As a child, dressing up is a part of growing up and as long as we’re being forthright here, it shouldn’t end on reaching a certain age. Yuvna Kim is one of those wondrous designers that know a woman should be able to dress herself up as much as she damn well pleases whatever her age. If this is speaks to you, this is the point when you should realise that Mauritian-born Kim is the designer for you. Specialising in miraculous bridal couture and “red-carpet” gowns for those moments in the spotlight, whatever that may be for you, Kim’s pieces are entirely tailored to fit your statement needs with contemporary flair. A woman who knows what she wants and won’t accept anything less, Kim herself sat down with us in the post-exhilaration filled wake of London Fashion Week to expand on all of the above, letting us in on what one can achieve when they chase their dreams.
What drives you to pay such close attention to detail when creating such painstakingly beautiful hand-embroidered gowns?
I love detailed dresses myself and even though they are very time consuming and demand a lot of attention I think the end product is beautiful and elegant. Seeing the end product is worth the time spent on embellishing the dresses and that’s what drives me.
Talking of your exquisite evening gowns, do you have any luxe fabrics and intricate embellishments that you prefer working with over others?
My favourite material of all time is tulle, because it is so fine, delicate and feminine. This is very obvious in my past collections. I also love working with lace, silks, chiffons for their fluidity. Fabrics I haven’t utilised at all yet love are velours and brocade. So they may feature in future projects. We use several techniques of embellishment but the use of cut-out flowers and Ari embroidery is very prominent in our designs.
Specialising in gowns, as fit for the most spectacular weddings and ritzy red carpet’s as they are, is certainly an ambitious venture. What made you want to specialise in such an exclusive faction of such an indomitable industry?
Floor-length gowns hold a very special place in my heart and even though I knew it was an ambitious venture, I had to go with it. I think it’s important to do what you love doing. Having said that, the SS15 collection does feature a fun ready to wear range. So it will be very interesting to see if they are received as well as the floor length gown.
Your heritage traces back to your birthplace, the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Do you often draw from your cultural heritage in your work and if so, how and why do you think these cross-cultural references are so effective?
Mauritius is a beautiful and idyllic place and has been a huge source of inspiration to me for several creative ventures. It is difficult to put in words how I draw my inspiration from home, but if you have ever visited Mauritius, it truly is paradise on earth and you cannot help but feel inspired.
You are certainly a multi-faceted high-profile personality, not content to simply design such breath-taking clothing, dabbling in modelling and entertainment journalism, following your original brief pursuit into law. Would you say you are an ambitious person?
Yes, I am very ambitious. When you are from a small island with big dreams you have to be ambitious to get forward. I moved to the UK for a better life and more opportunities. It was not easy and it’s still hard to be away from my home and family but nothing comes easy in life, it takes a lot of hard work and scarifies, so fingers crossed.
Yuvna Kim London was launched around 2 years ago soon after completing your master’s degree in textiles. What did you take from your intensive sartorial education
I owe a lot to my degree, and I realised what my strong points and weakness were. That said I have to admit, I use very little of what I have learnt on a day to day basis. When you are thrown in the deep end you learn a lot more that you ever would at university.
Finally, what makes London the perfect home for your Maison de Couture brand as you continue to nurture its growth?
London is where I spend the most of my life other than Mauritius. I have grown from a child to a woman in this city. So I guess London is my home away from home. I cannot think of anywhere else where I would have started my company.
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Yuvna Kim London