Rebel Rebel

The first five years of a brand can be the ones that either make or break it in the fashion industry. Chelsea Rebelle is approaching the end of this introductory period, and all signs point towards success. This is largely attributable to head designer, Sarah Brannon. Originally a journalism student from New Zealand, she has cultivated and developed Chelsea Rebelle in a way which makes it unique, edgy and, most importantly, covetable. Speaking to her, it is clear that her focused marketing strategy, enthusiasm and formidable work ethic are the keys to its success.

Chelsea Rebelle has become especially known for its unique silhouettes, most infamously the 5 kilogram sequin dress, which has a structured, modernized Victorian silhouette; think small waist and exaggerated hips. Sarah says the inspiration for that dress, and the SS/10 collection more generally, was "listening to far too much David Bowie and T Rex... hence the use of spandex and glitter – of course done in a tasteful Chelsea Rebelle way!." Pushing the boundaries is certainly an aim of Brannon’s. However, in spite of looking edgy and well constructed, the pieces still retain desirability and seem wearable; the brand is after all a viable business, in addition to being creatively exciting. Admittedly, the decision to mix edgy with girly is not in itself groundbreaking. Yet, what is unique to Sarah’s manifestation of this style is the particularly honest and accessible way in which the combination is achieved. "My inspiration comes in all forms, from London in the 1960s to books and films. I wear my heart on my sleeve so I think my influences are pretty obvious in the collections."

Naturally, if a brand wants to convey ‘the right message’, it must rely on having the correct marketing strategy. In the age of celebrity and PR, this means targeting your clothes at celebrities who share your aesthetic and ethos. Sarah admits that she’s been "lucky so far, as I admire and adore the girls who’ve worn my clothes, like Kelly Osbourne." Nevertheless, she admits that what is more important is that the girls convey the spirit of a true ‘Chelsea’ girl. For Sarah, the ideal Chelsea girl is "someone who always breaks the rules." Like the clothing, they are "modern and flirty; whimsical with a dark twist."

As a former journalism student, I was interested to know if deciding to switch to fashion was a difficult decision to make. Brannon expresses that "it wasn’t really a difficult decision; I knew I wanted to go into fashion, and at the time studying fashion in New Zealand wasn’t considered a smart move. So, I knew I had to prove myself." With a self-confessed addiction to magazines, Sarah claims that fashion journalism would have been the route she’d have gone down had she not had her collection. In addition, if she had to work for other designers, she would choose modern couturiers Viktor and Rolf who are "absolute geniuses" (on this point we are very much agreed). Finally, the revelation that one of her dreams was to own a news stand seems appropriately quirky, too. It may even still be on the cards, as Sarah says "maybe I’m only half joking about that!"

With Chelsea Rebelle receiving lots of positive press, and interest in both brand and designer growing, Sarah sees the next logical step as expanding Chelsea Rebelle in an interesting way. "I’d love to do a collaboration with (US superstore) Target. I absolutely love their GO International collections; they’ve had designers such as Rodarte, Alexander McQueen and Luella doing collections. I think bringing high fashion to the mass market while still retaining creative freedom is great. The great thing about those collections is that a lot of them have still been edgy." Even currently, the price range means there’s something for everyone to invest in. Chelsea Rebelle clothing retails from £10-£800 and is stocked in newly opened Wolf and Badger in London, as well as online at CocoCareer.co.uk and Edinburgh based TheMoonAndMars.co.uk.

Credits
Photographer – Wes Kingston www.weskingston.com
Styling – Alexandra Fiddes
Make up artist/hair stylist – Kimberley Dewar kimberleydewar@hotmail.co.uk
Garments – Chelsea Rebelle www.chelsearebelle.com
Jewellery – Such and Such 

1. Bow dess £495 Chelsea Rebelle
2. Glitter dress £745 Chelsea Rebelle, hoop earrings £180 Such and Such
3. Peterpan top £125, shorts £125 Chelsea Rebelle