BOUDICCA
spring/summer 2009

The sexy variations of a blue ink print

Boudicca, the label by Londoner design duo Zowie Broach and Brian Kirkby, presents for spring/summer 2009 a collection with very English, blue ink prints. At the same time (October 2008) Boudicca launched a new artful scent developed from the concept to merge the boundaries between science, graffiti, history and fashion; again with a blue print which disappears after some time while the scent rests.

Why are you using these prints?

"The prints you asked about are part of a long process of printing invisible hidden meaning (as is indeed the titled of our AW08 collection) onto garments that when sprayed with WODE (see below) became visible and then these prints disappeared again to the eye. In this collection these prints made the journey to the end result and became permanently visible, as if that moment of sprayed garments is frozen." Boudicca

fig.: "This Edwardian rose is a bit of a trade mark BOUDICCA rose that was featured in previous collections as well. A similar rose theme (although not from the same image) you can find in our Couture 02 collection - look for the 3D Rose - www.boudiccacouture.com." Boudicca

Video: 'Wode Paint' & 'Wode Scent' by Boudicca. Wode, the first fragrance by Boudicca, gets international editorial attention at the moment and is available at fashionable shopping destinations such as Browns Focus, Convenience Store, Colette in Paris, Barneys across the states among others ... as well as online www.boudiccawode.com. The fragrance is available in 2 types, Scent and Paint. The top note of Paint is visible when first sprayed then disappears leaving behind the scent.

"Wode is a conceptual Art fragrance that begins to merge the boundaries between science, graffiti, history and fashion. It has been in development for 7 years and launched in October 08. Wode, taken from the word "woad", was historically (mythically) used as a war paint for tribal markings by the ancient Britans. In fact Queen Boadicea (aka BOUDICCA)'s own Iceni tribe may have worn woad into battle when they burnt London to the ground back in 60 AD. Boudicca has been exploring the idea of bringing the elements of visibility and invisibility of WODE into garments. The last Preview collection included pieces that were invisibly printed, when the garments were sprayed the print became visible, and as the "paint" disappeared, so would the print, leaving behind the scent." Boudicca

fig.: "We have been researching the ghosts of the warrior queens, the imagery and identity of these amazing women and this is an early sketch idea of how the history of the past can be instilled into the modern day identity of some one today. The Digital Printed skirt is a painting from the Manchester gallery of Mary Cornwallis painted by George Gower circa 1580-1585. It is often used to show further examples of the look and identity of Elizabeth I." Zowie Broach

Check out the painting by George Gower http://www.manchestergalleries.org/the-collections/search-the-collection/display.php?EMUSESSID=3bc52b328c131b2772
3d1eff3c3466cf&irn=5902

About Boudicca

Zowie Broach and Brian Kirkby, who have started Boudicca in 1997, presented their art exclusively in art galleries and exhibition spaces until in 2001. In 2007 the designers had the privilege to design the Christmas tree at the Victoria & Albert Museum. In the same year the label was the first Independent British fashion house to be officially invited to become a guest member of Haute Couture in Paris. In 2008 Boudicca outfits had been included in the exhbitions in ‘Skin & Bones’ at Somerset House and ‘Fashion & Sport’ at the Victoria & Albert museum in London.

Boudicca is giving regular talks at the Tate Modern in London, as well as having collaborated on projects with artists such a Gillian Wearing, architect David Adjaye and film director Mike Figgis.

The name 'Boudicca'

The name Boudicca comes from an ancient revolutionary queen (approx. 60 AD) who fought the Romans and burnt London to the ground. Still today archeologists refer to a red layer underneath London as the "Boudicca layer" and a romantic Thornycroft vision, a grand statue, of Queen Boudicca (aka Boadicea) and her daughters sits outside the Houses of Parliament today.

Find all the collections - from the oldest to the most recent - on www.platform13.com.


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