Contemporary work created the old fashioned way
The inspiration for each collection comes from a variety of sources, & these are then combined in a way to ensure that the end result is unique & new.
Getting started
I am likely to start out with my head stuck in one of my giant Narnia-esque antique wardrobes, looking through 1920s and ‘30s eveningwear, blouses, & day dresses, sportswear, vintage deco-print silk scarves…
Actually, there is a marked deficit of knitwear, as knitwear as I have always wanted it to be doesn’t seem to ever really have existed. Hence a lot of Combelle knitwear is inspired by non-knitted originals, which is in part why the end result is quite atypical as knitwear.
Art, graphic print, textile design, patterncutting, photography, & much much more
With these hanging beside my desk I am then likely to proceed in my journey down a rabbit hole of research. This could involve the art of Clyfford Still, or the life of Lee Miller. It could be a study into the draping & pattern cutting techniques of Madeleine Vionnet, or scouring the records for photographs of Renée Perle.
The trailblazers
I am particularly interested in people whose work was pioneering and individual, the trailblazers that did their own thing rather than following the trends of the time. I think it’s crucial if I am setting out to create fresh and relevant designs in the world of today that I don’t fall into the trap of straight vintage reproduction, which is why I am very conscious about the selection of my ingredients and the way that I then develop & combine them.
the old fashioned way
Probably the most traditional element of the design process is the sketching, as I sit down with a lightbox (one of the many things made for me by my father), & paper & pencil. All of the design work is done by hand. No computers or high tech programs. Technology will have its moment later on, when we have to work out how to actually produce the technically challenging design specs!