For the past week the weather in New York has been beyond glorious. It turns out that glorious weather has enchanting effects on me as I have been finding myself fantasizing about ways that I can get my hands on a centaur and have him canoodling with Aphrodite deep in the echelons of Central Park. London based designer Vanessa Adeeko seems to be on the same trip but instead of only fantasizing she has made her dreams of the surreal into the form of a timeless clothing line under her self titled brand. Also inspired by mythology and nymph like creatures Vanessa has created a clothing line that is for the woman that is more than one thing. That finds her strength in being multi-faceted, bold and age-less. Though simple upon first glance the more that you study Vanessa's clothing the more you notice the immense amount of tailoring and intricate detail that goes into it making each piece feel personal, something that I consider to be essential in every piece I bring into my life. After meeting Vanessa in New York during her pop up shop in February and another coming up in London on April 14th Vanessa took the time to answer a few questions and shed some light on why she thinks real design should have soul.
How did you get into fashion design?
My grandma taught me how to sew and bought me my first machine, she shared lots of her old Vogue patterns and magazines. I have always been interested in fashion design. I decided to go to London college of fashion to see if I could learn a bit more.
I always wanted to start a company. Working for other fashion designers gave me a lot of insight into the business side. I enjoyed this side as much as I enjoyed creating and figured if I could get the right people together as a team supporting me I could build a viable business.
After graduating from fashion school, I knew what I wanted to do but decided to do freelance for a while to learn the business of fashion and to refine my own aesthetic. I had been working for fashion designers and tailors in London for a while. I was encouraged by a client to put together a small range and I decided to launch a label that provides evening wear made personally for them as opposed to throwaway clothes that have a 6 month shelf life.
All of your dresses and suits are very angular and focused on the tailoring. How important is a well tailored dress or suit to you as a designer?
Yes there are sections that are angular. I was inspired by the masculine aesthetic and the sharp lines on Zaha Hadids guangzhou opera. The dresses and trousers I have gone away with most of the seams. I’d gone off my thesis of how to get clothing fitted untraditionally. You can create different lines, when you experiment with different tailoring techniques. I’m thinking about how the lines will offset the others to enhance and sit well on the body.
Describe what positive vibrations means to you and how does that find its way into your designs?
Positive Vibrations to me is a mindset. I remind myself of this everyday. It is about creating the things that you want to exist.
Your clothing is all made with environmentally safe materials. How do you hope to bring environmental awareness through your label?
By working closely with UK mills. I can visit the factory for the day and see what is going on. I can also have my own input in what methods they are using for my materials. It is a timely and stressful process but in the end I have something that I feel proud of because it is sits with my beliefs.
You once described the collection photos on your website as a way to represent the soul leaving the body of the model. Why is that important to you?
I was really inspired by the process of a persons essence leaving there body. I wanted to try to show this through using double exposure photography.
Yes they are part of the same body. I think the process of designing and making is an art form. Fashion is culture. Art is culture.
Can you tell us about some upcoming projects Vanessa Adeeko is working on?
After New York last month. I am working on my new pop up in London 14th April. Similar to what I was doing when we met in New York but for 8 days this time. It will be my way of shedding light on what I am trying to make here in London.
You can watch part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtHYsp19DuM&feature=youtu.be
If your brand could be worn by any mythological creature who would it be and why?
Probably 'Phanessa' who was a male-female deity of light and goodness. The name means "to bring light" or "to shine". Phanessa was a first-born androgynous god/goddess of light. In Gods, Men and Monster it wrote that because of Phanessa's centuries-old battle with Chaos the creation of birds took place as a result.
Every morning the first thing I do is….
Watch CNN at 5 am and then I go to the park.
My most recent dream was about….
I don’t remember any of my dreams.
If London were a drink it would be.....
