Bright and cheerful: Love ur Look Spring/Summer 2012 collection

It’s always refreshing when you find a new designer with imaginative designs and especially when you get to actually meet one and talk to them about their work. I was lucky enough to meet the lovely Ronke Fashola, the designer behind the Love ur Look brand, at the press day for her second installation of vintage-inspired designs.

The Spring/Summer 2012 Love ur Look collection is an array of retro sundresses in bright and cheerful patterns. Ronke said that she is very inspired by the 1950s and 60s, which is clear to see in all of her creations. She also told me that the film The Help was a big influence on her when designing the garments.  With feminine silhouettes, which accentuate a small waist and curve out over the body, the dresses are both stylish and flattering and clearly evoke echoes of more glamorous days, but with a fresh, modern feel.

The vibrant collection is evidently a reflection of Ronke herself – her love of her designs was clear as she spoke about her plans for the future of the brand. She wants her designs to be accessible to everybody, no matter what size they are, which is why her garments run from a size 8-16, with plans to further widen the range of sizes available. With her collection being made in India, Ronke is very aware of the industry she is involved in and the effect that employing people to make the garments has on their lives; she spoke about how conscious she is of making sure everybody involved in creating her collection works in a proper environment and is paid appropriate wages.

Ronke’s love for what she does is clear and reveals itself through the smallest detailing in the garments, from the importance of picking the perfect buttons to run up the back of a certain dress, to getting the pockets just right on another (she admittedly is obsessed with pockets). Her dresses are all thoroughly beautiful and fun and you can check out the rest of the collection here.

Rebecca Saunders