Dear Shaded Viewers,
Londoners Annalisa Dunn and Dorothee Hagemann met when they were at Central St. Martin’s in 2007. THe collection is called Cooperative Designs.
DP: How would you describe your style?
A & D: fun with an intellectual approach
DP: How does emotion play into your work ?
A & D: … theres always a lot of emotion involved, but at some point you stop thinking and start working just intuitively… we always get carried away by the excitement…
DP: Do you remember the first horror film that you saw? What was it about the film that you remember most strongly?
A: I think the first horror film i saw was IT. About a killer clown who can only be seen by children. Very scary at the time! I remember the first time his face was revealed and his poem about death. I love the fantasy and melodrama of horror, its ridiculousness.
DP: What tribal iconography influenced you, how did you do your research?
A & D: We were originally inspired by a friends vintage hand knitted cardigan, and a scarf that Dorothee had been given as a child. Inspired by these pieces we went on to research mexican, andean and incan images, statues, religious icons etc.
DP: Has Bjork discovered you yet?
A & D: unfortunately not
DP: What kind of music do you like to listen to and does it drive your collection in anyway?
A & D: Its such an unconscious thing. I never think we have been, then when the collection has come togther i realise that our current favourite song is the perfect soundtrack to the collection. This season that was Goblin’s Suspiria and Tom Waits. his growly stuff.
DP: What is your design philosophy? Obviously comfort and cozy are a key to the collection.
A & D: We like to have a sense of humour about fashion, i think we have to!
we like to play with references, be a little bit clever, a little bit funny, but also beautiful…
DP: Where do you sell?
A & D: the s/s 08 collection is currently available at www.brittique.com
DP: What would your dream scenario be?
A & D: to see people wearing our designs… to have commercial success, but not give up our standards and ideals.
http://cooperative-designs.com
photography amy gwatkin
