Malam to return to London Fashion Week.

We caught up up with Emmanuelle, the creative force behind french fashion label MALAM to find out more about her, her label and what to expect for the S/S 2012 collection.

How did you come up with the name of your label? 

I wanted to find a short name which was easy to remember, and did not mean anything specific in French, so I just mixed up letters of my name, and voilà!

How does it feel to be returning to London Fashion Week?

I am really excited to showcase the collection again. It was a great experience last year, and I find it very interesting to concentrate on making many new designs in a row – since it is totally not the way I work all year long. Plus I love London, so I'm really happy to come back :)

Has the label changed since you last showcased in London?

The label itself has not changed, I still work the same way, and with the same vision. Although it's still growing : since the last show, I gained a lot of new customers, and have seen more interest from boutiques as well, in France and abroad.

What is the most challenging thing about being a fashion designer?

I guess in my position, the most challenging thing is to be able to manage everything, from creating to selling, in the short span of time of each day! Every day is a new challenge:) More generally, it is also the ability to renew oneself, while remaining true to one's own style and vision.

What is the most difficult thing about designing one of kind pieces?

I love making one of a kind pieces, because I get to use so many different materials, and I make what I want to make, when I want to make it. I like this so much more than working during a whole season with such and such fabrics, and then change the next season, and so on... I love having just one line, forget about a design, and remake it again a few months later looking totally different because I followed another inspiration, used other material, colours, findings... What really is the most difficult is the choice of the size I'll make the piece in. I basically have to guess the size of the person who will see it, like it and wish to buy it :) Of course, I also do a lot of custom work and creating a piece for someone is very interesting, because I have to interpret the customer's wishes & requirements with my own vision.

How has living in France influenced your fashion label?

France is great for finding vintage and old materials, there are so many opportunities to buy new treasures... And this is the base of my work. Apart from that, being in France sure helps me export my pieces abroad, it must be the « French appeal » :)

You spent some of your holidays at your great grandmother’s castle. Would you say this instigated your love for historical clothing and fairytales?

I spent nearly all my holidays there for the first 16 years of my life, with my (many) cousins... So yes, being surrounded by elegant old portraits, antique furniture, the musty smell of cupboards and old books, looking forever for secret hidden rooms we never found, dressing up with fancy frocks from the old trunk, getting a bit scared in narrow and dark corridors, at the end of which was the most beautiful old pink bedroom with the four-poster canopy bed and so many antique little things on the shelves... That's probably where it came from!

You mentioned that you are inspired by children stories. What is your fondest memory from your childhood?

I can definitely say I had a happy childhood – there are too many great memories to put just one forward:) But it's true that when you're little, your imagination has no boundaries, and you can find magic in anything, this is what I like to keep doing !

The last time you showcased in London, you had music made especially for the Show by the band Underemployment. Should we expect the same this year?What can we expect from the new collection?

Yes, I am really happy this gives me the opportunity to work with independent musicians. The music of last year's show was exactly what I had wanted, this was just amazing work, and done so quickly as well! By the way, The Underemployed (http://www.myspace.com/theunderemployed ) have an EP coming out very soon which I'm eager to listen to :) This year, it will be quite a different style, the music for the show will be created by Niflheim Seele (http://agonyinmind.free.fr/niflheim.seele/ ). I can't wait …

Also, the models will be once again wearing gorgeous shoes from Portuguese designer brand EJECT (http://www.eject-shoes.com ) , I find they just fit perfectly with Malam's aesthetics, and am really thankful for this partnership.

As to what will be showcased.. let me just say it will be an extension of the permanent collection, featuring more of the same aesthetics, with different designs, different fabrics... lacy, feminine, both structured and flowy.... And I am just so impatient to publish the new designs, it's so difficult to keep them to myself

Malam will be showcasing the latest collection at the 'A La Mode' London Fashion Week on the  16th of September 2011.

For more information, visit: www.malam.fr

Parisian label Malam to return to London Fashion Week with their one-of-a-kind Feminine Designs

London, UK, (May, 2011); EM Lyon Business School and ESMOD Paris Fashion School graduate, Emmanuelle Marie, will return to London Fashion Week in September to showcase her new collection from her Malam label.
Last September saw Emmanuelle make a successful London Fashion Week debut with her ‘Poupees Perdues’ (lost dolls) collection inspired by fairy tales. The collection comprised of one of a kind garments and accessories which were hand made using old, new and customised fabrics. Growing up spending most her holidays in an old fashioned castle that belonged to her great grandmother, has no doubt played a major influence in Emmanuelle’s work and interest of historical costumes and vintage styles.
Emmanuelle set up her Malam label in 2007 with an aim to reach original, romantic and self confident women. She is known for her use of lace, embroidery, vintage and unexpected patterned fabrics in her work. She hunts down beautiful antique lace and buttons and ‘gives it new life’ through her creations.
Attracting fashion press and buyers alike, Emmanuelle-Marie will be presenting her one-of-a-kind designs from her Malam label at the “A La Mode” show hosted by LGN Events on Friday 16th September 2011.

For more information on Malam visit http://www.malam.fr
Press and Buyers wishing to attend should contact joy@lagenevenorth.co.uk
W: www.lgn-events.co.uk

A Quick interview with Parisian label 'Malam' ...

How would you define your style?

Feminine, timeless, effortlessly cute with a little edge :)

What inspired the name of your brand?

It's a made-up word formed with letters of my name - Incidentally, it means "night" in Indonesian, which I quite like :-)

Tell us a bit about your current collection and the inspirations behind it?

My current collection, called "Poupées Perdues" is mostly inspired by childhood, fairytales, and historical clothing. Sprinkle a little bit of romantic classicism on it, and voilà ! I do not actually work with seasonal collections, I have one permanent collection, within which I add new designs from time to time (which will be on the catwalk at the show ), and delete some of the older ones I have seen too much. Although it is permanent, it is in constant evolution, since I always use different materials to recreate each design.

Which fabrics do you enjoy working with?

I mainly work with natural fabrics (cotton, linen, silk), because they are dyeable. And lace, lots of lace! Part of the fun in making the garment is playing with the fabric first, making it more interesting. Then I use a lot of vintage textiles, as well as upholstery materials. In terms of patterns, I am very partial to plaid and paisley :) When I buy material, I don't usually know what it will end as; if I can picture at least one of my designs in it, then it's good to go. As a result, I have heaps and heaps of textiles of various origins, colors, patterns, composition... and I love being able to choose every time before cutting - It's like having a small fabric shop for myself :).

If you could choose any celebrity to front your campaign who would it be?

I'd probably choose Lily Allen, I love her quirky, independent style and her self-confidence.

What has been your biggest challenge?

So far, it has been to try and reason myself, not to let my imagination run wild when creating new designs, that is, getting them to fit logically inside my line. Ideas just spring up all the time, it can be hard to concentrate :-)

What have been some of the highlights?

I've been lucky to take part in various shows in France, where I've been able to showcase my collection and meet my customers "in real life" which was quite exciting (since I sell my designs mostly through the Internet). I've had numerous mentions in blogs and websites, and have sold my designs in more than 30 countries, reaching as far as North America, Russia, South Korea, Japan, and New Zealand.

What, for you, is exciting in fashion right now?

I don't look at trends, for I don't find interesting to fit in them, and don't want to be influenced. What I love is the fact there are so many "young" designers, who each offer their own outlook on fashion and clothing in general, and it always amazes me to see so much talent sprouting everywhere, obviously, not everything has "already been done" :)

Do you have an ultimate favourite designer, and why?

I absolutely love John Galliano, for his eccentricity, his perfectly "over-the-top" designs!

What would you like to see more of in fashion?

More colors, more eccentricity, more "unwearable" worn :-)

For tickets and further information visit:
W: http://www.lagenevenorthevents.co.uk/
W: http://www.malam.fr/

LFW Is Set To Play Host To The Exquisite New SS11 Collection By Parisian Label Malam

Designer Emmanuelle-Marie, a graduate from ESMOD Paris, who holds a love of fun aesthetics, prints and vintage textiles, will unveil her latest S/S11 collection as part of the off-schedule London Fashion Week show ‘A La Mode.’

Emmanuelle-Marie first created the Malam label in 2007 and since then the label has been going from strength to strength as she navigates her way through the fashion world. Her original premise was to breathe life into the world of mainstream fashion through offering different and unique, but still wearable, designs and prints.

A versatile designer, Emmanuelle-Marie likes to experiment, using all kinds of fabrics to create her designs, but with a preference for vintage finds. She incorporates a range of prints and often plays with fun and flirty shapes, in both ready-to-wear and made to measure garments, some being limited edition, alongside an extensive accessories range. Catering for males and females; dresses, skirts, coats and jackets are all lovingly handmade in her studio in east of Paris, where her ideas are both conceived and created.

Her pieces combine a clear love of high-fashion and interesting, intricate prints with styles that women can really wear in their day-to-day lives, encompassing floaty dresses with details such as bows and oversized sleeves. With a desire to break from the ordinary and give something new, Emmanuelle-Marie often styles her romantic pieces with heavy biker boots, mixing fun prints with heavy make-up and gothic settings, in keeping with the feminine meets androgyny trend of the summer.

The Malam SS11 collection is sure to continue with Emmanuelle-Marie’s desire to mix up the fashion world. Eagerly awaited her show will be part of the ‘A La Mode’ International showcase and will take place on Saturday 18 September from 7.30pm.

Press and buyer’s wishing to attend the show should email Terri at Theresa@lagenevenorth.co.uk

W: www.lagenevenorthevents.co.uk
W: www.malam.fr