December 16, 2022 |
Lula Laura Velasco is an adrenaline fiend who’s at her most comfortable when cruising through the fast lane. Since launching her namesake label, Lula Laora, in 2018, the emerging designer hasn’t been particularly interested in the prim and proper ways of doing things. So much so that when it came to showcasing her SS23 collection, she skipped the catwalk entirely – instead heading straight to the motocross track.
“The whole idea was to have this community feel,” says Velasco of the collection’s high-voltage fashion film. Growing up in Switzerland, she was obsessed with motocross – fascinated by the expressive gear and the dare devils that populate the scene. Community is a driving point for Velasco, who has immersed herself in different pockets of alternative London since arriving in the city in 2011. From the psychobilly scene through to the nightcrawlers who stalk the hallowed halls of fetish party Torture Garden.
When it came to filming her SS23 film, the designer called upon French rapper Lorenzo, Jackass legend Poopies and her extensive creative cohort here in the capital to join her on the dirt track. As bikers backflipped through the sky and skidded at break-neck speeds, models trudged across the muddy terrain clad in PVC twinsets, shiny corset tops and lace-up jockstraps paired with deconstructed body armour. Amped up and sexually-charged, the collection saw the designer fuse motocross codes with her own disruptive design language – be it silver helmets adorned with gigantic spikes or an upcycled motocross jacket tailored to mimic the silhouette of a fitted evening jacket.
Upcycling has been an integral element to the Lula Laora story since day dot. The brand initially operated on a made-to-order basis, with Velasco creating custom, one-off pieces for a growing fanbase across the city. Her racy mainline collections – built from the desire to dress hedonistic dancefloors globally – are now accompanied by a growing apparel line which she creates using local fabrics. “We don’t throw anything away,” says the designer, who has been known to create limited edition bags and accessories using left-over fabrics at the end of each season.
Lula Laora’s collections are steeped in fantasy and often take on otherworldly qualities. Her references are far and wide. She’s fascinated by Victorian dress, art deco styling and Old Hollywood glam, and she continuously rewatches Gangs of New York, The Fifth Element and the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for inspiration.
“I’m like a memorabilia whore,” says Velasco, who avidly collects Gameboy consoles from the 1990s and all kinds of movie ephemera. She’s a hyperactive sports fan, too, taking taekwondo and rhythmic gymnastics twice a week, and is infatuated by different sporting uniforms. “It’s funny to see me, a 30-year-old, in a leotard covered with all the rhinestones,” she says.
The designer left her native Switzerland due to a lack of creative opportunities. “Art is not really a priority there,” she says. “It’s very strict, you usually have to study economics and chemistry. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you.” Arriving in London at 19, she began studying fashion design at Central Saint Martins, where she interned with both Gareth Pugh and Palmer//Harding during her studies. Upon graduating, she relocated to Los Angeles for three months, where she began working with Clown – real name Shawn Crahan – from influential heavy metal outfit Slipknot. The pair worked on Crahan’s debut photography exhibition, where Velasco hand-painted a Helmut Lang-esque slip dress she designed as part of an art piece.
“[The dress] was beautiful, it was a very unexpected piece. You don’t put Slipknot and elegant together, but it worked.”
Returning to London, she found a studio in Archway where she began working on her debut collection, Opium and Turtledoves – referencing a line from Gangs of New York. The collection distorted historical pieces such as petticoats and Victorian corsetry, laying the groundwork for Lula Laora’s disruptive design nature.
“I want people to value the brand for its curiosity,” she says. “We’re still in unknown territory but trust me when I say there’s a lot more to come.”
Now six collections in, the designer has been able to expand her internal team to meet the demands of her growing global fanbase. She may be in the early years of her career, but this is a designer pushing pedal to the metal. Try to keep up.
Photography courtesy of Lula Laora.
