Page 87 - The Bite Magazine - Spring Summer 2013
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established design collaborations with such companies
as Ercol and Ernest Race furniture,Angelpoise lighting
and Robert Welch tableware, which have resulted in
the reissue of classic British furniture and product
designs from the 1950s and 1960s, providing the
opportunity for a new generation of design aware
consumers to appreciate and value the quality of
British manufacturing and craftsmanship.
The success of Margaret Howell is due to her
concept of ‘make’ being integral to her design
philosophy and how crucial a piece of clothing feels
when worn,“I’ve always wanted clothes to be the way
I drew them – relaxed and lived in, a natural look. I
find men’s clothes interesting in their structure, feel
and functionality. I started by designing men’s clothes,
and then found that women wanted them.” Inspired
by the authenticity in nature, people and places,
Margaret applies this same quality in the materials
she chooses, such as the feel of hand-woven Harris
tweed and the irregular slub of Irish linen. Her passions
and aspirations are organic:landscape and its connection
with such fabrics, the skilled people who weave them,
and working with manufacturers who understand
and share the same passion for make and quality of
fabric such as John Smedley in fine-gauge knitwear,
Mackintosh and their part hand-made raincoats,and the
Scottish knitting factories that continue their heritage
of producing the best cashmere in the world.Through
photographic campaigns,Margaret has expressed these
feelings and values, naming American and SouthAfrican
fashion photographers Bruce Weber and Koto Bolofo
in particular as those who “appreciate the authenticity
and character of the clothes and are masters in creating
apparent spontaneity in the inevitably contrived
situation of a fashion shoot.” She goes to say, “In the
black and white photographs of these campaigns I
can see the lasting influence of images of Katherine
Hepburn, James Dean, Jane Birkin, as well as artists like
Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. For me all
these people embody a style which is assured and
relaxed, graceful and natural.”
At London FashionWeek last September, her
spring/summer 2013 women’s collection was
a minimal chic display of clean, neat, timeless
and wearable designs: white oversized dresses,
prim shirts tucked into full skirts, scrub-like
white chinos, short-sleeve tops, loose navy
smock tops,light grey suit jackets with matching
city shorts, a retro knit bikini with white trim,
a ribbed cream jumper with black chinos and
a simple denim dungaree dress worn over
a cream t-shirt captured the attention of
those present at the show. Meanwhile, the
spring/summer 2013 men’s collection had an
organic feel about it. Shirts were seen tucked
into slim-fitted turned up trousers, sleeves on
coats and shirts were rolled up and, at other
times left down, while reinterpreted Bretin
stripes made a reappearance in midnight blue
and dusty foundation, olive and graphite hues
were clearly the Howell colours of the season.
In additional to the shop onWigmore Street,
Margaret Howell also has stores in Fulham, Richmond
and Old Nichol Street, and overseas in Paris andTokyo.
Her designs are stocked at retailers including 99B in
Dublin, Artisan in Hereford, Creatures of Comfort in
NewYork, Fabric inAuckland, Liberty in Regent Street,
Paul Clark in Lewes and Shinsegae in Seoul.
Images courtesy of press @ Margaret Howell
Watch the Margaret Howell SS13 women’s collection
at:
Watch the Margaret Howell SS13 men’s collection at:
