Amy Thompson & FAULT Magazine
FAULT: So you gotta tell us, Who exactly is Amy Thompson?
I’m a MA graduate of De Montfort university, where I studied Fashion Bodywear. Previous to that I successfully completed a BA in Contemporary Applied arts at Cumbria Institute of the Arts where I specialised in Printed textiles and embroidery.
Currently I’m working as a freelance designer where I have collaborated with stylists such as Patti Wilson for Italian Vogue, B. Akerlund for the Black Eyed Peas and designers Talbot Runhof for Paris fashion week.
FAULT:People have referred to you as a “conceptual fashion designer”, what does this mean?
In my opinion, being a conceptual fashion designer is when you go beyond the initial inspiration point and allow the concept to over rule and become key to informing each detail of the design process. Where the vision to create and express an idea, however abstract, is often more important than the need to produce commercially viable designs bound to everyday function and practicality. Where experimentation in such a concept is pushed to the extreme and creates surprises that can lead to a collection rich in depth, originality and unexpected detail.
FAULT: Let’s talk about your graduate thesis collection, which was for your MA in Fashion Bodywear, what was the inspiration behind the collection?
For my MA collection I was hugely inspired by armour and especially by its interlocking layers and protective body encasing forms.
I wanted to create a contemporary iterpretation of armour using unconventional materials and techniques to a unique effect, whilst playing upon the idea of the armour I created being an illusion of protection.
To bring a new twist to the ancient art of armour I intoroduced a form of construction very familiar to modern day society…flatpack construction, often associated with a temporary, quick fix solution. A stark contrast to the manufacture of traditional armour.
Flatpack construction therefore became a driving source of inspiration for me into the mechanics of the pieces, with the illusion of protection represented further by the use of translucent polypropylene.
FAULT: The sculptured pieces of armour that you created with the use of translucent polypropylene is extraordinary. Tell us about the process you went through to perfectly balance this innovative technique with the use of traditional textiles.
The merge of disciplines is key to my work. My MA collection ‘Plastic Analogue’ is a fusion of innovative technology, product design and fashion.
The armoured pieces provide strong pronouced contours of the body that intergrate sections of lenticular technology within the designs, showcasing patterns that spin and change colour according to which angle the garment is viewed at.
To add a touch of femininity to the equation I used plastic in translucent fresh colours and created voluminous silk dresses and bodywear pieces to contrast against the hard structure of the plastic.
The fabric garments are digitally printed with intense abstract body mapping patterns and computer avatars where bright colours and busy patterns contrast against the minimalistic designs of the armour.
FAULT: Are you currently working on anything new?
This year has been very exciting, with projects including designing an outfit for Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas for their current ‘END world tour’ and last season collaborating with designers Talbot Runhof to produce complimentary accessories and pieces for each look in their a/w2010 collection shown at Paris fashion week. Who knows what opportunities will come my way next, but currently I am working on a new collection which at the moment I am keeping under wraps!
FAULT: What do you want people to know about you as a designer?
I love to explore the unknown, achieve the unexpected, challenge the existing and create the extraordinary.
FAULT: Amy, Tells us what is your FAULT!
I get little bits of plastic cut offs stuck to the bottom of my socks when working which results in me spreading an annoying trail of plastic scraps everywhere I go…its amazing where the bits eventually end up.
