Maria Grachvogel Blog

Friday, February 18, 2011

Size is just a number, and instead of numbers, we should be concentrating on figures – our own.

The “Size 0 Debate” is one that has been at the forefront of fashion politics for the last few years, and will continue to be if we do not prise ourselves out of the obsession with becoming something that we are not. I believe that there should be fashion for all, not only youthful girls presented as the face of fashion, but those who want to experience beautiful, high quality clothes. My garments are created for all women, those who wish to flatter their own unique shape rather than aspire to be something else.  The women in their late teens and early 20s who showcase the clothes on the catwalk do a beautiful job, but this should not mean that they are the only ones that feel comfortable wearing them. All items from my collections are made to make all shapes of woman feel glamorous and confident, and most importantly, happy with who they are as an individual.

The key to this is acceptance, to stop concentrating on size, and find what suits your shape. Body shape should be the true focus of fashion; and embracing your own shape and learning how to dress it is how you will form your own style and be truly comfortable. Bodies change and develop throughout life, but this is no bad thing, it gives a reason to develop skills in the art of dressing for more than one type of figure. Your teen body will not be the same as the one you have at other points of your life. Kate Moss is a prime example. When she first began modelling she was a skinny teen, now she is a woman her body has changed, but she is no less beautiful. Fashion should be a tool to embrace and highlight, and at Maria Grachvogel, this is what we aspire to provide.

Posted by admin AT 7:51
Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Maria Grachvogel announces partnership with Butterfield Private Bank for London Fashion Week

Maria Grachvogel is delighted to announce that Butterfield Private Bank will be the main sponsors for her Spring/Summer ’12 catwalk show during London Fashion Week on Friday, 16th September.

Butterfield is acclaimed for its exclusive bespoke service in the area of private banking and wealth management, providing its clients with a service precisely tailored to their requirements. Whilst maintaining its traditional heritage, Butterfield recognises the importance of innovation and therefore is an ideal sponsorship partner for Maria Grachvogel.

This is a supportive collaboration that sees a great affinity and shared ethos between the two businesses. Maria’s collection epitomises quality and innovation and she is proud of the service she provides her clients. It is this same tailored approach to business that Butterfield shares.

Danny Dixon, Head of Private Banking at Butterfield Private Bank said “To be working with a designer of Maria Grachvogel’s calibre is an exciting opportunity. Maria’s designs are exclusive, sophisticated and contemporary and can appeal to suit the individual. Similarly, Butterfield represents exclusivity, quality and flexibility, approaching each client as unique.”

Maria Grachvogel says “I love the idea of working with a private bank with such a great reputation as Butterfield, they are reaching out to exactly the type of client that my designs appeal to. I know this will be a wonderfully beneficial relationship for both of us.”

http://www.uk.butterfieldgroup.com/

Posted by megan AT 15:24
Thursday, April 1, 2010

Baby News!

Lumiere Dress SS'10

Dear Friends,

I am happy to give you the news that I gave birth to a lovely baby boy last Tuesday. We have named him Ansel and we are both very well!

I have learned some interesting things about my body and myself over the last nine months and I have found the changes easier to deal with, thanks to the right wardrobe. It is important to allow yourself as much as possible to still feel like you. You are able to look and feel fabulous throughout and afterwards while your body is getting back to normal.

I have discovered that I didn’t need to buy any maternity wear, and that many of the clothes in my wardrobe just worked with my new shape.

I therefore wanted to create a section on my website for maternity that is not at all a specific maternity collection, but contains pieces that work with your body during this time; for example they can all be worn with a supportive bra shape. They are all pieces from the main collection, which you should choose in your usual size, so you can wear it afterwards as well, which was very important to me. We talk about how they work during your nine months on the individual item pages.

I have also included a few pieces for the early pregnancy stage; before the bump really starts to show but when you have already lost your waistline. For the time that you feel a few pounds heavier than you would like and perhaps you need a little extra help to feel a million dollars!

Maria x

Click here to shop maternity & post baby

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Posted by admin AT 12:59
Monday, February 22, 2010

Cutting the ribbon!

16-1Dear friends,

I am thrilled to finally be pulling back the curtain on my online shop after years of requests and encouragement from you all. This has been a long time in the making and has an incredibly timely launch, coinciding with my return to London Fashion Week this year.

When I first sat down to think about creating my online shop, I was all too aware that launching a designer retail brand online is nothing new. I scoured through countless websites, trying to find what was lacking from the average online shopping experience and noticed one, very key missing ingredient. No one had yet managed to capture the magic of an expert “designer” eye, to help choose the perfect personalized outfit for the individual online customer.

I knew that to give my clients the authentic Maria Grachvogel Sloane Street store experience I had to break current online boundaries and creatively come up with an effective yet simple solution. The key to unlocking it was an insight gained from years of successfully dressing women of all shapes and sizes.

I find women intuitively know what parts of their body they love and parts they don’t. In my store the staff can talk to clients and help them discover the clothes that make them look and feel wonderful.

It was this advice and service that I wanted to replicate online. So I created a special section on the website called ‘Virtual Styling: Find your Fit’. This is the solution to provide women with the ability to find the perfect outfit that complements the individual body shape. It will give options to choose parts of their body they want to highlight or to conceal. It’s easy to use and will present various style alternatives. The cut of each individual style and the versatility will be described in detail. For instance, my trousers have no side seams, the cut has been adjusted and perfected over the past 15 years and now they cannot fail to make every woman look fabulous. I offer three styles – straight, palazzo and wide. I designed these three shapes to flatter different body shapes and they instantly lengthen the legs and narrow the hips. My customers tell me that these are the most flattering trousers they have ever worn, and hence they are known as “magic pants” – all shapes and sizes can look good in my collection and this is what I want to communicate with my new website.

The website will feature the complete Maria Grachvogel Spring/Summer 2010 collection and there is even a maternity and post baby page that shows pieces that can be worn throughout pregnancy; all of which can be worn after.

I am totally committed to ensuring clients find what’s right for them so they can interact online or speak to my team for excellent styling advice pre and post purchase.

I hope you enjoy you’re online shopping experience with us. I have made it with you in mind.

Maria x

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Posted by admin AT 11:18