Female features

Christian Ward is a talented freelance illustrator (UK). He uses digital art software, e.g. Photoshop to create beautiful illustrative portraits of both men and women.

Water baby

We especially like his portraits of women with what appears to be only a few strokes. Within every illustration you sense the love and uniqueness of the woman pictured. Take a stroll in the CW universe. 

Whisp

Illustrations © Christian Ward

StellaQ&A - We met the new fashion talent Mathilde Maalouf

She finds her inspiration from art, architecture. Good craftsmanship and high level of ambition, are the key words behind the new talented designer, Mathilde Maalouf. During the Copenhagen Fashion Week  next week, Mathilde Maalouf will participate at the Designer´s NEST


Mathilde Malouf participate in the gone further in Muuse x Vogue talent contest and just got further in it.
Please give here your vote here.


Stella had a chat with her...

What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I’m focus on to end my MA-project. I have been exhibiting at koldinghus, had a show at Børsen  and been chosen to participate in designers nest during Copenhagen fashion week.

Besides that there is so mush that needs to be done: homepage, portfolio. Future carrier planning and so on.

How would you describe your design?

My design reflects an appreciation of details, god craftsmanship and clean, minimalistic silhouettes. 

What inspires you?

My mane inspiration is mostly other artist: Photographers, painters, architects ect. Who have an aesthetic that speak directly to me.

Materials in general inspires me a lot. I find it interesting and rewarding in a design process to experiment with and be challenged by the material, as these experiments often bring the detail or quality that makes the design unique, exciting and forward-thinking. 

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Working with baby animals in a residential or zoo.

I have a soft spot for baby animals, I don’t think I would be really good at the job, so it’s perfect for the animals that I chose to study and work with fashion instead.

Who are your heroes and why?

Rebekka Bay has been my hero for a while now. She was the former Creative director at COS in London, where I did my internship at in 2011 and where I meet her the first time. Then for a short period she was Creative director at Bruuns Bazaar and now she is at GAP in New York.

She is really good at what she do, and its really learnful and rewarding to be around her. 

What are your future projects?

For now my future project is to get a job as a designer. Learn how to work with fashion in ”the real world”. The ultimate goal for the future is to start my own brand ”Mathilde Maalouf”

What is the most beautiful thing you can think of?

My son Frej,  and when I sleep peacefully in his bed next to him.  

What is your best summer memories from your childhood? 

African dance and music festival called “Utamaduni” on Djursland together with my mom and my siblings. 

What is your favorite moment of the day and why? 

My favorite moment of the day is when I put Frej to bed, and I can lean back, sit with my computer and just surf around and do nothing specific. 

A dream goes on forever

Today we are taking a sneak peak into the universe of Photographer Gloria Marigo. She is an Italian Photographer from Lecco, working as an assistant photographer/ graphic. 

Her universes and sets are both feminine, romantic and storytelling. These pictures are from the shoot A dream goes on forever but do go to her website for entertainment. We're telling you, it's a treat! 

A dream goes on forever I

A dream goes on forever II

Photo credits

Model // Jennifer Dzielo 

Makeup & Hair// Silvia Acquapendente 

Styling// Gloria Marigo

Here she is herself

 Gloria also shares her adventures on Facebook where you can follow her. This is her site.

xx Stella

STELLAQ&A - JEWELLERY DESIGNER - NINNA YORK

She likes to soften the clean Nordic design with a feminine touch and combines it to rawness in a delicate way. Stella magazine had the pleasure to meet the talented danish jewellery designer - NINNA YORK! 

We asked her a few things... 

Whats on your mind to day? 
I have a lot on my mind right now, my exhibition next week and a big family birthday this weekend. But I like it that way, keeps me going!

(During the fashion week next week, NINNA YORK will have her exhibition at CIFF)

What are you working on at the moment?
I'm working on the last pieces from my latest collection, witch I'm presenting for the first time at the Danish Fashion Week this August, so i'm a bit busy at the moment.

What inspires you?
Often my inspiration comes from jewellery I've already made -a small detail from one piece can give me inspiration to a new one.

How would you describe your design?

That's so hard putting in to words, but I guess; impetuously, feminine and timeless

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Self imployed with something creative :) 

Who are your heroes and why?
My heroes are the people around me, friends and family. It may sound corny, but I could never do what I do without them.

What are your future projects?
I would love to make an entire collection consisting of showpieces. Big and advanced jewellery, maybe not that wearable more like art sculptures.

What is the most beautiful thing you can think of?
Besides babies and sunrises, a long and happy life :)


What is your best summer memories from your childhood? 
Playing on my street with my friends throwing water balloons and staying up late in the bright danish summer nights. Luckily I have a lot of those kind of memories.


What is your favorite drink and why? 
Now that's tough! It would be a close rase between red wine, beer and a variety of cocktails... 

Text: Line Jarde

Well-heeled bitches

Art isn't always what it appear to be and it sure does come from nothing. We love the way artist and sculptor from UK David Kemp (b. 1945) is inspired by discarded boots.

Well-heeled bitches on the beach I

He turns boots into both fun and adorable leather and rubber dogs for enjoyment in the collection Well-heeled bitches.

Well-heeled bitches on the beach II

Some of them wear a heal as you can see! In these festival days who ever said boots can't be stylish.

STELLAQ&A - BUNDGAARDN I E L S E N

Text: Line Jarde

Stella Magazine had a chat with the Danish fashion designer Mette Julie Bundgaard Nielsen, whos behind the amazing couture brand BUNDGAARDN I E L S E N  
BUNDGAARDN I E L S E N create high quality performing design, based on aesthetic sustainability and neo modernism.  During the Copenhagen fashion week,                
BUNDGAARDN I E L S E N will exhibit her Couture exhibition - KUBIK, at the tradefair    
DEFINING SCANDINAVIA   in Øksnehallen - 08.08.2013 - 11.08.2013

What are you working on at the moment?

A: 

An exiting venture visit from Japan.

A big Nordic Expo with my sustainable couture – travelling 4 nordic countries over the next 2 years..
The couture exhibition KUBIK, launching at the Copenhagen Fashion Week in collaboration with Defining Scandinavia.

The new ready to wear collection.

How would you describe your design?
A:
BUNDGAARDN I E L S E N is a women wears label focusing on creating high quality design based on and neo-modernism, aesthetic sustainability and craftsmanship.

What inspires you?
A:

I am inspired by the arts, philosophy, history, people, nature and so on.

But there is one general approach to all this that inspires me and that is contrasts and contradictions, and I often tend to work in the schism of this two-phased paragraph of:
How simple can you make it? vs. how complex does it have to be?

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A:
A butcher or a lawyer.

Why ? 

Butcher because I loved raw meat as a child, and a Lawyer because I loved the piece suits uniforms they are in habit of wearing.

I guess this early love for the piece suit has played a big part in me becoming a fashion designer. I still have a great love for the classic suit, the details, craftsmanship behind and the beautiful materials used.

Who are your heroes and why?
A:
The little Pakistan girl Malala, which stood up for equal rights of education, and got shot by the Taliban.
I absolutely despise injustice and therefore I find her work so important and courageous, and I hope she will receive the Nobel prize.

What are your future projects?
A:
I am working on ideas for the next couture collection, and I am quite exited about it. I want to involve even more hand made crafts into my work,

for example weaving and embroidery.

Another future plan is working towards getting more established in a international context.

Also I want to make a project with Cindy Sherman.

What is the most beautiful thing you can think of?
A:
My son and big love Marlon. 

What is your best summer memories from your childhood?
A:
I have many good summer memories, but what comes into mind, is a summer night drive under the starring sky.

Me laying in the back of the car with my sister sleeping next to me, while my mother was driving.

I loved seeing the stars and city lights pass by in the dark as I listened to the quiet humming of the car.

What is your favorite dessert and why?
A:
Freshly handpicked strawberrys. That is the perfect summer dessert.

Designs for charity

Girl dancing in the twilight

Designer Rachel Burke is paying it forward from Brisbane! She is a designer currently working on her blog and charity project I MAKE IT, YOU WEAR IT.  

She has a variety of creative projects behind her, amongst others making a dress every Saturday night for 20 consecutive weeks to raise money for NAPCAN. 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!

This year Rachel is focusing on making bi-monthly clothing collections and donating the proceeds from the sale of the ranges to charities of her choice. 

Also. Do check out the latest post on her blog A LITTLE PEAK AT MY HOUSE! 

Girl in the twilight