For Chile-born fashion designer Gabriel Vielma a career in fashion was the final destination of an explorative journey in crafts and design. The first stop was Madrid, where he studied Industrial Design, specializing in furniture, and briefly worked in glassmaking and ceramics, before moving to Paris to work in millinery. He soon came to the conclusion that he is best expressed through clothing design, and that was the only path to bring his inspiration to life. He enrolled for a course at Central St. Martins, London, and soon put together his first full collection – not for sale but for presentation – comprised of eight dresses handmade in his studio. Eventually, Vielma launched in 2012.
His debut show in Chile made a deep impact in the media. Gabriel wanted to do something that would fully reflect his brand and he used a model with only one arm, who opened the runway wearing a provocative corset. Gabriel found that her personal story related to Vielma brand story so much that he appointed the girl the ambassador for Vielma in Chile.
Classic and modern aesthetic go hand in hand in Vielma collections; feminine silhouettes coexist with modern cuts; tech fabrics are combined with luxurious ones, like organza and silk. His signature materials are leather and digital prints on silk.
His upcoming A/W ’15-16 collection has been his darkest so far. The designer is quick to add that TV series Penny Dreadful and the character portrayed by Eva Green have majorly influenced the theme of his collection; hefty doses of leather producing sexy silhouettes – see leather pants, skirts and jackets, sheer tops, knee-length skirts and dresses, and high-waisted pants – and dark colors with forest green, burgundy and black prevail.
What makes Vielma stand out is the aura exuded by the silhouettes, making every piece fit for a movie character’s wardrobe. This does not come as a surprise, however, since Gabriel admits that his dream gig would be to design costumes for the next Wes Anderson movie.
www.vielma.co.uk
Vielma London A/W ’15-16 Collection images via vogue.co.uk.
Featured image © Vielma London via
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