Hello Again......Spotlight on William Tempest

Hi again everyone,
So the other night while listening to Ladyhawke's 'Paris is Burning' and thinking about what next to put into my blog, I had an idea - how about putting in something about young designers who have made it to the top, like new kid on the block William Tempest (right). This guy started off as an unpaid intern for Giles Deacon after graduating from London College of Fashion. Later he acquired a paid job as a pattern cutter, but as time went on he became a womenswear designer for Jean Charles de Castelbajac in Paris. And before you knew it he was shortlisted for the last Fashion Fringe in London and off into the world of designer-superstardom.Impressive, particularly when you take into consideration that there are shockingly few paid internships and jobs out there for perfectly qualified fashion graduates.These talented people often have no choice but to work unpaid as interns for fashion legends. I think in a way its just by luck that any fresh talent is discovered - you've got to be one in a million and have a very distinctive style. In the golden age of fashion, any design-savvy person could become the next fashion 'big thing' in the blink of an eye. Take, for example, Coco Chanel. An incredibly talented and headstrong visionary who revolutionized womens' fashion and turned the world away from rib-cracking corsets. I'm not at all saying that Coco was just some stylish person born in the right time, but in those days it was easy to start a revolution as people felt there were so many boring old customs to be abolished (although Coco was the first, really, to take advantage of this - the rest didn't fully catch on until the '60s). But nowadays there isn't much to revolutionize, unless, say, you invent a collapsible iPhone. So kudos to Mr. Tempest for making it in this tricky industry! And to all those interns out there striving for a job; never lose hope, there's always Project Catwalk.

And now for a look at Tempest's designs. The designer uses a variety of fabrics to create his garments, which are mainly minidresses and a cross between Karlie Kloss at the Met Ball and a resident of SS Enterprise who is for once incredibly fashion-forward (e.g. not Spock). One particular piece (not shown, sadly) is apparently inspired by Tudor architecture and one of Tempest's favourites. His designs also feature jewel-like angular prints in all colours of the rainbow as well as monochrome. Absolutely awesome, I think - and I hope you will agree. Let me know! Next topic will be eating disorders in the fashion industry and some of my own sketches and compiled outfits. Enjoy!
Emma Christie