Florence Welch on Being A Pop Witch And Her Favorite London Fashion
We’re in London for London Fashion Week, and last night, en route to some kickoff festivities, we happened to run into one of the city’s most flourshing musical talents: Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine. She’s sad to be skipping shows this season, claiming she’ll be far too busy promoting her second album, Ceremonials, which sees an October 31st international release. But style is certainly on her mind these days, citing Art Deco artists like Tamara de Lempicka and the Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt as major new influences on her latest upgrade in aesthetics. Expect the album’s artwork, just unveiled, and its accompanying videos to reflect that shift. “It’s a new type of romanticism,” she says. “As opposed to the pre-Raphaelite look of the last record.”
She won’t reveal the details fully, but she says the video for her second single will be revelatory of this new direction. She teases: “Think of a psychedelic 1920s dress party with a demonic twist. Possession meets The Great Gatsby.” Welch describes Ceremonials as an era of high drama and epic theatrics.
Her personal style is also subtly morphing to accomodate that darker thematic evolution. Calling her shamanic style “kind of an ethereal, but tribal ‘witch’ vibe,” she admits she’s drawn to extremes in clothing. She says: “It either has to be very structured, or very flowy. So, I suppose you could say I love ‘fitted flounce.'”
Welch is currently experimenting with what she describes as a “dandy” phase, with her recent (La Roux-esque) Karl Lagerfeld-helmed cover of Vogue Japan demonstrating her fondness for her new “garconne” ideal. Other designers have recently flocked to work with the singer. Welch claims Gucci designer Frida Giannini, who custom created her recent summer tour costumes, understands her style policies well. It makes sense: Giannini and Welch both consider Stevie Nicks the ultimate fashionable frontwoman.
The perks of serving as a muse to the high fashion elite beckon, but Welch will always hold a special love for her fellow British eccentrics. “I’ll always love London fashion,” she continued.
Among her favorite London talents: “Richard Nicoll, Hannah Marshall, Mary Katrantzou, Roksanda Ilincic. Oh, and I love,love, love, love Erdem. And Felder Felder is insane.”