Corrie Nielsen SS13 Collection - Florilegium

Titled ‘Florilegium’ and inspired by flora and fauna, Corrie Nielsen’s SS13 collection shows her designer talents are in full bloom and thriving.  

 

Although the literal meaning is ‘the gathering of flowers’ Florilegium refers to the medieval botanical books that recorded and accurately illustrated flowers.

Through her signature sculpted and elaborate tailoring, Nielsen recreates petals, sepals, stamens and anthers in the form of ruffles, peplums and large loose tie-necks.

Here, metallic silk is shaped around the entire body as a giant all-encompassing peony rose.

Sleeves varied from the wide bulbous to slit like pods keeping the arms held securely to the side.

The colour palette is delicate with light shades of vanilla, ivory and blush pinks.

Her main inspiration was that of Kew Gardens. Not just the plants but also the glass house architecture as she flips Kew’s Victorian Palm House inside out with folds of leaves wrapping around a transparent glass like bodice.

Nielsen was also inspired by computer graphics artist Makoto Mutayama’s botanical blueprints where he sketches the inner cavity of a flower and then creates in 3D digital.

Couture headwear continued the floral theme with milliner Emma Yeo showcasing her SS13 ‘Lucidus Lilum’ collection. Each headpiece was inspired by the petal of the Japanese Mountain Lily (Lilium Auratum) and was constructed to emulate the lucidity and purity of botanical linear illustrations.

Fabrics used are translucent frosted plastics (to illustrate shadows and highlights), taffeta and Yeo’s signature laser cut wood bonded with soft blush pink and dusty grey silks.

www.emmayeo.com

For the finale, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is played out in the avant-garde dip dye wedding dress. Large sculpted petals in a gradient of grey are rib boned at the waist and followed by a trailing swathe of finely layered ivory silk.

Emma Yeo’s headpiece is softened with large dip dyed grey taffeta petals embellished with a light scattering of Swarovski crystals mimicking dewdrops.

Most wearable pieces were:

 

The least wearable was the black book shaped dress but maybe it was just to represent the closing chapter of Nielsen’s floral story. 

For information on where to buy any of the collection pieces email info@corrienielsen.com

Photographs by Christopher Dadey

www.christopherdadey.com

 

Corrie Nielsen designs patriotic showpiece for Fashion For the Brave Charity Auction

London based fashion designer Corrie Nielsen was chosen by Fashion for the Brave patron Hilary Alexander to create a bespoke showpiece for their 2012 campaign.

British model Jade Parfitt wears the bespoke Union Jack skirt with built in panniers and crinoline, topped with a boned corset and embellished with antique gold buttons.

And were to buy? You’ll need to attend Fashion for the Brave’s annual charity event on 20 Sep at the Dorchester where it will be auctioned after the catwalk show.

The high-profile annual charity event aims to provide financial support to injured soldiers and their families, including those who have lost their lives on active service. Corrie Nielsen has donated the ‘Union Jack’ dress that took over 770 hours to make to the black tie event that will feature a catwalk show featuring the best of British brands. 

For such a regal evening gown, queenly accessories are the Royal Order of the day.

A few diamonds are essential to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee don’t you think?  In the image Jade is wearing the Vintage Lace diamond necklace. The scrolling surround detailing is reminiscent of lace and encases Ashoka cut diamonds. www.boodles.com   Price: approx £1,000,000.

Also shown in the photo is Jasmine Guinness wearing a lightweight wool Cut-Away jacket and tuxedo trousers with a silk striped high neck blouse from Nielsen’s SS12 collection and Luza Onysko wearing a navy wool Effigy dress from the AW11 collection. To purchase, go to www.corrieniesen.co.uk  for contact details or phone 07767696180

Corrie Nielsen AW12 Catwalk Collection at London Fashion Week

Taking inspiration from her own Scottish ancestry, Neilson named her collection after the ancient manuscript on Scottish clan tartans ‘Vestiarium Scoticum’

Neilson blends medieval Scottish styles with her own signature sculptural forms. 

Tartan was of course present:

The Menzies tartan kept with the black and white colour palette of the collection and the Burns Check just added a faint touch of Hodden Grey and green. 

Whilst the red Royal Stewart tartan and multi MacLellan tartan brought a blast of colour. 

Nielsen also chose the Royal Stewart tartan as homage to the Queens Diamond Jubilee especially creating a short kilt with a dot and lace overlay.

Black tulle overlay added texture and drama to the tartan: covering the model from neck to toe over an off the shoulder knee length fitted dress, and wrapped around the feminine curves of a high necked sculptured dress (top image). 

Nielsen shows she’s dotty over the Burns Check with this Juliette sleeved jacket. But then her grandmother is a Burns.

One of the key pieces was the high neck conical neckerchief blouse in silk grosgrain with lace overlay. Teamed with tartan pencil skirt.

Sweeping the floor in bold and dramatic statements was the monochrome tartan Le Cigale oversized skirt and deep purple Duchess satin voluminous floor length cape. 

Small leather- beaded clutch bags in matching tartan fabrics were made exclusively for Nielsen by Sophia Beckford and also the striking tartan design face laces by Phyllis Cohen

 Hats designed by Emma Yeo.

For information on where to buy any of the collection pieces email info@corrienielsen.com

Photographs by Christopher Dadey

Corrie Nielsen AW11 collection at London Fashion Week

Titled ‘A Winter’s Melodie’, this collection’s inspiration was drawn from two different periods

– the Elizabethan period and the 1940-50’s French Haute Couture.

The deep rich colours of amethyst, burgundy, gunmetal grey, purples, navy with pale gold formed the colour palette inspired by the colours of the oil paintings of the English, French and Flemish aristocracy of the Elizabethan period.

Blanket like wraps were layered over skirts and trousers or draped asymmetrically over wool day dresses and blouses, giving a Celtic feel. 

The knee length pencil skirts and dresses were more inspired by the haute couture with their clean lines skimming over the female form. 

Mixing both periods were the full length black wool coat with its clean simple lines and collar  teamed with a semi hooped skirt half and  the dark rust satin cocktail dress with its cinched in waist and pencil skirt of the haute couture period teamed with the flat fronted corset of the Elizabethan period and gold front bustle.

Then the real drama appeared in the guise of a Sir Walter Raleigh style puff ball cape in silk metallic green

, a pale gold silk gown with semi hooped skirt and flat stiff bodice ...

....with the finale dress looking regal with its oversized puffed ruff collar and long train.