Anybody that has seen her posts and blogs knows the Inspiration Georgina is for so many women. And Me too!
Best for me to tell my inside of the story on how we arrived at Friday’s outpouring of love for a very, very special person.
A year ago I saw this posted and thought wow, we design and make simple product and here was a tunic top worn exactly as it was in my mind’s eye.
Then in November I saw this:
My god this young woman brings this velvet dress to life.
I have just got to meet her. I emailed Georgina, she was coming down to London for the Plus Size Awards would I be there? No.
She would still be in London on the Sunday, the day after the awards.
Can I take you to lunch and maybe show you some interesting sites? That would be nice, my mum Marie is in London too. Great, being a dad, I have nothing but admiration for mums.
I have never seen any blogs refer to Home House so I thought that would be a treat and interesting for my guests from Sheffield. Georgina and Marie were actually staying next door to Home House. So it was easy too.
Home House is a private members club occupying a Georgian mansion restored to it’s 18th century spectacular ornate glory. The club is dedicated to the pursuit of pleasures.
We were having a rather delicious lunch, I had something that had been bugging me. Georgina is 5 foot 3 and is definitely a petite size 22 as Scarlett & Jo sizes are cut. I couldn’t understand, as it broke every convention of high street fashion belief how she could carry that velvet dress. It has been often expressed to me by buying managers that petite girls don’t buy and can’t wear maxis.
I always thought strange and I am well known for getting into arguments so I have always left it alone.
But also petite women have told me for years that they can’t wear maxis even if they were available. But sitting in front of me was the Queen of Lace a petite young woman, who had brought a long-line plush wrap front velvet body con maxi dress to life. She looked like a Hollywood Starlet in it.
Do you think all these petite women have been brainwashed in to thinking that they are too short to wear a maxi dress? Just as plus size women were brainwashed into believing that they couldn’t wear body cons until the powerfits came along?
Georgina, can I design you a lace maxi dress? She was really chuffed and said yes, I figured as we were breaking all previous design conventions, I’d ask. Would you wear a dress with a fish tail? She would.
In my mind’s eye I could take a leaf out of Mae West’s playbook and bring it in to present day. And I think I did.
We had a fun day, I had met a fun and fearless very beautiful young woman who was inspiring me. We sort of talked about the possibility of doing a photo shoot at Home House, which we managed to more than do!
This is the original design.
This is what I consider to be one of several iconic shots that Nicky took at Home House.
When I saw it, I had to ask Georgina if she would be our face for Spring/Summer 15. It defines the Scarlett & Jo ethos. Fun, Feminine and Fearless
For me this photo sums up Scarlett & Jo like no other. It should give all women big and small, short or tall the confidence to wear whatever they feel comfortable in wearing. Georgina’s Lace Dress will be available Black, Red or Blue (which one are you?) with luck on Evans online on Tuesday night and in store from Wednesday, fingers crossed.
So what came from that inspiring luncheon when Gifi met Georgina, was a collection that has quite a few designs that were inspired by bloggers and designed for them, a shoot and party that celebrated plus size women, and latterly Georgina being chosen and accepted as our Face for spring/summer15. And of course this week’s launch of the collection. A lot of fun and I hope a lot of pleasure.