Combining elements of Tanzanian street art with European silhouettes, Lisou’s designs reflect creative director Rene Macdonald’s multicultural childhood. She lets us in on her West London hangouts and what it means to be a bold dresser.
03 December, 2019
Growing
up, Lisou’s creative director Rene Macdonald lived all
over Africa – her family home being based everywhere from Zanzibar
to Tanzania. Her formative years on the continent have had a
lasting effect on her design, manifesting in the colourful silks
and punchy prints she designs in-house.
Combining elements of Tanzanian street art with European
silhouettes, Lisou’s vibrant garments have attracted wearers as
wondersome as Dame Helen Mirren, Jodie Comer and Cate
Blanchett.
Here, the self-confessed bold dresser shares her brand story and
design inspirations, her favourite West London hangouts and
discusses the charitable wing of her brand that directly helps
young Africans with medical and educational needs.
Brand: Lisou
Designer: Rene MacDonald
Origins: British, Tanzanian
Homebase: London
Stockists: Harvey Nichols, The
Shop at Bluebird, Etoile (Dubai) and many more across the globe
as well as our own shop in Notting Hill.
Anyone who loves colour and print, and has a strong sense of
individuality. We have customers ranging from 19 to 70 years old.
For example, this year Lisou has been seen on both Emma Roberts and
Dame Helen Mirren.
Making clothes with my mother and watching her dress up in
beautiful chiffon dresses. I just wanted to be a grown up so I
could emulate her style.
I have a love for anything that inspires me, it could be
something beautiful, mundane or unusual, so long as it provokes a
reaction in me.
I usually start with designing a print and then move onto
silhouettes. This mostly takes place on weekends with lots of loud
disco music.
My studio is in West London. It’s a big open-plan room with lots
of light – all of team Lisou work from here. There are fabric
swatches, ideas and lots of colouring pens on my desk. I often
leave with pen marks all over my hands like a primary-school
child.
I’m a fan of E&O on Blenheim Crescent; it makes the best
chilli-salt squid. Golborne Deli is a regular for
lunchtime takeaways. Post work, Electric Diner on Portobello Road is fun for drinks
and I always seem to bump into someone I know which can lead to
interesting, impromptu nights out.
I’m a complete soul, R&B and hip-hop girl. Generally, it’s
something upbeat like Earth, Wind and Fire’s Let’s Groove.
Basically anything that gives me an excuse to sing and dance around
the studio.
I find inspiration all around me. It could be a flower in the
park or something I see on my travels. I once found the perfect
shade of yellow on the wall of an art gallery.
Our silk is sourced in India, Japan and China and we use a lot
of recycled silk. There are so many interesting developments in the
world of silk, such as spider silk, which are all things I keep an
eye out for.
My favourite three Lisou pieces from AW19 are:
1. The Penelope pussy bow silk midi dress in pale blue comet
print.
2. The Bailey shirt in Lisou blue and mango star print.
3. Lisou’s high-rise velvet Hetty trousers in midnight blue.
Be confident and don’t let the clothes wear you. It’s all about
attitude, if you feel comfortable and confident you can carry
anything off. I’d also say don’t be afraid to experiment. Plus,
colour makes everyone feel happy especially during the grey winter
days – so while you’re being bold you’re probably also making
someone smile.
What I love about travel is drinking in all the things I see. I
recently designed a print using a technique inspired by a trip to
Venice.
I’d have to say Ibiza.
Largely, because it’s the one time I get all my family and friends
together in one place. The role of matriarch fills my heart with
joy.
I actually grew up all over Africa because of my parents’ jobs.
Tanzania has the best national parks, and a trip to the Serengeti
is unforgettable. Zanzibar is as enchanting as it sounds; it smells
of exotic spices and has extraordinary architecture. The night
markets there are a great place for street food. Arusha, a city in
northern Tanzania is worth a visit for the open-air market which
sells local art, jewellery and fabrics. Arusha also has a clock
tower that marks the midpoint between Cairo and Cape Town.
We run several charitable initiatives at Lisou. The first is a
project that helps young Tanzanians with medical and educational
needs. I was very keen to do something on a local level too, so we
set up a school textile competition for state primary and secondary
schools. The winners had their designs made into silk scarves from
which all the sale proceeds went back into the art departments of
the winning schools.
Cuba, New Orleans and Ghana.
I love our silk Machi Machi sets. They’re as comfortable as
pyjamas and can be smartened up on arrival by tucking the shirt
into the high waisted trouser. My favourite iteration is the
red.
I always read more than one book at a time. At the moment it’s
Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers and Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck.
I’m a massive fan of TED podcasts.
Hopefully, growth and development while continuing to make
beautiful clothes and having fun along the way!