1646 - Issue 1

How do you want a woman to feel when she wears your clothes? Impeccably turned out, and the best version of herself she can be. How did you become Her Majesty The Queen’s designer? A lady walked into our Motcomb Street store, and was having a look at the collection one day – she mentioned she worked for someone high profile but I had no idea who at that stage. She asked if I would design some clothes to a brief she set, which I did, and fortunately several of the designs were selected. It was only after they had been approved that I found out that the client was in fact Her Majesty The Queen! You also design wedding dresses including Zara Tindall’s for her wedding in 2011; can you tell us more about the process of designing a wedding dress? Is it very collaborative? It can be! Some brides have a firm idea of how they want to look, and others aren’t so focused – the collection we have in our store is used often as a starting point for brides who are looking for something bespoke, and of course I design couture gowns from scratch for those who are looking for a complete one-off. It’s rare that we have more than one bride in the same or even a similar dress – however, we can accommodate all sorts of amendments on our existing designs, to make it completely perfect for each bride. What is your favourite outfit or piece that you have designed? My favourite outfit that I’ve designed changes all the time. My most memorable gown to date is probably the state dress that Her Majesty The Queen wore on the cover of Vanity Fair , an image that’s regularly reproduced. It was shot by Annie Lebowitz and styled by Michael Roberts, and for me was a real fashion high. What does the future hold for your brand? We’ve very recently moved into a much larger space – just down the road fromNo. 14 Motcomb St where I first set up the brand in 1995. It’s fabulous to be in our new Georgian townhouse at No. 9, which has five floors and gives the collection plenty of room to breathe. Setting up the boutique and making plans for the future has been hugely rewarding and I’m so excited about the next few years for the brand. How is fashion/the fashion industry different from when you started? The fashion industry is now hugely globalised, with the rise of the super-brands. However within this, the most exclusive customers are always searching for something unique and not widely available. This is the thing that gives us relevance and keeps us going. Are there any designers on the rise that we should keep an eye on? Last year I was lucky enough to be invited to London Fashion Week when HM the Queen, in a surprise visit, bestowed a unique award on Mark Quinn, an up-and-coming young designer who uses his signature prints in a hugely exciting manner. This gave him enormous recognition, of course, and I think he has the talent to become one of the great names of the future. What advice would you give to a young designer or school leaver at the start of their career? Any young school leaver or designer at the start of their career in fashion, I would advise to have 100% dedication and get as much experience wherever possible, whenever possible. Be prepared for a tough road ahead, and if all you like is the clothes, become a hedgefunder and just buy them, because it’s not an easy industry that pays well! How did your time at RBC prepare you for later life and your career? I was very lucky during my time at RBC because not only did it allow me to follow the academic path that my teachers and parents demanded, it allowed me the time to have the creative freedom in the new Art block with John Hewitt and Chrissy Wilkinson. This nurtured my love of art and design and, with their encouragement, inspired me to head off to High Wycombe on my art foundation course, postponing my academic degree places that I’d won, and then didn’t end up doing! What is your most outstanding memory (or memories) from your time at RBC? My wonderful time in the Art Department with John and Chrissy: the excitement of the Breville toasted sandwich maker and listening to Radio 1 in the Sixth Form Common Room! How do you think RBC has changed since you were there? I know that life at RBChas changed a lot sincemy day, with many new buildings and a more co‑education environment. There was only one girl in the Sixth Form when I was there! It’s rather sad that there’s no boarding house anymore, but my grandfather and great uncle always used to reminisce about their days on the old Bath Road, where they were boarders back in the early 1900s. 1 1