Fairy tale haute couture signed by Isabell Kristensen: the interview Part II

We all want to live our dream. In the fashion world not so many designers succeed in creating a story around their designs, around their work; not so many are able to put some fairy tale sparkles on their creations. Isabell Kristensen does all that; Isabel Kristensen weaves all the sparkling details into a glamorous piece of art.

I met the beautiful Danish fashion designer, Isabel Kristensen, at her boutique in Monaco. A warm, smiling person who shows not only her beauty but also her talent through gorgeous gowns, jewelry and mesmerizing fragrances. During the interview, I have discovered a passionate fashion designer who loves haute couture and knows how to make her dreams alive. Every piece from her collection is an entrance to a personal story: that of the woman who wears it. Feminine, elegant, glamorous, sensual, each one of them is the door to a woman's strength and beauty. A story that Isabell Kristensen perfectly weaves with beads, sequins, crystals on delicate fabrics like silk, chiffon, French lace. It is a celebration of the woman's beauty, of the woman's body.

Read the interview and discover inspirational stories like the Zero gravity fashion show, underwater photoshoot, launching of a career as a designer on the second day after giving birth and many more. This is the fashion designer Isabell Kristensen and I let you learn more about her amazing story with this interview.

AO: The start of your fashion career coincides with the birth of your child?

IK: Yes, of the third child, my son. The special thing about that was that for years I was asked to do fashion shows in the finale because my clothing was so glamorous, was for the Red Carpet so they always wanted me to be at the end of the shows. And this was the first real show; I had seven hundred people or something in the Churchill Hotel in London. It was two shows, for charity, one for the lunch time and the other for the dinner time. And, when they asked me to show my entire collection, I was very excited, obviously. And, I said yes even though I was pregnant. I didn't tell anyone I was pregnant. At that time, you couldn't see it. And then I said, well I am due to give birth on the 24^th of September but, it probably would never happen that time because I already had two children, my two girls, and none of them came on the set date so I thought I'll just go ahead. And then, of course, this happens. It was very very funny because the night before I came to the Churchill Hotel to have a look at the collection and the models and all the stuff to prepare for the next morning and I finished at 11 o'clock at night. I was heavily pregnant and I went home to bed and I thought tomorrow is the big day, is a lot of television coming and a lot of press and all the guests and, then, all of the sudden at 1 o'clock in the morning, I started to have this insane stomach ache and I just thought if I just lie completely still, it would probably go away, but it didn't. So, I was rushed to the hospital and I gave birth to my son in the morning and then I persuaded the doctor to come with me to the show (laughing). I have the photo of me going down the catwalk and it's hilarious. I looked like a ghost, completely white-faced. I don't know how I managed to go.

AO: What was the reaction of the people?

IK: It was very funny because I was introduced by a famous television presenter in UK called Angela Rippon as a very special lady who just gave birth to her son. All the people were laughing and clapping. It was a very very special day.

AO: You are also the first fragrance producer in Denmark ...

IK: Well, I was the first. I don't know about now, it was nearly nine years ago. I was the first designer to create my own fragrance.

AO: How the idea came up without having any predecessors in Denmark?

IK: It was part of my career. I was doing the clothes. I was always thinking about and dream to have my own fragrance. This was like the ultimate dream.

AO: That is why it is called Dreams?

IK: Yes! I had waited for 11 years. Those days it was very expensive to make your own fragrance and you needed to be a big brand. Now, it's changed, now you have so many brands. But for me, at that time, it was my ultimate dream so when the opportunity came, I did not know I was the first Danish designer to have my own fragrance. I called it Dreams because, obviously, it was my dream and today it's a classic fragrance in Denmark. And now we are doing the third: we have Dreams, Endless Dreams and we are doing the next one.

AO: The fragrance is made of...?

IK: Is made out of all my favorite smells. Coming to Grasse was like magic... the scent of the whole place, the atmosphere, the whole idea about it. And, then, I read so many books and stories. Chanel is one of my favorite designers and her whole story about fragrance is so inspiring. When I came to Grasse, I told all my favorite things that I love the smell of (flowers, chocolate, vanilla...) and it was all mixed up by the Nose. I came several times and only on the 7^th time it was perfect for me and Dreams was born. I said that's it.

AO: What is the secret? What is the main scent?

IK: The scent is sweet. My fragrances are a combination of sweet, flowery and very fresh. I like all things that smell nice. I have always been a person who loves to smell flowers, I love chocolate...

AO: The sweet things of life...

IK: Yes, the sweet things of life. I think scent is so important, puts you in such a good mood, with the memories from it ...

AO: The violet color is predominant in all your perfumes?

IK: No, I have a lot of colors in my collection and pink is always one of them. So, for Dreams it had to be pink and turquoise. These two colors I work a lot with and then, when I reached to designing Pump it, it was because I wanted to do something more fun, not so classical and I was greatly inspired by music.

AO: What musician inspires you the most?

IK: There are many. I love music and I dress a lot of artists. My first famous artist was Shirley Bassey who has been my client for 20 years today. But they are many! And Purple Rain is one of my favorite songs so it was a great inspiration so I saw my purple little bottle spraying purple mist.

AO: Where did it come from the idea of the bottle's shape?

IK: It is because I wanted something that you could pop in your handbag very easily and that didn't need to worry about. I wanted to be 50 ml because I wanted to be like a fashion accessory that you can take it out and...

AO: ...puff it all around.

IK: Exactly! 

Editor Andra Oprea

                                                            =Part II=     

Read also Part I, Part III, Part IV