An Interview With Gyunel

24 September 2014

The show opened with supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, quickly followed by her daughter Amber Le Bon, this was one hell of a start to what was to be a very good show! From all the shows I saw this season, Gyunel still has to be one of my favourites.

I caught up with this very talented Azerbaijan born designer after the show to quiz her on her latest collection and inspirations.

What do you do and what do you love about your job?

As Creative Director I make sure I oversee everything and as a restless person myself, this being hectic and demanding is something I enjoy. Another thing I love about what I do is watching my creative visions come to life.

What are your influences behind your SS15 show?

The SS15 Nomadic Scorpion collection was a wash with safari hues, sand clocks and sports luxe. Inspired by shadowed scorpions (with scorpio being my star sign) on sandy terrain, tribal influences and long harsh desert days from noon till night. I like to think of the Gyunel woman as a nomadic traveller with a strong adventurous attitude with the idea of journeys through places steeped in culture and the creatures that inhabit them in mind.

How did you get into fashion? And what has been the most challenging aspect of starting up your own brand?

Before venturing into fashion I enjoyed a career as an artist, predominantly painting oil on canvas. My process at Gyunel begins with painting my inspirations, these then get manipulated and transformed into digital prints and eventually, garments - so it was a natural progression from art to fashion.

The most challenging aspect is getting people to support, believe and invest in the brand and of course the getting past the fear of doing it alone.