Photography /
Editorial / Print
Suicide Blonde leather
accessories and jewellery collections, designed by founder Estelle
Lordonne, are beautiful hand made creations that utilise novel
techniques such as digital printing onto leather and a keen eye for
detail that rebels against fast fashion. Made in small to
medium quantities in England, the label has a strong belief in
quality over quantity, with Gothic themes and cinematographic
imagery used to great effect. Born an only child, Lordonne
tells us she "never felt alone," and "grew up with dragons,
witches, heroic knights, demons, vampires, beasts and fantastical
creatures. The most memorable encounters were made through the old
books I devoured. I guess that’s where it all started. Immortal
Highlanders and Beings, post-apocalyptic road warriors, closely
followed by intergalactic prophetic Heroes sprung to extra-ordinary
life on the big screen; enthralling me in their wake." It is from
this vivid imagination that her "artistic sensibility was fired-up,
quickly followed by the need to design and create. If many years
were spent as a classical musician, I was rarely seen without a
pencil in hand, drawing away, making things." Having taken many
detours, Lordonne "retrained as a leather accessories designer at
LCF. This was a good stepping stone to learn about pattern cutting,
leather and to get acquainted with my own abilities." A few years
later, she added jewellery designing and making to her skills.
"Suicide Blonde was the natural progression of it
all."
You describe your style as
“Gothic Tale of Utilitarian Leather Accessories & Eccentric
Jewellery”; describe your approach to design?
Designing for me is the automatic
result of a vivid imagination, always engaged in overdrive. Like
most design processes, I would think, it springs from a lack or a
need. I like to toy with an idea in my mind for a while, sometimes
a long while, before even putting anything down on paper. When this
obsessive Leitmotiv of an idea is finally ready to reveal itself
under the pencil, the design completion is usually quite urgent and
natural.
I, on the one hand, my imagination
is continuously running wild, I am most pragmatic where form is
concerned. I champion very simple and practical shapes for my
leather accessories.
Foremost, my creations must serve a
purpose. They have to be, in one word: utilitarian.
I guess this is the direct legacy of
the post-apocalyptic hero: the elements are rough; the get-up must
be altogether tougher. Everything is stripped down to the bare
essentials. No place for frills, save for a few studs, here and
there, reminders of a punk influence somewhere in a distant
past…
For instance, I like to consider
ways in which my accessories will be utilised and carried. You have
to develop a clear vision of who their owners will be, and never
take your mental eye of this image. You become
acquainted.
I therefore anticipate
practicalities such as the height of the person, if they will be
wearing a coat of not, the weight of the load, the durability of
the leather and fabrics used, in order to accommodate their
needs.
A lot of thought is given to even
what might appear to be a most simple shape or design. Nothing is
left to chance. The Gothic element in Suicide Blonde, in an
ethereal fashion, reconciles beauty and utility.
The Collections are
handmade. Where do you source your materials and how
important is sustainability and ethical
fashion?
All Suicide Blonde creations are
handmade in London and England in small to medium
quantities.
Sustainability is the foundation
stone on which the company ethos lays.
In the day and age we are living,
where overproduction of poorly made items out of cheap fabrics and
components is the norm, it is easy to ride the wave and be carried
away with the flow, ensnared by the prospect of capital gain.
Suicide Blonde is going against the tide.
I am proud to be part of a minority
of people to recognise and work with diminishing few talented
craftsmen remaining in England these days.
Ethical fashion starts at home.
Trying in our small way to make a difference and help this trade
remain a part of English heritage.
As the leather goods manufacturing
trade has slowly moved abroad, it has become increasingly difficult
to source components and fixtures. The majority of these now
available in England have been imported.
This is one of the reasons I have
been trying to keep the use of fixtures in Suicide Blonde designs
to a minimum.
The new collections I am currently
working on will see the use of Victorian fixtures which, after
having been re-worked, have been given a new lease of life or cast
to create new and unique Suicide Blonde ones. This is a most green
and sustainable way to create: using our English heritage whilst
respecting Fauna and Flora.
The digitally printed leather used
in my creations has been exclusively made for me in an Italian
tannery, which also provides some of the textured
leather.
However, Suicide Blonde tries to
keep its carbon footprint to a minimum.
Although I work with leather, there
is an evident respect for the animal: I hand cut each individual
piece of the accessories, keeping leather waste to a very strict
minimum.
Importantly, most my Studio’s work
furniture are Antiques or vintage finds of some sort or
other.
Suicide Blonde is part of the
Sustainable Angle at LCF.
Who is one person you would
love to adorn your work?
Ummmhhh… In an otherworldly place,
it would have to be Theda Bara and Bela
Lugosi’s boy and girl love twins …
Or the imaginary offspring of Edith Sitwell and Edgar Allan
Poe.
But in our cruel and real world, I
would have to say a man & a woman who have found themselves and
are not afraid of their choices, because they know they will never
go unnoticed. Quite adventurous creatures, as a pair or
individually.
If I must cite celebrated persons,
it would have to be… Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Smith and
Anna-Varney Cantodea. Perhaps… You? Surely.
Could you describe your most
recent collections?
After a year residence at the Shop @
The Fashion and Textile Museum in London Bermondsey, I was invited
to design a collection that would go exclusively on sale at the
Museum shop. The outcome was two collections: In Memoriam and A
Tale of Fear and Obsession.
In Memoriam, a vivid and surrealist
homage to the Silent Screen actors and actresses, Gothic writers
and Symbolist poets, is also a “clin d’oeil” at the world of
Fashion but mostly a reflection on the fleeting, ephemeral
condition of life.
A Tale of Fear and Obsession,
directly inspired by Gothic writings and art, is a modern tale of
sacred and profane love.
Where do you get your
inspiration from?
Inspiration comes to one.
Inspiration cannot be bought, nor acquired.
Inspiration is not unlike a feral,
fickle animal that comes to visit you and goes as it pleases. The
best you can do is feed it to try to tame it, hoping it will remain
by your side for as long as needed.
The lures for mine are numerous and
varied.
Something arresting, mesmerising
originated from Nature and Men.
A tree, a cloud, a forest,
literature, poetry, a song.
An antique piece of handmade fabric,
a faded Stereoview, a treatise on Gothic Architecture, Venice in
winter, Religious art, The British Museum, Strangers on the street,
a Fairy Tale, a Nightmare… Endlessly.
What was the first piece of
jewellery or accessories you designed?
The first jewellery piece to be ever
designed and made by me was a multi-strand ring in oxidised silver
with a green nephrite cabochon stone. I don’t know why, as I don’t
much favour green nephrite … As for my first leather piece, it must
have been a small coin purse. I absolutely love coin purses. They
are so versatile.
It must be the reason why I keep
featuring them in my collections… Even though I have been caught
dropping loose coins in my pockets in a very (bad) boyish
manner!
In some of the pieces, there
are several materials used in their creation. How important is the
use of different textures, shapes, colours and
forms?
Again, I design in a most selfish
way but with a natural intuition of the outside world. I
continuously search for sensual fabrics which will fit in with the
practical side of the items.
One of the constant criteria in my
selection of the various leathers is the strength.
I favour soft Nappa leathers for
their creaminess but use them mostly as lining which gives a very
decadent and luxurious finish to the accessories. Other times,
100% cotton lining is used instead.
I also adore working with textured
leather such as distressed and washed ones. They are slightly more
challenging and interesting on the eye.
In other words,a strong, soft and
textured leather summarises the Suicide Blonde
predilection. And even though I
might be partial to black, grey and dusty pink hues make
appearances. So do neon colours, blood and Burgundy reds, even
multi-coloured prints such as in the “To Each Its Own”
collection.
The choice of jewellery and
wearing of is very personal. How difficult is it to create a
commercial line with wide appeal?
Most of my creations have a Gothic
undercurrent. The Gothic aesthetic has always been tantalising to
me. It seems the two of us have this very ambiguous and criminal
liaison. I doubt Goths of this world would call me as such, but
many others are quick to cast me as walking on the dark side.
However, it would be too restrictive to label Suicide Blonde as
essentially a Gothic Label.
In truth, Suicide Blonde is my very
own Gothic vision, imbued with post-apocalyptic punk-Rock, Middle
Ages Grungy undertones which in turn can appeal to both worlds: the
believers and the yet to be converted more timid
gentry.
I strongly believe the real
challenge is not to create a “commercial line with wide appeal” but
for a beautifully made collection to get the wide spread commercial
recognition it fully deserves.
More so, to awaken people’s
awareness to the facts that quality and higher cost often walk
alongside, and quality should always prevail over
quantity.
Are there any client
commissions or personal projects that you are most proud
of?
It is quite easy to get lost in your
own creativity and at times, I have been the victim of an
overbearing self-induced discipline in order to thrive. After
walking for too long on the razor’s edge, I now permit myself time
to reflect and acquire a view from above.
I have single-handedly managed to
create a company from off the ground, designed & made
collections, sourced different products, experimented with high
tech processes, met some inspiring people, some less
so.
Over the years, I have come to
surround myself with an ever growing team of skilled craftsmen, web
and graphic designers, UK and Italy based PRs, whose professional
and personal help has been, and still is, a great asset to
Suicide Blonde.
To me, these are wonderful enough
achievements in which to feel proud and grateful.
Overall, I’m proud to have become
who I always was meant to be and to finally make sense through my
work.
I am also very pleased with the
exclusive collections I have created for the Fashion & Textile
Museum Shop. I am humbled to have been given the chance to
showcase Suicide Blonde in such a well-respected
space.
Commissions have been undertaken for
private clients and renowned creative people alike.
The latest projects to date have
been the creation of a laptop bag for an International DJ, bespoke
with his personal logo digitally printed on the front.
And last but not least, I have
designed a one off bag for a film producer on the occasion of the
2012 Baftas.
A similar design is available for
purchase on the Suicide Blonde website.
What does digital printing
on leather bring to your work?
The digital printing of the leather
is a high tech process which is the most advanced alternative to
screen printing. This technique allows a clearer and more defined
image of the artwork to be produced but also ensures the durability
of the print. Unlike a heat transfer, it will not rub off. The
print is actually “tattooed” into the skin and finished off with a
protective sealant.
This is one of Suicide Blonde’s USPs
as this technique is still fairly new and barely used as
yet.
What plans do you have over
the coming months?
In the last month or so, I have been
designing some new jewellery and leather pieces, which will be
added to the past and present collections before
Christmas.
We will be introducing some new
fabrics too, alongside the use of antique Victorian beading and
trimmings.
We will also be promoting Suicide
Blonde to reach a wider and most discerning audience.
A selection of Suicide Blonde
leather accessories is now on sale at “The Storeroom” at Wall &
Jones, Studio-Boutique-showroom, 340 Hackney Road, London E2
7AX.
We are looking forward to working
closely with them on special events over the up and coming
months.
More importantly, I will keep on
challenging and thrilling myself daily, whilst taming the feral
beast to stay with me for that little bit longer…
As featured in Unfolded Magazine
Issue 10
www.suicide-blonde.co.uk
Photographer and Journalist specialising in art and fashion. Former editor of Unfolded Magazine.
Contact: nsb@nardip.com
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