Designer Interview - A chat with Aurelia Chaveau....
As we settled down to chat I admitted with some trepidation to Aurelia Chaveau that she was my first ‘proper’ interview...with a sense of mischief she declared..”Ah then it’s a perfect match-up as it's my first interview too. “
Aurelia is one ‘Smart cookie’ or maybe I should say, ‘one smart Anzac biscuit’ since she is an Australian. I also came to discover that she’s an astute business woman and the sort of person to make her dreams come true rather than hanging around waiting for somebody to make them come true for her. She has a keen sense of fun and humour particularly when it comes to discussing all things Australian we had a great conversation naming all the Australian actors we could think of and that one actor that appears in everything yet whose name nobody ever remembers. (Hugo Weaving I bet you won’t know the name but you’ll recognise the face)
Enchantingly, she is in no way ‘up herself’ or inflated by her own sense of self-importance. She is down to earth yet strangely in the skies. Aurelia is power driven – voltage charged and by that I don’t mean she’s greedy for power, far from it, this is a lady that doesn’t create clothes for the adulation, she does it because she loves it and it’s a challenge, rather I sense from her a boundless energy, a dynamo that gets thing done and has fun every single step of the way. Her zest for life and creativity shows, not only in the following interview, but in her clothing, bright, vibrant and alive, yet she also seems to be a traditionalist, her clothes are beautifully cut and traditional in style at times. I was left with the feeling, she is not the sort of person not to run with an idea or not to take chances and I liked that about her immediately. I was left wondering if she was an an Aquarian. (I asked...turns out she’s a Capricorn)
Aurelia: How did you arrive in Sl? and what lead you to fashion?
I read an article in a magazine while getting my hair done and decided to see what it was all about. I found the website, logged on and didn't know what was happening, I was learning to walk and someone TP'd me away from my first landing point to a huge warehouse full of freebie fashions - none the less I bought everything I could see! And when I wore my first flexi skirt I was hooked! And I soon realised that anyone could make it, and I knew right then I wanted to do that!
Aurelia: What inspires you to create? Do you get your inspiration from fashion magazines, a particular painting, theme etc?
I have always been a creative person, I love art and crafts of all sorts, I'm sure I have tried almost everything out there! I'm inspired by pictures I see in magazines, internet searches, the styling on a model if I see something I like, I tend to research a lot and gather a bit of a collage of images before. I create something, sometimes I do a sketch, other times I just have it in my head for a few days before I start anything just to be sure that's what I want to do.
Aurelia: Do you think that sl follows the current trends in fashion and the fashion industry well or that it has its own particular current/pulse?
I think that it's both! There are designers that definitely follow the RL fashion industry (myself included) but I also think that there are many bloggers who create their own style in SL, and they have a powerful influence over trends in SL, you can see it everywhere when you shop, on flickr etc. And I think it then in turn inspires creators, because if you know your customer, you will know how to cater to them. I also think that the tools used to create in SL dictates the extent of what is possible and what can be created, and therefore doesn't follow RL trends in that respect.
Aurelia: How would you describe your genre of clothes to the readers? Does your collection follow a specific theme? How long did it take to create and what in this instance inspired the choice for your newest collection?
I would describe it as stylish and sophisticated, I have tended towards separates, however it is somewhere between the high couture fashions and casual. Recently, due to the spring season, I have been inspired by resort wear of RL fashion houses Givenchy and Viktor and Rolf, and more recently the Peplum styles of Jason Wu. How long does it take me to create? Oh I never keep a record! If I were to take a guess... a minimum of 12-15 hours of work per item, but it is usually spread out over a week or two.
Aurelia: What are your feelings on mesh clothing?
I was really scared to try it, but I accepted a spot in Avenue's MIX & MESH Fair without even touching mesh, and I had about 3 weeks to teach myself! There were some really sleepless nights! But I'm glad I did otherwise I might not have learnt! So I like it now, it has opened up a lot more possibilities for creating, in some aspects it’s easier to create than sculpties, because the textures are better, and mesh loads a lot faster than Sculpties. I don't like that it doesn't fit everyone, and I think the standard sizing helps a little. I am still learning the skill of rigging LOL it kicks my butt!! That is the most frustrating part for me.
Aurelia: What has been your proudest moment?
Hmmm so far I guess it would be the Avenue Mix & Mesh event, it was my first ever runway show, and I couldn't believe that people came to see it! I saw the audience and was like wow! I was so nervous and blushing so much in RL!!
Aurelia: What do you hate and love most about the fashion industry on sl?
Ok lets start with the love! Mostly I love watching my fav bloggers and their styling’s, they always blow me away with their own creativity to mix and match items from different designers and make it look fabulous! I am envious of their wardrobes. As for the hate, I don't like it at all when creators are attacked for their items, I have seen it around and I can only guess that these people are jealous of the talent these creators have. In my personal opinion, it takes a lot of hard work, time and energy to create, I think anyone who creates and puts something for sale is a very brave person, because most art/creativity is very personal, even if it is a business and some people will like it and some wont, if you don't, SL is a large place and I suggest devoting time to finding things you like and being happy rather than picking on someone else. Just imagine yourself in that persons shoes.
Aurelia: Where do you see the brand headed?
I'm not sure what the future of MOLiCHiNO is, I do it for fun, it is my hobby, I enjoy it very much, and the people I have met as a result of this venture, well I wouldn't trade it for anything. Currently I predominantly do clothing that is easy to mix and match, I would like to do some over the top couture fashion! I would like to add some more accessories such as handbags, belts, hats etc, maybe try shoes one day, I really would like to create some hair too!! And if anyone’s working on a set of standard sizes for men’s mesh, I'd gladly dress the men of SL too!
Aurelia: How did you arrive at the name ‘Molichino’?
I had wanted to start a store for a while, but I didn't know what to call it, it needed a name before it became something, I was reading a book, and the girl in it kept talking about how much she loved the Molichino colour of her hair, and I was just like what colour is this? and I looked it up thinking it was coffee based or something, and I googled it and it is a 16th century Italian word for the colour purple :D And since it's one of my fav colours, I used it as my store name :D
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