Almost losing a friend’s dress in the back of an Uber isn’t the ideal situation. For many, it could signal the end of that friendship. But for Conner Ives and Camille Charriere, who met at The Fashion Awards in 2021, it only strengthened their bond. ‘Conner and I had been trying to find a moment for me to wear one of his dresses, and we’d been DM’ing nonstop to make it happen,’ Charriere says today, smiling at the memory. ‘Eventually, Conner sent me a yellow piano shawl dress in an Uber to my house. But when the driver arrived, I was sorting something out and was a few minutes late to the door and the driver got impatient and drove away with the dress. I was mortified!’ she’s now laughing. ‘Conner was like “It’s my baby... You better find it!” Three days later, the dress turned up on Charriere’s doorstep and the friendship was saved.
The Central Saint Martins alum has had an incredible year. Following the release of his autumn/winter 2022 line – and his runway debut – ‘Hudson River School’, A-listers have flocked to the designer, clamouring to join Charriere in wearing his pieces. Amber Valletta, Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa, Zoë Kravitz and Sky Ferreira are just a few of the starry names that have slipped into his high-octane pieces. Modelled after American archetypes which tap into inspiring women such as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and Kamala Harris, Ives’ designs are unparalleled and only released once a year. Charriere, a writer, ELLE UK contributor and leading figure in the fashion industry has been right there beside him for the thrilling journey.
Watching the pair converse over Zoom is something quite unique. Every so often, they’ll nudge the other about an anecdote – ‘Cami, was on my AW23 mood board!’ Ives excitedly reveals to Charriere’s surprise. Meanwhile, following Charriere’s tale about almost losing one of the most sought-after pieces in fashion, she waxes lyrical about the romanticism of Conner’s designs.
Here, Charriere is joined by Ives ahead of his AW23 at London Fashion Week to discuss dismantling the industry’s traditional fashion month schedule, being inspired by The Parent Trap while making his AW23 line and the unique creative energy pulsing through London right now.
ON DISRUPTING THE FASHION SHOW SCHEDULE
IVES: As a designer that only shows once a year, you’re given a lot of freedom. You can disappear for 11 months, and it’s quite nice as you don’t have that sensation of being on a treadmill. But simultaneously, you’re cutting your visibility in half – and it’s a terrifying test.
CHARRIERE: I feel like being in a longer cycle and doing shows less frequently could on the one hand, as you're saying, remove your visibility. But on the other hand, it allows you to go back into the real world, experience things and then come back with real, fresh ideas.
IVES: I'm at a point where I like to lead by example. And not necessarily because I think [doing one show a year] will catch on, but because sometimes I think in the fashion industry, we could have a little bit more of a realistic grip on what we're doing. If you don't do two or four collections a year that shouldn’t be a stab at your business.
ON THE INSPIRATION FOR THE AW23 COLLECTION
IVES: I started thinking about the first fashion show that I ever saw, which was Balenciaga during Nicholas Ghesquière’s tenure. I was 10 years old, and I snuck into my mum's bathroom and stole her Harper's Bazaar. I didn’t know what to do with myself! I was feral looking at that collection. It was the first time I was moved by a show. Working on this show gave me the same guttural feeling.
IVES: The AW23 collection is titled ‘Magnolia’ inspired by the Paul Thomas Anderson movie. I watched it last year, and I felt such a congruence between the kind of picture he was painting – the idea of disparate people in the San Fernando Valley with no interlocking or overlapping storylines that culminate in a messy depiction of human lives. Female archetypes are a focus, but it’s not specifically American archetypes this season. The show opens with my interpretation of ‘The Tomboy’ and there’s the ‘Glasto Girl’, inspired by Kate Moss in the early 2000s. The bride this season is very much inspired by Nancy Meyers The Parent Trap. Modern culture has a role to play, as there is a ‘Green Goddess’ which is based on the fashion industry’s obsession with green goddess dressing a few months prior. The aim is to make people smile.
CHARRIERE: It’s cool that you’re reflecting the zeitgeist, which takes the clothing to a high fashion level. When I’m stuck in a style rut, I consider what persona I want to reveal on any given day.
ON THE AW23 FABRICS AND SILHOUETTES
IVES: To build a sustainable business model, I can’t make things from post-consumer products. We rarely use virgin fabrics, but I wanted to ensure there is sustainability to them, whether it be recycled jersey or Tencel shirting; all our denim this season is recycled. Greenwashing and virtue signalling are huge issues in the industry. I don’t claim the brand to be perfect, however, with every single product and collection, it’s important that we ensure there is a natural lifecycle to the product.
CHARRIERE: I’m obsessed with the embellished corset.
IVES: The craftsmanship is similar to previous pieces I’ve designed in that its sequins embellished on a base. We worked with amazing embroidery houses in India, and this is the first time that we're offering them commercially. It's nice to be at a point now where there's such a demand for certain garments.
CHARRIERE: I love the soccer mom, mini skirt Jersey set covered in Swarovski crystals, I think that if I am going to have boys, that's what I'm wearing to the football pitch. “You're doing great, sweetie!” That's me.
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SUSTAINABLE CHOICES
CHARRIERE: I'm under no illusion, I think the only way to be more sustainable is to buy less – I think we all know that. That’s why brands like yours are leading the way by producing less and offering things that feel unique and are worth saving up for. My own approach to Instagram and sharing my outfits is to encourage my followers to rethink the way that they approach their own shopping habits and desires. I find that the best way to approach this is by posting things that are not available to buy, such as secondhand pieces or ready-to-wear from brands such as yours that upcycle and are sustainable.
IVES: We need everyone to be a little bit more self-aware, and honest with the fact that we don't hold all the answers. Every day is a pursuit towards a clearer image of sustainability. There's strength in numbers.
ON THE CREATIVE ENERGY AT LONDON FASHION WEEK
IVES: I'm not from London, I'm originally from New York and I’ve been here for going on nine years. There's something that always brings me back to London; there is somewhat of an unparalleled energy.
CHARRIERE: As a foreigner, who also grew up elsewhere, and came here 10 years ago, I think it's the people that make London because the fashion scene is so spectacular. People express themselves in a way that I don’t think is as commercial. The same goes for culture in the city, too. I May Destroy You and Fleabag were both so innovative.
Every High Fashion Make-Up Look From Backstage At Fashion Week AW23
