Claire Barrow Leaving the Fashion Schedule

Yesterday, 26 year old designer Claire Barrow (who has dressed the likes of Rihanna) announced she is no longer following the Fashion schedule. After 8 seasons.

Luckily: I happened to have a talk from artist turned designer Claire Barrow herself today! So I can tell you exactly whats-up.

She explained to us that she removed herself from the schedule because she considers herself an artist as well as a designer: therefore she want's to have time to think about her work. She currently only has TWO WEEKS to design a collection!

Claire Barrow also told us that she wants to bring it back to what she wants to make: and give herself the chance to have more of a conversation and direct contact with the consumer: as opposed to designing for bigger companies. 

Can I say I told you so yet? The fashion cycle is BROKEN. Perhaps the Chanel's and the Dior's that have money to throw at feeding this hamster wheel are coping (or not! considering Raf Simmons: See my post here), but young designers like Claire Barrow are not.

Claire has been designing for 8 seasons now, so she knows the system.

But it isn't sustainable.. just like Bangladeshi sweat shops aren't.

People are waking up to the music and changes are happening. 

I feel like this year is the year Millennials are putting their foot down for things that just aren't right: and the broken fashion cycle is a great place to start-over.

Claire described to us today how her collection is confusing: she doesn't want anyone to get it. She wants to make people think: and change the way fashion works. 

Her last collection was a reflection of the history of fashion. She said that at the moment; fashion is looking at the past: see the 70's trend, 90's looks; and so her most recent collection was a retaliation to such. A jumble of all the ages! 

A woman of such clear sights seemed so godly to us; but when asked the reason behind why she wanted to work with stylist 

Haley Wollins,  She giggled and said "She's worked with Drake!" as we all giggled enthusiastically with her. That considered, coming into our classroom wearing a Yeezus tour shirt, whether she knew it or not, she was playing to the crowd. Just like Roberta Einer; so successful, yet so relatable.

"I don't like magazines: they are boring and for white people" She confessed. Again, we all related. No one knows what is paid for or genuine these days. She admitted she was fond of Dazed, and November is 'pretty cute', another underground magazine called Mosh Pit too.

I buy my clothes from Etsy: if you look for American Vintage on there, it's amazing. Understandable coming from a do-it-yourself-er. A vision of the new-bricolage consumer (in-short: our generation is becoming increasingly do-it-yourself, bespoke, original etc.)

When we suggested a collaboration with Doc Martins: she got very excited. 'I hope so' she said. 'They give me shoes for my shows!'. Perhaps something to look out for!

Last but not least; we questioned Claire on her choice of Model. She explained that she chooses her models through personality; she would rather have actual real people than blank models. 

This is a concept that is increasingly on the rise (Young designer Molly Goddard did the same) of the No-del; designers that choose friends to model rather than hire through agency. 

Overall, a refreshing take on fast fashion and a tasteful introduction into a much more pensive and meaningful kind of fashion, and most importantly: one more 'fuck you' to the unsustainable hamster wheel we call fashion today.

Roberta Einer: the Emerging Designer to Watch

10 months ago, Roberta Einer was still in school. She studied at Westminster, my school (London College of Fashion's) sister school. Today however, flipped from ten months ago, Roberta is at the front of the class, instead of in it, sharing with us her crazy journey and lessons learned. Talk about a prodigy.
If I didn't walk out of that talk feeling like the pressure was on for the next 10 months.. then something would be wrong. One couldn't help but leave in awe.

"She's just like us though?" said one of my fashion friends. Yes. She is just like us. Because unlike the other industry professionals that had come to talk to us with their life lessons, she looked, talked, and dressed like us 20 somethings.
Which was pretty fucking rad if you ask me.

Working days at school and embroidering in the likes of Alexandre McQueen and Balmain into the night: Roberta had the passion and fuel needed to launch her brand. But it wasn't always her intention, as she explained to us today, she never actually anticipated creating her own brand.

After she graduated, instead of going on holiday like her friends, she worked. She milked every opportunity that came her way, that led her from strength to strength: from insta-fame, to her feature in American Vogue, to a deal with Asian fashion mogul I.T. Hong Kong, and incredibly a partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue ("Can you be in new York by tomorrow night" she was told!).

With couture embellishments to drool over, and price points rivaling that of Gucci, being launched into luxury-dom in a matter of 10 months is merely a fantasy for most.

Gucci SS16, a competitor of Roberta.

Roberta Einer SS16

But it wasn't without merit; when I asked her how she got the confidence to play on this global playing field, with lawyers, numbers, and no PR agency to support her, so young and fresh: she laughed and responded that she had never cried so much, than in those first few months.

I would too: mass conglomerates chasing after you, trying to buy your brand.
When she applied to the BFC for their New Gen support scheme, they advised her to lower her price point and get an MA.

But Roberta saw her training, materials, and brand as luxury. Rightly so. Therefore she stuck by her guns and listened to herself... and look at her now.

"Don't listen to people, but question yourself" she said. "You need to be self critical". Was one of my favourite pieces of advice today.

As well as the way she measures her success by the autonomy of her brand:
"When you can go on holiday and close your computer for a week: that's how you rate your success".

When we asked what her next step was; 'online retail', such as Net-a-Porter, she suggested would be nice: but right now she is just focusing on delivering.
"It's my baby" she said, as I have heard time and time again from many others like her in this classroom.

I hope to one day be as young yet powerful, decided yet successful, and as grounded and driven, as Roberta Einer.
..and perhaps have my own little luxury brand baby to love and care for..

Keep your eyes on her. She's the one to watch.