English fashion designer Nina Davies
(not to be confused with the Canadian performance artist of the same name)
One must always be very grateful to fashion, says Nietzsche, for liberating within those who are subject to its law the energy and goodwill that is often paralysed by negative feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem; i.e. those feelings which are productive of drabness and conformity of appearance. Fashion, in other words, allows the individual to communicate confidence and joy in their own form.
And so, without wishing to encroach too far onto the kind of territory best covered by the super lovely Nunzia Garoffolo in her smashing blog, Fashion Beyond Fashion, I would nevertheless like to say a few words in praise of the talented design queen of Spitalfields, Nina Davies, and her fashion label Enainay.
In her unique collection of womenswear, Ms Davies recycles and reconstructs old fabrics and abandoned garments into entirely new pieces by draping them round her trusty mannequin and then cutting, pinning, stitching and twisting with a mixture of madness, mockery, and love for all things motley.
She is, if you like, a designer amongst the ruins. By which I mean one who attempts to create something beautiful out of that which others have discarded as worn out or outmoded. Nina realises that because second-hand clothes have no intrinsic significance, any item might attain new meaning and new life by being incorporated into a novel vision of what constitutes elegance.
For those who like sartorial harmony and a wardrobe steeped in classical tradition, there might not be much to admire in her collection of fitted jackets, skirts, dresses and corsets. But for those who want to dress up to mess up and who desire clothes that display wit, warmth, and intelligence - as well as craftsmanship - in every asymmetric line, then I would highly recommend a visit to her shop.
Enienay, at Seam, 14-16, Market Street, Spitalfields, London, E1.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-7pm & Sat-Sun 10.30am-6.30pm.
Or visit: www.enienay.com
And so, without wishing to encroach too far onto the kind of territory best covered by the super lovely Nunzia Garoffolo in her smashing blog, Fashion Beyond Fashion, I would nevertheless like to say a few words in praise of the talented design queen of Spitalfields, Nina Davies, and her fashion label Enainay.
In her unique collection of womenswear, Ms Davies recycles and reconstructs old fabrics and abandoned garments into entirely new pieces by draping them round her trusty mannequin and then cutting, pinning, stitching and twisting with a mixture of madness, mockery, and love for all things motley.
She is, if you like, a designer amongst the ruins. By which I mean one who attempts to create something beautiful out of that which others have discarded as worn out or outmoded. Nina realises that because second-hand clothes have no intrinsic significance, any item might attain new meaning and new life by being incorporated into a novel vision of what constitutes elegance.
For those who like sartorial harmony and a wardrobe steeped in classical tradition, there might not be much to admire in her collection of fitted jackets, skirts, dresses and corsets. But for those who want to dress up to mess up and who desire clothes that display wit, warmth, and intelligence - as well as craftsmanship - in every asymmetric line, then I would highly recommend a visit to her shop.
Enienay, at Seam, 14-16, Market Street, Spitalfields, London, E1.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-7pm & Sat-Sun 10.30am-6.30pm.
Or visit: www.enienay.com
