LOUISE SIMMONDS

Louise Simmonds is a designer with the highest quality of clothing on her mind. Whilst studying and since graduating, Louise has worked with designers such as N.O.K.I, Boudicca, and after a personal recommendation while assisting Giles Deacon, she also worked freelance for Geraldine Larkin. The couture attitude towards ready-to-wear doesn’t stop there, having also been privileged to work with Shirley Hex, couture milliner to Galliano and Valentino and former teacher of Stephen Jones and Philip Tracey. Louise, under Shirley’s advice and guidance, created her first collection of couture hats. “My first collection is inspired by religious art of the Italian renaissance. Masters in light and form such as Caravaggio and Da Vinci informed a rich yet worn colour palette with flashes of luminosity. Authenticity and the integrity of the designs are important for me, therefore original Ecclesiastical fabrics are recontextualised, referencing the individual history attached to each piece such as an antique altar cloth hand-painted and cut with inspiration from priests' robes. My work is about accurate attention to detail with a couture treatment of ready-to-wear. Every detail is considered; how the garment will feel, move, protect, expose and evolve with the wearer. My designs are always about an attempt at understanding and questioning women’s desires and needs from contemporary fashion, what fashion is and how the two are unavoidably interlinked. Strong but delicate clothing is designed to last and grow with the owner to expose their beauty and protect their weaknesses. I first started to take an interest in clothes when I was probably about eight years old; I used to make everything by hand, I mean, with a needle and thread so I guess that’s where my love of couture and hand crafted-details within garments comes from. The first patterns I made where during primary school, by laying fabric on the floor, lying on top of it and drawing round myself... it works, I promise! I developed my fashion skills a lot over the years and last year graduated with a 1st class honours degree in fashion... and, no, I don’t draw around myself any more for patterns.” Louise currently works on a made-to-measure and commission basis with a semi-couture capsule collection due for next fashion week. The idea behind the capsule collection is to create a strong distinct range of beautifully made and cut pieces with stunning details at the highest quality. Items of clothing to be thrown on by modern women who seek the fabulously classic with a twist outfit ready to go at the drop of a hat, something looking fabulous with a pleasant feel on the skin.