| Belle de Futur British design duo Belle Sauvage take us very much forward into the future with their vibrant digital prints and razor-sharp tailoring |
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For the past few seasons Belle Sauvage have staged their shows at the Old Sorting Office on New Oxford Street.
The building, built in the early 1960s and abandoned in the 1990s, sits out of place next to the otherwise manicured
buildings of Central London, an intensely austere grey block peppered with graffiti and bordered up windows. For
many a passer-by it is easily forgettable but for Belle Sauvage it was the perfect backdrop for their Fall/Winter 2011
collection, inspired by abstract expressionists like Jeff Koons and Frank Stella as well as the Brutalist architecture
with which London (the Old Sorting Office included) is so closely bound. Virginia Ferreira and Chris Neuman
(pictured left to right) have only been creating their sharp silhouettes and dynamic prints since 2008 but they have
quickly garnered a loyal following which includes pop/fashion icons Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. For 2011, Belle
Sauvage have branched out the increasingly popular genre of fashion film, hardly surprising when you learn that
Neuman’s background is in film. With a pre-Spring/Sumer 2012 collection to be launched this month and an ever
increasing following across the globe, it seems that Belle Sauvage have hit their stride. Ferreira certainly admits
that in the space of a few years the Belle Sauvage girl ‘is more sophisticated and knows a lot more about the world
but still has a lot of fun.’ It is ‘international familiarity’ that makes the Belle Sauvage girl what she is today.
Unsurprising, seeing as Belle Sauvage has attracted a large and diverse following, particularly in Asia, ‘We love
how Asia has take to our clothes; men as well as women wear them without creative boundaries,’ says Ferreira.
‘Boys wear our dresses as tops and they look amazing! Girls mix different Belle Sauvage prints in one outfit and
they do pull it off.’ Both Neuman and Ferreira have lived and worked in far off climes, a part of their history that is
prevalent in their designs, Ferreira admits that ‘our personalities have become a sort of a collage of all these
various cultures’ that they have experienced. However for now, Belle Sauvage are happy to remain in London,
The building, built in the early 1960s and abandoned in the 1990s, sits out of place next to the otherwise manicured
buildings of Central London, an intensely austere grey block peppered with graffiti and bordered up windows. For
many a passer-by it is easily forgettable but for Belle Sauvage it was the perfect backdrop for their Fall/Winter 2011
collection, inspired by abstract expressionists like Jeff Koons and Frank Stella as well as the Brutalist architecture
with which London (the Old Sorting Office included) is so closely bound. Virginia Ferreira and Chris Neuman
(pictured left to right) have only been creating their sharp silhouettes and dynamic prints since 2008 but they have
quickly garnered a loyal following which includes pop/fashion icons Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. For 2011, Belle
Sauvage have branched out the increasingly popular genre of fashion film, hardly surprising when you learn that
Neuman’s background is in film. With a pre-Spring/Sumer 2012 collection to be launched this month and an ever
increasing following across the globe, it seems that Belle Sauvage have hit their stride. Ferreira certainly admits
that in the space of a few years the Belle Sauvage girl ‘is more sophisticated and knows a lot more about the world
but still has a lot of fun.’ It is ‘international familiarity’ that makes the Belle Sauvage girl what she is today.
Unsurprising, seeing as Belle Sauvage has attracted a large and diverse following, particularly in Asia, ‘We love
how Asia has take to our clothes; men as well as women wear them without creative boundaries,’ says Ferreira.
‘Boys wear our dresses as tops and they look amazing! Girls mix different Belle Sauvage prints in one outfit and
they do pull it off.’ Both Neuman and Ferreira have lived and worked in far off climes, a part of their history that is
prevalent in their designs, Ferreira admits that ‘our personalities have become a sort of a collage of all these
various cultures’ that they have experienced. However for now, Belle Sauvage are happy to remain in London,
By Isabella Redmond Styles
at the Old Sorting Office. For Ferreira, the capital’s plethora of talented creatives presents ‘a constant challenge to remain fresh, innovative and come up with great ideas every season.’
Although the label has big plans to expand, be it in London, Paris or Asia, the design duo are determined to remain true to their avant-garde, futuristic approach, ‘We never look back into
fashion, always forward,’ explains Ferreira. ‘We look for what hasn't been seen yet or better for what we can't find, and we will remain true to ourselves by doing what we like and the way we
like it.’As well as their pre- Spring/Summer 2012 line, another new Belle Sauvage venture is Vicious East, a menswear label created specifically for their clientele in Japan.
Although the label has big plans to expand, be it in London, Paris or Asia, the design duo are determined to remain true to their avant-garde, futuristic approach, ‘We never look back into
fashion, always forward,’ explains Ferreira. ‘We look for what hasn't been seen yet or better for what we can't find, and we will remain true to ourselves by doing what we like and the way we
like it.’As well as their pre- Spring/Summer 2012 line, another new Belle Sauvage venture is Vicious East, a menswear label created specifically for their clientele in Japan.
LEFT: Belle Sauvage
Bustier Dress A/W 10
runway collection, price
on request, as seen in the
Q+A 'Rouge Red' shoot.
Photo by Vincent Chi
THIS IMAGE: Belle
Sauvage Strapless
Graphic Dress from the
S/S 11 runway
collection, $1015, as
seen in the Q+A ‘London
Calling’ shoot. Photo by
Ettore Panichi
Styling by Qianna Smith
Bustier Dress A/W 10
runway collection, price
on request, as seen in the
Q+A 'Rouge Red' shoot.
Photo by Vincent Chi
THIS IMAGE: Belle
Sauvage Strapless
Graphic Dress from the
S/S 11 runway
collection, $1015, as
seen in the Q+A ‘London
Calling’ shoot. Photo by
Ettore Panichi
Styling by Qianna Smith
A screen from the
Belle Sauvage short
film 'Self-Similarity'
Belle Sauvage short
film 'Self-Similarity'
SHOP BELLE SAUVAGE
The brand is in its infancy and Ferreira will only hint that it is ‘high casual’ but with Ferreira’s razor sharp
tailoring with Neuman’s way with digital prints, Vicious East can’t go wrong. As well as developing the
design aspect of the brand, Neuman and Ferreira are keen to extend their creative powers to the latest
phenomenon in the industry- fashion film. While it’s a medium that designers have been taking advantage
of for quite some, British brands that have developed a recent-found affection for the genre.
Milliner Charlie Le Mindu collaborated with Rankin to produce ‘Switch On’ as part of his Fall/Winter 2011
collection. While two seasons ago, Gareth Pugh worked alongside Ruth Hogben to debut his collection at
Italy's "Pitti 79" via a fashion film. For 2011, Neuman created a short film entitled ‘Self-Similarity,’ and both
Ferreira and Neuman are currently working on ‘a horror-fashion feature that will show belle sauvage in a
very new way.’ Like the mythical musician Orpheus, Belle Sauvage are clearly intent on never looking back
but always forward. And with their huge success in the Asian market, ever expanding collections and foray
into fashion film, it’s an ideology that has served them well. In terms of Belle Sauvage’s legacy for future
generations, Ferreira is crystal clear, ‘Belle Sauvage turns you into a piece of art and enhances your
individuality. That is and will always be the core concept.’
tailoring with Neuman’s way with digital prints, Vicious East can’t go wrong. As well as developing the
design aspect of the brand, Neuman and Ferreira are keen to extend their creative powers to the latest
phenomenon in the industry- fashion film. While it’s a medium that designers have been taking advantage
of for quite some, British brands that have developed a recent-found affection for the genre.
Milliner Charlie Le Mindu collaborated with Rankin to produce ‘Switch On’ as part of his Fall/Winter 2011
collection. While two seasons ago, Gareth Pugh worked alongside Ruth Hogben to debut his collection at
Italy's "Pitti 79" via a fashion film. For 2011, Neuman created a short film entitled ‘Self-Similarity,’ and both
Ferreira and Neuman are currently working on ‘a horror-fashion feature that will show belle sauvage in a
very new way.’ Like the mythical musician Orpheus, Belle Sauvage are clearly intent on never looking back
but always forward. And with their huge success in the Asian market, ever expanding collections and foray
into fashion film, it’s an ideology that has served them well. In terms of Belle Sauvage’s legacy for future
generations, Ferreira is crystal clear, ‘Belle Sauvage turns you into a piece of art and enhances your
individuality. That is and will always be the core concept.’
