ESTILA e m po w e ri n g t hrough style and colour
VOLUME 4/ ISSUE 23
THE MISS TROPICAL ISSUE ESTILA is a British lifestyle publication on a mission to inspire and empower through sophisticated style and colour. We believe that style is about who you are. It’s a way of living. Therefore, we focus on telling powerful stories of self-discovery, creativity and fulfilment. From interiors, art, fashion, shopping to beauty and travel you can get inspired by beautiful imagery, inspirational interviews and helpful advice from our expert editors and writers.
ŠCopyright 2017 ESTILA ESTILA magazine is created and published by Palantti Ltd. The entire content of this magazine is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without written consent from the publisher. The views expressed in this publication are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the publisher. Original work and photography is copyrighted by its owner. ISSN 2398-9041 Designed and printed in the United Kingdom.
editor’s note Welcome to the fourth print edition of ESTILA magazine. I'm constantly on a look out for creativity and design that is slightly different but still sophisticated. I find that pushing the boundaries of both doesn't always have to be eccentric or over the top. Balance of colours and style are the two indicators for me that I guide myself with. My starting point for the MISS TROPICAL volume was the stunning "Miss Tropical" art on the front cover. Created by a very talented, self-taught illustrator and artist Peggy Wolf, it shows how art and fashion can be used together in a very original way. Inspired by the tropical vibe, we explore interiors designed by Kim Stephen, whose signature style is about balancing vibrant energy with relaxed liveability, and we look into the family home owned by a British interiors blogger and stylist Melanie Lissack. In fashion we discover great emerging designers and brands including Tramp in Disguise, Dolce Roopa and Alexandra Miro, whose work is not only unique and purposeful but also easily accessible to all of us. In our business mindset section we focus on following your intuition and how consistency can help you in your business but also in everyday life. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Karolina Barnes / editor-in-chief
EDITOR’S PICKS
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EDITORS Karolina Barnes Anouska Lancaster / noushkadesign.com Emilia Vespoli Flavia Young / luxe-layers.com Nicola McCullough / strawberryblondebeauty.com Ellen Stanton / paleblueplate.com
STYLISTS Louise Ives-Wilkinson / iwinteriors.co.uk Karolina Barnes
PROOF READER Claire Smith / eclairesva.com
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS Louise Ives-Wilkinson Karolina Barnes Yeshen Venema Alex Hill Dan Kennedy Ellen Stanton
CONTACT estila.co / IG @estilamag For advertising and collaborations, please write to editor@estila.co Website: estila.co
COVER: "Miss Tropical" by Peggy Wolf Page 36
content INTERIORS Case Study: Modern Classics
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Home Tour: Beauty Within 12 Textile Design: Interview with Julie Kouamo
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Business with Purpose: Galapagos Designs
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Styling: Inside Out 30 ART Cover story: Miss Tropical - Interview with Peggy Wolf
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FASHION Designer Spotlight: Roopa Sachidanand, Dolce Roopa
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Shopping: Pastel Pretty 48 Business: Tramp in Disguise 50 Discovered: Emerging Designers 56 New Fashion Brand: Alexandra Miro
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BEAUTY Business: Art of Perfumery with Celso Fadelli
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Five minutes with Mahler & Kin
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Interview with Caroline Hirons 72 TRAVEL & FOOD Sustainability in Bella Italia 76 Summer Salads 79 BUSINESS MINDSET Snapshot of your life - Part 3. with Sarah Jones
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Branding through consistency 87 EDITOR’S BLACK BOOK 88
INTERIORS “I wanted to create a home with clean and airy feel.”
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i n teriors ¡ c ase study
Modern Classics written by Melanie Lissack, photography by Karolina Barnes
When we moved into the house two years ago, the house was very 'us' architecturally. It is a beautiful white, double-fronted, period home with lovely coving and marble fireplaces. However, every room in the house was painted the same colour (cream), apart from bathroom, which was baby blue and the kitchen units, which were canary yellow! I had a fantastic base, I just needed to put my stamp on it decor-wise. My favourite interiors book 'Old House, New Home' by Ros Byam Shaw is always a huge source of inspiration for me, and I would say that I love a period home with contemporary decor. The aim for this house was therefore to highlight the fabulous existing features, but for it to be contemporary and slightly eclectic in style. My style is modern but classic, and sometimes slightly quirky. I love traditional features like wall panelling and focal-point fireplaces, but I also want bold wallpaper and a birdcage lampshade thrown in the mix.
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Art doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive and by well-known artists. What it does need to do is be loved by the homeowner and collected over time - it can be a little statue bought in an obscure shop in a seaside town when on holiday, or a poster you saw in Habitat, and just loved and framed, or even the big ticket piece that you eyed out in a gallery for months and finally broke the bank for. Getting a designer to assist with your art buying is often recommended if there is much wall space to cover, but the homeowner ideally should remain close to the process and the choices should really reflect what they personally love. A little bit of folly is key to giving personality to a space. Interiors can be oh-so-serious and introducing just a little bit of fun here and there lifts the spirits on a dull day! kimstephen.com
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IG @kimstephen_interiors
i n t eriors · te xtile design
Viñales Collection by
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i n t e riors ¡ te xtile design
Stories of Prints interview by Karolina Barnes, photography by Yeshen Venema
Immediately after entering the open studios event at Cockpits Arts in London the other day, my eyes were drawn to a pattern on cushions and lampshades displayed beautifully to welcome its guests and to set the vibe of the creativity in the building. It was almost at the end of our tour that I met the textile designer behind them. Bringing stories of travel and colour through printed cushions, wallpapers, lampshades and home accessories, is something unique to Julia Kouamo of Kouamo, who founded the brand in 2011. The designs share journeys through warm memories or fragmented dreams of far-off places. Julie's appetite for exploration extends to the way she works. She gathers inspiration from across the globe through photography and illustration, and the result is in artisan products beautifully made, and made to last - with the finest materials, hand finishing and detailing.
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What has been your journey so far? The journey has been really interesting full of ups and some downs, plenty of questions and reflections but always learning. I started as a textile freelance designer working for design studios and brands like Designers Guild in the product development team, and then I created my business but I think I started as a designer and not as a business owner. Since 2012 and being at Cockpit Arts, the London business incubator for designermakers, my business changed a lot: I exhibited in ICFF in New York and Maison et Objet in Paris, great experiences, and that’s where I knew there was potential.
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i n t e riors · te xtile design The brand has evolved a lot in five years, I have defined much more my values, my tone of voice, my market and now it is all about my customers, trying to understand them as much as I can to provide them with great and inspiring products, and for them to being part of the journey.
How important are colour and pattern in your work? Has your approach to both of them changed over time? Colour and pattern have always been part of my design work since college actually, but it has evolved quite a bit along the way. At the beginning I was using colour in a quite raw way, very instinctively. Now I have learnt more about colours, how each colour react with each other and how to combine them to create more subtle patterns. As much as I love colours, my first instinct is to use as many as I can, but I learnt (and am still learning) that a smaller colour palette can create as much impact, too. My approach to pattern has always been about storytelling and I am inspired by travels that I went to so my patters are usually influenced by the stories and the countries of the collection.
Who or what inspires you? Design-wise: Travelling is a big source of inspiration for me. I love researching the different ways of markmaking and printmaking, giving traditional print techniques a contemporary twist in my work. Nature is another big source of inspiration for me: Flowers, trees, leaves, especially going close to nature - it brings natural patterns to my work. Sometimes nature does it best. Who: I love artists such as William Klein, a photographer who looks at the city and its people in a very unique way, and Rothko, painter, and how he shows emotions and feelings through colours.
What was the concept behind your latest collection? With the Viñales Collection, Kouamo takes you to a small town in North West Cuba. Cuba is an island full of fascination and under the surface much is changing. Here in the countryside though, it feels that time is on hold. Our designs draw on the beauty in the detail of everyday life in the Cuban countryside. The music in the air, a queue at the bakery, games on the outdoor football pitch and animals running free in the courtyard. The Viñales people have cultivated tobacco for generations and their cigars are famous all over the world. We celebrate their deep understanding of the soil. Using layers of print techniques - memories and colours from Viñales, and the surrounding areas are blended with traditional French ‘Toile de Jouy’ tones and styles. Sketches, lino prints and photography depict bright window shutters, a sleeping dog and a tobacco farmer. We observe rocking chairs at ‘siesta’ and the abundant foliage, which cloaks the landscape in colour.
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IG @kouamo
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art ¡ c ov er stor y
Miss Tropical interview by Karolina Barnes
Inspiration and creativity is all around us. And, social media help us to find plenty of both beyond our borders. I came across Peggy Wolf, a self-taught illustrator, yes - you guessed it, on Instagram. She initially studied fashion design but during her studies she found her love for illustrating and later moved to London. The vibrant and buzzing city has shaped her creativity enormously, having had the time to create various female portraits, using her trademark technique. Often described as quirky, colourful, enigmatic and sophisticated characters with an edge, her work marries art and fashion together, attracting clients from beauty, fashion, interior design and publishing. Artwork: previous page "Miss Tropical", below "Fresh"
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shopping
Soothing and relaxing to the human eye, soft pastels are a fresh and trendy way to incorporate subtle accents without being too sticky sweet. research and graphics by Emilia Vespoli
IG @via_san_vito
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5. HOUSEOLOGY - COLE & SON
1. AMARA - FORNASETTI
Contemporary Restyled Flamingos Wallpaper
Ortensia Floral Tray
2. LIM & LU Mass Series Daybed
3. CHUPI Print Rose Gold Necklace
Pastel Pretty 6. M'ODA 'OPERANDI CHRISTINA ECONOMOU Lily Printed Maxi Dress
7. AMARA - LADUREE Caprice Perfumed Ball
4. AMARA - BLUEBELLGRAY
8. MY THERESA - MIU MIU
Blush Velvet Pompom Cushion
Suede Platform Sandals
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be au t y ¡ fiv e minutes with..
Mahler & Kin interview and photography by Karolina Barnes
What led you to start mahler&kin? Our brand concept came to life while I was on maternity leave. Being a mother was a challenge in itself but I wanted to utilise the time to explore and develop my passion for business and creativity. I love my career as a buyer and wanted to ensure I did not lose touch! mahler & kin was born on holiday in 2016. Through gritted teeth my husband asked if I had, once again, been using his razor. And thus began my age old rant about there being a distinct lack of attractive women's razors that ACTUALLY worked without going goopy and mouldy within 3 days.
What is different about your brand and your products? I have designed the razors with a minimalistic and stylish form. In the women's market this is almost impossible to come by and the men's market is dominated by traditional styles - our razors will look beautiful in any bathroom. My family are Scandinavian so I love designing products with beautiful form but also function - they are made from an anti-wet grip premium resin with 18 carat rose gold finishing on our AURA collection. All our razors are handmade in England, (which is very important to us!) to a very high quality specification. They simply won't rust, scratch or come apart. The razors fit either a Gillette Mach 3 or a Venus blade so our customers can choose which suits them best and can replace them conveniently. As standard they come with a Mach 3 blade as I believe this gives the best shave, but we don't discriminate between the women's world or the men's! Where can customers buy your products? You can buy our razors at mahlerandkin.com or we are stocked in boutiques in London and across the country to the North of England.
mahlerandkin.com
IG @mahlerandkin
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THE EDITOR’S BLACK BOOK At ESTILA, we are passionate about highlighting small, independent British lifestyle, interiors and fashion brands, and useful contacts. I spend hours and hours visiting shows, pop-ups, boutiques, events, and scrolling through Instagram, to find inspiring and unique talent, creativity and innovation. These are the best ones at the top of my list, which I keep for my own personal reference.
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HOMEWARE & LIFESTYLE
FASHION & ACCESSORIES
1. DECOR A LIST
5. OHLINA
www.decoralist.com
IG @decor.a.list
Decor A List is an online boutique for global luxury, unique and bespoke home decor, furniture and art. The boutique caters to a variety of aesthetics and is carefully curated on the foundation that everyone has a unique style, which should be reflected in their home. Founder, Catherine Cornelissen, also offers interior design closely focusing on the client's interests and innately stylish flair, bespoke pieces and the sourcing of artworks, furniture and home furnishings to provide tailored luxury.
2. TUSSIE MUSSIE www.tussiemussie.london
IG @tussiemussielondon
Tussie Mussie produce luxury natural candles that are handpoured in London. They are inspired by the Victorian’s secret language of flowers, a language that was fragrant with meaning. We believe that candles should be as natural as possible which is why we only use the finest essential oils to create our bespoke fragrances, our wax is natural and our wicks are made of cotton which have a clean burn in your home.
3. NEWTONS FURNITURE www.newtonsfurniture.co.uk IG @newtons_ furniture
Known for standing out from the crowd, Newtons create timelessly distinctive and classically elegant French style beds and bedroom furniture for the self assured and uncompromising. Each piece is carved by hand by artisan craftsmen and our exclusive designs range from gracefully romantic to dramatically opulent.
IG @lukslinen
Lüks Linen is an independent, ethical home and lifestyle brand working with family ateliers and master weavers in Southern and South Eastern Turkey to create a range of soft furnishings and textiles for indoor and outdoor living. From timeless heritage blankets and throws to contemporary cushions and their hero product the peshtemal their focus is on versatility, longevity and a less is more approach to modern day living. All of their products are handwoven in pure Turkish cotton and come with a 20 year repair or replace guarantee. USE YOUR QR PHONE SCANNER & SCAN ME
To find out more about these beautiful brands, scan the QR code with your QR App.
IG @ohlinastudio
6. DAI www.daiwear.com
IG @daiwear
Dai is performance wear for the professional woman. Founded by Joanna Dai, the Dai's first collection balances modern aesthetics, timeless silhouettes and purposeful functionality. Dai uses innovative technical fabrics do everything your leisurewear does, but with smart, tailored lines.
7. TIANA JEWEL www.tianajewel.com
IG @tianajewelondon
Tiana Jewel is a bohemian inspired jewellery brand designing power healing crystal pieces, based in London, UK. Each crystal is handpicked for its raw beauty and its unique healing properties. Crystals are our intimate passion, enabling us to tune into the wisdom and spirituality of the universe. Timeless pieces that will never go out of fashion, our magical crystals are hidden gems beneath the crater of the earth.
PLATFORM
4. LÜKS LINEN www.lukslinen.com
www.ohlina.co
OHLINA is a contemporary jewellery design studio with expertise in 3D printing, experimental design and digital fabrication. Founded by Selina Yau, a digital artisan and British designer who trained as an architect, is on a mission to celebrate creative freedom with technology as an expressive empowerment in the form of sculptural jewellery. OHLINA discovers sculptural beauty from nature’s silhouettes and handcrafting them with the fusion of traditional and digital craftsmanship into wearable voices of personality for you to share with the world — designed to express, empower and integrate into your story of beauty and elegance.
UTELIER www.utelier.com
IG @utelier
Utelier was set up by Dessy Tsolova after her frustration of the absence of a single reliable information source for production contracts within the fashion industry. Utelier connects designers, manufacturers and fashion specialists worldwide together.
DESIGN STUDIO 8. KIT MILES www.kitmiles.co.uk
IG @kitmiles
Founded 2011, Kit Miles is the eponymous luxury interior surface design studio renowned for dynamic use of colour and lavishly drawn imagery, bringing surprising juxtapositions and unique imagination into reality.
Each Cover, Different Colour
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High performing Elegant Effortless
Performance wear for women who mean business. Smart, technical fabrics meet clean tailoring and minimal design. A brand for sustainable and social impact.
ESTILA MAGAZINE
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