We interviewed Vicky Mather, the director on Lulu’s animated film to celebrate the launch of her first luggage collection. Vicky Mather talks us through her inspirations and about working with Lulu.
 
How did the concept for the piece evolve?
Initially Lulu approached me about branching out in to fashion film. I believe she was shown my short film Stanley Pickle. I took a trip to Lulu’s Ellis Street boutique and at first glance I thought our sensibilities were a great match. I fell in love with Lulu's world and clear vision in design. In our first meeting with Lulu we talked about how the black and red luggage cases could be thought of as dance duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This is where the idea first originated and I had great fun researching lots of MGM musicals during the development process. The most important thing for me was to retain Lulu's whole ethos of modern vintage and witty humour; it was a great challenge and an enormous pleasure to delve in and explore her world.
 
Why did you feel stop motion was the best style to shoot the film in?
I felt stop motion was the best style to shoot for a number of reasons. Firstly it gave us flexibility in movement so we could make the luggage jump and dance, a key element in giving the film the right mood and feel. Secondly Stop Motion is always charming because it's so magical to see inanimate objects coming to life with no strings attached!
 
What was it like working so closely with Lulu to shape the film?
I have a great amount of respect for Lulu since she is a designer in her own right and has a very clear vision. Her input was very important throughout the project and gave a great sense of tone and style. It was an absolute pleasure to have such a clear dialogue with her throughout the production.
 
What were the biggest technical challenges on the production?
One of the biggest technical challenges was animating on a full scale set. The most difficult scene was when the handbag shop rotates forward to reveal the heart-shaped tunnel of love. This had to be rigged from the ceiling on invisible wires and lowered in increments in order to get the animation spot on. Another challenge we faced was programming the lighting so it transitioned smoothly with the animation. The whole film required serious teamwork and I'm so pleased with the results of all our hard work, you can really see the love!
 
What was the most creatively fulfilling part of the project?
The most creatively fulfilling part of the project was working directly with Lulu and being able to collaborate with a highly skilled crew, all blessed with a 'can do' attitude, which helped us realize the vision- of which I am very proud of.

To watch the animated film click on this link >>