The lovely Ale of the blog, Rosaspina Vintage agreed for me to post a little interview I conducted with her. Ale takes beautiful photographs for her blog, and has the best sense of style! I always enjoy her posts. To my delight, I found out Ale was also an illustrator and I asked her to create some special pieces for Audrey Grace. Previews of which you can see below. Hope you enjoy the interview, and check out Ale's beautiful blog here: Rosaspina Vintage!
How would you describe your style in a sentence?
It all depends on how I’m feeling when I wake up. Sometimes I feel like wearing romantic frocks with pretty details, sometimes I go for a more preppy schoolgirl look, sometimes you can even see me in a 40s buttoned dresscoat and long leather gloves. I do enjoy a lot mixing vintage with modern. But whatever I'm wearing, the key thing for me is to feel comfortable. Oops, that was more than one sentence ;)
What are your favorite fashion brands and designers?
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Orla Kiely, her retro aesthetic keeps very consistent season after season yet it always feels fresh, never ceasing to leave me smitten.
My weakness for fun prints extends of course to Liberty fabrics, and I always find in Nadinoo's collections something to fall in love with.
Max&co is another favorite of mine, high sartorial quality and italian taste, chic yet wearable, I adore it.
What is the inspiration behind your blog, Rosaspina Vintage?
I started my blog one year ago when I set up my vintage shop on Etsy, it was just a little room for my store updates and inspiration, I definitely wasn't expecting that it would take on a life of its own! I'm amazed at the number of lovely people, new designers and charming style blogs I came across along the way and it's such a relaxing and creative past time for me, I'm truly enjoying it.
Tell me a little bit about what you have created for Audrey Grace Boutique?
I have created a series of four illustrations inspired by Jaclyn's favorite style icons: Audrey Hepburn, Alexa Chung, Tennessee Thomas and Kirsten Dunst. The four lovely ladies will eventually come to life appearing on tote bags, clothing items and limited edition prints.
Tell me about the process behind your illustrations?
Well I always start with visual reference, possibly from reality, making quick scribbles on paper to capture the idea and lock the composition I have in mind. Then I start sketching with more detail until I'm happy with the overall feel and at that point I decide which technique I'm going to use for the final illustration. I adore the feel of color pencils, they will always be my favorite, but lately I'm also doing a lot of digital work, it's fun, and it lets me draw quickly without worrying about clumsy accidents (see dropping watercolors onto a finished work, eep!)
What type of girl do you see collecting your art?
Ladies with a sense of humor and a love for retro dresses and pretty collars!
Who is your vintage style icon?
The one and only, Mary Poppins! Boater hats, carpet bags, well tailored jackets and victorian lace ups? Yes please! And she is such a strong, smart and fun woman, I've always had a huge girl crush on her.
Your modern day style icon?
There are so many pretty ladies out there… I adored Carey Mulligan in An Education, her wardrobe is simply dreamy, from the first school outfits to her ladylike frocks. Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road and Mildred Pierce, so feminine, elegant and with real woman curves. I always end up loving what Keira Knightley picks for her outfits, she's always so effortlessly chic. And of course vintage style bloggers are my favorite daily inspiration.
Describe your perfect day?
I'm a lazy gal, so a perfect day would certainly start with a nice long sleep! Then I would get my straw basket ready for a girly picnic in the woods, I can't wait to see all those gorgeous gold and red leaves again. In the afternoon I'd curl up on the couch with my cat, watching something like The Neverending Story with a cup of hot chocolate! And to finish, a simple dinner date with my loved one in our favorite pizza restaurant: good food is crucial in my perfect day :)
What would be your dream job?
I wanted to work in animation since I was a little girl and eventually that dream came true. I am very fortunate to be able to do what I love for a living, waking up in the morning and feeling happy to grab my pencil is something I wouldn't trade with any other job in the world!
What are your favorite Audrey (Hepburn) and Grace (Kelly) films and looks that they have worn?
The reason why I love Audrey is that she always looks amazing even with the most basic thing on and I adore her in Roman Holiday, sporting a simple white blouse with a high waisted full skirt, all brightened up by a fun striped scarf.
As for Grace Kelly, although her most memorable wardrobe might be the one in Rear Window, I love her more casual holiday outfits in To Catch A Thief.
What is your most coveted fashion item for fall?
I'm very much into hats, my collection is actually getting a bit out of control but I can't resist a good quality wool felt hat, especially if it's vintage. This season I'm on the hunt for the perfect 20s hat, its uncomplicated elegance makes it wearable everyday and protects your ears in the windiest days!
Who are your favorite artists?
I've always been influenced by Art Nouveau and I'm deeply in love with Alphonse Mucha's work, from the advertising and book illustrations to the oil paintings, the quick pencil sketches and his photography series. I had the fortune to admire his original works last year with my own eyes and was completely blown away by the perfect elegance of his lines, incredible draftsmanship and taste for composition.
I'm also a big fan of Quentin Blake children's books, so fresh and fun to look at. And Mary Blair of course, oh such a talented, innovative and stylish lady! If I could travel through time I would definitely love to meet her for a cup of tea!
What is the future for Rosaspina Vintage?
Well I'll definitely keep writing on it, it's such a relaxing past time and it gave me the chance to meet adorable ladies who share my same interests. Some of them became very special friends to me so I feel very grateful to my blog :) There's actually a couple of exciting projects I'm working on and I can't wait to share them, but for now it's a surprise!
