AW: Is art an integrated part of your everyday life?
E: Yes! Everyday! I am lucky that I get to work full time in the industry and that my days are spent doing what I love most in life. I also like that with the fashion industry it is so intertwined with other creative industries from art, music, photography so its great that I get to cross over into other genres and get a greater perspective. I think also art creeps into your life in other ways, from what you wear, to what you read, how you perceive your surroundings.
E: Fun, colourful, considered, humourous, experimental and challenging.
AW: How did you come so far?
E: I decided very early in life that this was 100% what I wanted to do. I have learnt that hard work and total dedication is the key to success. I put a huge value on education and experience and my time at university and participating in internships was an amazing stepping stone for me in learning about the industry. Following working within the industry once I had graduated I decided to take the risk and set up my business on my own which was the best decision that I have ever made. It is so important that you create opportunities for yourself, things aren‘t just handed on a plate to you, so you have to work incredibley hard to generate endeavours that are going to help progress your career. I have spent the past few years dedicating myself to a vast range of projects and I think this is what helps me understand the industry and how to focus on my goals.
AW: Who / What influenced you at the beginning of your creative work, who / what now?
E: When I was young my Grandma was really into fashion and dress making, so I used to play around on her sewing machine….and I guess just over the years I was always more geared towards the arts as that was what made me happy. Now I would say everyday life is what influences me most…I like to be able to translate things that inspire me on a daily basis into my work.
AW: Whats your philosophy of life?
E: Happiness is the most important thing to me. If youre not happy…then make yourself happy. Im a big believer in making your own destiny so I don’t really have time for time-wasters of people that do not help themselves.
AW: What is your definition of beauty? Do you know something "absolutely" beautiful and something "absolutely" ugly?
E: I think that definitions of what is ugly/beautiful/whatever is totally individual to the person. I like that people have totally different perspectives on things and I like people that are confident in their opinions.
AW: Whom do you admire and why?
E:I really admire my peers in that I find it so incredibley inspiring that so many of my friends, competitors and fellow creatives have such a strong creative vision and a knowing confidence in their design aesthetic and dreams.
AW: What will people remember the most, when you have faded away?
E: Is that a nice way of saying when Im dead?! I hope that people remember me for my work and for my achievements in life from my career to personal endeavours.
AW: What piece of clothing you will never be able to throw away?
E: I still have the first ever piece that I designed, pattern cut and made for a school project. It is hideous! Multi coloured batik and bad stitching but it has a lot of sentimental value and marks an important moment for me! So I will forever have that sitting in my wardrobe.
E: Definatley not. Not at all. I find egotistical personalities and arrogance an unpleasant trait in a person. I think this industry gives a lot of opportunity for people to forget about gratitude and become too self absorbed so I think it‘s incredibly important to keep your feet on the ground. From day one of my carreer I have always maintained that it is about my work and not about me. I want to create an experience and to generate a big spectacular and razzamataz, so I think to then represent it with a person is a bit of an anti-climax. This is why I never take a bow after a show and rarely have pictures of myself to accompany interviews etc, as I was to be recognised for my work as that‘s what it‘s all about.
AW: Can you laugh about yourself?
E: Yes, all the time. My design signature is very precise in that it intergrates humour, colour and a wide scope for people to create opinions. I‘m all about optimism and postitive thinking, and I like that I don’t work in a critical or self-conscious way. I appreciate that some of the work I create, for example half naked people wearing plastic gingerbread men etc does have an element of fun and humour, so I like that I can express myself in such a way. I like that I can balance between presenting a defined and considered concept and creating something that makes people smile.
AW:What do you think about the MQ VIENNA FASHIONWEEK?
E: I think it‘s awesome that Vienna is providing an international showcase for designers. Other major cities do it, so it‘s great that Vienna now also has that platform. I think it‘s amazing that there are so many designers involved in Fashion Week here and I think it’s a really innovating avenue for Austria to be embarking on and I think it will really highlight how much talent and creative opportunity that there is here in Vienna. I think the press drive has been incredible and that it‘s set to be a very exciting week with a lot of great presentations and a real stepping stone for fashion in this area of Europe.
AW: What do you expect?
E: In some ways it is like venturing into the great unknown as this is a new initiative but I expect that as it is a new project that it will generate a LOT of press and really put Vienna on the map as a fashion capital. The MQ is fantastic in that is houses so much creative talent from fashion to art to technology so I think it is a very logical and intelligent base for such a showcase. Having shown at London Fashion Week previously I think the major difference is that Vienna Fashion Week is also geared towards the general public as well as the media so I think that’s great in creating a greater understanding and a wider audience.
AW: What is the "Austrian Style"?
E: I havent quite figured that out yet! I get some weird comments and a lot of staring if I walk around wearing something that‘s not so conservative, but I guess I get that anywhere in the world anyway!
I think Austria is much like any other city in that there‘s a broad cross section style wise…I‘ve seen some pretty awesome looks as well as some everyday casual styles, so It‘s pretty much the same as London, Paris or Timbuktu in that everyone has their own identity!
Oh but, I have learnt that people don‘t appreciate ladders in your tights here!!! That seems to be quite a talking point, especially by the guys dressed up as Mozart!
website: www.emma-bell.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/dollydressup
x, a.
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