We all need inspiration in our lives – it’s the source of all creativity! Suzanne and I are often asked what inspires us. We love fashion with a passion – reading countless magazines (printed magazines – nothing else compares!) and watching the Haute Couture shows online (one day maybe we will get to see the real thing). We go to art exhibitions and museums, we travel, enjoy the natural world and all of its beauty, people-watch, stare into space, watch movies… there is inspiration all around us.
Suzanne started coveting fashion magazines at an early age – Vogue was a favorite. She saved all her magazines and eventually, when her artistic practice took her in the direction of collage work, the magazines that had been stacked in piles became an inspiration and the primary material that she uses in her art. Shapes and colors from those magazines form the basis of her unique collage work.
For me photography is a passion and an inspiration and as I am constantly traveling, I come across inspiration all the time. I send my photos to Suzanne and we are constantly sharing ideas with each other.
Manolo Blahnik is one of my design heroes (I started buying his shoes in the 1970s when he had just one small shop off the Kings Road in London.) One of Manolo’s sources of inspirations is the Wallace Collection. A former private residence, it is full of gorgeous paintings, sculptures, furniture and more. Manolo has spent many hours absorbing the beauty of this place and a couple of years ago collaborated with the museum on an exhibition of shoes that were inspired by the paintings. I highly recommend anyone visiting London to visit this small museum.
