Nicomede Talavera x Eastpak

Since the blog began way back in June 2007 we have watched, documented and applauded as the London menswear has evolved before our wanting eyes. During this time, one of the real highlights has been the opportunity to watch design talent grow. Nicomede Talevera is certainly one of the talented few that caught our eye and it has been an absolute pleasure to watch his continued rise. Back in October 2009, we featured a debut capsule collection by the then Central Saint Martin’s BA Menswear Fashion Design student. Created before he embarked on his placement year, we were as impressed with his business nous as we were were by his obvious design talent and could not resist learning more about this exciting prospect. We kept in close contact with him as he honed his talent with placements 3.1 Philip Lim in New York and Lanvin Homme in Paris, and presented his sophomore collection back in February 2010. In June, the London based menswear designer graduated from the Menswear Design BA at Central Saint Martins and presented his pulse racingly good ten look BA collection that showcased a ten piece bag collaboration with Eastpak. Inspired by restructive tailoring, Talevera offers a balance of playful yet functional, detail rich staples. The collection explores his ongoing experimentation with fabrics to enhance a design whilst offering new opportunities and shapes in the process. Now, just as he embarks on MA Fashion Design course at CSM under the teaching of professor Louise Wilson, Talavera's much lauded collaboration with Eastpak has been reimagined for Selfridges. Earlier this week and just before the four piece collections lands in store and online (October 24th, mark your diary) we sat down with the design talent to learn more about the collaboration.

The collaboration, first seen in June, started out as 'show pieces' for Talavera's BA Central Saint Martins graduate collection, originally consisting of ten styles in a monochrome palette. "The Eastpak collaboration meant that I was able to design and produce a range of showpiece bags to go alongside my BA graduate collection and have the backing of an incredibly experienced company who have opened a realm of possibilities that I didn’t imagine would be possible at this stage in my career." He is the first undergraduate designer to work with the Eastpak since Christopher Shannon, and follows in the footsteps of designers Kris Van Assche, Gaspard Yurkevich, Rick Owens and Raf Simons. "I feel extremely fortunate to be alongside such talent and Eastpak have been unbelievably generous and open throughout the whole process; they gave me free reign over the designs, details and fabrics etc. which was fantastic and have been really amazing to work with! Working with them has enabled me to benefit from their experience and also reputation for quality and innovation."

From a design and practical point of view Talavera really wanted the range to be as vast and varied as possible and "to cover as many of the areas that I personally use bags for on a day-to-day basis, depending on what I am doing and how much I need to carry." One of Talavera's main focuses was for the bags to fuse with the aesthetic of the collection and story as a whole but to also stand alone as a strong statement collaborative collection. It was clear that the graduate was keen for many of the shapes to be variations of classic Eastpak shapes but strived to create a range that was really unique and offered something different to Eastpak’s fanbase whilst still being very ‘Eastpak’. It is this perfect balance that caught the eye of so many and made the collaboration so covetable.

As mentioned above the collaboration originally consisted of ten styles that were not going to go into production, but due to the unprecedented response and positive reactions, Selfridges approached Eastpak. "They were really keen to sell the bags so we worked with them directly to choose a handful of styles from the original ten, that encapsulated the overall feel of the collaboration and are also inkeeping with Selfridges’ ‘White Christmas’ theme for the winter season – so white is the dominant palette of the four chosen styles. It all escalated very quickly and wasn’t something we had planned but it felt like the right time and I am so happy that people are now able to buy into the collaboration and a part of my graduate collection which I didn’t think would be possible at this stage because I’m aware of the difficulties of going into production when you are a young designer." Every time I speak with Talavera I am impressed. From the very first introductory email received from an ambitious student right through to the latest honest and humble admission, it is obvious to me that he is a talent that will go far.

Lookbook images supplied by Nicomede Talavera

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After talking us through the evolution of the collaboration, Nicomede Talavera now introduces the four styles that will be available at Selfridges. Here, trying not to sound like he is on QVC, he introduces us to the black Padded Pak’r backpack, a white backpack, a white large holdall and a grey duffle bag.

"The black backpack is a reinvention Eastpak’s iconic and well-loved Padded Pak’r backpack in a combination of black leather and washed cotton. It has ruched leather detailing on the straps that are a reoccurring theme throughout the range, a front patch pocket with two zip fastenings, a section inside to hold a laptop. This is probably my favourite bag out of the four and since my graduate show a few months ago I have not stopped using the sample – I can’t think of a day when I haven’t used it!!"

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"Then there is the all-white backpack which is a statement style and a shape that I designed for the collaborative collection. It is made from a combination of white matte leather, white nylon rip stock with a subtle grid pattern and has an outward slanting silhouette with concealed pockets and compartments beneath the top flap. The backpack also has ruched leather detailing on the straps and several pockets and white compartments inside."

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"The all-white holdall is another shape and style completely unique to the collaborative collection and is the largest of the four bags. It is also made from a combination of white matte leather, white nylon rip stock with a subtle grid pattern and can be worn over the body or by hand. The holdall has ruched leather detailing on all the straps, a large flap pocket with magnet fastenings, a concealed pocket at the back, and mesh and zip fastening pockets inside. It has so many different sections and can be held in lots of different ways."

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"The upright duffle bag style is made from a grey coated linen and matte grey leather. It can be worn on one shoulder or across the body and has ruched detailing on the strap, as well as a large concealed vertical zip pocket at the back and a mesh compartment and zip fastening pocket inside. The bag has a relaxed cylindrical shape and is unlike any of the current EASTPAK styles."

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As he begins his MA course, Nicomede Talavera is going to focus on his studies, channel and hone his aesthetic and no doubt grow as a designer. I cannot wait to see what this young talent creates next but first look forward to this collaboration dropping in to Selfridges next week.

LCF BA Graduate Showcase...Sungkyun Yuk

Despite missing out on watching this year's crop of talented LCF BA graduates showcase their collections on the catwalk, I'm keen not to overlook them. Thanks to the backstage images we've already featured and for the students informative Showtime pages, my appetite to learn more about this exciting bunch has certainly been whet. As ever, the menswear is a real highlight. In recent years we've been introduced to the likes of Baartmans & Siegel and Asger Juel Larsen and I'm certain that there are a few similar stars in the making here. Sungkyun Yuk could well be one.

Entitled 'Arise, shine, for your light has come' Yuk's final collection documents the process of design development and transition of various staples of formal menswear. Inspired by an insects metamorphosis this is a collection that narrates its own story. With each design, more function and complexity are added in a measured way. With anatomical exploration at its core, Yuk offers a structural inquiry into the articulation of the human body, and its direct relationship with clothing. Influenced by Aitor Throup's approach to design, this young design talent is keen on creating garments that mirror the movement of the body. Before we take a look at the collection itself and speak with the graduate about their work, Yuk offers a glimpse inside of her sketchbook...

The metamorphosis of a collection as documented by Sungkyun Yuk's sketchbook.

For menswear to constantly evolve, it needs designers like Sungkun Yuk who approach the design process in a different way. Designers who experiment. Who push textiles and techniques in new directions and challenge the typical and accepted way of how garments should be made. Here we talk with the designer to learn more about the collection and processes behind it...

SS: Congratulations on the show! How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk?

Sungkyun Yuk: I couldn't see well because I was backstage. However, I did see a selection of photos that my friends took. I'm very happy with my final collection anyhow.

SS: What attracted you to the LCF BA course in particular?

Sungkyun Yuk: During my Foundation course, my tutor at the time suggested that I apply to the LCF. She said that LCF is the best for menswear in the UK.

At the time, I did not mind where I went, I just wanted to study fashion at a good college.

SS: What was the Best thing about your course?

Sungkyun Yuk: Tom Adams, our head tutor, let me do whatever I wanted and was extremely supportive. He approved of my originality and allowed me to get on with it. Also, I met amazing friends whilst I studying.

SS: Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer?

Sungkyun Yuk: I never imagined that I want to be a fashion designer before I was twenty two years old. Prior to menswear design, I studied Bio-Technology but in the end I lost interest and needed a change.

I tried to look for something that I could enjoy eternally. The answer was "clothes". Ever since I was a child, I loved clothes and shopping. However, one day I realized that it is hard to find the clothes that I wanted to wear. The simple solution was to make the clothes I wanted. This made me study fashion.

SS: Entitled 'Arise, shine, for your light has come', the collection takes its inspiration from a bug's metamorphosis. What attracted you to this idea?

Sungkyun Yuk: For me, clothes are the second skin and an extension of the body. Fashion for human beings is the same as a shell, unique features and beautiful colours which can help distinguish us from others, from creatures such as bugs. In essence, garments protect body from external dangers and replenish people aesthetically. Furthermore, they provide people with the opportunity to express their individuality through styling.

The title of final collection is “Arise, shine, for your light has come,” is influenced by an insects metamorphosis. The larvae waits for a long time, it has the power to survive in nature and has several metamorphoses before completion. When I first became acquainted with the idea of metamorphosis, it resonated with my own story. It links to my own journey and status, to what I have already accomplished, what I can achieve, the level I am at and what I intend to do as a fashion designer.

SS: The design theme of the collection is 'development and transition’ and there is a sense of exploration and metamorphosis throughout. What was your starting point and how did the collection evolve in to the finished collection?

Sungkyun Yuk: Taking inspiration from the stages of metamorphosis, the design theme of the collection is “development and transition’ throughout. The collection is described as a story of progress. The final collection is for the A/W season and is high-end menswear based on 3D anatomical design, functional details and layering. The design process is shown from the first outfit through to the sixth outfit. With changing cut, volumes on sleeve and leg, subdivision of patterns and the development of functional designs. There is unique fastening methods to assist with the design development.

SS: Could you talk us through some of the innovative patterns and 3D methods?

Sungkyun Yuk: I was drawn to 3D shape and anatomical design in order to pursue the essential function of clothes comfortable and fit perfectly. The unique 3D anatomic shapes were used to consider silhouette and to track how joints and muscle move.

I did not want to follow basic patterns, the unique design (pattern and seam line) produced through 3D work process provides distinct signatures for my originality without logos. The original shoulder for the final collection which is a type of half raglan with twist sleeve seam was developed from my second year project with the Ballet Russes. The scarf hood for the fourth outfit was able to fit on a head perfectly without any fastenings because the drawing pattern was the shape of skull. There are six different types of gloves which assist design developments. I created original pattern for gloves. Instead of the usual pattern for gloves which consist of thumb, palm and the back of the hand. I made 3D model of my hand and tried to find new lines which could hold shape. After several tests, I found the new curved line that can keep the shape I designed. Each process involved a great deal of experimentation.

SS: How would you describe the collection in your own words?

Sungkyun Yuk: Innovative Evolution

SS: What type of man can you see wearing it?

Sungkyun Yuk: Anyone interested in my collection. I would love to communicate my philosophy of fashion with the people who like my style by my clothes. As a designer, I’m interested in anatomy and evolution because of my bio technology past.

SS: I know this is difficult question to answer but have you got a favorite, anything that you were most proud of?

Sungkyun Yuk: How I approached my work. I found what I really want to do when I was twenty two years old. It was totally different subject I had done. So I did not want to waste time to achieve what I want. I did more tasks than I was given, for example design sketching, pattern drawing and making toiles. I have strong pattern cutting skills that help making flat pattern from any 3D shape, which I learned from Aitor Throup.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective menswear fashion student?

Sungkyun Yuk: Keep drawing and thinking every day and secure work experience as much as possible.

SS: Finally, what's next. What would you like to achieve in latter half of 2011 and beyond?

Sungkyun Yuk: I desire to acquire more experience in menswear, which will help take me to the next level as a fashion designer. I will apply for work from brands which I have been fascinated by for some time.

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As mentioned in the recent Wooyoungmi post, the inherent challenge of the evolution of menswear is balancing innovation with wearability. For me, Sungkyun Yuk works the balancing beam perfectly here...

Not only does the idea of metamorphosis run through the very seams of this collection but it resonates with him and a graduate. It links to Yuk's own journey and status and this collections hints at what is to come. I look forward to watching the continued metamorphosis of Sungkyun Yuk. 

RCA MA Graduate Showcase... Samuel Membery

RCA's MA graduate show is undoubtedly one of the most exciting places to discover the fashion stars of the future. Thanks to a last minute invitation from the lovely Carolyn Massey, I was able to take my seat at the Gala show and admire some of the freshest and strongest menswear and womenswear talent to be be unleashed this year. 2011 has witnessed an expanding number of industry linked projects and sponsorships, which are proof of the enormous creative input that RCA students contribute to the fashion industry. The long term partnerships with IFF, Umbro Brioni were joined with new partnerships with ASOS, Espirit and more. 

With an emphasis on individual creativity and originality married with impeccable technical know-how, I'm quite sure we've unearthed one or two stars of future in this crop. Winner of the ASOS sponsored grand prize, Samuel Membery is certainly among them. Taking inspiration from abstract sculptures by Nairy Bagrahmian and the rockabilly characters depicted in cult film Mystery Train, Membery created a minimal collection of sporstwear influenced tailoring.

Show images courtesy of Dominic Tschudin

A week after the show I was fortunate enough to enjoy a coffee and a chat with Sam and in addition to his obvious talent, I was blown away by his grounded and well informed outlook on his next steps in to the fashion industry. Here we talk to the design talent about his time at the RCA, learn more about his graduation collection and look to the future...

SS: Congratulations on more than playing your part in a dazzling MA show. How did it feel seeing your finished designs on the catwalk and to win the ASOS award?
Samuel Membery: The buzz of the RCA show was intense but it all happens so fast. It was cool to see the collection on the catwalk. It was great to be part of such a strong show, seeing all the collections on the catwalk was surreal as I had seen many of them evolve over the past five months or so. The ASOS award was a great end to a very rewarding two years and a very positive next step for me as a designer.

SS: RCA's MA graduate show is undoubtedly one of the most exciting places to discover the fashion stars of the future but what attracted you to the RCA MA course in particular? What was the best thing about your course?
Samuel Membery: I visited a work in progress exhibition at the RCA around six years ago as a BA student and the level of the work was so high. Then I went to one of the catwalk shows and was blown away by the integrity of some of the collections. After my BA, my tutor who very sadly passed away last February, the late Fred Spurr encouraged me to apply. He studied fashion there in the late 70s and had a strong connection with the college.

The course is a bit of a roller coaster. In the first year you are encouraged to find your signature style through various industry and personal projects. The second year is entirely about realising a collection and strengthening your signature design approach. One of the huge advantages of studying at the RCA is that the tutors and technicians are really supportive and experienced. We get feed back and direction from industry professionals like i-D stylist Simon Foxton and Julie Verhoven the fashion illustrator/designer. The best thing about the course is the other students that you meet. They have so much ability and vision. I've definitely made some friends for life.

SS: Describe the moment you realized you wanted to be a menswear designer?
Samuel Membery: I have wanted to be all kinds of things but menswear designer was never really on that list until I was half way through my BA. I switched from womenswear right before final collection. I do want to be involved in womenswear design again one day.

SS: Can you talk us through the inspiration for the collection?
Samuel Membery: The inspiration was a combination of the sublime and abstract sculptures by Nairy Bagrahmian, who is such a vital contemporary artist - and the cult film Mystery Train by Jim Jarmusch with its slick and mesmerising rockabilly characters.

SS: What was your starting point and how did the the collection evolve in to what we saw today?
Samuel Membery: I looked at the silhouettes of the rocka billy fashions and the imposing obscurity of Nairys work and tried to recreate it in to the cut and fabrication of my clothes, I wanted the rockabilly attitude but with the sublime, ambiguous feeling that I felt whilst in the presence of Nairys work.

SS: How would you describe the collection in your own words?
Samuel Membery: Clean and minimal, wearable and I think it is desirable.

SS: What type of man can you see wearing your designs?
Samuel Membery: An informed and intuitive man.

SS: I know this is difficult question to answer but have you got a favourite piece from the collection, anything that you were most proud of?
Samuel Membery: Probably the bomber jacket with the long shirt worn underneath. That outfit was for me.

SS: What advice would you give a prospective menswear fashion student?
Samuel Membery: Be patient, be versatile but remain opinionated. Work with real intention and work with accidents. Meet the right people for you, you’ll know who they are. Don’t sleep unless there is time.

SS: Finally, what's next? What would you like to achieve in the latter half of 2011 and beyond?
Samuel Membery: Well, I want to work with the people I have met along the way. Learn how to sustain myself in the industry and then hopefully do work on my own label when I am ready, I am in no rush.

Detail catwalk shots by me.
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I have no doubt that we will be hearing a lot more about Samuel Membery in the near future and beyond.

LCF BA Show 2011

Over the last few years the LCF BA show has been a real calendar highlight. The menswear in particular has grown ever stronger and we've been introduced to a plethora of real talent. With the likes of Amber Siegel, Asger Juel Larsen and Jade Jung Sun Kim as recent graduates, the moment we enter June I begin to salivate. Despite being marked in my diary for the last few months, I missed out on the opportunity to toast the class of 2011. I even missed the live stream of the show. However, I do have a good excuse. I was on the panel of judges for the LCF for John Lewis collaboration and with the talent of first year students being remarkably high, our judgement took longer than anticipated. So, both my physical and virtual seat remained empty but thankfully, I have not missed out entirely because I recently received Timothy Hill's beautiful backstage photography.   

Over the coming weeks I will acquaint myself with the work of the twenty five students that were selected (from over two hundred graduates in Womenswear, Menswear and Surface textiles) in more detail but for now, I'd just like to to share a few images with you. Below are a selection of menswear students that caught the attention of Timothy Hill's lens... 

Bret de Jager's collection entitled Punx on Safari’, explores and combines the ethos of the 70s punk with that of an African tribal warrior. An intriguing and vibrant juxtaposition.

Nadir Tejani was inspired by the rise of surveillance in society. His geometric silhouettes aim to push back against this ever increasing control.

Sean McGirr, like I've been, was hugely inspired by his recent travels of Japan to create a collection that is causal, effortless and modern.