LU LA LOOP is the mood
This brand is definitely futuristic, comfortable and fun. An excellent way to express yourself freely but with a touch of style and with unique and carefully designed details. The story of this brand is interesting, with a concept that should be a model for other brands.
“LU LA LOOP started out as a wearable art project. Mainly using knitting and creating unique pieces that did not really have a gender role and were mainly free size. Creating costume streetwear vibes.
The idea was to play with weird materials, to create fun , humour, darkness, sci-fi, musical inspired pieces that were more excited by the idea of performing. Coming alive through it’s creative styling and the person wearing it.
I knew I wanted to find interesting artists and musicians who I felt would really personify Lu La Loop vision and just totally rock our looks. So after talking to a friend in the USA about liking Grimes music and me showing him the furry neon yellow monster ( phosphorous Yellow Eyelash Knit ), we both thought Grimes would be awesome.I sold a Phosphorous yellow eyelash furry dress to Grimes and she wore the piece on tour and luckily we got some amazing photos from this time. Before she got really famous.
I felt a need to create and with a huge love of music and youth culture I wanted to try and create an ethical brand that could cross over into many areas, not concerned with TREND and starting with unique, special items that could inspire many individuals. Not having boundaries and having a brand that is imaginative and exciting, that can change from humour to darkness and jump up to the stars and back down to Earth…It could be anything really. But ultimately a fun brand with a twist of dark. Once the unique pieces started to do quite well, I started to move into other areas…not just knitwear and sweaters. Felt important to explore and cross into other materials. I also love to learn and take on new challenges. I have a strong belief in strong creativity crossing and merging into other art forms and loving the D.I.Y aesthetic and ethos.
Another big part of LU LA LOOP is the costume side. Creating costumes for Tokyo Taboo and Aja has been so fun and inspired. I love to work with artist who share a strong identity and DIY approach with real creative energy and magic. So I really hope to keep going with the costume side for these awesome musicians and other musicians too!
LU LA LOOP is now in a place where it’s becoming exactly as it started…Bigger, childlike shapes. Fun and dark, youthful and optimistic. I am liking the idea of losing the Gender barriers and just having fun with ideas and playing really. It’s got to be fun to keep moving forward.”
What’s the concept of your latest collection?
The concept of the collection I worked on most recently was called DISGOTHTEQUE.
A mate had noticed a photo of me wearing a Shamanic black PVC fringed hood with magical Iridescent spots on it. He quoted that I looked ” DISGOTH ” . I instantly loved it and wanted to use this word somehow .
At the same time I was loving electronic musicians, Chris and Cosey ” Dancing Ghosts” and also listening to 80’s band Japan ” Ghosts ” and very obsessed with white. Loving white fabrics and styling imagery in whites too. I wanted to create a Japanese vibe. Kind of gamey, 80’s feel and Japanese horror. Obviously sci-fi elements and techno. Cause techno is nature, fun, amazing! Creating a gang of youthful, dark, childlike free spirits with no gender. I also used many hoods as I like the idea of hiding and losing your shit on that dark techno dance floor. I liked the shamanic, spooky mood.
When I showed at Berlin Alternative Fashion Week earlier this yr, we were involved in the entire process…concept, styling and music. I created a weird, wonky, fun, dark show and I wanted my models to be free, possessed by the dark music and just go for it. They got it 100% and it was more than Intense and magical. Just WOW!!!! So yeah, DISGOTHTEQUE was the name…A dark techno disco of wonderful lu la loop creatures.
What kind of mood do you try to create?
Mood can change from collection to collection. I can go from really fun and youthful spirit to a darker force.
But I guess I want the mood to always be exciting, young, magical and dark?
I want to be inclusive of all ages, race, gender and have a mood of going out in the day and then stomping your brains out at night!
Let’s see what mood I am in next time!!!
How would you define your brand’s style?
I do not really know or like to define it. I want it to always change, evolve and be exciting. To be like a dressing up box of costume + streetwear hybrids. Our approach to fashion is wild, unfettered, limitless, and recognises no boundaries (including those of gender) – accompanied by a passionate belief in the power of imagination and optimism.
Lu La Loop is excited by youth culture, inspired by sci-fi and music (techno, darkwave, punk and more) and always exploring new ideas. Mixing retro-futuristic trash/glam metallics with beautiful high end fabrics, synthetics with natural materials, or mashing together raw and finished elements, we revel in juxtaposition.
A collision of Kawaii culture, chaos magick and the darkness of the dancefloor, our work is sometimes childlike in its adventurousness and disregard for convention, more than often playful and always fun – albeit with a dark side.
What kind of person do you imagine for your creations?
I just want free spirited, open minded creatures. Creatives, performers, unafraid, individual, alternative, magnetic, imaginative and playful beings! Too many well known artsist I would love to wear Lu La Loop or unique costumes too. I am inspired by so many…Bjork, Peaches, Karin Dreijer, Die Antwoord, Sharon Needles, Nina Hagen and on and on and on I could go!!
What’s your next project?
I will be working on a new smaller collection hopefully soon. Also working on Unique Freak Original ( unique, limited ) LU LA LOOPS. Finally getting my new online concept store going!
Costumes for Aja coming up for a show at Corsica Studios, London on 30th Dec ( had to plug that in quickly!! ) Also some KID LOOP…Little baby versions of unique LU LA LOOPS…real cool Baby/ Kids stuff. Feels like a good time to play with new ideas. Moving to Berlin next yr too…so let’s see…my projects may slow a little during this period of moving and then hoping to start creating my own Fashion/ Art/ Music events with other awesome creatives. It’s close to my heart for my brand to be involved with all of these creative aspects and have as one thing.