BLANDINE BARDEAU

At the tender age of 24 Blandine has not long graduated from the presitious CSM with a fun, bold Womenswear collection. Now working in London as a Designer, Illustrator and Jewellery designer her work has just appeared in Selfridges window and most recently Beyond the Valley with a collection titled 'Fluorescent Monkeys'. 'Fluorescent Monkeys' concentrates on Blandines love for drawing with many of her illustrations translated onto clothing available to buy now at Beyond the Valley. I managed to grab Blandine for a quick question.

Since graduating your work has just appeared in Selfridges windows and most recently Beyond the Valley with the première of ‘Fluorescent Monkeys’ can you tell us about this?

Blandine Bardeau - Well Selfridges found me! As extraordinary as it sounds. They went onto Style Bubble and read the article she wrote about me....

Thank you Susie! Well I started selling at Beyond the Valley in September 2009. They saw my graduate exhibition and suggested to turn my dress into a jewellery collection. I thought it was a great idea and went for it. Then somehow the idea of the exhibition came about when showing my drawings. They have given me a very special opportunity and it allows me to show more that just my fashion, which is essential for me because without the drawings, there is no fashion.' Fluorescent Monkeys' is the continuation of the story about Transformations that is my graduate collection. I wanted to give those creatures of mine, the 'Fluorescent Monkeys' (and the other funky chickens), a place to live, to exist. They now inhabit the plastic tubes of my jewellery pieces...