Fat Chat: Fashion designer Zoe Thompson

Introducing the eclectic range of fashion garments and accessories by Zedhead Designs

This hip, young, womenswear label is the perfect fusion between quirky edgy style combined with sex appeal for fashion conscious confident women.

From funky graphic screen printed tee’s, customised individual made to order garments, and statement clutch purses.

This collection is forever expanding incorporating current and future trends but always with a Zedhead twist.

Keep a check for new products throughout the year .....and tell your friends!!

Name: Zoe Thompson

Age: ?

Occupation: Designer

Links: http://www.zedheaddesigns.com

Where do you get your inspiration? I get my inspiration from nature, animal prints/skins, exotic feathers, motifs, urban surroundings, graffiti, to street culture. These are then incorporated into unique and innovative print designs for fashion garments and accessories.

How would you describe your customer in 3 words?

Quirky, Hip and edgy

Do you have any advice to graduate designers ?

Stay creative. Don’t sell yourself short. I would advise that if they are not one of the lucky ones to go straight into a design field job, that they go solo. Get a collection together, attend exhibitions, get on every networking site out there, get involved in local fashion events, get a regular market stall to make some much needed cash and recognition. A good website is always a must.

Whos your favourite designer?

Basso and Brooke are my favourite designers, purely because their print designs are all digital , like myself. They have great bold colourful unique designs which really push the boundaries and stand out from the usual designers.

Wheres your favourite London hotspot?

Well, being based in Bristol, I only get to the capital now and then. My fav spots for inspiration and shopping would be Brick Lane, Portobello and Camden. There’s still so many places I still want to visit and will get around to at some stage!

What are you wearing at this moment?

Being a short ass I am really into chunky platform wedges at the moment and team them off with comfy Harem pants which I prefer to call “MC Hammer “ trousers! I also wear a lot of my own Zedhead tees and customised embellished tops. I’m also really into snakeskin, and fringing and making my own bits of jewellery at the moment. I’m really looking forward to the summer for a whole new Apache style wardrobe! I recently bought a pair of deep purple tasselled gladiator sandals which I won’t dare wear until the sun starts shining!

Interview: Lizzie Moir

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Fat Chat: Musically Gifted......Sarah Leanne Palmer

Name: Sarah Leanne Palmer

Occupation: Singer/song writer

Location: London

SARAH LEANNE PALMER .....once you have heard her perform you won’t forget her name. She is a singer/songwriter living in London whose lyrical content has so much power and confidence it, deserves to be its own person!

Not just limiting herself to the mic Sarah Leanne Palmer also plays the guitar (electric and bass) and drums whilst still maintaining vocal control.

With all this talent it’s a safe bet that Sarah Leanne Palmer is going to go far. A strong vocalist, song writer and musician! How could she not?

We bagged an interview with the lady herself, and this is what she had to say......

Your musical style is quite varied with upbeat rock based tunes to the more slow bluesy style, what were your musical influences in your adolescent years?

My early musical influences are still some of my biggest influences today. I grew up with Tom Petty, Free, Talking Heads, Creadence Clear Water, Alice in Chains, Alanis Morrisette, Radiohead, Simon & Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Reef, Counting Crows, Jeff Buckley, Genesis, Suzanne Vega, The Black Crowes, Fleetwood Mac and more. My father had loads of videos from ‘The Old grey Whistle Test’ so I watched those endlessly. Artists like Captain Beefheart, Tim Buckley, Lynyrd Skyyrd, and Iggy Pop and so on.

If you were to describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it as an emotion or feeling, what would it be?

In a word…Exuberant.

Being a very creative artist, do you feel some mainstream acts sacrifice creativity and their individuality for the sake of fame?

That may be so, but sometimes I think they have to in order to get where they are. I don’t think the industry is as ‘pure’ or straight as it used to be.

You also play with a live band, which band/s are exciting you musically at the moment?

Kings of Leon, RATM, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Blackbud. Muse, Infadels, My Preserver, Imogen Heap, Gemma Hayes and more.

Do you have any words of encouragement for any unsigned acts or bands who are trying to break through into the limelight?

Enjoy what you are playing / writing. And don’t be afraid to take inspiration for other artists. In terms of getting noticed? Play as much as you can, give out free cd’s and merchandise etc. Cease the day! There is no formula nowadays as to how you get noticed anyway.

As a totally random none related question...

‘Hair of the Dog’ or ‘Aspirin and a litre of water?’

Hair of the Dog definitely!!

Thanks for your time Sarah, is there anything else that you'd like to add?

Yeah, these are great questions. Not like the norm. Oh yeah and please check out my MySpace profile @ www.myspace.com/sarahleannepalmerband

Interview: Tanayah McLeary

Fat Chat: Singer/songwriter Mark Mathews

Name: Mark Mathews
Age: ?
Occupation: Singer /Songwriter/musician
Links: www.myspace.com/markmathews


You are definitely one of the hardest working independant artists that I have come accross, what advice do you have for anyone looking to pursue a music career?
Play anywhere and everywhere as often as you can to begin with. It will allow you to get an idea of your live set (what works, what doesn't) at the same time as working out what Promoters and Venues you like and what ones you don't. Scour the internet for venues and places to play and just constantly play your tunes...you're meant to be into your songs so why wouldn't you want to play them everyday?!

Growing up, who inspired you both musically & on a personal level?
The Beatles and The Small Faces inspired me musically. When I was about 11 I found a Vinyl copy of Sgt Peppers in my Mums cupboard which I became obssesed with and at the same time I had a free tape that you got from Kellogs cornflakes called "Sixties Mania". On that tape there was The Small Faces song "Lazy Sunday". I'd been brought up listening to music in, but when I heard these two bands it really affected me as they sounded like something from Mars...and I loved it.Apart from that the other person that really affected me was Clint Eastwood. I would have been about 11 again when I came across the film "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and all I wanted to be, and pretty much still do, was a Cowboy...One day. One day!

What are your opinions on the current UK music scene?
It's pretty good if you bother to look/listen hard enough. I mean bands like "Last Of The Shadow Puppets", "Glasvegas" and "Mystery Jets" are making brilliant music, not to mention not so new bands like "Elbow" and "Radiohead" releasing unbelievable albums. The only objection I have is this trend for bands and artists with some credibility, saying they like all these crap acts, as if it makes them really musically rounded and inspired. So, you'll have Chris Martin or someone saying "Girls Aloud are brilliant", which they are not. I don't MIND pop acts like Girls aloud, but making out they are something they are not really grates on me. People should have a bit more honesty about them and say how it really is. That way musicians try to improve and top the last piece of music they did or prove someone wrong, resulting in better music and not so much of the throw away shit we see at the moment. Just look at what the Brits are like now. So friggin dull!

You have recently joined forces with a band...how did all that come about?
Well, all my songs are written with a band in mind so it was the most logical step to take. My producer at the time mentioned he wanted to play in a band so I told him to become my drummer. He'd never played before but he's got a great ear for music and so picked it up in a shot. Then I slowly pieced the band together and vola, "The One Ts" are born!

Musically what do you hope to achieve in the year ahead?
To get the recognition I deserve

Where can we catch your next live performance?
I'm in the studio recording an E.P at the moment, so the next performance will be at The Corn Exchhange in Reading, on the 1st April

And just because we always like to end on a random note.....if your were prime minister what 3 major changes would you make?
We'd have a 2 day week, all drugs would be legalised and there'd be shagging in the streets!?*

Mark has managed to beat 10,000 applicants and made it into the semi finals of the UK Live and Unsigned competition, been nominated for an Indy Music award for the second year running, supported THE DRAYTONES, and was featured as one of the top three artists in the London Metro newspaper...its safe to say this is going to be an exciting year ahead!

Good luck Mark and we look forward to welcoming you & The One T's back on the Fat Talent LIVE stage very soon!


Interview: Fusion

Yes its Linus.....

At the end of 08 I promised a really FAT CHAT with Linus Ricard.  This guy is an amazing photographer and has recently started making it really big so we at The Fat Blog are delighted to be supporting him as he emerges as a sure fire talent to watch for 2009.  Watch this space for his chat......

As said by ParisBejingPhotoGallery: 

"His photographs, influenced by fashion art, stand as a poetical quest in which iconoclastic situations are the keys to his aesthetic sense. Linus Ricard tells us stories of fragility and suffering, tells us about the flight of the models that posed for him — echoes to his own perplexity."

Foto xx

Skinny Dipping.....

Be brave people, I know the weather is frosty outside and promises to bite and those naughty bits but we at the Fat Blog are asking you to get naked and get exposed!!  

So we don't actually mean cavorting around your local high street starker's but we mean - Fat Chats and performances at Fat Talent Live.  As fans and followers will know Fat Talent Live is a monthly music and fashion event offering a fantastic platform for emerging UK talent.  The Fat Blog is an extension of that & a group of creatives passing on their knowledge (and more often that not random ramblings!) to anyone that cares to listen.  As you will have seen on the blog we have a popular feature - Fat Chats.  This is YOUR chance to be interviewed and gain exposure for yourself and your brand.  Be it a designer, singer, band or musician we are asking you to get in touch and be chatted up by one of the Fat Crew.  Your interview will appear here and on www.fattalent.com so.....want free marketing / PR / advertising for your brand?!  Who wouldn't!!  

Get in touch - pr@fattalent.com

(Picture courtesy of social.moldova.org)

AS PROMISED>>>>XMAS FAT CHAT....KAYTI PESCHKE

So....as promised here it is, the Crimbo special Fat Chat.  We are talking to Kayti Peschke a fashion photographer who loves to go bright & bold and is also partial to a bit of TV....she will be appearing in Colleens Real Women on ITV2 in the New Year.  Keep those Pinkies peeled!

Name: Kayti Peschke

Age: 27

Occupation: Photographer

Links: http://www.kaytirocks.com

Welcome Kayti!  So where are you right now? (Other than emailing me, clearly!)

I am in capetown shooting for 12 days.  I work here quite a lot and its a great place to shoot & hang out.

How did you get started in fashion photography?

My dad is an amazing fashion photographer so i have always been around the industry growing up.  I started assisting from a young age which got me thrown in at the deep end.  I just loved the industry so it al just happened very naturally.

Your style is very electric and combines photography, some awesome styling and punchy graphics - do you work alone?

I am lucky enough to work with some amazing stylists and digital artists who can share my vision from the ideas stage right through to the finished shots; who embrace my ideas but also make it their own.  This often throws things into the mix that are totally unexpected which I love!  I adore collaborating with people who don't hold back and really go for it.  Namalee Bolle from Super super magazine is amazing to work with and i love the editorials we have done together.

Who do you seek inspiration from?

David LaChappelle, amazing locations, excited conversations with my favorite style Karen Russell - we have endless lists of test to do!  My boyfriend is very inspirational too, he is a bmx-er and he always seems to find really cool locations for me when he is out and about and his stories from road trips in the US are making us plan a few months out there next year.  I can shoot and he can ride.  Of course, my dad is always inspiring me with his amazing shoots, I am always jealous!  

Is your personal sense o style as eye catching as your images?

I think the colourful and fun aspet shows in my own personal style, i love cute short dresses with lots of ghetto gold, hot pink lips and always something in my hair - big flowers, birds, netting!!  I like to shop at Vintage markets, the hight street and car boots.  Oh and horseshoes, I am mad about anything with horseshoes on it!

Camera Equipment?

My digital Canon but i have a whole host of vintage camera's - I will shoot film whenever possible and can always be found at car boot sales hunting for cameras to play with!

Lace: Fashion or Fouxpass?

I am in love with a paid of fingerless lace gloves at the moment so fashion!

What is on the Top shelf of your fridge?

Loads of old, out of date polaroid film and condiments - i love sauces with everything!!

Loo Roll - Recycled, quilted or just plain old Andrex?

Ur, Tesco's own, with Aloe Vera!

Big hands up and a lacey wave of thanks to Kayti!  Check out her website and look out for that appearance with Colleen.

Merry Xmas one and all, hope the interview has left your thirsty for more in the New Year!