British designer Philippa Long launched her own luxury womenswear label last year after two seasons cutting her teeth at Temperley London and an ongoing collaboration with knitwear maestro Derek Lawlor. Citing 1920s couturier Madeline Vionnet as the inspiration for her first collection, her uniquely feminine, luxurious aesthetic has since caught the eye of the industry.
You’ve said that your AW12 collection was influenced partly by African wax prints seen at your local market – where else do you hunt for inspiration?
My inspiration ranges from people I see waiting at the bus stop, to ceramic sculptures made out of soap I saw at the Saatchi a few weeks ago.
You worked at Temperley after graduating – tell us about your experiences there?
Working at Temperley was amazing. I learnt more about the industry in the nine months that I was there than I did in the three years that I was at university. I have definitely adopted the classic femininity of Temperley and the fabrics I use are inspired by what I was working with when I was there. I also really aspire to building a brand as successful and as committed to its British roots as Temperley one day.
What element of designing do you enjoy the most?
Shape and structure are probably the most important elements of design for me. I have to say that I enjoy the shape making/ pattern cutting element of the design process the most. It also really helps me to understand how things are made and really informs my design process later down the line.
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