Carmen Christine Wild Style with Ops&Ops

Ops&Ops No17 olive with patterned trousers and orange shirt by Carmen Christine

Steph and I love seeing how people style Ops&Ops, and every now and then we lend footwear for lookbooks or a fashion shoot. It’s interesting to see another designer’s selection of our shoes and boots and then the results of pairing them with their pieces – which really show how versatile our range is.

Ops&Ops No10 flats in lookbooks of Carleen, Samantha Pleet, Ally Capellino and Wray

While scrolling through posts on the Margate Creatives Facebook group (living part-time in Ramsgate, it’s useful for me to keep up with what’s going on and to connect with people), I noticed a request for models to take part in a fashion shoot for Carmen Christine. So I thought to check out her work, open to the possibility of lending Ops&Ops.

I immediately liked a lot of things about it. Not only is her label genuinely sustainable, but her excitement and enthusiasm for creating new garments from thrift-store finds are also inspiring. Most importantly, regarding a photo collaboration, I felt that the playful side of Ops&Ops would come across wonderfully in Carmen’s brightly coloured, fun-filled style. Happily, she agreed.

Carmen Christine worn by @fatgirlfashioninspo, @afashionnerd and @caitlin.hare

Carmen’s collection – called Wild Child – brings to mind the cartoonish world of Tommy Roberts’ Mr. Freedom we love and also images from the book American Denim. The 1975 publication is a fantastic display of customisation bringing together embroidery, applique, macrame and more.

It was a joy to see the photos from the shoot. The models are having a blast (turns out redhead Elizabeth Whibley is the girlfriend of an Ops customer!), the garments look great, and Carmen made fine matches of our footwear.

Enjoy the ride and maybe get some inspo for adding colour, pattern, texture and a whole lotta fun to your wardrobe!

Ops&Ops No16 Oreo ad No12 Pink Frost and styled with Carmen Christine
Ops&Ops No10 Avocado and No17 Olive with with Carmen Christine
Ops&Ops No10 Avocado patent styled with Carmen Christine jeans
Ops&Ops No12 Pink Frost and No16 Oreo with Carmen Christine denims
Ops&Ops No16 Oreo styled with Carmen Christine waistcoat and shirt
Ops&Ops No12 Pink Frost with denm blue and No17 olive with patterned trousers and orange shirt by Carmen Christine
Ops&Ops No12 Pink Frost and No16 Oreo with coloured tights
Photographer @benbardsleyballphoto
Models @itskamahl, @naomiandnatalie_, @elizabethwhibley, @pompomcolley
Makeup @katherinethomas_mua
Clothes @_carmenchristine
Jewellery @blomashop
Location @seventiesstudiomargate