by Hannah Lindsay Fleming and Jim Morrall
Jim Morrall and Hannah Fleming muse on their encounter during Paris Fashion Week with Thomas Wylde’s founder Paula Thomas. Her rise from Dudley to LA was via skin heads, punks, skulls, stretch leather and silk. The presentation of Thomas Wylde for autumn winter 2012 was distilled and refined without forgetting Paula’s gritty and typically British eye for sub culture.
JM – So who would think that two brummies might meet so far from home?! Was not her journey, albeit surprising, just really visible in the collection…
HLF- Quite, however I struggled somewhat to get a word in with all the chatter of the ‘Black Country’. A delightful hour with Paula over a double espresso and some raspberries. As she conversed about her life, her influences, her quandaries; the more I could see her vivacity and how it was reflected in the collection. And your first impression? I noticed your little eyes light up over the accessories…
JM – Indeed the accessories were a highlight I thought that she was on it in terms of colour with that dusky nude and all the rock and roll hard- wear. It’s like you can see manifested in a clutch the journey to California’s very polished aesthetic through London sub culture via the medium of skulls. She was indeed a formidable lady and I think that strength is visible in the ready to wear….
HLF – I loved how the collection communicated subtleties from her past. The appeal for me was the careful and well thought out translation. It was very wearable. A grown-up adaptation of’ ‘r &r hard-wear’; who would have thought possible?
JM – It was very grown up wasn’t it?! But there was a kind of west coast optimistic, carefree mood. It wasn’t intimidating but it was nonetheless polished. A long way from ferrying samples in a mini and sub-letting in your Korean suppliers’ house to help them bond and sew your accessories in time to meet deadlines. I can and I cannot imagine Miss Thomas going there and doing that, she was very earthy and real but she looked so put together.
See www.thomaswylde.com
Fashion Article by Hannah Lindsay Fleming and Jim Morrall
