Please
introduce yourself:
Aimee
Matthew-John, from Milton Keynes, specialising in Womenswear.
What
inspires you in general?
One
of the most interesting things for me is talking to people with
stories to tell. I love to listen to tales of travels and experiences
and to see the ways in which these things have informed a person’s
style or outlook.
I’m
fascinated by the idea of clothing as disguise- becoming
something/someone else by stepping into a garment or outfit, choosing
a character to wear each day.
And
clothing that builds history, memories, meaning over time.
Fashion
aside; artisan bakers.
Where
are you based?
In
London
What
is it like to be a young designer in your city/country?
Perhaps
the best thing is having so many people around to work with, go over
ideas with, be motivated by... There are many
creatives and opportunities to collaborate as well as resources and
inspiration. Most encouragingly, people are excited by design and
want to see what you have to offer.
In
professional terms, again, there are plenty of places to start
however it is demanding and difficult to sustain yourself. It can be
hard to sustain a business in fashion for several reasons- keeping up
with the rate of consumption and expectation, competition with larger
players on the highstreet who are able to produce 'cheaper'/ faster
clothing, as well as contending with the widespread perception of
‘value’. I think that designers have to try to spread an
appreciation for skilled work and clothing that will last beyond
trends.
