got inspiration from “Bushi”, Japanese fighters who survived through the Sengoku era. 

Much like with Tait, Dada is fully aware of the androgyny trend and utilises it at every opportunity. His menswear often bares flesh in shorter garments typically associated with the female gender and don't be surprised to see a beautiful male model with long hair donning a skirt or a cinched waist.

Very much a conceptual artist in the beginning, Dada has experimented with skulls, antlers and cage like structures to blur the boundaries between what is considered fine art and what is considered fashion. His muted colour choices make for timeless pieces which can be easily interpreted or added to the wardrobe of anyone who so desires to make a statement with their style of dressing. Silhouettes create figures less human than most designers choose to play around with and in that there is a sense both of power and animosity as though choosing to isolate oneself through a wardrobe for better or for worse.

I find myself interested in the brand mostly due to the likeness it possesses towards my own wardrobe, however Masanori does this in a more theatrical way, it almost feels experimental to me; clothes that are missing something. Perhaps it is the fabric choices. This is not a criticism by any means, I believe I am intrigued by the choices in the overall execution because it stimulates something in myself as to how I might have done it differently.