Behind the design: The story of our Island Escapade
- Our designer Josie tells us the inspiration behind Island Escapade spring -
I’ve been fortunate enough to design collections for Little Green Radicals for almost ten years. Every time we begin this process, I am always excited to step into a new imaginative world that only kids can create. Where strips of cloth become a ships sail waiting to cross the seas and scraps of fabric are the wings of an exotic bird ready to meet us on a tropical island. Our Spring Summer 20 collection takes us on a sea adventure, with friendly sailors setting out on their voyage to a desert island where they meet mermaids a-plenty swimming happily in the shallows alongside tropical fish, blue whales and their starfish friends.
The story of our prints ..
We start with colour, playing around with different tones until we have a palette which is both fun and bright and select fabrics that will make our styles soft and easy to wear. We then move to on to designing prints and new characters for our story. Spring brings us a new mermaid print. We pick colours from our trusty old pantone book and then wait slightly impatiently for our wonderful producers in India to turn our sketches into print screens and those screens into beautiful designs on the fabrics.
Sealife
Our story this season starts on an Island so we had to include our friends under the sea. Look out for colourful whales with rainbow fins swimming next to hammer head sharks and tropical fish, all hiding below the waves of our tropical island.
Adventure Island
You'll first need a map to explore a desert island. But a compass, back pack, a lighthouse to guide you and the odd seagull will also help you on your way...
Ahoy There!
`Don't forget to say hello to the sailors who take you on this magical journey!
Flying High
Finally back on solid ground, you can cycle down seaside lanes past flower markets, balloon stalls and fishing villages. Just make sure you don't take off into the sky!
'Flying High' was particularly inspired by the pretty seaside town of St Just in Cornwall and originally was quite a detailed design of villages, gardens and seaside streets. In the end we loved the simplicity of bicycles and balloons floating amongst the clouds.
We really enjoyed creating this spring range and can't wait to continue on our Island Escapade journey in our summer collection coming soon.
Watch this space...
Comments
Rachel Alexander said:
So interesting to read about the story behind the collection. The collection really is beautiful…wonderful colours and prints.