12983 RH Launch SwanseaLife Ad 13/10/09 17:02 Page 1
ON HER JOURNEY SO FAR… are – if you can deliver and are
“Getting known in any industry persistent, people soon notice you.
is tough and moving to London
at 18 was pretty intense. It was
“You don’t have to have any
tough having to make collections
qualifi cations in this industry. It’s
while studying. When I moved to
entrepreneurial skills that count, as
London I didn’t know anybody. But I
well as people skills, life skills and
networked and advertised myself as
time management. You have to follow
a freelance stylist. I attended events
your gut instinct, develop a strong
and organised photo shoots with the
identity if you have your own brand –
garments I’d made. I
and network, network,
had to learn quickly
network!”
who was who!
“YOU
ON THE FUTURE…
“I joined a London
HAVE TO
“My aim is to have a
Fashion network
concession in Topshop
which enabled me
Oxford Circus and
to meet and talk
with
www.asos.com.
KELLY GOSS
FOLLOW
to Bernard Lewis,
I am interested in
Label: Rock‘n’Needle owner of the River
YOUR GUT
independent boutiques
Island chain, who
if the footfall is good.
Swansea-born fashion
was enthusiastic.
I also want my own
designer Kelly Goss worked
Another highlight
INSTINCT.”
boutique in Kingly Court
on Kate Moss’s collection
was being invited to
in London, but only
for Topshop and, at just 18,
Stella McCartney’s
once the brand is well
exhibited her collection at
Christmas bash in 2008. I have also
established and I am opening the
London’s Clothes Show Live.
been lucky enough to have met
doors to customers, not just my own
After launching her own
some exceptional people, including
staff!
label, called Rock‘n’Needle,
having master classes from Phillip
Kelly is back in Swansea
Green, Peter Jones, Terry Green and
“I have just joined Fashion Capital,
to take part in Rock the
Stuart Rose. To me these have been
a portal for new and emerging
Catwalk, a fashion show in
inspirational – and quite surreal!
designers. I am also working with
aid of Shelter Cymru. She the Prince’s Trust develop new
studied at the Fashion Retail “I feel the people who matter have opportunities. My aim is to have my
Academy in London. taken me seriously. I am still young stock in a high-profi le store next
but it doesn’t matter how old you
year.”
ON THEIR JOURNEY SO FAR… “We come from different
“We started our fashion company backgrounds in design but came
because of a shared love of design together through the Oxfam project.
and making, and we have had The ethos behind si:su is to produce
support from a Welsh Assembly clothing which is ecologically minded,
scheme. We had no contacts in the well-made and desirable. We hope
industry, but if your work is strong that the label will become part of the
enough and individual enough it growing trend of the ethical lifestyle
doesn’t matter who you know. The and help to promote this way of
fashion press are constantly looking shopping for the future.
for the next big thing and want
to promote new, raw talent. We
ON THE FUTURE…
built our profi le through research,
“Exhibiting at the Ethical Fashion
visiting shops and networking. Many
Show in Paris last year was very
bloggers and online journalists have
exciting. We secured an order with
picked up on our label – some really
a Paris boutique, which was a great
have their fi nger on the pulse!”
achievement. As well as seeing our
Find your look, style and the hottest
Photo by IOLO PENRI
designs on the catwalk in the Louvre, trends at fashion’s new capital.
HANNEKE VAN RYSWYK,
ON CHOOSING ECOLOGICAL it was an amazing experience being
CLOTHING… interviewed by journalists, fi lm crews
Find yourself the centre of attention, and the envy
HELEN STEW and
of your friends. Find the looks on the rails
RACHEL BRYAN
“We started producing ecological and talking with buyers and other
while they’re still hot off the catwalk. Set the pace in
Label: si:su
clothing after visiting Oxfam Originals designers.
cutting-edge trends from H&M, Cult and Republic.
– shops where they customise
And never look back.
Si:su is an ecological-based vintage clothing and sell it in charity “Our clothing and accessories offer
clothing company based in boutiques. We decided to make our two ranges; si:su ‘pure’ brings Now open
Swansea. The label’s aim is own section in the Castle Street together nostalgic, simple, pretty and
to promote ethical lifestyles. store. Seeing how much waste practical pieces for everyday wear;
www.stdavidscardiff.com
All its clothing is 100% fabric the charity accumulates from si:su ‘bijou’ is feminine and romantic StDavid’s Walk & St David’s Way
recycled. The three owners donated garments that aren’t good offering unique pieces for special
TheHayes&Hayes Arcade | Grand Arcade | Eastside
studied surface pattern enough to sell made us passionate occasions in luxurious fabrics such
Opening hours
design/contemporary about recycling. We have gone as satins, silks and cottons detailed Mon-Fri 9.30am-8pm | Sat 9.30am-6pm | Sun 11am-5pm
applied arts at Swansea from reinventing tired garments to with vintage ribbons and lace. All
Metropolitan University. They sourcing large quantities of unwanted our collections are made from 100%
graduated in 2006. Hanneke fabric, vintage fabric, materials and recycled materials – even down to
van Ryswyk speaks to buttons to create our collections. the buttons and thread.”
Swansea Life.
92 swansealife November 2009
PassionForFashion.indd 92 19/10/2009 18:48:08
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164