Galeries Lafayette launched the unique ‘Mother Blossom’ campaign that celebrates the advent of spring and featured creative floral designs by world-famous British paper artist ZOE BRADLEY. Ohlala talked to Zoe about the experience and support behind such an amazing venture…
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I studied Fashion Design at Middlesex and after graduating in fashion design and I went on to work as an apprenticeship at Alexander McQueen studio for 2 years. It was an extraordinary experience watching and learning from a designer so unique and visionary. It was something I could immediately relate to as I was never a ‘conventional’ designer I loved the theatre and spectacle of what fashion could offer. Performance art and theatre is still something that informs my work and where I draw most inspiration. Working in unconventional materials at McQueen was always a challenge, but it’s what led me to work in paper. It’s a raw material just like wood or a textile fabric, so I began to manipulate it – stitching it, folding, pleating, curling and scoring to create dresses and headpieces. It’s always difficult to define exactly what I do and who I am, as it involves several disciplines, I sculpt, design, draw on paper, with paper creating works of art that play with scale.
How do you remain disciplined when you combine sculpture, fashion and theatre in your work?
It starts with the silhouette. What is the overall shape that I am trying to create? It could be a huge hanging chandelier, a couture dress worn by a real model or a mannequin, a minute set design for jewellery. But it’s all about scale and attention to detail, and my fashion background has informed my discipline to push the boundaries of art and fashion.
What do you believe defines you as a paper artist?
Probably the scale of what I do in paper, my references over recent years has been very floral and the natural world continues to inspire me, flowers are my focus – I love to combine a fusion of fashion flowers and theatre. Be it a huge hanging chandelier, 6ft high dress, larger than life headpieces.
How have you evolved your artistic approach over the years?
I can get very different briefs in from brands, so firstly I’ve learnt a lot more on what makes those brands tick and why they have come to Zoe Bradley to create something special for them. I always try to stay true to myself and it always starts with an idea – the inspiration can come from a client themselves or I draw upon a wealth of books, my own photos and recently social media has been a creative source of discovery. I look to fuse the technology of laser cutting with traditional hand craft, which has become my signature style.
You were trained as an apprentice with fashion designer Alexander McQueen. What did you take away from that experience?
My time working with McQueen truly informed the rest of my career. It really was a seminal time and experience to work with such a visionary. Creating fashion as art, storytelling, pushing the boundaries – it all resonated with me and my approach to creating. The drama and spectacle are what drives me, but all done with learning a craft. Craftsmanship was at the heart of what Alexander McQueen did and I hope that is something I teach within my studio.
Today your clients include a variety of worldwide luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Christian Louboutin. Tell us who you would like to collaborate with in the future and why?
I’ve been very fortunate in working with some incredibly recognizable luxury brands and my work has taken me all over the globe from Australia and Japan to America and China. There are a couple of designers I find inspiring should an opportunity arise (Viktor & Rolf/Valentino/Giambattista Valli). I’m equally excited to collaborate with a brand completely outside the fashion industry, where my slightly left field ideas, my extreme silhouettes whether it be big or small scale can bring something new and create some visually inspiring storytelling.
“I was never a ‘conventional’ designer I loved the theatre and spectacle of what fashion could offer”
Is this your first time working with Galeries Lafayette? How was it working with Galeries Lafayette Doha?
Yes, it’s my first time working with Galeries Lafayette in Doha. The Middle East is a new market for me. I’m excited by the appreciation for art and attention to detail and craftsmanship in this country. I have been particularly inspired by the architecture of the National museum. The Galeries Lafayette store is beautiful and such an honour to be displayed in the store in such a prominent position by the entrance. I hope to provide the customers of Galeries Lafayette with a moment of theatre and wonder as you enter the store!
Symbolising the spring awakening of a new season and Mother’s Day, the pastel pink paper floral dress that you created is being featured prominently in the entrance to Galeries Lafayette. Tell us more about this dress that took 3 weeks to create.
The dress was built in 3 weeks, along with four bespoke headpieces to design and create. We created hundreds of hand sculpted flowers ranging from blossom flowers, roses, fuchsias, crafting over 1500 pink petals. With any of my creations, it’s about the impact and creating the ‘WOW’ factor and I hope that is what the Galeries Lafayette customer will find on entering the store. It becomes all-consuming when it’s on this scale.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t ordinarily know.
I love to cook as a pastime and for switching off, for me cooking is a bit of theatre, and I love to create and borrow cooking styles and fuse them together to create new tastes!