- WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?
Originally I am from the Isle of Wight
- WHERE DID YOU STUDY/TRAIN?
I did my degree in Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art.
- WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION/IDEAS?
This A/W 2010 inspiration for the Dame and Knight collection came from traditional British folklore ceremonies that are still in practise today. These include the Whittlesea Straw Bear, the Queensferry Burry Man and the Garland King. I also looked at armour as I went to the Tower of London to see King Henry VIII’s armour.
- WHAT INSPIRED OR MOTIVATED YOU TO BECOME AN ETHICAL DESIGNER?
When I was making my final collection at Edinburgh I used salvaged and vintage materials. I have always loved and collected vintage fabrics and this was a perfect way to make use of them. It was a natural progression to become ethical because I was 80% of the way there already.
- DESCRIBE THE COLLECTION IN 7 WORDS
Warm, fun, peculiar, nostalgic, comforting, charming and delightful
- WHICH PIECE IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
I want to get married in a vintage white lace version of the Damsel in Distress.
- ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE/DESIGNERS THAT INSPIRE YOU OFTEN?
So many! I also get very inspired by strangers. When you go out you don’t know who or what you are going to see and if you are in a certain place even 5 minutes later you see completely different people that’s one of my favourite things about living in London.
- WHICH PIECE (IF ANY) WOULD YOU SAY PORTRAYS YOUR PERSONALITY BEST?
Well I would wear it all.
- WHICH PIECE WAS MOST ‘TRYING’ FOR YOU AS A DESIGNER?
Technically both of the Kaboom pieces were incredibly trying. They were made up of so many pieces and the patchwork was so so precise but it was triumphant to see them finished.
- WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
I am fastidious and I work hard.
- WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?
I am not very good at taking criticism.
- DO YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL OR CONCEPTUAL APPROACH TO DESIGNING?
I can be quite muddled when it comes to designing and different things can set me off from patchworking to a certain fabric that I might see or a vintage photograph but I would say more conceptual than technical.
