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| ITS#FOUR finalist Marga Weimans describes her experience at i-D magazine |
| February 06, 2006 |
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If you go to page 100 of the January issue of i-D, you will see a statuesque black model staring at you from the page (ok, ok, it's page 101...don't be fussy!) wearing a cape, shirt and trousers. If you have never read i-D, well...shame on you!
You should recognize the clothes and styling because: a) you've been at ITS#FOUR and seen the fashion show, or b) you've seen the photos of the winners on the website. Still don't remember? Have a look at who did the styling for this photo shoot (and this time it's on page 100...): Marga Weimans! All right, I'll explain you everything without wondering why you're asking yourself "and who is Marga Weimans?"...
The opening of the ITS#FOUR fashion show was as follows: a great Grace Jones remix and a black panther-like model in a black catsuit...now turn your January i-D issue to page 103...there you go!
Your following question might be "what is the connection between i-D and ITS?" Well, the connection goes back to ITS#ONE, when Terry Jones (i-D editor in chief & creative director...) came to the event (Terry accepted the invitation to be part of the Jury) and found it so interesting and so creativity-oriented that he decided it was important to keep an eye on it. At ITS#TWO Terry could not come, and we had "emissaries" in his place, while at ITS#THREE he was back with his wife Tricia and chose to stay close to the young finalists and talk directly with them...breathe their air, listen to their impressions, feel their emotions. They would pass from one finalist to the other listening to the explanations of their collections and to what inspired them with such an interest in their words, with such an attention and a respect that one would hardly believe they are who they are, since most of those who are in their position seem to loose every connection with reality. Actually, after meeting them, you realise that there aren't enough people like them, and it's a real pity. But anyway, knowing that people like them still exist is fantastic...
At the following edition (ITS#FOUR), i-D decided that it was the moment to join ITS in the support of creativity, and established the i-D Styling Award, a prize that would have been given to the best fashion styling, judged using mainly the photo in the catalogue and the portfolio of the finalist. The prize consisted in a month internship at i-D and 3000£ to cover the expenses like board and lodging. And the first winner of this important prize was Marga Weimans. Now I'm sure you're already jumping to conclusions and understanding why her clothes are on the January issue!
The reason why Marga won the prize comes directly from Mr.Jones words: "The main purpose of the i-D award is to find designers who look at the spectrum of existing fashion and create a look that is memorable by using a mix of commercially available and innovative ideas. We awarded Marga Weimans because our fashion editor was extremely impressed with her approach to design and her commitment to make a new silhouette which related to her personal views on stereotypical attitudes of black women. We were very happy to give Marga the opportunity to work inside the i-D studio and her enthusiasm to be part of the fashion team meant that she was a pleasure to work with. ?Also her organised approach made her able to deal with the challenge of working on her fashion story that ran in our January issue." What you are about to read in the following paragraphs is Marga's personal report of the experience ... so it's time for me to leave the stage to her...
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i-D Styling Award: my experience
by Marga Weimans
She gives me a quick up and down. The swift look every fashion person uses to taxate another fashionista. A razor sharp gaze starting from the top of the head , ending at shoe level, then back at eye level, not lasting more than two seconds. I just entered the offices of i-D magazine in London. I am dressed in a green flowered batik blouse, candy pink juicy couture style track pants, suede khaki boots lined with gold leather. My afro hairdo forming a huge curly halo, underscored by two golden earrings and wristband. Nervous, in anticipation, sweating slightly from the weird warm September weather. She turns on her high heels and Erika Kurihari , i-D fashion editor, walks me over to meet everybody. Jamie, Glenn, Ben, Skye, Fran, Marcia, Eloise, Suzanne, Dominique, Hattie, Kate, Dean, Matthew and Holly. Terry and Tricia Jones, respectively, the creative director and the director of production, without doubt the nicest people in the world, I will meet later. Erika positions me at a desk and points out the volumes of past i-D magazines starting from the eighties until now: "You might want to look at those, to see what i-D is about." And off she goes. In this sympathetic, and modest office I will spend one month as part of the i-D Styling Award, won at ITS#FOUR July 2005. I have won work experience plus a budget of 3000 pounds and publication of my own photo shoot in i-D magazine.
Never a prize winner in the fashion department of the Antwerp Fine Arts Academy, I somehow had a gut feeling that this one would be mine. The title of my graduation collection " The power of my dreams" seems symbolic in hindsight. But with all the happiness and victorious feelings, uneasiness cast a grey cloud. Styling Award? Am I a stylist? Do people see me this way? Yes, the photo shoot of my old collections needed for the ITS#FOUR competition portfolio was more than great fun. I managed to get the most experienced and most collaborative photographer of Belgium, Roel Jacobs for the shoot. Megalomaticaly fell in love with the pictures. On top of that I have been
a fashion magazine addict from age of eleven. Every new issue of Dutch magazine "Avenue" was the most memorable moment of the month. But me a stylist? The magazine world? I am a designer! In my first hour in the office I point this out to the fashion editor, with all the bluntness in my bones. Forgetting every political rule in the fashion world. Erika , rather taken a back, answers that there are some great stylists who started out as fashion designers. Well, not me.
The job of the stylist usually involves creating new fashion looks or images with existing clothes borrowed from either press offices, shops or the stylists own personal archive of clothes. Basically the stylist is a master in presenting and translating clothes.. In the case of a stylist working on a fashion magazine, he or she closely collaborates with photographer, make-up artist, hairdresser, model, production and assistants. The end product is a set of photos usually with a certain theme or concept. The photo shoot is then published in an issue of the magazine. Needless to say that for a young designer getting your clothes selected by stylists is an important way to get exposure in magazines.
Styling is much broader of course. Stylists determine the image of celebrities, work as creative consultants of fashion brands, work in the lucrative field of advertisement and restyle collection before they hit the catwalk..
The unusual approach I took to the job of stylist at the office of i-D was to see styling as new method of designing and representing a collection. I used pieces of my collection "The power of my dreams". To reinforce the basic concept I used clothes of other designers. Concept of the shoot was creating a new image of black women. Reshuffling the pieces opened up a range of possibilities. The design method I adopted from the fashion academy was to design a whole silhouette; a set of clothing from top to shoes. You could say in a sculptural way. Although final year teacher Linda Loppa did try to open up the door to a more flexible approach of designing... |
The practical reality of preparing the photo shoot consisted of finding clothes, location the right photographer. For which I even traveled to Amsterdam. Furthermore getting the right information concerning deadlines and procedures and so on. I spend a lot of time on Style.com. More tasks: sending requests for clothing to press offices and fashion houses. And waiting in anticipation until the arrival of bags and parcels from London to Paris. Or crossing London to visit press offices and shops. I attended Paris fashion week to look for interesting designers.
Working in the context of i-D magazine proved to be a possibility to study personal styling and street style more closely and get inspiration from the London scene. i-D is a magazine based originally on the strong and thriving street culture of London. Fashion, music and art from the underground and the streets using street and club kids, artists, musicians as models. These are the same people who buy the magazine. The searching the archive of i-D and just the fact of living in London and meeting these people gave me a lot of inspiration. I spend one month of going to parties, London Fashion week was on,
art openings, festivals and meeting cool people in both fashion and art. My portfolio of course always close by, you never know.
The photo shoot took place in Amsterdam with a Dutch team headed by fashion photographer Wendelien Daan. I already admired her work for a long time so she was an obvious choice. The shoot was nerve wrecking, and exiting. I got a lot of support from the die hard professional people at the set and from my sister Simone. I had to pinch myself several times.
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November 23rd. I am holding the January issue of i-D magazine, containing my own shoot "Kinetic colour warfare". I laugh silently at my own initial fears. Terry Jones congratulates me with the end result "very, very good". The motivating words of Dean, the art director still ring resonate: "Just do it". This has been one amazing and intense month. The shoot generated a lot of positive reaction. I even got a new assignment from i-D. My dream is still to work as a fashion designer but I came to understand how the fashion designer and the stylist are connected and reinforce each other. My way of designing is enriched. Furthermore London still is the center of style, art and music. And a totally inspiring one. My plans? Presenting a new collection in September 2006. Look out for me!
Kisses
Marga Weimans
E V E would like to say a special thanks to: Everybody at i-D!
Especially Terry and Tricia Jones and Erika Kurihara
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