Neurotica

...drawing inspiration from music, nature and nostalgia

Neurotica is a London-based label specializing in hand printed pieces designed by Victoria McGrane. Originally from Lancashire, England, I grew up in the sunny Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia where I studied Visual Arts at Sydney College of The Arts and Textile Design for Print at East Sydney Tafe. After an extended backpacking trip through South East Asia and Europe ending up in London, I assisted fashion designers Michelle Lowe-Holder and Siv Stoldal before setting up a small print studio. Neurotica was launched in 2006.  My love of print is evident in all of my designs which feature intricate geometric repeats and inky hand drawn illustrations influenced by music, nature, nostalgia and the beauty of the everyday. Being at once fragile and tailored, sophisticated and gentle the collections are true to the "dressed up dressed down" aesthetic of the label. The clothes are essentially feminine yet strong and assertive and most importantly highly wearable.  The name of the label is indicative of the mood and aesthetic of the line and the fact that Victoria is a self confessed neurotic…designed with the kind of girl in mind who is a bit dark and weird but unashamedly cute.

Victoria is a fashion designer today, because…
 Unfortunately for her, she has a deep burning desire to make clothes that she really wants to wear. And she is utterly unemployable to do anything else.

If Victoria would not have become a designer…
She might still be roaming around the world living in exotic locations and shunning material possessions.

At school/university she was…
 A source of huge frustration to her tutors as she only did the work that interested her, and translated the briefs to fit in with her own ideas!

Victoria’s friends think…
 She works too much and she changes her mind too often. But they are all really supportive of her!

When Victoria was 17 she dreamed of being… 
An artist and muse living in Paris, talking philosophy, smoking Gauloises, holding salons and having grande affaires in the style of Anais Nin.

She knew she was going to become a fashion designer when… 
She got her first cheque for doing something that she actually loved. She could hardly bear to spend it, and wanted to frame it instead…until she realized her rent was due.

She didn’t mind getting her hands dirty...screen-printing… but would never… 
Bother with gardening. She has tried with disastrous results… but hopes instead to one day be fabulously successful and employ one.

Victoria gets really het up about… 
Transport for London. They are evil and the reason she is always late!

The defining moment in her career was… 
There have been too many. It is a continuous learning process.

For a day, Victoria would like to be…
 in charge of the weather. “If I ruled the world, every day would be the first day of spring!”

What would be Victoria’s soundtrack to life?
Pink Floyds “Dark Side of The Moon”, David Bowies “Aladdin Sane” and “Led Zeppelin IV”.

Her biggest regret was…
Starting smoking.

She would describe Victoria’s personality as…
 A rollercoaster ride.

Victoria wishes the next Victoria… 
Would be a little bit more decisive.

If she could live her life again…
 She would try and learn from her mistakes but would probably still do it all the same!

NEUROTICA ON NJAL