Sarah Swash, Toshio Yamanaka/Swash 245
076
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Sarah Swash and Toshio
Yamanaka graduated
from Central Saint
Martins College of Art
and Design in 2001
with a BA (Hons) in
womenswear. They
envisioned their
eponymous label in
2004, and showcased
their collection at
Hyères where they
won the Fashion
Grand Prix and were
awarded a further two
prizes by the esteemed
panel of judges. They
have had two catwalk
shows during London
Fashion Week in
2004/2005–both
sponsored by Topshop.
They have worked on
various projects that
include designing a
capsule collection for
the French store 1,2,3,
a lm commissioned
by Showstudio, and a
collection of accessories
with Dazed & Confused
Japan and Garcia
Marques. More recently
they collaborated on a
line of furnishings with
the world famous shop
Habitat entitled “Swash
for Habitat,” and in
2007 were one of the
10 selected designers in
Mango Fashion Awards.
Sarah Swash, Toshio Yamanaka/Swash
www.swash.co.uk
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751 INSPIRATION. We begin by nding
the theme or the objects that we will work
with to create the collection. From there,
we start the drawings and paintings. These
are a very timely part of the process. The
paintings are then put together into repeat
prints, scarves, and placement prints for
clothes.
752 D
EVELOPING A COLLECTION. The
concept of the collection does not have to
translate into everything you design and
trying to do this wouldn’t be realistic. A
collection will have an overall mood, or
themes and details that will run through it.
Often though particular garments will just
be ideas you have been working on for a
while or simply a shape that you like.
753 M
ATERIALS. We choose fabrics
for different reasons. Usually we choose
them after visiting fabric fairs or visiting
factories directly. Often we select a fabric
with the print in mind, something which
will be responsive to color and go through
the digital print process well. We like to
use luxurious fabrics, particularly silks,
which move well and feel beautiful to wear.
754 I
NDIVIDUALITY VS. GROUP BELONGING.
Individuality.
755
T
RADITIONAL
MANUFACTURING VS.
EXPERIMENTATION. A
balance of tradition and
experimentation is the
most exciting, whether
that be by using a
traditional technique in
a new way or re-working
something very classic
in a new yarn, color, or
nish.
246 1,000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers
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Sarah Swash, Toshio Yamanaka/Swash 247
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26/11/09 16:58:10
756 COMMUNICATION. It is de nitely
important to think about how you present
your ideas in terms of a lookbook or
photographs. It’s also a very exciting part
of the process and certainly something we
work on personally.
757 E
VOLUTION. Absolutely. That’s part
of the fun and excitement of fashion as you
have the opportunity to present fresh ideas
so often.
758 I
S FASHION ART? No, fashion is not
art. Fashion is made to be worn.
759 A
DVICE. Making a collection isn’t
possible without a good address book of
suppliers.
760 A
CKNOWLEDGEMENT. Hearing from
people who own it, love it, and wear it.
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761 INSPIRATION. When I design a new
collection I think of an elegant woman,
sensual and relevant, who has a style. The
emblematic women I think of are Audrey
Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, and Grace
Kelly. Nowadays, Gisele Bündchen and
Natalie Portman correspond well to the
type of women I design for. Architecture
is also a great source of inspiration for me.
I’m an absolute fan of Oscar Niemeyer.
762 M
ATERIALS. I choose a fabric rst,
because of what it looks like, then because
of its touch and its quality. I buy a lot of
Italian fabrics. I can’t say I will never use
one speci c fabric. Technical development
is constant, and for instance some years
ago I would have said I would never use a
polyester, but nowadays they make some
beautiful and really qualitative things with
polyester!
763 C
OLORS. I’m looking for two things
in color. First is femininity and happiness,
with soft and bright colors. Second is the
contrary: masculinity, with some “no-
colors”–dark colors, grayish, etc. This
opposition of colors nally leads to a
harmony. It’s like the yin and the yang:
you can nd a balance using the opposites.
764 T
RADITIONAL MANUFACTURING VS.
EXPERIMENTATION. I think that tradition
and experimentation are both good. You
have to nd a good balance. That is one of
the keys of Paule Ka style. Developing a
representative item in a collection is a very
good thing I guess. Indeed it’s a way for a
brand to create its identity. It’s a sign of
recognition. In my case, the representative
item of Paule Ka’s collections has always
been the little black dress.
765 C
OMMUNICATION. I’m convinced
that communication is very important.
You have to let people know your know-
how! Nowadays, even more than ever, the
image of a brand is crucial. I have a team
in charge of communication. We all work
together, hand in hand.
248 1,000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers
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Serge Caj nger/Paule Ka 249
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26/11/09 16:58:36
770
A
DVICE. The best lesson I would
like to share is that we can improve
ourselves everyday. You have to
remain humble. Pride is the worst
enemy that a designer can have.
766 EVOLUTION. Everyday I should say!
767 S
TYLE. The DNA of the brand
remains the same collection after
collection, so that you can nd some
recurrent pieces such as bi-material
dresses, bi-color dresses, or high-waisted
pieces. The things that change are
techniques, fabrics, ideas.
768 S
TREET FASHION VS. FASHION
DESIGNER. I think that there’s a real
exchange between designers and the street.
A designer can propose something, and
then the street can adopt and adapt it to its
own style and desire. This reinterpretation
of a piece can be a new source of inspiration
for the designer. In fact, it’s like a dialogue
between people in the street and designers.
769 A
CKNOWLEDGEMENT. The best praise
for me is the loyalty of my customers who
adhere to Paule Ka’s style.
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