04 Jan 09

Scarlett & Crimson top the Sunday Times Style ‘Who To Talk About’ Trend Listing for 2009

‘Scarlett & Crimson: the anti-Bratz backlash starts here’, Ruby Warrington, Sunday Times Style January 4th 2009

Move over Kate Moss, Agyness Deyn and Alexa Chung. If you read the first edition of Sunday Times Style for 2009, the girls to talk about this year and beyond are Scarlett & Crimson, the two cartoon rock goth chicks who are set to take the UK and the USA by storm. Drawn by Ged Backland, Scarlett & Crimson will launch with a series of books, music releases, make-up ranges and cutting edge fashion collections. And they’re the only non-human girls to even get a look-in in the Sunday Times Style ‘Who To Talk About in 2009’ guide, alongside Suri Cruise, Emily Blunt, Georgia May Jagger, Coco Sumner and Amber Le Bon - all of whom are very much Scarlett & Crimson females.

As Ruby Warrington, author of the Sunday Times Style feature says, S& C are 'leading the anti-Bratz revolution'. Unlike Bratz and Barbie, Scarlett & Crimson dress in rock-goth vintage, blog on their own website ‘DarqSpace’, play in a rock band and live in a world where sexual stereotyping is a thing of the past.

With warmth, intelligence and substance to their personalities, Scarlett & Crimson will cover a full range of inspirational products that will stretch from make-up to music. Whilst the Scarlett & Crimson books will appeal to a tween age group, the make-up range which has been created by cult make-up artists Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall will be loved by everyone. Available towards the end of 2009, Scarlett & Crimson make-up will be a vibrant and colourful range that marries the glamour and sparkle of Brit rock with the cute appeal of Tokyo’s Harijuku. As well as this, iconic British fashion designer, Robert Cary-Williams has designed his first vest collection in three years for adult women, based on the brand’s iconography, including skulls and crossbones and ornate keys. Coco Ribbon, KJ Laundry and The Laden Showrooms will all be stocking the vests over Fashion Week from February 2009.

The Simon & Schuster published books, which will be available in the UK and the US from Autumn 2009, will bring the girls to life with a series of gripping tales. Each page-turning story unravels a little bit more about the secrets that make up the relationship between these best friends. As every page is turned, beautiful artwork and iconic imagery will add greater dimension to the characters. This attention to detail provides numerous opportunities to explore alternative directions for the brand in fashion, literature, music and art. The girls present the idea of individuality by creating their own music, their own band and their own clothing. As Scarlett & Crimson would say, their philosophy is to "Be Your Own Scene".

Through these media and merchandise, people will discover that Scarlett & Crimson are similar, but not the same – Scarlett has a penchant for guitars, cats, roses and the colour scarlet (of course). Crimson, on the other hand, likes drums, dogs, daisies and the colour crimson (naturally). This inseparable pair really shows the balance of friendship; what it takes to be close yet separate, and what it means to care for each other in spite of having your own whims and character traits. One of their most celebrated themes is that it’s special to be trusted with the important things in someone else’s life and that "Your Secret’s Safe With Me".

“With a story unfolding over a number of years, Scarlett & Crimson will be a voyage of discovery through books, a blog, music, merchandise and limited edition interpretations of Scarlett & Crimson’s looks by a number of leading women’s fashion designers which will bring the brand to life across every female age group.

We envisage Scarlett & Crimson with a huge following on a global scale” comments Michael Dee, responsible for branding at Coolabi, the company behind Scarlett & Crimson.

Dee continues; “The other great thing about this brand is that like the girls themselves, it’s likeable without trying hard to fit in. It has personality and it’s different, which is a rarity that can be appreciated by all.”

Those in the know will look out for Scarlett & Crimson in the most interesting of places or on some of the most celebrated people, as there will be a number of ‘secret designer collections’ in circulation in the very near future, as well as exclusive celebrity partnerships.