This was a university project - We had to make a 500 word short designer profile on a new designer, using press clippings and other resources other than a face-to-face interview to build up our peice. Mine was in the style of Elle magazine.
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This Greek-born London-based designer is making big waves in the innovative London fashion scene. Elle charts the rise of Ioannis Dimitrousis.
The atmosphere was a lot calmer than expected backstage at the Ioannisdimitrousis London Fashion Week show. All eyes were drawn to the two garments made entirely of fine crochet knit and needles, and fear for one model’s eyesight was high as several dressers squeezed the young girl into her hazardous dress. The show went on - fashionably late - and once again, Ioannis received great reviews for another unique collection.
Ioannis, known to his friends as ‘Yannis’, graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2005, and after previously working alongside Roland Mouret and Jonathan Saunders, he made his personal professional debut at On/Off during London Fashion Week in February 2006. He now shows at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout event in London each season, where I got my first glimpse behind the scenes of his show. It took me a while at first to realize which of the many people in the room was the designer; he is a fairly short, ‘regular’ looking young man, and was dressed down in Reebok Classics and a stonewash denim jacket – not what I expected of the person behind these daring and extravagant collections, and not your typical ‘wacky looking’ designer.
He started designing at a young age, “but I only realized (I wanted to become a fashion designer) when I was twenty, after I finished my army services”. He works with his skilful mother, who is an expert with the crochet knits his collections are well known for, as well as the little details such as intricate beading. Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece, he now calls London home, but still regularly visits and takes inspiration from his native country, “The fact that I’m coming from a different background makes my collections different, giving them something unique,” says Ioannis, “I lived in a different culture and I incorporate that into my work”. His bold use of colour is certainly eye-catching, and helps transform the typically gothic crochet knits into something more playful and dramatic, “My feelings for certain issues are very strong, therefore that drama goes into my collections.”
His most recent collection, named ‘Untitled’ is his darkest yet, consisting of blacks, greys and reds, and chains and needles dangling off many of the garments. The clothes accentuated the female body, with tight knitwear and fish-tail skirts, with revealing garments. His designs are often compared to Rodarte as far as knitwear is concerned, and if their success is anything to go by, that is a huge compliment.
Ioannisdimitrousis is becoming more and more recognized in the fashion press, so this is definitely a name to get your hands on, “Most of the pieces of my collections are collectable, and it’s worth owning one piece of Ioannisdimitrousis as I don’t make big productions”.
Ioannis, known to his friends as ‘Yannis’, graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2005, and after previously working alongside Roland Mouret and Jonathan Saunders, he made his personal professional debut at On/Off during London Fashion Week in February 2006. He now shows at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout event in London each season, where I got my first glimpse behind the scenes of his show. It took me a while at first to realize which of the many people in the room was the designer; he is a fairly short, ‘regular’ looking young man, and was dressed down in Reebok Classics and a stonewash denim jacket – not what I expected of the person behind these daring and extravagant collections, and not your typical ‘wacky looking’ designer.
He started designing at a young age, “but I only realized (I wanted to become a fashion designer) when I was twenty, after I finished my army services”. He works with his skilful mother, who is an expert with the crochet knits his collections are well known for, as well as the little details such as intricate beading. Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece, he now calls London home, but still regularly visits and takes inspiration from his native country, “The fact that I’m coming from a different background makes my collections different, giving them something unique,” says Ioannis, “I lived in a different culture and I incorporate that into my work”. His bold use of colour is certainly eye-catching, and helps transform the typically gothic crochet knits into something more playful and dramatic, “My feelings for certain issues are very strong, therefore that drama goes into my collections.”
His most recent collection, named ‘Untitled’ is his darkest yet, consisting of blacks, greys and reds, and chains and needles dangling off many of the garments. The clothes accentuated the female body, with tight knitwear and fish-tail skirts, with revealing garments. His designs are often compared to Rodarte as far as knitwear is concerned, and if their success is anything to go by, that is a huge compliment.
Ioannisdimitrousis is becoming more and more recognized in the fashion press, so this is definitely a name to get your hands on, “Most of the pieces of my collections are collectable, and it’s worth owning one piece of Ioannisdimitrousis as I don’t make big productions”.
