Q&A with Alice McCall

Richard and Kat sat down with Alice McCall backstage at her SS13 show this morning to talk about her latest collection and find out a little more about her 'family of fashion'!

Could you tell us a bit about the inspiration for this collection and how that inspiration came to you?

I have always had an interest in hand embroideries. I was doing some research and I came across these beautiful fabrics from a city named Kalocsa in Hungary. The colour of the embroidery is what got me, it is just amazing. There is a real balance of colours in the fabric that felt very now to me. We brought some of the fabric in house and used the embroidery to create our own fabrics and prints.

The collection was also inspired by the femininity of art noveau architecture, in particular windowing. This inspiration found its expression in the coupling of sheer and solid coloured panels together. I also feel like working with Meg Grey as stylist for the show brought a really contemporary element to the collection.

What music have you been listening to recently?

Lots of early 90s music; things like Ultravox’s Vienna and Nik Kershaw. I’m also really interested in how early 90s music has inspired bands now; so I’ve been listening to bands like Desire.

Do you think the music you’ve been  listening to influenced the collection?

Oh, absolutely. I feel like the synthesizers and violins in the music I’ve been listening to added a raw, emotional and dramatic element to my designs.

We know you’re expecting another baby soon! Family must be a big part of your life at the moment.

Family really is so important to me. In general, I'm someone who is very much into beauty and nature and femininity. But being pregnant I think really brought that out for me at the moment.

My daughter, Wilde, is so excited to be expecting a baby brother or sister. It’s so lovely. I just got off the phone from speaking with her; she was telling me she wants to help finish the earrings for the show!

Your mother worked in fashion for a long time as well didn’t she?

Oh yes! It’s a real family of fashion. My mother went to the London College of Fashion – she worked for the Beatles, among all these other amazing things throughout her career. And, of course, my sister is LIFEwithBIRD. I can definitely see my daughter working in fashion one day.