It is always the fresh faced talents that propel the fashion industry forward, fresh talent like that of Sydney-Davies that is. Showing her latest collection in Africa Fashion Week, Davies dears to take brand out of the box and garner an entirely unique image. Just looking at her collection, with the innovative “LEGGO shirts”, the chaotic color schemes and asymmetrical patterns, you can definitely see that she is one to make an impact.
You’ve only recently graduated from the university. How does it feel swimming with the big fish now?
Well for the most of it, slightly scary yet exhilarating. Climbing the fashion ladder is like trying to put on your favorite skinny jeans after putting on weight. It’s a gradual struggle and a lot of patience and effort is required, but somehow you get there in the end. It is so difficult for new designers to climb that ladder and there is so much amazing and undiscovered talent out there that need the chance. Everyone started somewhere and its great that avenues as yourself at CHASSEUR magazine are helping to shed some light giving the fashion industry its much need dose of fresh talent.
Your designs are very youth culture oriented. Being a new designer how easy do you find it forming a strong audience among a younger audience?
I have found it much easier to relate and reach out to the youthful audience. Firstly, they are the trend setters, willing to experiment and bold in their self expression and style identity. Secondly, because they are younger and also in their varied profession and career paths, they consciously or not empathize with and understand the struggles of new talents and young entrepreneurs chasing their dreams and are more open to expressing their support. As a new designer I make more effort to attend other new and emerging designer’s events than established ones as I believe strongly that we are the next generation and you never know where the little unknown label that you shoved to the side will be in a few years. The youth are the future.
This collection is very eclectic and full of street style. Is there a particular city that inspires these designs, and how does that culture influence your work?
This collection is heavily African inspired which comes as a surprise to most. Showing at Africa Fashion Week July this year it broke the rules as the typical African fabrics and prints were not used. The collection prints were all hand drawn and designed as a collaboration with Hungarian born artist Gabor Zolyomi (Gallery of Tales) and features a giraffe skull which is the signature print for the collection. It also features the butterfly wing pattern of a species exclusive to Africa and organic plant shapes inspired by Ariel views of the African landscape where water and dry land mix. Approaching it from an unexpected angle made the launch collection unpredictable. I thrive in the unexpected, being different and setting new trends and placing my own spin on current ones.
What influenced your decision to have a show in Africa Fashion Week and how do you think that show shapes the image of your brand?
I was keen to explore and express my rich African heritage. Africa is an ancient civilization that has long shaped and inspired the art and creative world and continues to influence it. Africa fashion Week New York is at the top of its game in presenting and discovering hot African designers at the highest professional level giving main-line a run for its money. It was great for the SYDNEY-DAVIES’ image. Although this collection is heavily African inspired it still maintains a main stream identity and can be worn by anybody. That is what SD is all about. It refuses to be boxed in. I was not disappointed in the least way showing my collection at AFWNY and will do it all over again.
This collection sports the Leggo Shirts, with tops that are easily deconstructable and interchangeable. Αesthetic purposes and practical function aside, what inspired you to head this direction?
Yes the LEEGO shirts are the main focus of the launch collection and something I wish to establish as a signature feature of a SYDNEY-DAVIES garment. I am always thinking of innovative, new and fresh ways of exploring fashion and taking it further. My first encounter with fashion was from a very young age however as it developed through my early teens I loved customizing my own garments, taking sleeves off, ripping, shortening and transforming my own clothes. During my A-levels at St Albans Girls school, I put up my very first fashion show raising money for Christian charity TEAR FUND for which we customized and reworked donated garments. This is an obsession that has grown and intensified and I believe is what has led me to the LEGGO shirt.
Today’s fashion world promotes designers by having celebrities wear their designs. What public figure would want to see wearing Sydney-Davies?
I would absolutely die and go to fashion heaven if the global mega superstar Rihanna gave me the honour. Something I have dreamed of for so long.
Your previous collection had a particularly minimal style to it, with the monochromic patterns and the muted colors. What influenced the change from that theme to the loud colors present in this collection?
As the Launch collection, LICLILLV SS14 (light is colour, light is life, lets live!) is somewhat a rebirth and reincarnation. After an emotionally heavy and dark graduate collection, I needed something of a ’Rise of the Phoenix’, a cleansing and celebratory collection filled with colour to express life and playful happiness, burying my demons and celebrating the fun and flirty side of life.
What’s next?
I am continuing work on gaining as much valuable press and celebrity exposure something that is essential in the growth of a new designer label. I am also working on establishing support and recognition from the everyday man, woman boy and girl, all SYDNEY-DAVIES’warriors’. They are just as important and for this I will be launching an amazing almost give-away promotional deal to commemorate the launch of its first online store in October so join me on twitter and instagram to be in the loop of this upcoming event. Moving upwards and onwards with lady fashion. She is high-maintenance.