LFW: FLORENCE BRIDGE

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London Fashion Week is a time for emerging and established designers to push the boundaries and showcase their new season collections. Taking five up and coming designers from LFW, we’ve highlighted the ones to watch for SS17 and next up is Florence Bridge. After graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 2012, she went on to create her own label that focuses on creating classic contemporary pieces using digitally printed silks, patchwork leather and shearling textures. Following the success of her debut AW16 collection at LFW, Florence is back in the showrooms with her brand new collection. Describing her label as ‘Print, Texture & Glam’, meet Florence Bridge…

Did you always know you wanted to be a fashion designer and was launching your own label always the dream?
No – when I was younger I wanted to be a classical pianist but I get too nervous performing in public so I went to art college and started making clothes and it just went on from there…

Who inspired you to get into fashion?
I guess reading vogue as a teenager really inspired me to get into fashion – I used to love dressing my sister up and recreating photoshoots I’d seen in Vogue. (We still do the same thing now basically)

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Talk us through your design process.
My design process always starts with something physical – I love experimenting with all different types of mark marking and then develop these into prints. The prints are always the first part of the process then I work out how to work them onto the body experimenting with colour and scale. I love patchworking with leather so sourcing materials and colours are a massive part of my process and help with the direction of the collection. I like to keep all my silhouettes wearable / comfortable and classic.

What does your typical day look like?
7.30 – wake up and go for a run on Hampstead Heath with my Dalmatian.  That’s the only consistency really – everyday is different I might be visiting one of the factories I work with in East London developing samples or at my studio creating new artworks for print development or toiling garments and developing patterns. Working on the computer and paperwork are my least favourite part of the job which I try to avoid at all costs!

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What have been your career highlights so far and what are your plans for the future? Dressing Shirley Manson for her most recent tour with GARBAGE. I made three bespoke patchwork leather outfits for her performances. She was 100% the coolest person I’ve ever met super intelligent and humble. Next season I would love to host a LFW presentation so everyone gets a chance to see the pieces being worn in a totally Florence Bridge environment – clothes always look better when they are brought to life and given attitude by the wearer.

And finally where in London do you live and what do you love about the area? 
Ive lived next to Hampstead Heath for practically my whole life and it’s one of my favourite places in the world. The top of parliament hill has the best view of London but is still so rural.

www.florencebridge.com

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