“I design for the girl who looks as though she’s more likely to steal your purse than your boyfriend. She couldn’t care less whether you think she is pretty or sexy, her clothes are her armour.”
First meeting the poster boy for her graduate collection, stylist Paul Joyce, whilst studying at Middlesex University, 24-year-old, London based Tamina Navaei is an anti-sexy womenswear designer, who can do the splits. A self-professed geek until she discovered Courtney Love, this professionally, intelligently grungey thrift-smith pays meticulous attention to detail in her design. Working from an understated palette, preferring simplicity over patterns or complicated cuts, each garment she pieces together is considerately layered over another to produce a multi-faceted, very wearable collection. i-D online caught up with the long-haired lovely to find out where success in the big smoke might lie for her.
What were the research processes behind this graduate collection? I spent a lot of time looking at the photography of Wolfgang Tillmans, Juergen Teller, Jim Goldberg and Larry Clark. Also watching films such as Kids, Ken Park and My Own Private Idaho.
What labels and brands inspire your style? Raf Simons (menswear) Christopher Shannon and Rodarte. Maybe slightly at odds with each other, but I appreciate the care and attention that Kate and Laura Mulleavy pay to fabric manipulation.
What is your earliest fashion memory? Fighting with my Mum to allow me to wear my floral, frilly, puff sleeve crop top, with black and white checkered cycling shorts.
Tell me more about working on this shoot with Paul Joyce? Paul Joyce is my dream boy to wear this collection. We know each other from university, and share a love for ear piercings, Hole, The Craft and staying true to 90′s grunge. We share a similar aesthetic, so I trust him completely with presenting the collection. I’ve yet to meet anyone else, ever, who possesses such an innate sense of style.
What photographers and stylists would you like to work alongside in the future? Photographer Masha Mel.
Who are the top 5 graduates you tip for big things?
1. Stuart Henre Chapman
2. Jimena Olmedo Popa
3. Sally Kite
4. Rasha Swais
5. Benedicte Zuccarelli
Photography: Cameron Alexander
Styling: Paul Joyce
Make up: Guy Common
Hair: Liam Curran
Models: Curtis Ward at FM and Tess at Select
Styling Assistant: Kit Shyrixina
All clothing by Tamina Navaei. Curtis wears shoes by Bénédicte Zuccarelli. Trainers by Asics. Tess wears trainers by Chanel. Other Shoes designer’s own.
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