Sponsored by
Chantal's rainforest designs on runway
Future star in the fashion industry Chantal Gibbs-Jones, from Berkhamsted, has her collection all sewn up ready to show on the Alternative Fashion Week runway on Monday, April 20.
The talented University of Northampton fashion graduate will join a host of the country's edgiest designers who have been chosen from thousands to exhibit their collections in the shows at Spitalfields Market, from April 20 to 24.
Chantal, 23, from Dukes Way, has spent more than 4,000 on her collection of six silk couture gowns with oragami-style folds, called La Davinia Amazonia.
She visited the rainforest in Ecuador last year to do research for the garments before designing and making them for her final year degree show.
She said: "The whole collection has been inspired by the rainforest. I brought back butterflies from Peru, which you can buy closed and then inject them with vodka when you get home so they open up. I noticed their wing colours changed in different lights, which is why I used shot dupion silk for the dresses because it has two weaves so its appearance also changes in various lights. The blue dress looks purple depending on the light."
The whole collection took five months from conception to completion – a massive undertaking by Chantal who also produced a dissertation and portfolio.
"I was coached through the corsetry and folding by Sandy Downey, a textiles expert from Little Gaddesden, who has worked with John Galliano," she said.
"There are 34 meters of fabric in the pale blue dress, it took a day just to cut it. I was really well supported. My mum and dad even sat and helped me hand bead the dresses, which took two days.
Alternative Fashion Week has been running for 15 years and attracts more than 10,000 visitors, including investors, journalists and fashion moguls.
Every year Alternative Arts, which runs the event, is overwhelmed by young designers from all over the world hoping to establish their labels with a catwalk show at the event.
Chantal's collection was photographed by Stelianour Sani and the dresses were modelled by Louise Pope, from Australia.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
