What better way to kick off my first HITC Life post by lauding the best of British fashion brands?
Her career has gone from strength to strength as she has earned her rightful place amongst fashion’s elite. Once an intern at Christian Lacroix, McCartney was awarded Designer of the Year at the British Style Awards in 2007, and was included in the Telegraph’s 2011 list of most powerful women in Britain. Celebrated for her sharp feminine tailoring and well-known collections for Adidas, she was appointed creative director for the sportswear brand’s Team GB uniforms for the 2012 Olympics.
When Phoebe Philo sent models down the catwalk wearing her first collection for Parisian brand Celine it sent shockwaves through the industry. The former designer from Chloe who had been largely responsible for those baby-doll dresses and the famous IT Bag, the Paddington, spearheaded the pared down chic that is still referenced seasons later. The former Central St Martins graduate and assistant to Stella McCartney has proved to be a true national treasure.
Had the young Paul Smith from Nottingham followed his ambitions to become a professional racing cyclist, we may never have gotten to know the label that has become synonymous with classic British tailoring and elegance. He was awarded a knighthood in 2000, and this year sees the designer’s work being featured on a new set of first class stamps alongside other British legends, Vivienne Westwood and Ossie Clark, in a collection to mark the most influential British designers since WWII.
As a former intern, stepping into Alexander McQueen’s shoes after his untimely death was incredibly intimidating. She remembers from her first interview with the infamous designer when he asked her if she believed in UFO’s and at the same time was asked by the then commercial director if she could handle denim production! During her time as Creative Director of Alexander McQueen, her collections have been widely praised and one of her most notable achievements was being commissioned to design the royal wedding dress worn by Kate Middleton with all the world’s eyes watching.
Emma Watkinson
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Emma is the CEO of SilkFred.com, the online destination for emerging designers. Emma's nemesis is her bank manager, and keeping him happy is a full time job. Formerly working in fashion buying and merchandising, the only stock going up she's interested in is what's in her wardrobe. Her hobbies include shopping online, 19th century literature, and spreadsheets.
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