Clary Salandy's studio has been making costumes for the Notting Hill Carnival since the 1980s.
For more than 50 years the dazzling feather outfits, extravagant headdresses and sparkling masquerades of the Notting Hill Carnival have filled the streets of west London.Over eight weeks in the run-up to the event, the artists at her Harlesden studio, Mahogany Carnival, pour their hearts and souls into designing and constructing unique masquerades for 200 revellers.
"I wanted to be part of that message - that carnival is something to be respected, enjoyed and participated in. It's about freedom and about expressing ourselves," she says. Since she started her studio in 1989, Ms Salandy has recruited numerous family members and friends to the production line to create a 25-person strong team.
Showing off a blue headdress featuring London's skyline with the round dome of St Paul's Cathedral on the top, Ms Salandy explains how it takes many versions and experiments using different materials and colours to get to the final product.Ms Salandy believes children in her community look forward to carnival more than Christmas
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