Inside the Vivarium- Live Illustrating at the Karina Bond London Private View
A look into the world of Karina Bond and her incredible collection, Vivarium.
I was extremely privileged to attend the Private View of Karina Bond’s amazing new collection, Vivarium. This took place on Thursday 12th March in the fabulous “Flitcroft” apartment at Chateau Denmark on Denmark Street, London.
It wasn’t what I was expecting. It wasn’t the usual catwalk show at all.
We began in the Dial 8 Bar next door, where Bareksten cocktails were served and Karina Bond’s handbags made artful centrepieces on each table.
Guests began to network, chatting and photographing each other. It seems that everyone was a stylist, journalist, photographer or involved in fashion marketing. And me, the fashion illustrator!
I began by taking my coat off and getting my sketching stuff out. And then I just started to draw the people around me- they were wearing long coats, high heels, sequinned trousers, tight fitting tops, boots with chickens feet (oh yes!), layers of clashing colours and stripes, sunglasses, hats, scarves. It’s the best fun ever!
It is amazing what people are happy to do in fashion circumstances- one photographer (Desislava Lizova from Cine Couture- more details at the end of my blog) had noticed a guest wearing particularly wonderful boots. She asked her to lie on her back on some pouffes and put her legs up the wall. No problem! Lots of laughter and photos ensued and no cocktails were spilled.
After a while, small groups of people began to disappear.
The bar was emptying out. Some people left to find out what was going on and then returned again.
When it was my turn to “disappear” I was escorted up the stairs, and then directed outside and next door. Then up the stairs to the lavish Flitcroft apartment with its gothic four-poster bed.
Never mind the bed though, the first thing I saw was a tall stack of Karina Bond’s 3d-printed hand bags arranged on circular stands, studs sparkling in red, black and pink formations.
And then, the first of just 8 models in just 8 outfits! And all about 8 feet tall.
Ella was the first model, statuesque and shimmering with golden eye make-up and a ceiling-high headdress of gold with red studs. She wore a ruched, golden tunic, with red studs and a red trim, open at the sides. Of course her boots were gold too, laced up the front with red. In her hands, a black studded handbag.
I was too stunned to start drawing, and only managed to take a blurry photograph of Ella before entering the actual apartment.
Then next model was Enya, wearing a flowing red garment from head to toe and moving as if through water. I calmed down a bit by now and managed to get out my brush pen and papers and start drawing. Like Ella, Enya was also topped with a headdress like the horns of an antelope, reaching skyward, in black with red studs. The long sleeves and draped legs of this garment were cinched with black studs clustered at the waist and running in rows over the shoulders. Enya’s boots were high and black, she wore a jewelled necklace and carried a black bag.
Her makeup, like that of all the models was iridescent.
The next person I saw was Karina Bond herself, sitting at a long table laden with fruit, roses, candles, goblets and jewellery like something from a painting by Caravaggio. I was so excited to see her but I managed to keep calm and started drawing the table. Karina was very friendly and approachable, she explained how she had been up all night 3d printing handbags, and she introduced Liv Snowden who had curated the gorgeous set design.
At the other end of the table was the third model, Henriette, undulating in a transparent outfit resembling plastic lace. Lines of red studs followed the contours of her body, including 3 fabulous rows of studs forming her eye-brows. Instead of a headdress, Henriette wore her hair twisted into a top-knot, her fingernails were long, white and pointed and her shoes were red spikes, pushing her ever-taller.
As I drew Henriette, I was being filmed by Andrea Astarita of AAVision, who very kindly also filmed me with my own phone. He also created some stunning photographs which were sent to me afterwards by Karina Bond. It’s great being an illustrator because it generates so much interest- and I end up getting compliments from other super-talented people. Good feelings all round!
Me drawing Henriette, undulating over a table upon which a banquet is spread. Filmed by Andrea Astarita of AA.Vision thank you!
Next I noticed the fourth model, Saida, wearing the most intricate headdress. Twisted strands of red and black were woven around her eyes and then assembled above her head as floral pieces, with humming birds entwined amongst stems. Saida wore a tangled breast-plate created in the same way, above a shimmering, clinging skirt of rich purple with red lace-up platform boots.
The visitors were engaging with the models, asking them to pose in certain ways and they were very obliging. The photographers were having a field day. We were all immersed in the interactive show- it was great to see the garments from all angles and really get to feast our eyes.
By now, I had the courage to ask the fifth model, Daia, to pose for me. I swapped my brush pen for a fine liner so that I could record details more quickly and more accurately. Daia slowed down her rippling movements and I was able to spend a couple of minutes focussing on capturing the sheer, purple organza of her top, with its flamboyant shoulders and her red skirt with a kind of open crochet effect. Her boots were sky-high, thigh-high platforms and she wore sparkling jewels with no headdress necessary.
Behind her, loudspeakers in the form of exaggerated red discs, issued neo-classical music which complimented the flowing movements of the models perfectly. I heard Karina Bond explaining that she takes her inspiration from various aspects of history.
Next I spied Camille, hovering between a camel-coloured leather armchair and a cast-iron bath filled with water. Disappointingly nobody entered the bath, though I did see the visitor in the chicken-feet boots put her hand in!
Camille’s clinging costume looked like a combination of knitted gold and purple smashed glass. On closer inspection, the golden areas were formed of a perfectly purposeful pattern. The shimmering purple shards were encrusted with butterfly shapes. Camille wore golden jewellery and golden shoes.
Upon the centrepiece, the four-poster bed, model Harriet was writhing. She was wearing a purple outfit from neck to shin. The top section began with a golden collar that spread to the waist like a column of butterfly wings. The wings then blended into purple sections that enveloped the sides of Harriet’s body and tied with drawstrings at the back. Her skirt of purple organza was punctuated with orange spikes. Being on the bed meant that we could get a fantastic view of Harriet’s glorious purple platform shoes, encrusted with diamonds.
The photographers were encroaching further on to the bed. I left them to it and moved to draw Elena who had been joined by Henriette, languishing on a mustard chaise-long. Their platform-booted feet up on studded pouffe decorated with roses and flowers.
Elena wore a collar of scalloped and fanned pieces of red material, like coral. It spread across her collarbone and shoulders, opening at the top to frame her face. Below this she wore a short dress of shiny purple snake-like fabric and the most enormous black rubber platform boots covering her entire legs. Elena carried a beautifully customised handbag, adorned with flowers and creatures. She wore glittering jewels and of course, lethal fingernails.
Elena and Harriet put on a hypnotic show, their fingers trailing over each other’s glistening skin. It was so wonderful to draw them.
I have such admiration for the models, who truly became their clothing. It must have been incredibly hard to pose for so long. I was sympathetic- even though I didn’t want to leave and considered hiding under the bed.
Alas though, it was time to go. Karina Bond was giving her final interviews to the stylist Grikklindd and his partner, whose name I didn’t catch.
Finally, I had to go and I was delighted that Tish (who introduced herself as PR for Karina Bond) said that she had been watching me drawing all night, she loved my drawings, and said she hoped I could come to the next show. Definitely, yes please.
Then as I came to the bottom of the stairs, Joanna popped out and asked, “Are you the illustrator?” she then went on to confirm how happy they were that I had been able to attend and then reaffirmed that they would like me to come to the next event. “We have lots of events like this!” Joanna said happily.
Well. Wow. I was speechless with delight! I have never seen an event as spectacular as this one before. It was an absolute triumph. I don’t know how you could top it!
To celebrate, I took a beaming selfie with Centre Point in the background and congratulated myself on a fabulous evening- and being brave enough to get out there and just do it.
If you’re an artist or an illustrator it really is the best thing to do to get out there. People you meet are lovely and friendly and talented. They will make you smile- and you’ll make them smile when you show them your work.
Below are the contact details of the people I met on the night. I’ve also included the Press Release from Karina Bond.
Stay gleeful,
Zoe
Here are my drawings and photographs from the night.
Clockwise from top left- fashion fans gathering in the Dial 8 bar beforehand (Grikk Lindd at the top right), more guests- notice the chicken feet boots! More guests with less noteworthy footwear, Henriette and Saida at the table, Daia in organza, Enya in her flowing robes, Harriet seated with Daia standing, Harriet undulating, Elena and Saida sitting together, Harriet on the bed.
Clockwise from top left- Saida, Henriette, Harriet, Enya, Elena, Daia, Camille, Ella. Photos above are from the Karina Bond Look Book.
Photos below are by me:
Enya in her flowing garments.
Here’s a drawing that I created of Camille, in her dress of knitted mesh and butterflies. I used ProMarker pens and fine liner, ideally I’d draw everyone.
In this final video, I uploaded my drawing of Elena and Saida to my Ipad and added colour with ProCreate, so you can see how it all comes together.
And that’s it- below are my contact credits and the press release from Karina Bond.
Buy a Karina Bond handbag and follow her incredible work; Visit Chateau Denmark ; Drink Bareksten cocktails; Admire the photography and read the journalism of Desislava Lisova ; enjoy the photography of Andrea Astarita (and book him); consult the amazing stylist Grikk Lindd
VIVARIUM
AW26 COLLECTION
London, 12th March 2026 - Karina Bond presents her Autumn/Winter collection with a
powerful twist. To combat fast fashion, mass production & relentless dupes, this capsule
collection personifies the power of a forever item via eight looks that only eight people
in the world will ever get to wear. No repeats, no copies. A look will find the right “host”
and live through them on one special occasion. After this, they will be archived and
stored, like a relic. While designing the pieces, Bond wrote a short story to accompany
their message:
“She had already collected the world. What remained unattainable wasn’t rarity, it
was the untouched. So she decided to find something which has never been owned.
She searched everywhere, but everything had already been metabolised in culture.
Seen, circulated and diluted. Then, someone spoke of a distant rumour, A set of
garments that could only ever belong to one person. Not because they decayed, but
because they refused. The moment they were touched, they began to remember. They
absorbed heat, posture, and intention. To wear one was to enter a contract. You would
be the first, and the last. And in exchange, the garment would live through you. Placed
on another body, it shrivelled up like a rotten fruit, as if offended by substitution. The
pieces were said to be preserved like exotic treasures in a Vivarium. On creatures
which mimicked human bodies, but not human consciousness. Eventually she found
the hidden collection, but the garments remained untouched. They required
something she could not give. They were not designed for someone who wanted
everything. They were designed for someone who wanted nothing else.”
Partnering with the renowned Chateau Denmark, ‘Vivarium’ invites guests to
experience a living world which only exists for a few hours. The collection will be
curated around ‘Flitcroft’, a luxury apartment which was designed entirely around its
centrepiece: a magnificent gothic four poster bed. The looks combine 3D printing,
fabrics hand painted by Bond herself and experimental embellished textiles which
merge the line between sculpture and cloth. Bond works with a rich palette centred on
red, clashing against neighbouring shades of purple and orange. Continuing to refine
her 3D printing techniques, she combines the technology with sustainable leathers,
hand-painted feathers, and gilded organzas.
Bond will showcase her new line of 3D printed handbags in Dial 8 accompanied by
Bareksten cocktails. After months of prototyping, the bags are printed with zero waste,
lined with velvet microfibre, and feature a unique opening mechanism. The bags are on
sale now at karinabond.com
With special thanks to Toni & Guy, Kroylan, Bareksten, Chateau Denmark and Vicki Sarge
The venue @chateaudenmark , the photography @doma_dovgialo and @aa.vision , videography @maddsinceeightyone styling @borna_prikaski makeup @lanslondon @kryolanofficial , hair @efidavies @toniandguyworld, nails @guiliaoldani , jewellery @vickisarge , footwear @natachamarro , millinery @virna.pasquinelli , set design @livsnowden_design , cocktails @barekstenspirits
#fashionillustrator #livefashionillustration #drawinglive #avantgardefashion #3dprintedfashion