So, what makes these fashion types do what they do? Why does siob.she exist? I’ve always suspected that it has something to do with cheddar cheese but here, especially for you, straight from the horse’s mouth like a semi-dissolved lump of sugar, I give you the truth: INTERVIEW WITH THE SIOB.SHE.
Interview with the siob
Born in Bristol and raised in Southern Ireland, Siobhan O’Callaghan is a multi-accented 24 year old Nan with attitude. Fond of victory rolls, oversized knit-wear and potatoes, Siob is a master of intricacies who’s unhealthy obsession with couture from a young age lead her down this long and winding fashion path…
Hi Siobhan! You’re very pretty, what inspired you to get into fashion?
My earliest memories are of sitting amongst my collection of fashion magazines, sketching out my favourite catwalk looks. It wasn’t until I was a lot older that I had an ‘eureka!’ moment and realised that fashion, and design in particular, was something that actually existed and not just a figment of my fairytale imagination.
Do you have a particular muse?
Not one that I could name, but I usually create with an image in the back of my mind of a woman, always hidden, mysterious, dark but with that magical power of feminine beauty. God I love her!
Do you have a fashion philosophy?
I’ve only recently discovered which clothes suit my shape and that’s been hugely influential on the way I design. Finding a garment which suits your body perfectly is the holy grail for many women…the siob.she label is intent on making that grail a little easier to find.
What inspires you to create a piece?
Aside from the mystery muse I mentioned earlier, anything can inspire a concept; an old photo, a piece of art, a song, a letter…If something strikes a chord with me I can usually translate it into a garment. Fit is increasingly becoming an important starting point and something I really want to focus on with the next collection.
Who are your favourite designers?
Oh god…Junya Watanabe and Commes des Garcons for execution of design and conceptual integrities…Lanvin for luxe and finish, Boudicca for quality…
Who would you most like to wear your designs?
Me and Sheila! But we wouldn’t get very far with that attitude. Our friends are our key demographic: kick ass girls and boys with amazing brains, stupid faces and a penchant for rolling drunkenly around on the floor…whilst dressed impeccably of course. As for famous faces, her from Moloko can have a piece, Susie Bubble would look pretty hot in our designs…anyone who can put their own twist on our pieces and inspires us in return.
Where do you see you see yourself in five years?
Broke and wrinkly. No, siob.she should be on it’s ninth season so I would expect us to be content and proud in having something that we love and have always wanted to create. Personally, I want to retire when I’m 35 and live on a boat house or maybe up a tree with my brood of bare foot children and an adoring moustachioed husband. I can sew for fun and send samples to Sheila whilst she runs the whole siob.she empire, thanks She...Yeah that sounds about right!
Interview with the She
Hi Sheila, you’re a fine piece of ass, what inspired you to get into fashion?
There wasn’t an exact moment....it was always a definite plan! From a young age I loved to dress up, especially in my Granny’s clothes. I remember making a dress out of old net curtains when I was about 8...at Kindergarten the teachers told my mum that I would end up in a job where I would use my hands (not in that kind of way!) I loved Barbie dolls and made them outfits out of fabric scraps and toilet paper…anything I could find!
Do you have a particular muse?
I don’t think so, for me it’s more about random girls I glimpse in images or on the street. I’m more inspired by the moods and atmospheres which come from people…I imagine the story of who they are, how they ended up where they are and what they are thinking about - my muses are unknown mysteries for me to solve and that is why I love them.
Do you have a philosophy about fashion?
In my head, my fashion philosophy goes on forever.... but in the real world, I feel passionate about enabling women to wear great clothes and do great things wearing them!
What inspires you to create a piece?
I always base what I create on a concept or mood which sparks my interest. Then I match fabrics and colours to this which gives the process a good guideline to build from. I take inspiration from the past, juxtaposing vintage fit and shape into the modern now. I’m drawn to anything old, with history and a story to tell - even the most mundane things have a certain nostalgic beauty about them.
Who are your favourite designers?
Boudicca for their company ethos, Martin Margiela for his innovation, Commes des Garcons and Vivienne Westwood for beautiful garments....I loved Medham Kirschoffs last collection...it was hauntingly weird and wonderful!
Who would you most like to wear your designs?
My gorgeous friends of course! Chloe Sevigny could perhaps have a slice, Shannyn Sossamon who is the most beautiful woman in the world….Karen O and of course, my granny - she started all of this after all!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I’ll be earning a living doing what I love…living comfortably in London or Berlin, spending my days in our studio, working hard creating beautiful things and finding it pure, unadulterated bliss.
