There must be something in the water over in London. How else can we explain the amount of dynamic talent coming from there? London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013 for both men and women was absolutely out of control. Every morning that week, I would wake up and, while still in bed, scroll through runway images on my iPhone (often dropping it onto my face) and mentally slow clap each designer. Daria couldn't have said it better in her recent This Just In post when she mused, "Christopher Kane needs to calm down." What was that collection? It was incredible, that's what it was. And Marques'Almeida's emergence into the G.L.A.M.O.R.O.U.S life with their rich palette, silks, and furs? When I learned that many of my favorite London-based designers were coming to New York for London Show Rooms, I rallied James and headed out to get the scoop. Check out our chats below.
Paulo and Marta of Marques’Almeida
Do you guys visit New York often?
Marta Marques: No, this is our first time! We’re really excited; we’ve just been walking around, staring at everything.
Do you think there is a difference between London and New York style?
MM: There is. I don’t know if I can put it into words. London is quite trashy and New York is cool and effortless.
How does it differ from where you come from, Portugal?
Paulo Almeida: Let’s not even go there! [Laughs]
OK! Let’s talk about the Fall/Winter 2013 collection instead.
MM: This collection was a big step for us. We started four seasons ago with a collection that was 95 percent denim. We wanted to reinvent denim and make it high-end. This season—and I can’t figure out why—we started thinking about eveningwear and what the Marques’Almeida girl would wear to an event.
And the fabrics?
MM: I think that’s where these new fabrics—the silks, leathers, and fur—came in.
PA: We thought it might be fun to use the most cliché “formal” fabrics, like what they use to make prom dresses…
MM: But make them cool! So we made pieces like the big trousers, which we call the Ball Gown trousers. It was a really fun season. Everything is so ladylike!
Who was your muse for the season?
PA: We looked at a lot of pictures of eveningwear from the 90s and we saw this amazing picture of Winona Ryder on the red carpet wearing this massive suit with white sneakers.
We recently published images of the first (and OC-exclusive) Marques’Almeida mens collection. That was your sister’s boyfriend in the collection, right?
MM: Yes, we sent everything over to him in a box with a few disposable cameras and said, “Do whatever you want, however you want.” We’ve never done proper lookbook shoots.
PA: We never want to do anything too glossy.
MM: We’re obsessed with realism as opposed to fantasy; we hate glamorous, idealized fashion. We hate the environment of being on set: not knowing the people and not feeling comfortable. We’d rather just get some cameras and go hang.
You guys are one of the only design duos here at London Show Rooms. How does your dynamic work?
MM: It’s quite 50:50. We met eight years ago, while studying for o
Paulo and Marta of Marques’Almeida
Do you guys visit New York often?
Marta Marques: No, this is our first time! We’re really excited; we’ve just been walking around, staring at everything.
Do you think there is a difference between London and New York style?
MM: There is. I don’t know if I can put it into words. London is quite trashy and New York is cool and effortless.
How does it differ from where you come from, Portugal?
Paulo Almeida: Let’s not even go there! [Laughs]
OK! Let’s talk about the Fall/Winter 2013 collection instead.
MM: This collection was a big step for us. We started four seasons ago with a collection that was 95 percent denim. We wanted to reinvent denim and make it high-end. This season—and I can’t figure out why—we started thinking about eveningwear and what the Marques’Almeida girl would wear to an event.
And the fabrics?
MM: I think that’s where these new fabrics—the silks, leathers, and fur—came in.
PA: We thought it might be fun to use the most cliché “formal” fabrics, like what they use to make prom dresses…
MM: But make them cool! So we made pieces like the big trousers, which we call the Ball Gown trousers. It was a really fun season. Everything is so ladylike!
Who was your muse for the season?
PA: We looked at a lot of pictures of eveningwear from the 90s and we saw this amazing picture of Winona Ryder on the red carpet wearing this massive suit with white sneakers.
We recently published images of the first (and OC-exclusive) Marques’Almeida mens collection. That was your sister’s boyfriend in the collection, right?
MM: Yes, we sent everything over to him in a box with a few disposable cameras and said, “Do whatever you want, however you want.” We’ve never done proper lookbook shoots.
PA: We never want to do anything too glossy.
MM: We’re obsessed with realism as opposed to fantasy; we hate glamorous, idealized fashion. We hate the environment of being on set: not knowing the people and not feeling comfortable. We’d rather just get some cameras and go hang.
You guys are one of the only design duos here at London Show Rooms. How does your dynamic work?
MM: It’s quite 50:50. We met eight years ago, while studying for o