When fashion week comes to London, either when it’s just starting to get a little warmer or just starting to get a little colder each year, the possibilities for each and everyone involved are endless. For whatever reason you have to be there, it’s what you make of it, and for the people who actually make the clothes we all clamber in shiny shoes and shades to catch a glimpse of, it’s go time. Along with designer showcase after designer showcase that allow one to spend the little time one has between shows come legions of designers vying for the big time and it all too soon becomes a rather confounding muddle of flashy names and delightfully befuddling bags, boots and blouses.
Be that as it may, when there are so many wares being wielded by so many designer hopefuls we think it’s important to siphon out at least one warrantable hopeful in the lead up to London Fashion Week, which starts on the 12th of this month in case you were wondering, to give you the heads up on who you should be keeping an eye out for when the fashion hits the fan next month. Undeniably, that’s just when the going gets good.
Featuring in SS15’s Wolf & Badger showcase, Shanghai-raised, Central St Martins educated, Judy Wu is someone you should take note of. A signature highly sophisticated structural pattern-cutting technique, which also heavily dictates her exquisite designs, shouldn’t make it hard for you to spot her forthcoming collection Spirited Away. Just in case, however, we have the juicy exclusive on what you can expect from the young habitué of the world’s more fruitful exotic alcoves of the world, who favoured the flavour of the Jardim Botânico in Rio de Janeiro to nourish the inspiration for her Spring/Summer collection.
Glass spoke to Judy to find out how the lush essence of this world and its tutti frutti ways found its way into her new collection in order to establish everything that she is anticipating on the lead up to her next big opportunity at fashion week, which is approaching so fast that there is now no looking back.
You are originally from Shanghai Judy, so tell me what it is about Rio De Janiero that inspires you?
Rio was entirely alien to me. The language was different, the food was different and the customs were different. Then, when I walked into the Botanical Gardens of Rio, it was like I was spirited away. I was almost feeling the moving energy of those living plants forming themselves into exotic shapes and colours – nature’s arrangement. In my Spring/Summer 15 collection, I want to recreate that magical moment in which I was spiriting away.
Expanding on this, what does nature mean to you?
To me, nature is a huge source of inspiration. It is the force which makes creatures develop their organic form. Its raw energy and its ability to be simple yet incredibly complex all at once is fascinating to me.
You were very pro-active when it came to finding the inspiration for your SS15 collection; tell us more about this process?
Rio was like my muse. Everywhere I went, from the sun-kissed beach of Ipanema with it’s beautiful Sugarloaf Mountain backdrop, to the raw energy of the samba parades to the colonial beauty of old Rio. It was a sensual overload in many ways, lots of people and music and dancing. But it was only when I experienced the stillness and quiet beauty of the Botanical Gardens that all my inspiration finally took shape. Finding inspiration is like a journey into the unknown, what inspires you in the end may not be what you thought it would be. And what ended up inspiring me the most in Rio was its vitality.
When faced with still life imagery, how do you translate this into such beautifully crafted clothing? I like to document my experience through photography. I took a closer look at what I loved about my photos and found that it was the organic form that most interested me. The powerful intertwined intricacy of the palm tree inspired the prints, pleating and beading in my collection. These motifs capture the creative force of nature and everything from my textured trench coat, to my pleated blazer and beaded t-shirt dress all show this creative influence.
You’re going to be making some big moves at fashion week this upcoming season in London, showcasing at the Wolf and Badger show, how do you feel knowing this?
I’m super excited about fashion week – it’s the culmination of five months’ hard work and obsessing over every detail to make sure my vision was realised perfectly. I think this collection is my finest yet and I can’t wait to show it to the world!
Finally, to give everyone a taster of your fashion theory before your next big debut in the coming month, how would you describe what you do as a designer?
Being a designer allows me to express my aesthetic by creating a bold yet feminine image for the modern woman. When I design I always strive to strike the right balance between artistry and wearability. I think this collection achieves that balance.
by Liam Feltham
Judy’s designs are currently stocked in the world-renowned Wolf & Badger boutiques of Notting Hill and Mayfair
Images courtesy of Judy Wu.