WORDS RACHEL EDWARDS - DIRECTION SAMMY KING - BEATRIX BLAISE MOVEMENT DIRECTION ANGELICA WOLAŃSKA CAST FRANKIE PARK - DIANA MACLEAN - LOULOU AHERNE MAKEUP MOLLY WHITELEY - NATASHA HICKEN HAIR KAT KRUPA-RINGUET MUSIC INTRO ZACHARIAS WOLFE
Directing duo Sammy King and Beatrix Blaise are the brains behind Prier de Saône's latest promotional video for their newly released Enigma bags. The short film, premiering today on F Word, feels a bit like you're watching snapshots taken from a Hitchcock movie as we witness two women's carnal desire as they fight over a handbag - think Hunger Games or, umm...Bag...Games? In contrast to the soft, dreamlike nature we often see in adverts aimed towards women, the film has all of the qualities of a nightmare - the music, broken scenes and extreme close ups adding to the building hysteria.
It's this space between dream states and reality that inspired designer Emily Pearce to start her brand. Each capsule drop is named an 'Episode' and carries themes of escapism and nostalgia, with each piece acting as a portal to another world. Despite only launching last year, Prier de Saône has grown quickly, and has already attracted the likes of VTSS, Emily Carey and Celeste. With the launch of the Enigma bags set to cause a stir, F Word sat down to chat to Emily Pearce about dreams, reality and why fictional characters inspire her the most.
Rachel Edwards: What inspired your latest collections, Episodes 03 and 04?
Emily Pearce: In Episode 03 and 04, I delved into my fascination with sleep and the subconscious. I wanted to explore what we might find sitting around the fringes of our subconscious - whether that be fantasies, surreal desires or anxiety. No matter how dark the metaphors or fantasies are, I like the idea that it can be a place to escape to… it’s paradoxically liberating — we get to access a different side of our imagination. These Episodes were a way to escape feeling trapped inside my own mind, and the prints are a visual articulation of this process. I wanted them to capture the pulsating, hallucinatory and transcendent nature of our dream states. My interest in this theme is quite personal and rooted in my experience of living with a sleep disorder. It's one I constantly return to as a source of inspiration.
I also knew I wanted there to be a sense of evolution from one Episode to the next. So I began the design process by looking back through our archive to really understand which design details had the potential to be re-imagined and elevated, defining the PdS design language.
R.E: What made you want to start your own brand?
E.P: Reflecting on starting the brand I think in many ways for me it was born from a drive of wanting to prove wrong all the people that ever told me I couldn’t do something, and to forge a path in the industry my own way, almost as an ode to my younger self.
From a young age, I was always fascinated by the idea of escaping reality or entering into another world or realm, whether that was through reading, cinematic or theatre experiences or even an amusement park. I thrived off the places my imagination could take me. After studying and working in the industry for a while, I became fixated on creating a brand that offered more than just trend-driven clothing, and exploring the possibility of a brand actually being a world that our consumer can step into.
Prier de Saône was built upon this idea of creating a buildable wardrobe of lasting pieces, that allows the wearer to immerse themselves in another world - our world. Perhaps they want to feel they can become a new character in that world, whatever their means of escapism might be.
R.E: What surprised you about starting your own brand?
E.P: Despite having to retake my maths GCSE, my ability to deal with numbers wasn’t so bad after all. It’s very easy to romanticise starting a brand as a designer… It's an amazing job, but you do quickly find out how much time is needed for the business side of things.
I was also surprised by how solitary the process can feel at times… you’re a little bit cut off from the outside world, so growing the tiny team and fostering a sense of camaraderie with people that share the same passion for PdS has been hugely fulfilling.
Another surprise was discovering how much time is needed to create enticing content. Being a very offline person naturally it can be a challenge to get into that mindset for the brand, but I’ve definitely come to appreciate the creativity in it. While social media is an incredible tool for creating and finding a community, I’m really looking forward to producing more in-person events and pop ups in the future!
R.E: How was it working with Sammy and Beatrix on the promo video for the Enigma Bags?
E.P: I’ve been friends with Sammy for a few years now and I’ve always admired her vision and eye for things, so working creatively with her was really cool. Then to watch Sammy and Bea, a real dynamic duo, bring to life all the ideas we bounced back and forth was so exciting. They are both so talented at creating something refreshing and interesting to look at. There was such a tangible feeling of creative freedom and play with how ideas would evolve between the three of us, even on the day, and I think this element of spontaneity gave the video something extra. I am so grateful for everything they gave to this collaboration, you can really feel their characters in the work which I love.
E.P: Our pieces are designed for particular muses. Individuals who are brave, not afraid to rock the boat, tear things up. True iconoclasts. We want our clothes to feel intentionally considered and designed for them in every sense. Our pieces embolden their daring and mischievous spirit, so they are unafraid for all eyes and attention to be on them. That’s the effect of a PdS piece: they are striking and distinctive, just like their wearer.
R.E: Who is your biggest style icon?
E.P: I wouldn’t say I actually have a style icon as such. Growing up, I thought Ashley Spinelli was cool: headstrong, snarky and rebellious, she’s iconic. There's not just one distinctive style icon that embodies the PdS muse either, but she has the guts of Beatrix “the Bride” Kiddo, the sarkiness of Spinelli together with the sexiness of Catherine Tramell: that's an Iconoclast.
R.E: What is the future of fashion?
E.P: The future of fashion, to me, is an entrenched synergy between conscious consumers, their buying power and emerging brands who create long-lasting pieces that are crafted with intention, from the fit to the fabrications. The industry will be defined by these brands and their calendars, no longer bound by archaic systems that are costly for the environment but also stunt innovation and creativity. I’m looking forward to a world which increasingly supports independent designers, where small businesses can thrive on their own terms.
To shop Prier de Saône: https://prierdesaone.com/
