New One to Watch Awards SS19 designed by Lore Laporte - Pitti Bimbo, Dot to Dot, Playtime NY

With the show season about to start Pirouette is just about ready for a new round of One to Watch awards. As with last season we are looking for stand out young brands starting at Pitti Bimbo, Florence, then on to Dot to Dot in London, and finally Playtime, New York.

This season we have enlisted the special talent of Lore Laporte to design our Award. With her child like humour we were hoping to get something a little unconventional. We were not disappointed… Read on to learn more about Lore Laporte.

Children’s Trade show dates SS19

PITTI BIMBO, Florence  21-23 June, Fortezza da Basso
DOT TO DOT,  London    24-25 June, The Vinyl Factory
PLAYTIME, New York    5-7 August, Metropolitan Pav & Altman bld

#Pirouette12Watch  #Pirouettteblog  #pb87  #dottodotlondon  #iloveplaytime  

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Lore Laporte – Needle felt creations

Lore Laporte is a star! Her whimsical needle felt creations can bring both a scratching of one’s head and a wry smile to ones face. Lore goes under the guise of Eddie Wollie (a word play on Eddy Wally, a cult singer from Belgium). We originally came across Lore when meandering through instagram one evening. I was captivated by a couple of grumpy cats and then a baboon head rocking a personalised McEnroe style sweatband…

We are delighted that Lore has created the Pirouette One To Watch Award for this upcoming season. Whoever wins one of these ‘Don’t let the cat out of the bag’ Awards will be very lucky to take this unique prize home.

We chat to Lore to find a little more about her background, her process, and why she stuck a grumpy cat in a bag for the One to Watch award…

Lore, could you tell us a little about your background and how your love for needle felting developed?
After studying interior and graphic design I started working at a production company as a graphic designer and researcher. I discovered needle felting while I was pregnant with my first child and was looking for fun stuff to decorate the babyroom. I really love to discover cool artists on Etsy who can custom make something for you. For example like Kim Baise who makes custom baby mobiles.

I prefer to spend more money on a couple of unique, handmade items, than a room full of mass produced stuff with no soul. Everytime I see our custom mobile, it makes me happy and I think our daughter Jeanne will keep it forever.

After my daughter was born, I had a difficult time. I still don’t know if it was the hormones or something else, but I had trouble sleeping and had a lot of anxiety. I started needle felting to calm my nerves and discovered that it’s really addictive and I started Eddie Wollie (Eddie Wollie is a word play on Eddy Wally, a cult singer from Belgium).

Your work has a lovely hint of humour, does humour play an important role in your life?
Yes, but I have a very childish humour. I have a weak spot for funny looking animals. While I worked as a researcher I had a special map full of them. This map is now my biggest source of inspiration.

I think a big part of me is still a kid. When I had my daughter, I was catapulted into an adult life, with lots of responsibility and I lost my balance. Now I escape into my weird little world of wool and animals with funny hats and it makes me a very happy mom.

We discovered you through social media. What role has social media played in creating you label Eddie Wollie?
For me instagram is very handy tool. In the beginning I just made stuff for Jeanne (one of the first things was a turtle costume) and for friends and family. Through social media I got to see people responding very positivly to my work. Now I’m selling my Eddie Wollies and it’s all thanks to Instagram.

We are delighted to have you as our invited designer of The Pirouette One to Watch Award for this upcoming season. Talk us through why you decided to stick a cat in a bag?
This was one of the images in my inspiration map. First I was going to put some grumpy cats in real grocery bags and print screen the text on to it. But then I thought, no Eddie Wollie has to be 100% wool. So I made the bag out of felt and needle felted the text.

A lot of work, but I like the end result very much.

Can you talk us through your creative process?
So I start with a photo from my inspiration map, an existing animal or just out of my own inspiration. Needle felting is actually quite easy. You take some wool and with special needles you start poking and poking, so the wool becomes felt. It’s like molding clay into a figure, but then with wool and needles.

The only downside is that’s very time consuming. So every minute just sitting without felting seems such a waste of time. I do it in the car, waiting at the doctor, in front of the tv, … My pockets, bags and whole house is filled with wool.

Not so long ago we had some burglars. I would have liked to see their faces when they didn’t find money or jewelry, but wool in every drawer!

In the early part of 2018 you welcomed your second son… what’s in store for the rest of 2018?
I’m experimenting with felting names on to wool clothing. And ofcourse a lot of new Eddie Wollies (inspiration enough for the next 50 years), and some workshops. Finding ways to speed up the process.
No third baby in 2018 please. Although this baby boy is a dream! :-)

With 2 children is it difficult to get thinking time?
YES. As I said, needle felting is very time consuming as is having 2 kids also! My husband works long days and we live in the old house from my grandparents that we have to remodel. Our life and house is pretty chaotic most of the time.
But I also like that. Too clean and structured is boring.

Good kid’s design, what does it mean for you?
I like to see the child in the designer shine through in their work.

Your children’s favourite book(s)?
I have one favourite book, Lola de beer (Lola, the bear), about a little girl and her very rude bear. Can’t wait to read it to my children.
Also all the Lecturama books I know by heart.

Do you end up making lots of things for your friends?
Yes! I love giving handmade gifts!

Finally, if you could have a dream collaboration, a part from with Pirouette ;-) who would it be with?
I’m a big The Animals Observatory fan, I think it’s such a creative and unique brand with good values. Making something for one of their photoshoots or showroom would be a dream collaboration! :-)

 

Campaign Credits:
Photography: @designlark  CD & styling: @katie.kendrick_ @pirouetteblog Award design: @lorelaporte @eddiewollie  White Dress/ Green Tulle Dress: @nikolia_kidswear  Shirt/Shorts: Miss L. Ray  B/W shoes: Chapter 2 Kids Black shoes & socks: Papouelli Location: @paxtonhouse

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Lore Laporte

www.lorelaporte.com
@lorelaporte

Eddie Wollie
www.etsy.com/shop/eddiewollie
@eddiewollie