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DESIGNER AMBER JONES’ RANGE LAUNCHES IN MR PRICE STORES

20 Jul 2011
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South Africa’s top fashion value retailer, Mr Price continues to invest in the development of design talent in our country, this time with the talented Amber Jones, fashion director of the creative agency, Wisdom and Youth in Durban.

Mr Price is launching various ranges that have been specifically designed by emerging SA fashion designers.  Amber’s range from ELLE New Talent Designer search 2010 goes by the name, ‘The Best Is Yet to Come’ and is exclusive to Mr Price. Like what you see? So do we. It is a limited edition collection, so make sure you don’t miss out.

ELLE caught up with the woman behind the amazing new range to find out first hand what we can expect in store and how the range came together.

Amber’s sketches

Tell us how this opportunity to design the range came about?

Over the past few years Mr Price has given young designers the fantastic opportunity to design a range for them as part of their involvement in the ELLE New Talent Designer search. The range which I designed and the winner’s range both get to be produced as commercial ranges for sale in store. This year will be the third that I have been involved and I cannot wait!

Inspiration behind the collection?

I am so inspired by girls like Alexa Chung that manage to always look insanely cool in a really pared back and understated way. I love masculine and geeky almost juvenile quirks in clothing and I think that started me off in this direction.

Is there a story behind the name of your range?

I really felt at the time I was designing it that great things were ahead – both for design in our country, and also for me as an individual. I chose the line “The Best Is Yet to Come” the title of a Frank Sinatra Song as for me it was a perfect marker for the time. Gorgonzola but true.

We love the range, how would you describe it?

Wow. Hard one. A rather-odd-in-a-good-way schoolgirl who often wears her dad’s clothes from the seventies…

Tell us about the colours and fabrics used?

I was having a love affair with texture when I designed it so I chose chunky knits, linen suitings, printed woven viscose and faux fur for warmth and added denim and cotton twills for contrast. The colour palette is very earthy, with splashes of navy and warm burnt oranges.

What does the collection include?

Chunky knitwear, printed paper-bag shorts, a mannish oversized blazer, printed harem pants, printed cotton shirts, a denim buffalo skirt… And for the rest you’ll have to go and check it out in stores.

What sets this range apart from others?

Little details like elbow patches, paper-bag waist detail, statement buttons and raw reversed hems. I really wanted the girl who wears these clothes to feel we cared about how she felt in them.

Where did you find the time to design with so much on the go?

I think when you love something you always find the time – I would be really sad if I didn’t have the time to design anymore.

How long has it taken to design, beginning to end?

This collection was put together in about three or four months from sketches to sampling stage.

‘The Best Is Yet to Come’ is available at selected Mr Price stores from 25 July. Look out for the range displayed on trendy luminous pink hangers in store.

To find out more about the inspiration behind the range, visit Mr Price to view the behind-the-scenes video of Amber Jones on shoot and in action.