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Despite graduating from the prestigious Instituto Marangoni a few

scant years ago, the duo’s glamorously feminine designs have already impressed buyers at Harvey Nichols, which exclusively stocks the line. We find out about their new collection, their Milanese roots and their mutual distaste for lace.

What was your main source of inspiration for your winter collection?

We broadened our research regarding designers’ raw materials, namely fabrics! We mixed innovative textures and revised our geometrics, making them softer, suitable for a new CO|TE woman.

Who is the CO|TE woman?

In our minds, she is a woman who loves to live in the present and capable of using her clothes to express herself, discovering her hidden playful side.

Does it have a theme, like your SS12 collection which was CYBER PUNK?And if so how did you come to it?

This collection represents the introspective journey that we have both taken. Afterwards, we confronted each other to bring out the best of what we have to give. This is why we feel this collection is the one that best represents us so far. It’s designed for a more adult woman who doesn’t entirely forget her inner child who sometimes comes forward though peculiar prints and precious fabrics.

What is your favourite piece in the A/W13 collection? And which piece are you most proud of?

Tomaso : I love the new knitwear and I’m proud of the woollen coat with knitted sleeves.

Francesco: I adore the new “Pineapple” print and I’m proud of embroidery, a complete novelty in our collection.

Which celebrity would you love to see in your designs?

T : Dakota Fanning.

F : Amanda Seyfried.

What has been your favourite trend of the season so far? And is there any trend which you wish would be over?

Obviously trends based on geometrics and colour block. We don’t really like the overuse of lace.

You met at Istituto Marangoni in Milan, has the city had a big influence on your style?

Milano raised us, we were born here and we love this city and its Made in Italy style which greatly influenced our creative path.

What was it that brought you together? When did you decide to work together?

It was our friendship that brought us together: one day we simply decided to try to create our own collection. We stopped working out the fashion house where we first met, and established our own line. The rest is history.

Interview: Siobhan Frew

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Is travel important to your designs?

I love to travel and I love different cultures. I think that moment of culture shock is the best time for me to get inspiration. I like to look at different cultures together. The new collection still has inspirations from the Chinese ethnic background.

How has your most recent collection evolved?

The new collection is more wearable compared to my graduate collection (AW/11). Rather than the avant-garde pieces, I want people to be able to enjoy my clothes and really wear them. It’s a change from my last collection in that sense.

You use a lot of real fur, have you experienced any difficulties or criticisms with this?

All my fur comes from legal companies where it’s registered and I have all the documents. I do agree, you have to be so careful with fur because it’s a very sensitive topic. I think it’s more important how you use it rather than not using it at all. Because fur basically is a material. It’s been used for hundreds of years; it’s actually one of the oldest fabrics human beings have used to make clothes. I think there’s got to be a healthy balance; do you use it for the sake of it or do you use it healthily? I mean, you don’t throw a fur piece away, you hand it down for your granddaughter and so on… so in that way I think it is sustainable.

What other issues have you come across? Is it hard being a new designer during an economic crisis?

Ahhh! It’s so difficult! Every day. Especially for new designers. I don’t know, I think I have to just go through it. I guess It’s nothing I can change, I just have to carry on making new collections and see if the buyers recognise me and realise that I’m actually serious in what I’m doing.

Is this why this collection is more wearable, less avant-garde? To sell more?

Yeah. It’s definitely something to do with the sales. I realised it’s not just a hobby, you’ve got to sell and If you don’t it’s really hard to make a sustainable business. But I didn’t want to lose my spirit. I want to make beautiful garments from beautiful fabrics. It’s hard finding a balance in between. I think I need to do more homework about finding quality fabrics at a reasonable price.

Who would you most love to see wearing Lulu Liu?

Jessie J. She has a beautiful body. I love her music, and I think she’d be perfect.

Words: Shannon Mahanty

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Where did the name Confezioni Crosby originate? 

Confezioni Crosby merges my Italian origins with the American history of the brand. Confezioni is an old-fashioned Italian word that means tailor-made, and Crosby is the name of the street in NYC where we live and work.

Can you define any aspects that are distinctively Italian or American in the collection? 

It’s difficult to separate the two as they are so simultaneously connected in the garments. Styling and colour-palette are predominantly Italian, while the silhouettes and mood of the collection are more American. The Italian origin of the design emphasises attention to detail and adds a certain flair to the brand. In contrast, the American manufacturing heritage conveys a know-how of solid construction and durability synonymous with work wear.

Confezioni Crosby is the brainchild of you and your partner Jonathan Joory, how do you strike a work/life balance? 

Confezioni Crosby has grown so naturally that it’s now part of our everyday life; that’s probably why we don’t feel like it’s work. Although, sometimes you do find yourself talking about the collection when you shouldn’t, that’s when we have to look at each other and say “this isn’t the time” [laughs].

We’ve spotted an essence of WWII style – are we on the right track?

The WWII reference was fairly intended. If you want to find inspiration for women’s work wear, then there’s no better period of history to look at than the 1940s, when a great deal of women went to work in factories; it’s a natural consequence to find reference in that aesthetic.

Did you enjoy working with Fanny and Bill Gentle on your SS12 Look Book?

Bill and Fanny are a very talented and creative couple. We started working with them when creating the first collection and have remained friends every since. This look book was shot in Montauk, a place that we all love. Hopefully we’ll collaborate again in the future.

Would you ever consider a menswear line?

Yes, I would absolutely love to design a Confezioni Crosby line for men. We started designing for women as we enjoyed the challenge of transforming something apparently masculine into something very, very feminine. The challenge with menswear would be transforming original workwear into something accessible for everyday life.

How do you strike a balance between functionality and fashion?

When designing, I start with original workwear pieces and try to understand their essence. I take what I think is fundamental about the garment and translate it into a fashionable shape, whilst keeping the presence of the original idea.

One final question – are uniforms really that sexy?

I’m glad that you’ve asked this question. I honestly don’t focus on the sexual appeal of uniforms, but it’s surely a strong component that emerges spontaneously. Uniforms are appealing because they’re simple, smart and give the wearer an immediate distinction.

Words: Charmaine Jade Ayden

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Photographs: Amina Nolan

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After defeating the queue, which rivalled that of a high street-designer collaboration’s first morning, you instantly became aware of the buzzing atmosphere of those hankering for new talent filtered through to their seats. It’s important not to forget that the show has previously exposed the likes of Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders and many other world-renowned designers.

Brookes, Chloe award winner and recipient of the AHRC Bursary, opened the show with a tattered 2012 Olympic headdress, baggy, paint splattered tunics alongside creepers fringed with tassles and archaic looking knitwear.

Menswear designer Green, who first attended Central St. Martins as an aspiring artist, sent the final models to the catwalk clad in tie-dyed cotton tops and slacks. Wooden frames and paper mache shapes were strapped to the models, demonstrating his dark inspiration of cults and sects.

Also worth a mention is womenswear designer Perta Metzger whose extensive use of PVC and futuristic, Balenciaga-esque headwear reminded the audience of the stark potential of these emerging designers.

Words: Millie Cotton

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THE SPICE GIRLS. Personalised jumpers for each of them, as they were…

Name your five favourite yarn fabrics.

In no particular order…Viscose, Mohair, anything metallic, Angora and anything space-dyed.

When did you first get interested in knitting?

Sam: I got into knitting on my BA (in textiles) as I liked creating my own fabrics. I really love the constructive element of knitting.

Jenny: My mum tried to teach me a few times but I could never quite pick it up. I used to get so frustrated with her. Then on my BA it just clicked and I simply knew I had to knit. I’d previously fancied myself as a printer.

Leutton Postle SS12 Full Show from VAUXHALL FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.

Sam, you briefly lived in China after graduating. What do you think you learned from the experience?

I learned there’s less creative freedom in a huge company. I also learnt the importance of quality-control, and that’s something I’ve really taken with me.

In what way did it inspire you to start Leutton Postle with Jenny? Whose idea was it?

Jenny: Leutton Postle was initially my idea, but I think it was fairly obvious that it was going to happen. It’s quite unusual for two best friends to share such a similar and distinctive aesthetic. I don’t know anybody else who works in the same way as me other than Sam.

Sam: After China I wanted to get back to exploring my own work for a while. Jenny finished her MA at exactly the right time – it all fell into place.

You’re the Lennon and McCartney of knitwear design – comparing and improving each other’s ideas. Discuss…

HA! Now that’s a compliment! Maybe a little to complimentary, but yes we work together well. We work equally on everything from the colours to the textiles to the shape. It just works.

Any new year’s resolutions?

Sam: I’m gonna run a half marathon, and I want to make more sausages.

Jenny: Diet! And watch more films.

Are you decorating the office this Christmas? Any creative tips, hints or suggestions?

We will be, yes. We did our home though as we just had a Christmas. For me, it’s all about tinsel and lots of it. But a pom-pom always goes down well on a tree.

Leutton Postle
Words: Jack Mills

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So far, it’s seems that spring 2012 is going to be pretty transparent. Designers such as Rachel Comey have gotten creative with semi-opaque fabrics by printing chunky cable knits on silk, while others opted for games with a kaleidoscopic palette of bright colours. Patterns on sheer can add a wisplike quality, as in the long flowy dresses that opened Carlos Miele’s show. BCBG’s look was sheer coloured blocked fabrics layered on top of each other while Tracy Reese’s crochet knit jumper over a sheer pink and grey skirt makes us green with envy.

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Justin Smith is the creative director and owner of his millinery brand J Smith Esquire. Smith was recently commissioned by the Guoman Hotel Group to create five bespoke hats for the doormen of their London hotel collection, which sparked an exhibition entitled “Guoman presents J Smith Esquire – Five.” The exhibition will run for 5 weeks across the entire Guoman Hotel Group, with concentrated exhibitions at The Royal Horseguards and Charing Cross Hotel this Friday, 16 September.

Explain your design process.
I start with a seed idea, sometimes it’s an idea for a whole collection, how I want to develop a technique with a fabric, like the THREE collection that was all denim, and other times it starts with an idea like, “Wow, that would look good with a parrot on it!’ and I get carried away from there. I live in my own little fantasy world, having it take over for a while by something that inspires me, and go for it. Mostly, it’s the desire to keep learning, growing and keep pushing the millinery craft to the limit.

How long does it take to complete an intricate couture piece like the one you showcased at the exhibition Alta Roma?
For the Couture Parrot Headdress that I showed at Limited/Unlimited at Alta Roma, I worked on the technique for about three weeks to a month, then the actual piece took about two months to make. It’s made from layers of suede, hand cut into individual feathers, to replicate as much as I possibly could the exact measurements of a Red Macaw parrot in real life. It was a great challenge.

Why are hats so important – both every day and in formal occasions?
Hats create a character, they protect you, you can hide behind them, you can shine under them. In the ever changing fashion world, you can create a new look everyday by only changing your hat! When I was growing up, my nan used to say: “Don’t wear your hats indoors.” It’s a respect thing. Hats always symbolise something. I love the tradition of that.

Is there any one celebrity you’d love to wear your hats?
There are a lot of celebrities that have one of my hats in their personal wardrobe! I have to say I am always happy if the person who sees it falls in love with it and wears it with pride.

Are there any other milliners you look up to or admire?
I respect the craft very much, so look up to all milliners, as it’s a real labour of love.

What is this new project with the Guoman Hotel group?
Guoman Hotels came to me and asked if I could make a hat for the doormen of the hotels. Of course I said yes, as I love the uniform aspect, the element of prestige, and this is the creme de le crem of that. They have five hotels in central London, so we set out to make one hat shape that covered all five hotels, but five different trims for the hats for five different hotels. I looked thoroughly into the hotels, and took inspiration from the architecture for the trims. As there were five hats, five hotels, it’s five years of J Smith Esquire, so we decided to do an exhibition to launch the doormen’s hat with a great exhibition to accompany it.

Will the doormen be wearing the hats as part of their uniform from this point forward?
Of course.

Interview by Eunice Jera Lee

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