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Fred Butler : Art Director, Prop Stylist & Accessories Designer ™/ Text / The Cut / Photography / Courtesy Of Mishkin 13th August 2008 Who and what inspires your amazing designs? I have two outlets for my work. The first is commission-based and comes from stylists who want accessories as props for fashion shoots. This will be quite a specific request to fit the narrative of their story, therefore I am creative within the outline that they set me. I really enjoy this as I explore ideas and materials that I would not necessarily discover myself. The second is my own accessories collection. This is a chance for me to be totally self indulgent and design pieces that truly represent my aesthetic. I do not have a particular muse in mind but think of people that wear clothes in a way to enhance the enjoyment of their every day life. My inspiration comes from many different random places but there is usually a theme of spectrum colour and geometric shape. There is a lot of intricacy and folding in your work, how long does it take to make it piece? I always produce highly labour intensive pieces. My aim is to employ techniques to fabricate something that has not been seen before. I am never happy to use something that is a standard material. I have made my own sequins in the past by cutting plastic, covering them with vinyl cut-outs and spraying them with multi-coloured patterns. However, I like the finish to be perfect so that you cannot tell that it has been hand crafted. Any Stand-out projects? The funniest stand out memory was being dressed as a gigantic Chanel handbag on Sloane Street. Typically the other London pedestrians were busy going about their chores like ants and totally unfazed whereas the tourists couldn’t get enough of working out what the hell was going on. I don’t travel much with work but I am fortunate to be able to stay with friends in NYC and Paris for the fashion weeks. These are friends that I made through interning for them many years ago, so you never know what opportunities will come from doing work experience! Usually the most crazy things happen when jobs are something to do with the music industry, from painting a rainbow across the bodies of a 5 piece band to making and installing a stage set at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in two days. But one the most bizarre days was one of my first jobs when I was still incredibly nervous, getting used to being the boss and not the assistant. I had to prop a ‘post-gig’ penthouse room in the Metropolitan Hotel for The Black Eyed Peas. I borrowed some records and a portable turntable from a DJ friend and it was a total winner when they discovered it worked and got really into listening to his tunes. I drew a massive breath of relief when W.I.L.L.I.A.M exclaimed “this is what our next album should sound like!” What’s next for you this year? I am now starting my next collection, which is for Spring / Summer so this is a nice opportunity for me to go ballistic with colour. Although, having said that, I didn’t hold back last time! When did you get into design? I made a Tank Girl costume for my Textiles GCSE. This year I was commissioned to make accessories for a Tank Girl story in the i-D Agyness Dean issue. Its funny to think that I had no idea when I was a 15 year old school girl that 13 years later, I would be doing the same project for one of my favorite magazines. The original elbow pads that I made were actually used in the shoot which testifies that is always worth holding on to things! For more: www.fredbutlerstyle.com		Issue Two Aug 2008 Reggie Yates Interview Road To 2012 : Olympics Special Road To Carnival Fashion Freedom At A Price Red Hot Interview Nash Money Sneakers Micachu Interview Natty Interview Life In The Marine Corps Parents Meet The Teenagers Young Londoners Meet The Cast Of Adulthood Cyko Logic Interview Fred Butler : Prop Stylist Interview Immortal Technique Review Made In Queens Victor Timofeev : Artist Interview Ricky Powell Interview Twizzle Interview Flywear Feature Top Girl Film Feature Queen Of Nations Not Without My Sister Sky's The Limit Career's Advice Issue One March 2008 Bashy Interview The Cool Kids Lady Lykes Grimes New School Rowdy Superstar Interview The Sound Of Reason Slash Interview Hoxton Vs Hampstead Fashion Young Designers Lucinda Chua Interview Will Kay Interview The Brothers Size Chris Lambert Duane Henry Drug Trafficking Feature Does My Bum Look Big in This Life After Prison Whats Upsetting Our Children MP Julia Goldsworthy Autechre Live In London Hardcore Is More Than Music Media Box Paddington Development Trust The Cut On Myspace