I met up with Dionne of Puckoo Couture and headed down to her studio to look at all the amazing things she’s been creating. It was like an Aladdin’s cave of clothes and materials. There was a firework display going on outside the window, and ever since I’ve been desperately trying to resist making the immensely cheesy comparison of there being more sparkle in the studio than there was in the sky. Clearly I’m weak and failed.
Dionne’s preparing for a photoshoot on Sunday so everything’s pretty hectic. As soon as I get there she’s out the door to get her haircut. Image is everything.
Scrapping her way into college after leaving school with no GCSE’s and being trained as a receptionist, Dionne moved into her own house at 16 and fell pregnant. It was then she turned things around and went back to college and learnt pattern cutting and general garment construction. After getting a national Diploma in fashion she started her own label, Puckoo Couture.
It was Dionne’s seamstress grandmother who motivated her to turn to fashion. And it’s her Nan’s childhood nickname Puckoo for Dionne that fronts the brand, Puckoo Couture.
Dionne was showing me her new collection that had just arrived back in the country from Mexico that day. They’d been used on a music video for Redlight, filmed at the time of The Day of the Dead. The director wanted something that didn’t blend directly into the festivities but kept in keeping with the singer’s bold look. Dionne showed me two pieces, a unitard and a jacket, both with incredible patterns.
The patterns were screen printed by Jozika who works with her boyfriend as part of Tapt. The design on the unitard is an exclusive print for Puckoo Couture based on the colour scheme of the logo. Dionne was sure to let me know how hard it is to work with stretch fabric, and just how important it was to line up the target like patterns with the nipples and other such sensitive areas around the body.
When given the coral coloured fabric with gold print, Blade Runner instantly shot into Dionne’s mind and became the catalyst for the jacket in her new collection. From there she developed the shape letting it evolve as she worked on it. She works in different ways but hates to be restricted to having to draw her designs thoroughly first. For Dionne it’s about gaining inspiration and letting the workflow take control. She surrounds herself with inspiration; the studio itself is packed full of wonders and the building Dionne works in is filled with creative people from such a variety of backgrounds.
Jak “There are loads of things around your room that must inspire you, there’s a lot of skulls,”
Dionne “Yea, I am obsessed with skulls,”
Jak “and a mannequin that’s been hung?”
Dionne “she’s my friend.”
So far Dionne’s favourite commission has been Kelis, and understandably as kelis is incredible. Headlining at Spaced in Ibiza, Kelis wore a Puckoo Couture unitard, and even Jessie J has taken to wearing some of Puckoo’s own leggings. You can see Puckoo Couture’s new collection at some up coming events around Bristol. The first event is Mr Sexy taking place on Friday Nov 18th at The Passenger Shed, Bristol, and the next is a fashion show for cancer research to be held at Trinity Centre on Sunday Nov 27th called Fashitude
Shop- www.puckoo.com
Asos- https://marketplace.asos.com/seller/puckoo-couture/collection
