Sat 23 Jan: We Are All In One- Part One

Whether it happens to be in or out of fashion, I think we are all in agreement that an all-in-one is one of the best looks to rock.  Its a classic and an essential wardrobe staple for automatic style.  I have quite a few vintage numbers (mostly '80s it has to be said) but I think its time to discover some contemporary playsuits.  I fell in love with Nina Ribena's hooded harem pant onsie last year and asked her to make a gold one for my i-D portrait with Nick Knight.  Ive checked back in with her to see where her jumpsuit fetish first started and whats happening for her label "We Are All In One" for 2010.

1)   Where did your fascination for "all in ones" first come from?

A friend of mine had a blue jellyfish sting protection suit that she'd nicked when she went diving in Australia - when I saw it I instantly fell in love and commandeered it as my festival outfit for the next few years. I soon built up a collection of these suits and got a bit of a reputation as being 'the onesie girl' - when the festivals finished I realised that there were hardly any all in one's out there that I could just wear normally. So I started making my own!

2)   What was your favourite romper/playsuit/dungarees when you were a kid?

After going through loads of photos of myself when I was younger it actually turns out I used to wear quite a lot of all in ones! But I think my favourite is this pink one that my mum made me. I was only about 6 but I remember going to John Lewis with her and choosing the pattern and fabric so maybe that's what planted the seed...

3)   Kids stories are onesie-a-go-go from Penelope Pittstop to Cat Woman to the Max from Where The Wild Things Are.........was there a stand out onesie wearer from your childhood that has influenced you?

I think childhood stories actually have more influence on me now than they did as a kid. I love Max's outfit from WTWTA...I've actually been planning to make that outfit for the past 3 years! It's the fox tail that does it for me. The Thundercats have got some pretty cool leotards going on as well and i did used to dress up as a cat a lot so maybe they did inspire me after all!.

4)  Supehero costumes are most often a onesie.  If you could invent a Superhero, what would be there name, superpower and outfit?

It would be a Japanese chimp called 'Space Monkey' - contrary to the name, Space Monkey actually lives in the desert and drives a tank (OK, yeah I REALLY like Tank Girl) but fights wars in space with banana guns and ninja stars. 

Space Monkey would have to have two outfits; for the desert she would wear one high-legged leotard with metal spikes on the shoulders (worn with Dr Martins, a gun garter and a cigarette) and for space - a 50's style, silver body with padded shoulders and hips. Very similar to some of the designs from Jean-Paul Gaultier's haute couture AW 09/10 collection!

 5) Your hooded onesie's were inspired by Grace Jones............do you have one ultimate fave onesie from music showbiz past ie. Bowie, Mercury, Elvis?

To be honest, I think Grace Jones smacks it every time. There's no one of her generation that looked better than she did in an all in one - that's still the case now! There's one picture of her in this white, African warrior style all in one that looks like it's painted on to her but it's made out of a skin coloured spandex, I think. 

Grace win hands down every time, sorry Elvis.

All photography Dan Wilton (except childhood snaps!)