Marina Raphael, Georgia Medley Collaboration Is Red Carpet Ready
LONDON — When celebrity stylist Georgia Medley told accessories designer Marina Raphael that she wanted to venture into design, she didn’t think it would lead to a collaboration.
The two women had met in a professional capacity when Medley styled Raphael’s handbag campaigns.
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The conversation over dinner turned into a six-piece collection that retails from 685 euros to 1,250 euros.
Medley and Raphael worked on a soft clutch bag with a Plexiglas handle called the Georgia available in an ombre snake effect; a purple croc effect; a nude and white napa leather; black pony hair, and a black suede version. There are three large and small styles in the collection.
“I love Marina’s bags and what she brings to the table are non-fussy mini bags or clutches that work perfectly well for red carpet events. As a stylist, getting eveningwear right is quite hard,” Medley said in an interview.
“Focusing on a single, distinctive shape allowed us to craft a capsule collection that captures the essence of our design vision, blending softness and strength into a cohesive, sophisticated piece,” added Raphael, a sixth-generation Swarovski family member.
Medley, who has styled the likes of Michaela Coel, Venus Williams, Yvonne Orji and Jada Pinkett Smith, emphasized the importance of a handbag to her clients.
“It’s one of those things that’s always forgotten about and at the last minute you’re like, ‘she needs a bag.’ Clients often do need them for interviews and places outside of the red carpet,” she said.
Adding a touch of glossy snake or crocodile-embossed leathers was Medley’s way of incorporating an oomph element into the collection.
“When I dress my clients, a statement fur jacket or textured shoes are what elevates a look,” she said.
Medley said design is a direction that she’s keen to head into and she wants to start her own label that tackles the nuances of dressing for the red carpet.
“I know how clothes like to feel on the body and how people like to feel. I’ve worked with so many seamstresses to do all these different manipulations — I’d love to bring this to everyone,” she said.
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