Sunday, July 26, 2015

Knitwear Designer: Aisling Camps (PT 1)

Ismail oubarka | 8:08 PM

Photos: Donald Michael Chambers
Model: Alana Nipper
Makeup: Nina Alcantara

“So the collection started from there with colors and then I started experimenting with soft shapes and forms. Layers of gauzy knits over tighter ones, subtle cutouts and playing with garments that can double up on themselves.”

Trinidadian Knitwear Designer, Aisling Camps is back with her latest collection. Featured in November on Urban Bush Babes, Camps this time shares exclusively with us her inspiration and how Trinidad played a momunmetal role in creating her absolutely stunning new line. Scroll below to read more and stayed tuned for the second part of this 2 part feature with an in-depth interview.

“Trinidad has some truly magical hidden spots like Sans Souci and Grande Riviere. After being away from my home country, I really enjoyed taking the time to explore these hidden gems.

I visited Grande Riviere early in the year when the dry season was just starting and the green of the trees was beginning to get a bit of a dusty hue to it. The immortelle trees were just coming into bloom and the drive there was especially breathtaking. There were carpets of orange covering the narrow winding road. The flecks of orange and ochre in the forest, juxtaposed right against the ocean with a deep dirty teal, was especially breathtaking and I knew for certain that this was the colour story that I wanted to use for my next collection. I forgot about the Trinidad dry season. I forgot about the colours that you don’t see in New York. It was so fresh and definitely something that I wanted to play with.

So the collection started from there with colors and then I started experimenting with soft shapes and forms. Layers of gauzy knits over tighter ones, subtle cutouts and playing with garments that can double up on themselves. I experimented with a jacquards in a wave design and a short row intarsia that gave the effect of a “beach camouflage”. For the first time, I used bamboo yarn for some of the garments which is super soft.

We ended up shooting the collection at the very place that I was inspired. I was so glad that we were truly able to capture what I had in my head several months before.” -Aisling Camps