“Grown In An Environment So Damaged And Cold The Beauty Now Shines Through As You Are That Concreterose”

The above Quote/Slogan comes to you from Rachy Mckenzie Sealy, an Up & Coming U.K. Fashion Designer with a bespoke line named Concreterose Clothing. For the past year, I have been working alongside my good friend Rachy as her P.R Officer and  now have taken the role of Creative Director for her company. I have to say that working on Concreterose Clothing has opened doors for me, I’ve met a lot of people within the industry I’m trying to get into and gained so much experience and key skills from working on Photo shoots, Feature Shoots for Concreterose Clothing and Fashion Shows ,along with photographer’s, Stylist’s and Models that have made me see how far I can go with what i want to do and become.

So to start of my Blog, Im doing a Concreterose Clothing Feature, a little background on the company and an interview with the Designer Of House Of Concreterose (my little touch)..

How Long Have You Work As A Fashion Designer?

I’ve been designing since I was young, but with my label officially about 5 years. But officially my label has been in the Industry for 2 years now.

What Was The First Article Of Clothing You Ever Designed?

Well the first item I ever customised was a pair of jeans. I hand painted them with my name, and embroidered a little girl at the bottom. I still have them and that was over 10 years ago. The first thing I made properly was a Hoodie. I was just experimenting and it came out looking ‘Gawjus’.

One of the first designs from Concreterose Clothing

What’s Your Favourite Part About Conceptualizing A Design?
When I design, I just draw whatever I feel comes to mind. Most of the time the final design isn’t what I originally drew, but it’s because my mind is always running.
 

What Do You Believe Makes A Quality Article le Of Clothing?

Stitching.., Is top key for me, if the stitching isn’t correct then it looks cheap and a waste,no matter how expensive the fabric is.

The Famous Purple Ruffle Dress..(each square is individually sewn on, one by one).

How Long Does It Usually Take You To Construct a Piece, and What Is The General Process You Go Through To Design a Piece Of Clothing?

I design the outfit and then draw out the patten, which depending on how intense the design is, reflects the patten construction time. Once the patten is made, I then construct a twirl or prototype, so i can see what the design looks like and how it fits. If any alterations need to be made, I have to alter the patten before constructing the final piece.

How Do You Select Your Models?

I hold model castings  to select models, or I have a lot of friends who are high fashion models. There are a lot option’s out there, so I try to use all of them, to achieve the best look.

 How Do You Prepare For a Fashion Show?

I don’t really have to do that much preparation for a fashion show, because I am a featured

designer. I just make sure my clothing is washed and ironed, and ready to be worn. That’s
the major thing I worry about, as if the clothing looks poor, it ruins the whole look. For a photo shoot that I am in charge of there is more  preparation, as its my vision so I have to
make sure that what ever I wanted to do gets done. Which means getting the model’s organised, setting a brief and making sure that the team are okay with the task in hand.

How Would You Define Your City’s Fashion?
Good question…London’s fashion is very mumbled and expressive! I think that is the only reason I think I like London, because its comparison to other cities I’ve been to which are known as being fashionable. I.E. New York, Paris, London is diverse. People can wear what they want and make it look fashionable. Also I love the vintage style of London.

What Matter’s To You Most As a Fashion designer?

That I keep it real, and true to what I want. I can be a diva at times, but that’s because I have certain standards i want to uphold.
 

What Are Some Of Your Accomplishments As a Designer?

Personally I have accomplished a lot as designer in the last couple of years. My clothing has featured in around 7 Shows, had a couple of magazine features and television features. So I can say I’m truly on my way. But what I love the most is those who actually show interest.

BLOG
www.rachyworld.blogspot.com

EMAIL
concreteroseclothing@hotmail.co.uk

Twitter
@just_rachy