SS11 Collection
Keep The Wolf has recently been in contact with up and coming designer Melissa Diamantidi, exploring whats behind the designs and the in's and out's of being a fresh new rising designer of today !
Where are you from?
I was born in Oxford and grew up in Greece. My Mother is from England and My father from Greece. I left Greece when I graduated from school and moved to London.
What are your general non-professional interests?
I love to travel and meet new people and cultures. I also love the outdoors, the countryside and one of my great passions is horse riding.
When I am in London I love to go to the theatre and also discover new places to eat.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion for me does not only relate to clothes but has to do with inspirations, ideas and dreams. Fashion is in the way we live, what we eat what we listen to and read. It is in everything that goes on around us.
Who are some of your favorite designers?
Alber Elbaz and Roland Mouret
When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?
When I completed my internship at Roland Mouret I knew that this is what I wanted to do. No doubt.
How long does it usually take you to design a collection?
It usually takes a good couple of months for me to get it all down on paper and then it always changes along the way until it takes its final form.
Describe the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing?
It usually starts off with an inspiration and this does not have to be something tangible but can sometimes just be a feeling or a mood. I usually have a selection of fabrics that I have chosen for the season. I will then start scribbling ideas down on paper and making rough sketches of things that come in to my mind. Once I feel I have a clear pattern of where the collection is going I start to put it together and along with my team we start to create the patterns and drape a lot of the styles. This is where the magic starts and the collection comes to life.
What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?
I have managed to set up my own independent business in London within less than a year and have already managed to attract quite a few stockists in London. I have already taken part in an international fashion week in Athens and have managed to get a lot of press including an article in this months Greek Vogue and also one expected in next months V magazine.
What are some of your favorite clothing stores/websites?
-B store
-Hoxton Boutique
-Libertys
Where do you buy your fabrics and other sewing materials?
Most of the fabrics are from Italy and a lot of silk and leather come from the uk
What do you believe makes a quality article of clothing?
-Good fit
-High tailoring and cut
-Good quality materials
-And high end construction especially the finishings
What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
That I enjoy and find pleasure in what I do and that I constantly search for new sources of inspiration
What's your favorite part about conceptualizing a design?
Seeing it for the first time on a female body and watching it come to life from a simple sketch on a piece of paper.
How do you prepare for a fashion shoot or show?
It takes a lot of team effort and we usually start by choosing the right girls to wear the clothes that will bring out the true potential of the garments.
Hopefully it will see me establishing my brand on an international level and developing to become a designer worthy of peoples attention and respect.
Where can ‘keep the wolf’ readers buy your clothes?
They are available in London boutiques, Beyond the Valley, My sugarland, Keep 0 Gravity and will be sold in many more boutiques come the aw 11season .Also there will be an online store launching on my website by the summer.