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We talk to Irish fashion designer, Natalie B Coleman, on what inspires her to create her beautiful and most-coveted collections as well how she predicts fashion is moving forward in the tech space.
How do you find inspiration for your seasonal collections?
I always say that my collections are like my diary pages, so it really depends on what is going on, in my life – what films, books, music or stories have inspired me. ?Right now I am very excited about AW16.
How do you store all your ideas and inspirations?
The Fresh Paint app on my ?Surface Pro 4 is brilliant for sketching on the go, and two clicks of the Surface Pen captures a screenshot which is perfect for when I am looking for inspiration online. I am always jotting down ideas on the go,’so the Surface is perfect for carrying with me everywhere – it’s really slim and light so I always have it in my handbag, especially as I travel so much.
Do you find you are more creative in the day or night?
I used to be more of a night person but now I find mornings are best, I love the quietness to collect ideas and plan out the day.
How do you deal with creativity slumps?
It is really important to take breaks and immerse yourself in culture – ?go to exhibitions, watch movies and take time out for yourself. It is something I am still learning to do, but I can really see that the benefits are far-reaching.
What other designers inspire you?
There are so many! Irish designers I admire are Danielle Romeril and the amazing Sorcha O’ Raghallaigh. Some of the international designers I love are Margiela, McQueen, Prada and Marc Jacobs.
How do you use the Surface Pro 4 for your design work?
The Surface pen has a great sensitivity of line for sketching which is perfect when I am rushing around and have an idea. The device is so slim and light so you can just pop it in your bag without having to carrying lots of sketchbooks and pencils and the Tiles are great for organising my life into sections!
Would you consider yourself to be tech-savvy?
Not really but I am learning all the time, I am fascinated by technology in design and how quickly it is moving.
How do you see fashion design evolving in the tech space?
E-commerce is growing all the time, luxury brands are embracing technology and some retail spaces are increasingly moving to app based platforms as their key focus. Wearable technology is growing so fast maybe soon I will be able to charge my Lumia smart phone from my jeans pocket!
What is the best advice you were ever given about the fashion industry?
It is only clothes!
In association with Microsoft