Interview with London Denim

Interview London Denim and Simon King Are you working on a new collection? London Denim: Constantly, although I do stop for coffee. Where are you from? London Denim Suffolk: Ipswich in hence the six fingers on each hand and webbed feet Are there any family members that inspired your work? An Aunty that sews etc? London Denim: Yep my Nana taught me to use a machine when I was about 9, but I would not say she inspires my design, she was just a really great Nana.. My uncle Ian is an inspired cabinet maker and I’m totally inspired by his dedication to perfection of his pieces. Have you always wanted to have a fashion label? London Denim: Yes, I like both the control and vanity What is your signature? Is there a specific fabric or print that you are known to use? Or a detail? London Denim: On my jeans its got to be my cut on the hip. With my T’s is large prints. What are some of your favorite colours, patterns, weights of material to work with? London Denim: I don’t really have a favorite colour but I do hate Yellow and Paisley Who are your favorite designers that you look to for inspiration? London Denim: For my customized collection it was Cartier, I’d seen a few of their 1920’s pieces at the deco exhibition at the V&A last year and went bonkers for them. Beautiful diamond birds, torcs and panthers. Galliano really is the ultimate designers designer if I could be reborn it would be with his talent. What outside aspects inspire your designs? London Denim: My customers inspire much of my customization work. Because I work very closely with them on one off pieces often I’ll follow a path which will lead to a small capsule of something I would not have imagined without that close interaction. What were some of the struggles you had to overcome when beginning the label? London Denim: Learning the business, learning who I was as a designer. It all sounds really trite but there are very few designers out there who’ve sprung out of Zeus’s head fully formed. Have you been featured in any publications, TV shows, etc…? If so, when/where? London Denim: All the normal ones, BBC featured my customization work, with Fashion TV I did an interview at my first Pret, Evening Standard and a few others. I’m lucky to have a good PR and to be producing pieces which the press like so I’m getting quite a lot of press on the collection at the moment. Where is the collection currently sold and who are you dream stockists? London Denim: I really only sell to Harrods and a few independents. The boutique at Babbington house would be a great stockist, I’d deliver personally and pick up a massage at the cowshed at the same time. Which celebrities would you most like to see wearing your collection? London Denim: The ones I fancy. I’m sure Hannibal Lector would say something about me feeling closer to them as they’d be wearing my designs; Tracey Emin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Shilpa Shetty, Marline Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Joan Collins, Do you remember your dreams? London Denim: Always, I have really great dreams every night. Adventures where I fly, save the world, find the treasure, Move house…. Do you eat breakfast? London Denim: NO When are you showing next? London Denim: I don’t have a show I exhibit at London Fashion Week Exhibition. Favourite food, restaurant? London Denim: Banners in Crouch End. Not only is the food fab, the music’s normally chilled regee. Where do you like to shop? London Denim: Depends what for, for trainers I’d hunt all over till I got the right pair so that’s normally Harrods or Harvey Nichols. Harrods have the best menswear staff in London, they’re into you as the customer no into themselves as the living mannequin. For everything else I just tend to wear cheap white tops, I go through them so fast so it’s the sales and bulk buying. Favourite menswear place? London Denim: My idea of menswear heaven is Jeffery’s in meatpacking NY. The buyers are HOT. They really know how to mix brands and don’t seem to be scared of trying out new brands.