Emma Bell

Emma Bell, the young Brit designer famed for letting her vivid imagination run wild, put on another storming show during London Fashion Week,injecting much needed fun, in what has been called the safest Fashion Week for years. She delivered a catwalk show of wonderfully garish designs that were a visionary treat for the excitably whooping audience. Sophie Eggleton caught up with her to see if she's recovered!

Here at Open we all made resolutions. Did you make any new years resolutions, and have you stuck to them?
I did promise to work extra hard this year and embark on many new chapters of my career which to date I have stuck by this 100%…as for things like “stopping smoking” and whatever else…I didn’t bother making them as I figure I wont stick to them!

How did your experiences working with designer Rebecca Taylor prepare you to go it alone?
I really put a value on education but I truly believe that is actually industry experience that really prepares you for going it alone…I learnt so much at RT and it really was my first proper glimpse into a successful company and because I was assisting in so many different areas of the company if really helped me gain an all round understanding of all the vital cogs in running a label.

Have you recovered from fashion week, how did it compare to past seasons?
We always seem to pick up new bits and pieces that can help us move forward regarding future productions…but there are always different challenges! I would say that this season we had a lot more varied audience which was fantastic as it was a great opportunity to introduce myself to a lot of new people! Every season in honesty is very different…I tend to work with a lot of the same team which is great as every season we seem to get stronger. The atmosphere was more relaxed that last season as I think we had gotten to grips with the challenges we had last season.
I would say I’m still in recovery! All of those months of everything being so intense…living on energy drinks…not sleeping…and then it’s showtime! The aftermath is equally as consuming as it is so important to deal with the press follow-up and embark on new projects.

What is so unique about LFW?
I think London really holds it’s own in the fashion stakes! Having worked as part of New York Fashion Week, and followed worldwide showcases I think London really has the onus on bringing fashion forward and presenting an event that really focuses on the future rather than the right here right now.

Your shows are theatrical, vivid, out-there affairs , how do the audiences respond?
I’m always really pleased with the response, they always seem to have great feedback and I think people enjoy my shows more as they are not only a catwalk show…there are so many elements involved whether it be an opening act, alternative models, the music…so I like to think my shows bring more of a multi-faceted extravaganza that allows people to become more involved!

Work-wise what immediately follows fashion week for you? When do you start designing for the next one?
It would be nice to complete the show, go out and celebrate and then head to the tropics….but in reality that’s never going to happen….after the show we all seem to collapse by the evening and then it’s the next day you look around and see all the stuff that needs to be done…all the tidying up and then its so important to be on the ball with press follow-ups!
I usually head to my parents up in Newcastle with laptop in hand, sleep deprived and feeling kind of weird…it’s a really strange feeling when all you have done for the last few months in pull mammoth all nighters, been fuelled by the adrenaline of it all and been dealing with massive stress! The next few weeks post fashion week are taken up with creating press packs and following up press lists of everyone who was at the show, creating new media relationships, liaising sample call ins for photoshoots and editorials….

Does the fact that you designs are very imaginative and fantastical make it harder for you to make a living?
Not necessarily as I do have a great understanding that I have to be realistic…and I do have to live! I also work freelance in areas including design, creative consultancy and wardrobe so this allows me to not just put myself in one box. I do have a strong sense of commercial market value so this is something that I do put into consideration to some extent when opting to put certain pieces into production. I always have to question if, off the catwalk, a garment is practical and commercially viable. I think without my experience having worked within the industry and for other brands that it is so important that I am able to keep things focussed and not run away with a bucket of glitter and go crazy!

What aspects of the industry do you find hard?
The whole lifestyle is pretty hard and it’s often difficult to maintain the balance between work and making time for myself. More so in the run up to fashion week, any form of social life is impossible so I have to totally write off party times. Even a trip to Tesco is a novelty! I guess the current  recession is a real challenge but in a way it’s kind of rewarding as you have to work even harder and you appreciate it more.

What has been your greatest moment so far ?
I would say my first show at London Fashion Week was a real pinnacle highlight for me…it was something I had never envisioned happening so early on in my career so it was amazing when I was given that opportunity. It marks a real stepping stone for me in terms of my career as a designer.
Another great moment was working as creative director with GM/Vauxhall motors on a one off media and consumer marketing event called “Emma Bell’s Vault for Vauxhall”. It was a true honour to be taken on by such a massive client and great to work with a corporate team as I really learned a lot and it was so much fun being able to create an event which was essentially my dream party.

Have the people in the industry you’ve met lived up to expectations?
A lot  have exceeded way beyond my expectations and I have so much respect for them, then again at the same time, (and I’m not going to name drop here…!) there are a few people I have encountered who I learned are pretty work-shy and seem to just get by, by blagging it to the max!

If you were to have a face/body for Emma Bell, who would it be?
I would say the body of a pygmy pony, Paris Hilton’s face, Pat Butcher’s dress sense, Marie Antoinette’s hair and Justin Timberlake’s dance moves…..

Who is your designer to watch?
Oooh that’s a tricky one, there’s a lot of amazing new talent out there! In particular I’m a big admirer of Louise Gray, Mary Katrantzou and Danielle Scutt, I absolutely love their work!

Is there someone out their you’d love to collaborate with?
Oh this is such a tricky one as there are sooo many brands that I love and think it would be awesome to join forces with. Hello Kitty would be immense….and I would adore to partner up with a make-up brand as make-up is so important to my overall aesthetic….I loved dabbling with footwear design when I worked for Irregular Choice, so that is something else I would like to take further! Patricia Field would be amazing to collaborate with…really my list is endless!

Do you think about ethical/green issues?
This is something I really do follow and feel strongly about. I have followed Fair Trade campaigns for many years now and this is really something that I would love to help change. I think endorsing ecologically friendly fashion is really amazing, and I have all the respect in the world for any designer who manages to maintain considering all aspects whether it be sustainable fabrics, saying no to cotton produced with harmful pesticides, using recycled textiles or supporting fair trade. Personally for me, If I chose to go down this route, it would really have implications on my design aesthetic as using natural dyes or limiting myself to only ethical fabric would mean my signature as a designer would change dramatically.
Although I do think you can show support in other ways by supporting different foundations and picking to follow the specific elements that are important to you. I know I couldn’t  support all aspects as also it is a very expensive endeavour for a young business and also it would be very limiting for my design aesthetic. I really support Fair Trade and have actively followed Oxfam’s Make Trade Fair campaign for many years now, and at current I am working with a charity called Designers Against Aids which is incredible and they work alongside a Fair Trade clothing co-operative in India so it’s great for me to be involved with that!