Looking threw the glass of Venues

On my daily commute past the “Blond venues” shop in the valley I can’t help but to look at there window displays and whenever they change it I play a little game to myself call “Hit or miss” and in spite the reputation of the place sometimes it’s a miss for me. But the latest thing they have on there window is a definite Hit.

I find the current dress on display to be bold, original, clever and yet simple at the same time.

I was intrigued enough to actually do some research on who designed it, and this is what I found out.

It’s designed by a lady call “Mary Katrantzou” she was born in Greece, and first studied at Rhode Island School of Design before transferring to Central Saint Martins where she graduated with a distinction in MA Fashion.

For her graduate collection she featured dresses with oversize jewelery digitally printed on to silk (which would become her signature look) gave the illusion of wearing giant neck pieces. In turn she also created real jewelery pieces design as exact replicas of the prints. This collection made her an instant hit with the buyers and the press alike.

Due to the hit of her gradation collection she started her own label. She received a New Generation Sponsorship to produce a second collection for AW09/10 which was launched during London Fashion Week in February 2009.

Her hyper-real imagery of her graduate collection is further explored but this time the pictures of jewelery have been replaced by art deco style glass perfume bottles.

The print of the perfume bottles worn on a woman’s body creates the illusion of an hourglass silhouette which accentuates the female figure.

Mary Katrantzou’s range is only stocked in 2 places in Australia one at “Le Louvre” in Melbourne and the other being where I saw it, Blond Venus in Brisbane.

At over $1000 a Dress Ill just have to keep dreaming while looking at it behind glass but from now on I promise to keep a lookout for her work.

From Mary Katrantzou's Graduate collection



Some of her garments from her AW09/10 collection that is currently sold in Australia.



Mary’s latest collection for spring 2010 is inspired by the spiraling, fluid forms and colors of blown glass. She also commission British master of art glass-blowing, Peter Layton, to make neck pieces and cuffs to accompany the collection. This collection is not yet available in Australia.



All photo's courtesy of Style.com