We pin down James Long, a designer who made his name under Virginia Wates in New York City. Starting his own label after graduating from the Royal College of Art, Long has since developed a distinctive brand, which he has described as “strong, bold directional menswear.”

Who: James Long
Label: James Long
How did your fashion career start: Lulu Kennedy’s Fashion East Man show.
What are you most excited about at the moment: Kamodo dragons and John
Maus.
Do you have a daily uniform: I love to wear a cozy cashmere jumper, a
sparkly sock and my moscot sunglasses.
Who is your right hand wo/man: Charlotte Long my sister and Samantha
Twyford – I have two right arms.
What could you not live without: Friends, documentaries about animals,
and New York.
If you hadn’t become a designer what do you think you’d be doing now? I’m not sure what else I would do, but it would be somewhere warm and sunny.