Meeting…Jasper Garvida. Plus an exclusive!!

On Monday evening, I attended a wonderful event courtesy of Miele: an intimate blogger evening with amazing designer Jasper Garvida! Jasper is probably most well known for winning Project Catwalk back in 2008. He has come a long way since then though, achieving many of his dreams in a short space of time, including being featured in Vogue, showing at LFW and being part of Fashion Fringe. Phew, busy few years!

The evening started off with a rose test – washing a real rose in a Miele washing machine. It came out perfect, which is a testament to how great the washing machines are for delicates, some of Jasper’s silk dresses were washed too and felt just as good aftewards. There was also a Q&A with Jasper and after that, four bloggers had the opportunity to have a one-on-one interview with Jasper…and yes I was one of them! 

The Q&A

On when he got interested in fashion…“I was about 3 and I started playing with my sister’s hat at a wedding. I never considered it as a proper career, until I moved to London from Toronto at the age of 19”
On Project Catwalk…“It was great, I learnt to be daring, to show my capabilities and to wow. But it was very confined, you really find yourself in that sort of situation”
On reality TV and fashion…“I think it was a great platform for me. A lot of fashionistas think it’s suicide but it depends…”
On muses and icons…“I love Eva Green, she’s assured and classic. Greta Garbo, I love the 1920s, my new collection takes a lot of inspiration from that era. And of course Lady Gaga!”
On advise for aspiring designers…“The industry is very difficult, there are always people waiting to put you down. You need to tenacity and to have goals. When I started out, I wrote a list of 20 goals and I’ve achieved three of them in just two years. The list kept me focused”
On the new collection…“It’s very light, lots of silk. Think 1950s Paris!”

On where he sees himself in 10 years…“In Paris, taking over from Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel! You have to have dreams. Anyone can dream, dreams are free”

That last line is so beautiful! Anyway, onto my one-on-one..

The Interview

R – If you went back in time, would you do Project Catwalk again? 
J -Absolutely! I loved the contestants and kept in touch with them, and I also met Milla, my business partner.It was intense, you were asked very probing questions but I learnt how to stand on my own two feet

R – How would your life be different if you hadn’t done Project Catwalk?
J – I would be working for another designer, I would be unhappy. It was such a revelation for me, I used to be scared and shy. I learnt you shouldn’t be afraid, you should just be yourself.

R – What was it like moving from designing for a couture house to designing on the high-street?
J – In couture, you have to be creative and fashion forward, but on the high-street you think about women and their bodies, what makes them sexy. You have to think a lot more about your market. As a designer, I see myself as a servant to women. 

R – As someone who’s used models of all sizes, what do you think of the use of size 0 models in fashion?  
J – I like curves, they define a woman. I like promoting a healthy image, it’s so important to be healthy.

R – What kind of woman do you keep in mind when you’re designing?
J – She is between 25-35, a professional who shops for investment pieces which she will keep forever. I would love to dress Daphne Guinness, she’s so cool! I’ve dressed Sophie Dahl in the past, she’s one of my favourites [we digress, talking about her cookery show]

R – What do you think about bloggers? During LFW there was a lot of friction between bloggers and editors, where do you think bloggers sit in the fashion pecking order?
J – I love blogs, I read a lot of them. They’re moving the industry forward. The feedback is instant and you get an honest opinion, blogging offers an instant dialogue. They definitely have longevity in this industry, just look at internet sales. Editors are very different, they dictate fashion and offer a fantasy. 

And the exclusive!! “I really shouldn’t be telling you this…but I’m launching a sub-label. It’s very different to my Jasper Garvida label. It’s high-street. It should be launching in Fall. 

How exciting!! I’m very much looking forward to his high-street label. It will definitely be a success, Jasper is so uber-talented and he is the nicest man ever, so down to Earth and he has a beautiful spirit. Hope you enjoyed the interview!

Top – River Island, Skirt – Zara, Tights – ASOS, Boots – New Look, Cardi – Topshop