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Monday 26 September 2011

VFS Exhibition - Malene Oddershede Bach Q&A

 
How did you get into fashion?
I'm from Denmark, in the middle of the countryside. My Dad is a farmer so I kind of used to be quite a tomboy and help him around the farm and then, I went to London on holiday once and really liked it so after I finished secondary school I went to London for six months originally and didn't really know what I was going to do - I ended up staying and I've been here for six years. I realised after a while that I quite liked styling, which then took me into design because I thought design was more challenging.

Did you do your art foundation in London?
I did a foundation at LCF, originally I wanted to do the styling pathway but then got into the design pathway, which I found a lot more interesting, a lot more challenging and something I didn't know too much of but I found it quite natural. Looking back and thinking; I have always done sewing in school and taking sewing classes as well.

What do you class as your greatest achievement so far?
I think it's the show last night probably, it's what you dream of. I dream of having my own label, obviously I have working other places but it's not the same working for someone else; it's your own, it's completely different.

What is your favourite part of what you do?
Just being able to do exactly what I want to do...everything is down to me, and I'm quite controlling, I like to know what's going on. I've literally touched everything that goes anywhere, I've done everything from the sewing, to the pattern, to the fitting, to the toile and then I cut out the fabrics as well.
 
What does your working day look like?
I normally get up at 8 o clock, have breakfast, check my emails start working straight away, lately I've been work til midnight 1 o'clock [AM], and obviously, because there's just been a show I've been up to 3.30 in the morning...But it's fine, my studio is the same place where I live so it's a bit easier that way but it's the job.

Do you have any advice for young designers starting out?
What I did at university was just work as individually as possible and just instead of asking all the time it's better to just do something and figure out if it's not right then you figure out what the mistake is then from that you learn and learn and learn.


Text: Madeleine Ayers