If you weren’t a fashion designer now, what would you be doing? Photojournalist.

Who are your favourite fashion designers? Haider Ackermann.  He has a strong point of view and I would wear most everything in his collection.

What’s it like having a sibling as a business and creative partner? It’s like going home for the holidays everyday… Intense at times, but comforting.

What’s your favourite trend of 2013? Sneaker wedges, they seem to be making a lasting impression.

How do other people describe your work? “Urban nomad”. I would say that’s close. We strive to create a balance between nature and city life.

Where do you shop? Vintage or antique stores, eBay, and Etsy.

What would your advice be to someone who needs a makeover? Choose comfort over vanity, find colors that compliment your skin tone, and don’t get wrapped up in trends. Your wardrobe should be timeless.

Do you have any fashion rules? Don’t be confined by rules, but wear clothes that fit.

How do you pick the music for your runway shows? Lots of research.  It’s important that you find music that compliments your inspiration for the season. Our Fall 2013 collection is inspired by Arctic exploration, so we’re researching haunting, chilling, dark sounds that evokes the feeling of icy landscapes.

Words and images: Hatnim Lee

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How did your fashion career start?

I suppose in a way you could say my ‘career’ (I feel funny saying that word) started at the Bricklayers Arms, when I met Hazel and Pablo of House of Jazz! They were the first designers I’d ever known, and became a massive inspiration to me. I was lucky enough to be working at The Old Truman Brewery whose owner got behind the idea of setting up Fashion East and bankrolling it. With the help of the panel, I soon found myself putting on shows and throwing parties. I jumped in headfirst (quite unaware of the politics of the industry), with a desire to help look after designers, and the rest kind of looked after itself. I don’t really have any ‘formal’ training, and not even so much as an internships on my CV, so it’s quite odd and very lucky I’ve ended up in fashion. I love what I do.

What are you most excited about at the moment?

Tie dye sequins! Natascha Stolle made some razzy little dresses out of them with for Lulu & Co SS12; and I’m gagging to wear them this Christmas on the beach in Mexico. Kind of Rainbow Family meets Rihanna. Super hot!

Do you have a daily uniform?

No but I probably should, it’d make getting out the house much quicker. I tend to have obsessions on things for a while and wear them constantly, then stop wearing them for ages, then rediscover them. At the moment it’s my House of Holland for Lulu & Co polka dot jeans. They’re superfun and seem to go with everything I own, which is perfect!

Who is your right hand wo/man?

Beth. But she’s leaving soon to have a baby. It’s due right on London Fashion Week in February – crazy timing or what?! I’m gonna miss Beth so badly as my co-pilot in crime/voice of reason/chief problem solver, I’m trying to make her agree to stay on as a ‘strategist-at-large on the end of the phone’. I’m not good at facing the fact she’s leaving…

What could you not live without?

My jeep. I know it’s a bit wrong to love an inanimate object, but I can’t help it.

Words: Becky Davies

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What is your earliest memory of art?

My first proper experience, outside of school-taught art was when I got the bus up to London at 16 to see the Sensation show at the Royal Academy. That was when I really started paying attention to art. I couldn’t believe this kind of thing was being celebrated, it made me feel so relieved!

What is your earliest memory of fashion?

When my sister bought me a t-shirt from Red or Dead with a picture of a hoover on it with ‘Hoover Groover’ written beneath. I was 13 and very uncool. I think the t-shirt was meant for an early twenties club-kid and although it made no sense to me, I loved it for it’s London-label and never took it off. It’s the very last thing I would wear now but I’m fond of it as it was the first item of clothing I possessed where I was aware that it’s value extended beyond the cotton it was printed on. The feeling it gave me made me realise that some clothes are just worth paying more for than others.

How did you wind up collaborating with Mother Of Pearl?

I’ve been a big fan of theirs since they started doing their artist collaborations. They make the kind of clothes I love printed with the work of artists I admire so I rarely go out without something of theirs on these days. They are one of the few labels I would trust implicitly with my work as I know they’ll make something I’d wear. I’m not into high-glamour but love to wear flatteringly cut, slightly masculine style clothes that are original, well made and using good fabric. I think they think the same way.

What was the inspiration behind your design?

I find telephones alarming. I never like to pick up except to a small handful of people. I find there’s something eery about the receiver lying in wait in the cradle, bursting into frenzied life when you least expect it with who knows what to tell you. I put the magpie on there as the saying goes ‘One For Sorrow’ as telephones have often been the conduits of bad, life-changing, news in my life.
There was also a more obvious reference to Dali’s Lobster-phone, which was much more humorous than mine.

Is there a morbid fascination when it comes to taxidermy?

I think it’s a celebration of life and nature. I’m not remotely interested in death, it’s something I’d rather not dwell on.

When and why did you decide stuffing birds would be your main focus for creating art?

It happened organically. It wasn’t a decision. It was when I started learning taxidermy to satisfy an interest that everything started to fall into place. Learning a skill is a very exhilarating thing, you start to realise how much in life is possible and it gives you energy.

Who do you envisage wearing your Polly Morgan for Mother Of Pearl creations?

People with taste!

Should you be scared of PETA?

I’m not scared of them. Whether or not I should be depends on how sensible they are. I don’t kill or have animals killed for my work so they’d be wasting their time coming after me.

Words: Seamus Duff
Polly Morgan’s designs for Mother Of Pearl are on sale exclusively in Harrods from December 18th.

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