T&G INTERVIEW

GDEACONiles IS RED HOT THE PURVEYOR OF GLAMOROUS CLOTHES COVETED BY FILM STARS GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF HIS NEW COLLECTION IN THE MAKING BY BRITT COLLINS PHOTOGRAPHY DAMIEN FRY

idden in a quiet corner, Giles Deacon one of several dresses we set on fire,’ he says is like a mad inventor dreaming up the nonchalantly – and it would later feature in his unexpected, bizarre and downright London Week show. Hsinister. ‘Welcome to my lair,’ he says, emerging from ‘We made it for a shoot for LOVE magazine this his cubbyhole behind piles of glossy coffee-table art weekend. I know it sounds like a feral concept. books and a curious assortment of fluffy animals. The idea came from a game when you ask, “What A big bear of a man in a lime-green sweatshirt, would you take if your house was burning down?”’ jeans and his trademark aviator glasses, he is warm he explains with a glint of his offbeat, sometimes and earthy and reputedly leads a very ordinary pitch-black humour. ‘I imagined this world of life – a world apart from the icy froideur and someone beautiful in a stately house on fire. So self-absorption of your average fashion designer. we have this imaginary character whose home is His low-key East London studio – a second- burning down – which we’ve based on Hatfield House

storey space in a Brick Lane warehouse where in Hertfordshire, where Queen Elizabeth I lived V a dozen assistants are working away – is artfully messy, covered in a sea of fabrics and fashion ‘THE SHREDDED CHIFFON GOWN LOOKS sketches amid colourful rails and mannequins in floor-skimming, fairy-tale dresses. Among the AS IF IT’S BEEN SALVAGED FROM A FIRE. highlights are a black gothic affair as delicate THE IDEA CAME FROM A GAME WHEN as a spider’s web and a ghostly Miss Havisham- YOU ASK, “WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE IF style gown of shredded chiffon that looks as YOUR HOUSE WAS BURNING DOWN?”’

if it’s been salvaged from a fire. ‘That was just BRAGG DEBBIE PHOTOGRAPHY CATWALK

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Bottega Veneta,Bottega and others, I learned to adapt Castelbajac, at years ten my During . in for awhile McLaren Malcolm with lived also Castelbajac 70s, the In admired. always I’ve whom Westwood Vivienne to counterpart French the possibly is designs, imaginative his with and, character as hehim, with working was an interesting Ienjoyed Castelbajac. de Jean-Charles to Paris to Iwent First houses. fashion other at experience gather to wanted ‘I world. the explore to keen was He label. own his start to while a him took remains his great friend and collaborator. Katie Grand who, for a time, was his girlfriend and Hussein Chalayan, Stella McCartney and superstylist of homegrown talent – Alexander McQueen, London, Deacon was among the brightest generation the suggestion of his mother. At Central Saint Martins, would take him, he gravitated towards art school at stimulating.’ very all it I found Newcastle. from kids gangster rough and kids of landowners’ mix interesting an was ‘There countryside. the around roaming or drawing S/S alone, time his of much spent He housewife. a 12 was mother his and sales agricultural in worked father his where District, Lake the of part remote a in up growing poor, nor rich neither was He that.’ like something – picker flea a been have I’d know, you Or, keeping. zoo or biology marine that, failing or, work film or animation maybe creative, something done definitely, well have, creepy.would anything In another life, I probably ‘It was never from athe calling age of three or houses. burning –and frost winter and ice –fire, nature art, religious and medieval by inspired and textural’ ‘very are Hall, Stationers’ London Fashion Week at chandeliered the romantic, during unveiled be would which pieces, latest His inspiration. draws he which from world natural the and of animals love of his aconversation sparking hamsters, and kittens bunnies, of cute posters with bedroom ateenager’s resembles studio of his wall entire One off. cut heads their with of Bambis of darkness prints with covered dresses and headpieces swan surreal fabulously shown and dinosaurs, of baby shape the in handbags made spiders and snakes across running his collections, clients and magazine editors: he has had monkeys, playfulness and subversiveness loved by couturiers, get this ofkind aged feel, but with a modern we so slant.’ work, filigree the and tapestries the as such themes, other to then and burning the of theme main the to on us leads that and interior arich with property It’s astunning for atime. In contrast to many of his contemporaries, it it contemporaries, his of many to contrast In While scrabbling around for any college that happy. but solitary largely was childhood His Fashion, he says, was never part of the plan. grand This is a man best forknown his unique sense of

SPECIAL AND UNIQUE’ AND SPECIAL QUITEBE TO NEED PIECES SO HARDER, LOT A IS BECAUSE THE COMPETITION CREATIVITY MORE INSPIRES AWAY,‘IN THE RECESSION show A/W the and interview full the Watch so those pieces need to quite special and unique.’ sharpen your focus. The competition is a lot harder, inspires more inventiveness because it helps you people In awho way,do, thankfully. the recession spend fortunes on will butclothing, people there are some that think to climate economic ahard in difficult It’s always pieces. commissions for couture UK it’s pretty healthy. We get a lot of private the outside ‘It’s also and in place an interesting Newton, ‘whoup turn at the studio onand try stuff’. Natalie Portman, and Thandie presence and attractedclients, starry including it worked.’ and we could, as out of this sat down and worked out how to get as much mileage in. I had worked lotswith of them before. and Katie I I thought it was a good idea to get those supermodels the place. It’s an important city for me creatively and a chance to get some press and breathe life back into that as asaw positive I as but thing, then, downturn a of bit a on was London Milan. York, New Paris, anywhere, collection the launched have could ‘I laughs. he that,’ like B-listers of couple a just – O’Connor Erin Herzigova, Eva Elson, Karen he says. were they town,’ in ‘Ilucky legend. was – Grand at the centre ofof thewas it stuff fashion all of aand supermodels swarm dresses up– rustled by debutHis collection. first his of showstopping toloan aand make bank he savings his used illness, from recovering a mystery after goes, story the As sensation. instant an became he 2004, February in Week Fashion London at collection debut mesmerising his showing there. Since originality and creativity passion, the by lured London, to nice people in a positive environment is vital.’ terrorised. Pressure is not inspiring. Working with where one person has the say and all the others are daunting experiences with fashion hierarchies, satisfaction at the end of the workday. I had a few I’manything. only interested in the feeling of commercially more successful doesn’t mean methods. Just because one or other designer is people and learned that there are no good or bad to various worlds. I worked with the most diverse With that, I leave him to burn more dresses. dresses. more burn to him leave I that, With What’s the current climate like brands?for luxury Since then, he has built a successful international Evangelista, ‘Linda again? have you did Who back it hotfooted Deacon before long wasn’t It 12 on the T&G iPad the your on on app T&G TONIANDGUY.COM INTERVIEW

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