Professional Documents
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Page 20
THE FUTURE OF
Philip Treacy, John Rocha
and Louise Kennedy fly the
flag for Irish fashion but
who will pick up the baton
for the next generation? We
meet four young designers
who are already creating a
stir and are set for the top.
CHRISSIE JOHNSON, 23, from Co.
Down, won the Persil design competition, a competition open to
final year, and recent graduate
design students, with a red and
fuschia puffball dress. She will now
work with world renowned
designer John Rocha. She says:
I ALWAYS thought that becoming a
fashion designer didnt happen to
people from round here, only to people who grew up in London or New
York, so sometimes I really cant
believe what Im doing. Especially
when I think about how I nearly
went on a very different path.
After leaving school I started
by Danielle
McGrane
studying medicine in Aberdeen but
within about six weeks I knew it wasnt for me and decided to leave. I was
still thinking about doing science,
but my parents suggested I do something I really wanted to do, so I went
for it. I was so nervous at fashion college because I thought everyone
would be better than me. But I
remember Mum saying why would
they want you if you knew it all?
At first I didnt have a clue but
after four years I finally feel like I
know what Im doing. Designing is
what I love most but when it came
to making things I was a disaster.
Luckily my tutors were always on
hand to sort me out so I dont have
any disastrous pieces in my closet.
The entry forms for the Persil competition were sent to our college
where its a really big deal. Designing for the competition is a project
Judy
Eastwood
Donna
Ross
7 Stone
weightloss
Before
Before
Before
12 Stone
weightloss
6 Stone
weightloss
s u r g e r y
www.thehospitalgroup.org
The new
wave:
From left,
young
designers
Melanie
Kinmonth,
Chrissie
Johnson,
Lynsey
McKernan
and Lucy
Moller
designer when youre stressed out
in college, three months from the
end of your course.
For the last five and half years
Ive been working in TopShop, to
support myself through college,
and I dream of the day my clothes
will be hanging on their rails.
I would rather design for everyday people and see my designs on
the street, not just on a catwalk.
And these days you can have so
much fun with the high street
you can experiment just as much
as with high-end fashion.
I am just about to start working
for a huge design company called
Montex for 3 months. They saw my
design on the Late Late and asked
me for an interview.
They design for high street stores
such as Dunnes Stores, Next and
Diesel Ireland, and have just set up
their own design label. Ill be working on clothes that will be in stores
up and down the country. Its my
dream job, but this is just the
beginning.
MY STYLE: Feminine and glamorous, with a retro edge. I make