Splish & Splash Around

photo: Splish Splash beachwear

Beach wear can be awfully dull, predictable and clone like, with numerous swimwear and such appearing all to look exactly the same and very much identical. Fashion often neglects this area failing to focus on producing pretty and off the wall beachwear.
There is zero existence in variety, left with little choice except to opt for the same old, same old navy blue swimsuit or at a push striped with the highstreet seemingly oblivious to the poor lack of styles and prints available to us girls. When not sunbathing and splashing around at the beach we make an effort to look ever so snazzy, stylish, and more importantly individual, after all fashion is a form of self expression.This shouldn't stop being applied when at the beach. Only with highstreet, mundane and mass produced swimwear, self-expression proves too difficult and challenging. Defeated, left with no other back up plan, other than to slip into that damn striped swimsuit from last year. Or indeed skip that day trip to the sea side altogether, with fear of resembling some sort of swimsuit striped army; as every other girl sunbathing next door is also sporting the same not-so-newlook swimsuit. Wonderful, tidal wave just hit me now.

Do not cancel that summer holiday yet! As Splish Splash beachwear is here to save us all from a possible swimsuit nightmare, joy! Nowhere else and certainly not on the highstreet can you discover 1950's shaped swimwear with an impressive array of 1980's geometric futuristic space invasions, light bulbs and peach strawberry sorbet prints. Yep sorbet.
It continues to get better too, if you don't fancy strawberry sorbet or space invasions or you think yourself as a bit of an creative creature slash fashion designer. Get-a sketching and cutting out some sources of inspiration, select your desired garment shape then click send. With the help from some cleaver people your swimwear design dream can become reality!
Each piece is totally made to order and fear not if you weren't blessed with creative genes as there are plenty of prints to chose from.With each special splish splash design process from print straight through to the pattern cutting/ dressmaking made in England (yes England, rare huh?).

But who I hear you cry ( OK the truth is I'm the curious one here) is transforming shabby swimwear into bold bespoke bouncing beachwear?
Verity Lamb is the genius girl encouraging us all to be our glamorous and quirky selves down the seaside. Though Verity is one very busy person at the 'mo ( rocking Brighton fashion week) she still took the time to tell me a little about herself and Splish Splash...

What Kicked off your interest with fashion?

Well my interest in fashion grew from my love of imagery, as a young child I loved fonts, images I always collection newspapers, magazines etc, when I started my foundation art I pushed my drawing skills thought I would follow that fine art painting scene but when I discovered textiles I fell in love with so many process. When I started university at Brighton I new I wanted to combine print with textiles, when I started to create prints for garments and physically see my prints on garments that i designed it was love at first sight.

You've had some pretty impressive work experience, what with Eley Kishimoto on your CV. What was it like working behind the scenes at such an giant fashion label?

Eley Kishimoto was a good experience but very hard work, its a company that are still going strong after ten years, behind closed doors is very stressful and a real finical struggle regarding production, just showed me how important
it was to have a UK based production team. Wak Kishimoto (head designer) is amazing she so quite and sweet but such an amazing creative head on her she designs all prints and garments.



Did Eley Kishimoto so to speak, give you any handy fashion design tips?

Eley Kishimoto gave me a real understanding of the industry and how it worked, It made me realise that it is possible to be your own boss and create your own design univers. What was shocking was how many companies and shall I say high street stores ripped them of constantly, when this is some eyes is considered flattery I just look at it as ripping of pure talent to sell to the masses at a cheaper rate just puts so many companies out of business.

So when did you realise setting up your own label was the way forward, was it always on your fashion agenda? Or rather a happy accident, that just evolved?

I have always wanted to run my own business since a young age, even though I enjoyed some of my experiences in industry, I found the practices of most top end designers and high street companies very bad. The majority of the industry use students (free labour) to make and create their collection's, even if you studied for 4 years and have experience most companies expect you to work for free for a least 2 - 3 years before be considered to go on the books, which i feel is a terrible practice, all these talented graduates not been paid?

One of the main reason for setting up business was that i would be designing and creating, as you don't get that opportunity in most companies, also i hate being bossed about I am the boss.


The concept behind splish splash is quite unique, and genius. How did you come up with the idea to avoid mass production at all costs?

The idea of my company is to provided a bespoke service for modern day girl wanting a bit of individuality, fun & quality, than the repetition of the norm. Each garment has design consideration for the individual client. There still are high cost to my process, such as sizing and the materials I use.




Your designs are extremely eclectic 1950's meets 1980's why and what is it you adore about these two fashion decades?

I love the idyllic home life of the 1950's that everything is so perfect, I love the imagery colours, style of most 50's items, such as household objects and clothing. The 1980's was my childhood I love the prints colours, power dressing so many things, I love recreating looks with a modern mix.

Finally I've got to ask you this: say you could collaborate with any fashion designer in the world, who would you chose to pattern cut with!?

I love to collaborate with Barbara Hulnicki the Creator of BIBA she is a God to me and frankly her skills have never been meet to this day.

all photos from: Splish Splash beachwear



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