#badgirlcrush - Katie-Louise Nicol-Ford
Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself? Ie. name, what you do, where you live (or ASL in MSN mode, lol!
29/F/Sydney @katielouiseford
I’m Katie-Louise, I live in Sydney Australia.
Like most creatives in my generation I have many job titles.. but I am
predominantly a seamstress, working in both fashion and costume. I also run a
small business with my husband selling vintage clothing and our own handmade
clothing line.
Can
you tell us about what life was like growing up for you? How did you discover
your style, passions and persuasions?
I grew up in a small beachside town, which
never suited me much, and found myself ditching the bikini from an early age.
I was lucky enough to be raised by an incredibly creative mother who always nurtured the eccentricities in my brother and myself.
I was lucky enough to be raised by an incredibly creative mother who always nurtured the eccentricities in my brother and myself.
I’ve been obsessed with clothing since I was a
child and my mother never batted an eyelid when I’d insist on donning a full
face of makeup and tutu for church, or when I turned full goth as a teenager
and had more metal in my face than the local fisherman’s tackle box. This
freedom of expression allowed me to discover so much about myself from such a
young age, for which I will always be grateful.
You
are an extremely talented designer with a strong and unique vision. How
did you get started in the fashion industry? Can you outline any
challenges you have faced along your journey and how you overcame them?
Thank you so much! I started a clothing label
on a whim in my early 20s whilst studying fashion in Melbourne. I was dirt
poor, so started making 1950s style dresses out of fabric from op shops and
selling them at markets. I had a great response, so opened up an Etsy shop and
things really took off.
I have since started a label with my husband,
which comprises both handmade and vintage clothing. We strive to find balance
in the cost of ethical handmade production in a world which choses “fast
fashion”. We make all of our garments in-house, from start to finish, and while
we have received a great response and support, we still receive criticism of
price points considering that we barely break even. Unfortunately I don’t think
our generation is educated in the true cost of quality materials and labour.
However it is not all doom and gloom, and as we are so passionate about both
our creativity and hand finished clothing we keep striving, both working full
time jobs in order to fund our creative baby.
Where do you find yourself most inspired - or gain inspiration from?
My brain is such a bizarre rolodex, full of the
most abstract references and inspirations, so I find myself constantly jumping
between multiple points of inspiration. I also draw a lot of fresh influence
from old films, costume exhibitions and beautiful coffee table books full of
art and fashion, of which we have a lot! I have found in my study and career
that barriers are built up between the worlds of fashion and costume. Thanks to
my eclectic taste, I like to break down these walls when it comes to my own
style, often taking costumes from all eras as a point of fashion reference. One
of my favourite examples would be the French follies costumes of the 1920s.
Mash this with Liza’s crazy makeup in the 1972 Cabaret and you have John
Galliano 2006 dream!
Is there a particular era of time (or times) whose values
and/or aesthetics you identify with the most?
For me I have been enamoured by 1930s Hollywood
since I was a teenager. The Hollywood (often ridiculous) images of opulence,
excessiveness and luxury have always struck a cord. After my first trip to
France last year, I have also become obsessed with 18th century
dress and culture, particularly in France and England. The exaggerated
silhouettes, sumptuous fabrics, pompous wigs and excessively ‘feminine’ clothing
was so incredibly extreme and exaggerated, I just can’t get enough! I’m an avid
history fan and I think that the social climate during each of these time
periods provides fascinating context to their aesthetic. The opulence of 1930s
Hollywood was pure escapism for a nation suffering through the Great
Depression. Similarly, the lives of 18th century nobility was in
stark contrast to the masses struggling on the lower rungs of society. Yet the projected imagery from the wealthy exuded
such triumph and success that this is often what we remind from these time
periods. While my husband and I live a comfortable life, we always joke that we
dress far above our means, fake it till you make it!
Sydney is undoubtedly a beautiful city to behold!
Catching a ferry through the harbour, going for a spin at Luna Park or having a
cheeky champas at the Opera House are still things I get giddy about. As I grew up nine hours drive from Sydney I
still often feel like a tourist myself, and I am constantly making new
discoveries. I would recommend to any new travellers to meet locals – since
lockout laws have been introduced a lot of good venues have shut down, however
the underground culture is growing and I’m always happy to show travellers how to
have a great time in such a conservative city.
What are your favourite movies, what do you like about them and
why do you think are you drawn to them?
My all time favourite film is Follow the Fleet
with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, I first saw it as a midday movie at 14 and
it was my gateway into the glamour of the 1930s and my other passion, musicals. I love the escapism of films like this, how
for a few hours you are transported into a world of pure imagination.
Beauty secrets time: are there any particular products you
regularly use in your makeup/hair routine that you recommend to bad girls?
I often get asked to do tutorials for my hair
sets, but its really just years of trial and error and figuring out how to
transform it into something else when an overnight set falls short of fabulous
(instead of crying and throwing foam rollers round the room.. ahem) For fellow
bleached gals, I can’t recommend Olaplex treatments enough, it has taken my
hair from straw to silk. Also invest in a professional colourist… I’ve learnt that the hard way.
For my face - I’m obsessed with this dirt cheap
brand at Chemist Warehouse W7 that do a great white sparkly baked eyeshadow. I
also love Besame cheek tints and lipstick - Cherry Red is my everyday poison, and
sparkly, bright eye dust in every colour from The Makeup Wardrobe in Newtown,
Sydney.
Who are some of your favourite musicians? What is your favourite
era of music?
I am a diehard Morrissey fan, so I seriously
listen to the Smiths everyday. I still remember flicking through Rolling Stone
at a friends house when I was 15 and seeing an article on the Libertines. It
read - “If you’re into The Cure and The
Smiths, than you’ll love the Libertines”. I’d already loved the Cure since I
heard Boys Don’t Cry in the Wedding
Singer as a kid, but who were this other mysterious band? As soon as I got home
I downloaded ‘This Charming Man’ on Napster (haha) and that was it.
I also have never shaken my teenage days in
musical theatre so am always listening to so many musicals. I can often be
found howling along at my sewing machine to Gypsy, Cabaret, Wicked, Cats,
Phantom of the Opera, Annie and of course Les Miserables.
If you could pick one, who would your Ultimate Bad Girl be and why?
Ugh so many. Celebrity wise, I’d have to say
Bette Davis. In an industry that was based on looks and often involved off screen
favours, she managed to succeed based on intellect and talent. I have so much
respect for that. I am so fortunate to be surrounded by so many
incredibly talented and passionate women who laugh in the face of society’s
expectations of them and are absolutely thriving as a result. That to me is bad
in the best kind of way.
From top to bottom, Katie- Louise wears The Original bad Girl ' Bella' One shoulder ruffle crop top, The 40s style 'Diamond' twist top and The ' Gwen ' Wrap Top, available here
What do you love about The Original Bad Girl?
I love the versatility of the designs! They can
so easily be worn in a super contemporary or fierce vintage fashion. For me
most importantly as a seamstress, I love seeing good quality manufacturing, and
The Original Bad Girl is flawless!
What does being 'bad' mean to to you?
What does being 'bad' mean to to you?
For me, ‘bad’ is figuring out who and what you
are and sticking to your guns, even when people judge you for it. Allowing
yourself to be ruled by your own passions. I know it sounds so naff but live
life your own way bad gals, because to quote my dear friend Liza Minnelli:
Start by admitting,
From cradle to tomb,
It isn’t that long a stay.
If you want to pop a bottle of champas and go
out dancing on a Tuesday, or take a mental health day and curl up in bed eating
pad thai and watching Call the Midwife reruns, then do it! Being bad is doing
things for yourself, simply because they make you happy.
What are your goals for 2017?
After getting married in March, life is finally calming down and I’m starting to feel in control of my time again. After an unintentional hiatus, my husband and I will finally be releasing a new collection for our clothing label in the next few months! We’ve had a few bumps in the road, so this is a long time coming, we are both very excited. We have recently moved into a new apartment, so hope to transform it from drab to fab by the end of the year! As I mentioned before, Sydney is going through a weird time at the moment, so to create a unique haven for ourselves and fellow weirdos would make us very proud.
Follow Katie- Louise on instagram here
