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| Via Joseph Turvey |
An interview with the spectacularly talented Joseph Turvey:
What was the inspiration behind this collection?My starting point was the amazing documentary Grey Gardens. Years ago my mom introduced me to the documentary and the two Edies have stayed with me ever since. Their amazing attitude towards life astounded me and I wanted to try and capture that in the collection. Little Edie has a distinctive style and is an endless source of inspiration. This prompted me to look at all the unconventional style icons that I admired. Hattie Jacques, Margaret Rutherford, David Attenborough are just some of those icons. Their ability to wear amazing clothes in their own individual way no matter age, size or shape was a true inspiration to me.
What materials and techniques did you use and why?
I love to use unconventional fabrics. This season I used lace, waxed cottons and silk twill. I think using these unusual fabrics and combining them with traditional tailoring pattern cutting enables me to put my onto twist onto menswear.
Illustration and digital printing feature heavily in your work, what do you hope to convey with these techniques?
I love print and I love to draw so I thought for this season I would mix the two. I like the idea of man and machine working together.
What comes first your illustrations or your menswear designs and how do the illustrations influence the designs?
I have always wanted to be a designer and I think an important part of that is being able to draw. Being able to translate the garment in your mind onto paper is vital to the design process.
Your collection was the brightest at the LCF showcase, how important is colour to you?
I love Colour. I think there are too many designers scared to use colour. Everything looks good when its black...theres no challenge in it for me then.
Your designs imbue traditional menswear tailoring, why is this important to you and how do you like use it?
I like to take existing methods and put my own twist to it. I have traditional mens jackets that are constructed with hand sewn laces and my knit wear lends from traditional knitting techniques but using fishing wire instead of yarns. I think its important to move forward with menswear and maintain its heritage.
You started out as a womenswear designer, how has this impacted on your menswear designs?
My womenswear was extremely masculine and my mens is rather feminine... So it would appear the two don't impact each other.
What is your ethos when it comes to menswear?
Have fun with it. Womenswear has no rules and menswear has far too many. Its about time some were broken.
Who are your fashion icons?
Edith Bouvier Beale, David Attenborough, Hattie Jacques, Margaret Rutherford.
What does the future hold for Mr Turvey?
I would love to be able to continue to show my collections and have some good stockists. However, only time can tell.
