C STEDBRITISH STYLE AND FAHION MAGAZINE

Escape from reality

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Extraordinary approach to daily wear The up and coming designer

who tells stories through her creations

Parisian style in the heart of London

Luxury fashion with an edge.

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Welcome to the first issue of Casted. We are a London based digital fashion and style magazine. We aim to bring you new and innovative style trends, merging art and fashion, pushing boundaries and diversifying the publishing industry. We believe in freedom of expression and interpretation.

In this first issue we explore ‘Fantasy’ fashion within London lifestyle. Our main feature was shot in the stunning grounds of the Horniman Museum. We chose this venue as it has a real fantasy feel, with the beautiful botanical gardens, and unique sundials which we incorporated into our shoot. We also have an exciting interview with up and coming fashion designer Jazz Grant. Using the infamous Jamaican drug lord who disguised in woman clothes to hide from police. Her new collection DUDUS plays on femininity in menswear without compromising the masculinity of the man who wears it.

As Jazz says “The US government put Jamaica on lockdown to find him, and everyone was trying to hide him from the police. When they did eventually find him he’d been dressed in disguise in women’s clothing. I’m not sure exactly whose clothing they are, but I liked the idea of it being the people of the community who were so desperate to hide him, disguising (him) in what they had.”

We style everything from High Fashion to Street style. We aim to create inventive and unique fashion looks. Fashion is constantly evolving and changing and so is Casted!

CASTEDEditor in chiefOlivia Tait

EditorZuzanna Osiecimska

producerBonnie WangVanessa Ohenlen

WriterZuzanna Osiecimska

Photography/Design Melisa Makong’oEllen Shellakker

ResearchHollie MctaggartAlice Mazzolini

modelsKaty DavidsonVanessa OhenlenEhigieWesleyLewis

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FASHION

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Model - @ auudreyyz

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There is an air of spectacularity and superiority that only luxury fashion can convey. It’s not so much about the legacy behind the brand or the number of digits on the price tag,

but about the ability to capture a vision in the form of an artwork that is each design. Runway shows are opportunities for viewers to visually experience every collection and

to be impressed by the mastery and perceptiveness of the designer. What is certain is that not all (if any) pieces are meant to be worn- high fashion is meant to be adored. It’s

meant to transport the audience into the unique, fantasy world of the designer. That fantasy often knows no limits.

In 1981 Vivienne Westwood debuted her first collection “Pirates” inspired by the legends of pirates and the historic colonisation of America. Baggy, low-cut

trousers, traditional hats and oversized, puffy shirts were almost a mirror-image of the 16th century sailor fashion.

Along with her other primary collections such as “Buffalo”, “Time Travel” and “Hypnos”

she has managed to show incredible versatility, finding

inspiration in motives from greek goddesses and Peruvian

dancers, to magic signs and hip hop. “Sometimes you need

to transport your idea to an empty landscape and then populate it with fantastic looking people”- were the

words she used to describe one of her earliest collections.

It only proves how much she believed in creating pieces that are extraordinary and

outstanding. If there was one designer that has strayed from

functionality and mundanity to, instead, focus on a world of imagination and fairy-tale fashion, it was undoubtedly

Alexander McQueen.When becoming chief designer

at Givenchy he immediately brought with him a unique,

enchanting aesthetic. His first and one of the most memorable shows under the French brand

was Haute Couture S/S 1997. White, gold and diamonds,

accompanied by attributes of Greek mythical creatures had created a scene of luxury and

magnificence. Models were either nymph-like queens, with delicate yet detailed

jewellery, or goddesses dressed in elegant armour

with elaborate head pieces. It is also impossible not to

mention Alexander McQueen’s Givenchy Haute Couture F/W

1998/1999 show. Set in a mystical scenery, the clothes

reflected the darker, wilder side of the designer’s imagination. Thanks to colourful feathers, Robin Hood references,

dresses resembling those from Alice in Wonderland, many flowers and finally a white horse, the runway looked like a magical movie scene.

Rodarte’s 2015 Spring collection was also a love letter to fantasy in fashion. A sea-colour palette and glistening, light fabrics often resembling fish scales, were a clear reference to the fairy-tale world of mermaids and sea kingdoms. The Rodarte

designers have not abandoned their exploration of dreamy aesthetics, however, bringing to life their new SS17 collection. It’s difficult to determine only one influence for the

designs. The looks range from medieval fashion, through early 20th century brides to Spanish dancers. What’s certain is that every model looks like a princess and the

fantasy elements interchangeably bring out either their girlish innocence or tomboyish fierceness.

Incorporating the fantasy theme into fashion collections was definitely not just a passing trend. Its longevity proves itself in the amount of collections from the current season which build on a magical, artistic-more-than-wearable idea. During the September 2017 London Fashion Week alone, a lot of designers have showcased pieces

which were clearly inspired by a world far different than the real one. In her Ready-to-Wear Spring 2017 collection, Mary Katrantzou has taken the viewers on a journey of ancient Greek images and hypnotising patterns. The bold colours and a strong choice of print would dominate in any crowd. The collection is certainly captivating but a lot of the pieces might not find use in everyday life, simply because people are rarely brave enough in their style. In terms of creating the experience of an extravaganza of colour however, Mary Katrantzou has done an amazing job. Gareth Pugh has taken an entirely different approach in his Ready-to-Wear Spring 2017. The mood is darker and tailoring is much more structured. What dominates is a geometrical theme in the form of gold stripes and pointy shapes.

Some of the models have black lipstick on, others are wearing complicated head decorations, few have their faces completely covered. It all looks very futuristic, almost as if it were clothes designed for beautiful space warriors. Lastly, Simone Rocha has proven just how diverse the London fashion scene is in terms of inspiration. Her Ready-to-Wear Spring 2017 is a soft play on innocent yet strong femininity. Some designs resemble old-fashioned schoolgirl outfits, others dresses at sophisticated balls. There’s a positive chaos of asymmetric transparent fabrics, flowers, frills and polka dots, which transports the viewer into a calm and artistic fantasy. The frustration that many people feel when looking at high fashion collections is understandable. What they see are very expensive pieces of clothing that don’t look wearable and therefore worth their reputability. So why do designers choose to go in a direction of fantasy when creating their clothing, knowing that it might not necessarily resonate with the people’s needs?The answer is simple- they are artists. Fashion is without a doubt a form of art and it should not be restricted by guidelines or rules. Every collection is like telling a story. Of course, some stories are

more relatable than others- they don’t require thinking, they appear more practical, we understand them instantly. But it’s stories that amaze us that truly leave an impression. Designers who create from the depths of their imagination and from a passion for what they are trying to communicate are those who create clothes that are genuine. It’s easy to make something functional that has been worn before, but it won’t be quite as enchanting as a magical, extraordinary piece which isn’t practical whatsoever. Creativity should never be limited because the fruits that it can bring are timeless and influential.

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Fashion in

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Fashion in

DetailBlouse. Vintage store Dress. Zara Belt. Gucci Boots. eBay

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Rues de Londres

jacket. Vintage store dress. Primark socks. Mango shoes. Topshop

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Dress. ZaraBelt. eBayJacket. Jumpo

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Interview with Jazz Grant

JAZZ GRANT IS A RECENT MENSWEAR GRADUATE FROM THE LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION. HER DEBUT COLLECTION “DUDUS”, INSPIRED BY AN UNLIKELY STORY OF A JAMAICAN DRUG LORD, EXPLORES THE THEMES OF MASCULINITY, FEMININITY AND FREEDOM OF CREATIVE EXPRESSION. WE TALKED TO HER ABOUT HER DESIGNS, THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND THE

DIFFICULT YET IMMENSELY CREATIVE REALITY OF LONDON.

Tell us more about your collection and the inspiration behind it .

I was talking to my dad about the fact that I wanted to find an interesting concept that was gonna keep me interested for a

year and I knew I wanted it to be based on a person. He started telling me about this guy called Christopher “Dudus” Coke- he

was an infamous drug dealer in Jamaica in the early 90’s. He was so successful as a drug dealer that he was globally hunted

(because) he was trafficking drugs to the USA, the UK and all over the world. In Jamaica, some of the smaller communities

really respected him, because he put a lot of that money back into the places that he grew up (in), that where really poor. The US

government put Jamaica on lockdown to find him, and everyone was trying to hide him from the police. When they did eventually find him he’d been dressed in disguise in women’s clothing. I’m

not sure exactly whose clothing they are, but I liked the idea of it being the people of the community

who were so desperate to hide him, disguising (him) in what they had. I’m thinking maternal women, like

older aunties or grandmas, with their horrible old curtains. Because

it was women’s clothing I wanted to play on this really traditional

feminine clothing. I wanted to also somehow still keep it about his

masculinity and about him being a very traditionally Jamaican guy. In Jamaica they’re very homophobic,

so the idea of him dressing as a woman was sort of ironic. That

clashed between him being a very ferocious drug dealer but dressed

in this women clothing. That was the sort of image I was playing around with. It’s kind of based on a true story but I imagined it in

a way that I wanted it to be for my project.

Aren’t you worried that men might be hesitant to wear clothing with such apparent feminine influences?

A lot of people have asked if it’s about gender, and it wasn’t really. It was more about disguise and dressing up- being ironic. I put a show on in this African street festival, and one thing that was quite funny was that the security guard who was working there came up to me after seeing some of the clothes and he completely didn’t get it. He was like: “so you’re making clothes for gay men?”. Such a narrow-minded way of seeing it. It’s interesting as well because he’s probably coming from a not very creative point of view. He just sees it as: “it’s ridiculous that guys would wear things like that”. But, to be honest, ideally, my idea was that these guys would wear (the clothes) but they’d still be masculine. There’s an attitude that I pick up on in Jamaican culture where a lot of Jamaican men wear whatever the fuck they want, and still

look fucking cool. And suddenly everyone (is) wearing it. The disguising themselves as women thing got on for other drug dealers in Jamaica. They all started dressing up like that and, suddenly, it’s not about what they would have seen as an embarrassing thing to do. They didn’t really care anymore, because they set their own precedent. When it comes to actually wearing (the collection), I guess a lot of it is not really wearable, but that wasn’t really the point of it anyway. It’s not fashion, it’s an idea created.

Why focus mainly on menswear, when the majority of young designers go into the womenswear direction?

I was doing womenswear (at university). I did a year and a half there. That was because I was making clothes for myself

when I was growing up. It was always womenswear, I didn’t even consider doing menswear. As I was on the course, I was talking to my friend and I realised that all the clothes I was designing were actually very ambiguous- they were more towards menswear but they were for women. And then I realised (that) the designers that I was most interested in were menswear designers. Then when I started at London College of Fashion I was doing menswear and it was all quite structured, quite sporty. So in the final year, suddenly I wanted to do something different. I had come from this structured menswear point of view

and I just thought that it fit in better with what I wanted to do. I came away from the womenswear perspective. It’s harder to do something original for womenswear. The feminine thing has already been done, so you can’t make the same statement.

Is this the direction and style you will maintain in your future collections?

Right now I’m working for a menswear brand but we’re working on a womenswear element. What’s quite nice about that for me is that- I always said when someone has asked me that before- I think I’d like to go predominantly into menswear and then if womenswear happens, then it would be from a menswear point of view, which is happening at the brand that I’m at. We’re looking at using what we have for menswear and then seeing how it would work for womenswear. For me, the way that I dress, I prefer that kind of aesthetic anyway. I like the masculine vibe on a woman. And it can be very elegant. I can see myself doing both, really.

“THEY ALL STARTED DRESSING UP

LIKE THAT AND, SUDDENLY, IT’S NOT

ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE

SEEN AS AN EMBARRASING THING

TO DO. THEY DIDN’T REALLY CARE

ANYMORE, BECAUSE THEY SET THEIR

OWN PRECEDENT”

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Is the London fashion scene ready for that sort of gender fluidity?

In both women’s fashion week and men’s fashion week, (womenswear and menswear) are starting to merge together. You have female models walking in men’s shows. That’s what I see happen quite a lot. A lot of the designers for menswear are already playing on this womenswear idea. For me personally, I wanted to take it away from being about gender blurring, because that’s a very asexual vibe. I liked the idea of feminine ideas, with it still being menswear. There’s a lot of avenues you can take within that and that is being explored by the young London.

From your perspective, what are the main influences for young designers here?

It depends on the designer, really. There are different remits of designers. Some are really new, really creative- the young type. A lot of them are focusing on the clubbing scenes or the youth cultures within London, and they’re playing on that. Then, the further up you go, the more refined you go. It’s more about

luxury and lifestyle. I’ve seen a lot of dismantled fashion coming into the young designers’ influences- taking fashion, breaking it apart and putting it back together. In menswear I think it is a lot about trying to break the boundaries that have been set for so long. Now they’re being broken.

Are young designers in London taken seriously by the fashion industry?

Some really hit a note in the wider fashion industry. But then I think that a lot of them struggled to meet the demands that this really strict

industry has. At the same time, London

is so great for young creative designers, so

I think people really appreciate that. Actually, those designers need to be there to influence

the more solidified brands. I think you can’t really have one without the other, because it keeps (the industry) refreshing and exciting. But, in the terms of longevity, they can be a bit of a fad, a bit of a “oh yeah, that’s great, we love it!” but then- “what else have you got?”. And if you can’t keep doing it to the pace that they need you to, then brands might start to fizzle

out. I think it depends on the brand, the designer and the tone. Timing is so important. If you get the right sort of collection out at the right time, you might be able to keep going. But I’ve seen brands that I thought would do massively well and we don’t know where they are anymore.

How do you feel about creating in London?

It’s really hard. It’s so tough. My final year

at uni was an absolute headache. London is so fucking expensive and that’s really restricting. I knew that I needed to be really practical with the way that I source fabrics because I don’t want to let my finances get in the way of creating what I want to create. But you’ve got to be realistic. That was an obstacle but, at the same time, you have to have these limits because that’s the real world. Being in uni there were a lot of

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people who didn’t have the same restrictions that I did. They had more money basically. I was making everything myself which meant that the quality wasn’t as high as some of the other students’ who were able to get it manufactured professionally. It was kind of frustrating but there was a lot to be gained from it. Even though it might not have been as perfect as you wanted it to be, you’ve created it yourself. I think there’s still quite a creative hub in London. Creative hubs (are known) as being born out of poor areas, because that’s where the creative people can go and be creative more freely. The more expensive it gets, the harder it is for those people to keep producing- they have to be more practical.

What advice would you give to an aspiring fashion designer?

The only thing that got me through the final year was really the need to complete and create what my vision was. If I didn’t have that energy for it, I would have struggled. You have got to really, really want to do it and be able to focus yourself. I wrote off my social life for a year because that’s what it took. So if you’ve got that drive and it’s the only thing you want to do, then I think (you need to) just be prepared to put everything into (it). We complained all the time but we still managed to get it done. Don’t let hindrances

like that hold you back. Be resourceful and find your way around problems that come up.

There are two approaches to perceiving London fashion- the fantasy approach and the reality approach. One of them is influenced by the luxurious, glamorous side of the city, the other by the urban culture and street style. Which one of these do you think is more adequate to what fashion in London is really like? Which one feels more significant to you?

It’s quite funny because, growing up, being in London for five years and being surrounded by like-minded people in similar situations,

all you see is the gritty, street culture that is young people culture. The culture that surrounds you is the places that you can afford to live (in). I was living in Peckham, Camberwell and that’s where all the students were. That’s the London that was defined for me.

But when you get to Harrods- that fantasy is a real fantasy. When I think of New York I have a similar thing- I just see the glitzy

side of it. You’re an outsider, a spectator. You’re coming in either very new (with) lots of money or as a tourist. You think

of it as the (fantasy) side. But the reality I think depends on where you want to be. For me, I see the luxury side

as almost the London that I don’t see. Like a different London, something that’s not attainable for me-

maybe it will be one day- but right now it’s more of an idea, something you know about but

can’t be involved with. Unless you end up working at Harrods or something. Now I’m working for this luxury menswear designer. We’re talking about meeting up with people from Harrods (about) who might stock the clothing. So that’s seeing that world but from a different point of view. It’s not because I can go and shop there, it’s because we’ve managed to create the products.

In future would you like to be more involved with luxury or urban fashion?

Right now I’m working for a brand and they’re very luxury. And that wasn’t something that I knew was gonna happen. But it’s really fucking interesting, because I’ve worked for designers

before and they were just coming up. They weren’t really associated with that yet, they were more associated

with just creating the clothing. Actually, it is a bit luxury, because all the young designers

(are) trying to sell to the luxury customers, because they’re the

only people who’ve got money. Which is kind of ironic because

(for) a lot of the young designers, the club scenes

are (what’s) influencing their brands. They are therefore directed at a young person, but these young people aren’t able to buy the clothing, so there’s a contradiction there. I don’t know, I’m just gonna see what

happens.

Do you have any specific sources of

inspiration and influence when creating?

I find (that) men when they’re in certain situations create this style really naturally and I find that really inspiring. I think that happens a lot in places that don’t have

a lot of money because they’re not buying the

style, they’re creating it from what they’ve got,

which is often very limited. I think that’s really inspiring. Also, I’ve always been drawn to textures and textiles so I guess that was another element of inspiration- what you can do with fabric. I think the reason I was drawn to fashion in the first place was the idea of creating something 3D from something so flat. It was just the beauty of that.

As a young designer is there something especially important that you would like to change in the London fashion scene? How would you like to influence it?

I guess in the ideal world I’d be able to (create that collection) and that was all that needed to happen, and I would just keep creating collections. But obviously it has to be determined by the customer and shops in order for it to grow. I guess it would be about having a bit more freedom in the way that people dress. And if everyone had a lot of money we could just be buying all this beautiful shit. Designers could keep designing, creating without having to be too conscious about wearability. Although I do find wearability and practicality important elements of design, but that’s a different route. Wearable, luxury, fashion is something that interests me but you are always sacrificing to a certain extent, because it becomes less and less about what initially inspired me, which was “what can I create out of a flat piece of fabric?”. It becomes more about: “What does that guy wanna wear?” It would be nice to be able to have a balance that was more in favour of creativity, I suppose.

S t y l eInterrupted

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S t y l eInterrupted

Model. @elevated_mindz

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Unique independence

19Model. Wesley

Unique independence

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Julia & Fiorella, from Barcelona

How were your expectations of London different from what you found here?Fiorella: I imagined something different. I’ve never been here before.

Julia: I think London is good in terms of opportunities. You get to meet people that are associated with the subject that you want to explore. At the same time, I think that London is pretty cold as a city. People are quite distant, everyone is in their own groups. They don’t really like to socialise.

Fiorella: That was the surprise. It’s not easy to approach and meet people, even though it’s a very multicultural place.

Do you think people here focus a lot on luxury fashion or are they more urban and creative?Fiorella: Urban.

Julia: I would say that as well. Everybody’s wearing what they want to wear.

Fiorella: They don’t really care.

Dora, from ChinaIs it your first time in London?No, I’ve been here before.

And how were your expectations of London different from what you found when you moved here?The prices are higher than my expectations. Transport did not meet my expectations- it’s too old.

What about the fashion here?Actually, I’m quite satisfied with that. In London, everybody can wear different clothes, different hairstyles. No one will judge them. I feel quite free to do everything here in terms of my style.

Do you think that people here follow any specific trends?In my conception, fashion can be an effect of someone saying something that we need to follow. But here, everyone is themselves. There is no correct way.

Q&A