Maria Grachvogel is one of those designers who naturally captures what it means to be a strong, empowered and beautiful woman through clothing. The designer herself oozes a sophisticated class that she imparts on her collections, harnessing an elegance many could only dream of. Mentored by the late Isabella Blow, Grachvogel burst onto the Fashion Week scene in Autumn 1995 where her collection was met with rapid appreciation. Through her steady rise to fame, she has waved her fascination for cut, form and drape infront of an anticipating fashion audience, and the brand continues to captivate the hearts of the fashion elite and go from strength to strength.
Maria and I first met at Vodafone London Fashion Weekend last year when she showcased her impeccable SS15 collection – a fusion of hand painted devore, fluid fabrics and a de-saturated colour palette. When asked to attend her AW15 preview for London Fashion Week this year, I was excited to see how the designer would reinvent her signature aesthetic – and the question on everyones lips, make it desirable and wearable.
On entering the designers Sloane Square boutique, I was greeted instantly with welcoming staff, beaming from ear to ear as they worked their own Grachvogel outfits and offered me a cocktail. ‘The Grachvogel’ definitely packed a punch, and looked like printed brilliance in a glass. The boutique played host to a variety of industry professionals, and the champagne, macaroons and red velvet cupcakes provided an easy transition from the chaos of fashion week. A clean, crisp space with curtains and chairs covered in Maria’s signature prints made for an exciting backdrop to host one of the last events on the fashion week calendar.
The Journey for me has always been about discovering new ways to cut a garment, to sculpt, enhance, and play with shape. I see myself almost as an architect of the female form – Maria Grachvogel
Grachvogel is notoriously famous for the cut of her garments, with no seams and beautiful fabrics, they sculpt the silhouette and provide comfort and structure to the female form. As well as perfectly highlighting the power of innovative print application, each garment is unique and these qualities are supposedly something you’ll never understand until you try one on. I’m not usually one to get undressed in front of a group of fashions finest, yet Maria was incredibly persuading and I was initially reluctant (but secretly quite thankful) to accept an invitation to try an outfit on. Eventually I nipped off to a changing room with a beautiful navy gown Maria kindly picked out for me, and I was instantly hooked.
Quality, and ‘getting what you pay for’ is a repetitive qualm for those fashion orientated folk like myself. You want to feel incredible, but more often than not, do not want to break the bank. Although Grachvogel’s designs are luxuriously targeted, they are certainly worth every penny as I soon realised when I slipped into the midnight satin dress. I honestly felt amazing and instantly understood that invincible feeling of wearing something so precious and feeling empowered by it. Everything Grachvogel stands for suddenly made sense and I didn’t want to take it off (but when I did, I made sure I tried something else!). Other Bloggers followed suit and it became more of a fashion show rather than window shopping the new collection, but this was the best way to fully appreciate and understand the values of the brand as well as the aesthetic.
I’m inspired by making women feel gorgeous and creating that power and allure a woman has when she feels good about herself – Maria Grachvogel
The event continued to inspire everyone in the room and the new AW15 collection was a combination of printed perfection. Inspired by space, there was delicate silver fabrics and emerald green colours, digital prints inspired by lava and the idea of molten expansion and experimentation – a truly innovative experience and one I won’t forget in a hurry. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to experience the collection first hand and feel the power of the whole design process. It’s no wonder Grachvogel is a chosen favourite amongst the fashion elite, with Angelina Jolie, Yasmin and Amber Le Bon, Kelly Rowland and Laura Whitmore all sporting her designs. The female body is a marvellous science, and Maria Grachvogel definitely nails the science of dressing seamlessly. Hats off to this incredible designer and her new collection.
