AN AUDIENCE WITH ALEXANDRA GROOVER: NEW QUEEN OF THE BLACK SILHOUETTE.
A/W 09
Photographer: Akio
Stylist: Yasuhiro Takehisa
Although my fashion lingo is limited and I am no Tommy Ton, it does not take much to see that this is the way that fashion should be headed. Please lord let fashion go this way! Alexandra Groover, like so many talented designers before her is a graduate from Central St Martins in London and has also left her paw print in the studios of significant contemporary fashion houses including the hallowed halls of Alexander Mc Queen. Although a Californian native, you will not see any Coachella color in this pretty young things collections.
I work in black because I find color to be a distraction in my designs. I am primarily interested in silhouette, texture, and subtle design details. These are all things that could easily get lost in colors or prints. Also, colors often date very rapidly. I choose black because it is a favorite of mine, a classic, and is flattering on all ages and body types
Grey Label Three
Photographer: Alexandra Groover
Model: Linn Carin Dirdal
Alexandra Groover garments seem to transcend a base knowledge of fashion trends and embrace the idea of design as a more considered art form. As any artist worth there salt knows, the creative process must not be restricted to a taught practice; it should embrace all forms of the creative sphere. The Alexandra Groover label not only presents a garment it presents a collective of ideas.
I've always been more drawn to fine art generally. I like the idea of being able to turn my art projects into functional garments as well….I love to research and abstract. My sketches are usually quite literal in the beginning, and often my designs become extremely abstracted to the point where I may be the only one that can see the references. I find pleasure in using tools such as deconstruction and metamorphosis in the design process.
Black label One
Photographer: Susan Surface
Model: Vera Balyura
Groover’s aesthetic does not stop at merely the design of clothes, the fashion label has now strived to bottle it‘s overall concept through colloborations in film, music and vision. For the S/S10 collection Groover chose to colloborate on a film to showcase the collection and has plans to do the same for future seasons.
I am usually in correspondence with potential collaborators during the development process because our work must come together in the final collection and presentation. So, for example, I have already been in touch with the musician I would like to work with for the(S/S11) film because I want to make sure that they will complement each other in the end. In addition, I have several more involved long term collaborations that require many developmental/preperatory meetings before the design process even starts.
S/S 10 collection
Although the fashion set adores the media hype of fashion week and the traditional catwalk template; a growing number of designers (Prada and Yang Fudong, Gareth Pugh and Ruth Hogben) are choosing alternate paths to showcase their collections. Groover’s collaborative nature recognises that although the garment is the final product; it cannot fully realise the myriad of conceptual ideas which brought about the result.
I hope it becomes more of a movement to present in a less conventional manner because catwalks are pretty straightforward and not usually as exciting as other presentations and exhibits. But that is why the press like catwalk shows. They like having an easily cataloged format, so it is good for getting press, but not always so unique/ creative.
A/W 09
Photographer: Akio
Stylist: Yasuhiro Takehisa
The Alexandra Groover label does not strut down the street; it quietly walks by you and as you brush shoulders in passing; you get a whiff of an intoxicating elixir of mystique, elegance and above all else style.
See more of Alexandra Groover at:
All text and quotes are copyight of somenewplace 2010
All images are used with the permission of the designer
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