fashion show

Last month, The Worshipful Company of Broderers held a fashion show, dedicated to the best of embroidery in British Fashion. Hawthorne & Heaney was invited to be involved and naturally, it was an opportunity that could not be missed.

The Worshipful Company of Broderers is a livery company, dedicated to the protection and promotion of the art of embroidery. Also known as ‘The Brotherhood of The Holy Ghost of the City of London’, it was originally formed in the middle ages, receiving a Grant of Arms in 1558 and its first Charter on 25th October 1561 from Queen Elizabeth I. Charitable works lie at the core of the company as it functions today, with the fashion show acting as a fundraising event for their charity; Fine Cell Work and the Broderers’ Charity Trust. Fine Cell Work teaches needle-work to prison inmates and sells their products. Established in 1997, Fine Cell Work now operates in more than 15 prisons to empower and rehabilitate inmates in preparation for their sucessful return to society.

On what was a very balmy September evening, the company gathered beautiful examples of british embroidery work from well known designers such as Bruce Oldfield, Clements Ribeiro, Jasper Conran and Beulah, one example of which can be seen above. The show was held in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, London with the ladieswear mostly demonstrated beadwork with an array of evening gowns on show (as seen above).

Hawthorne & Heaney was invited to contribute to the show in the form of these goldwork waistcoats for the gentlemen to wear. These were later auctioned off to raise further funds for the cause.

The first features a circular dove motif on purple with silkworks for the center and a cutwork edge.

The second piece was this striking pair of rampant lions on red.

The lions are most embroidered over raisings with cutwork, a pearle purl edges and silver/red accents throughout.

For more information on any The Worshipful Company of Broderers or Fine Cell Work, follow the links in the text above.

FASHION IN MOTION

Holly Fulton

Fashion in Motion: Holly Fulton | Image: Chris Taylor

On 20th July, we attended Fashion in Motion featuring Holly Fulton at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was a spectacular retrospective of the label, that featured highlights from past seasons. We sat eagerly and were anxious to get a snapshot of how the label has evolved over the years. As the shows began, we were not disappointed, Fulton sent down models decked out in beautiful and complex graphic embellishments, laid out in eye catching bold colours..

She restyled the looks, so as to create a more congruent show. In spite of the varied colour palettes and array of inspiration that stretches across 6 seasons, she succeeded in highlighting her unique visual aesthetic that couples with her hand rendered backdrop. Below are some of the looks:

Holly Fulton | Image: Hawthorne & Heaney

The collection that we liked the most was Spring Summer 2016, seen in the two looks below. She drew inspiration from Eileen Agar, who collage decorative elements with nature. Fulton skillfully translated the spiral seashell shapes and kaleidoscope colour palette into her prints and embellishment. And she even included a cascading tail into the mix, that were balanced out with well orchestrated and balanced proportions.

Holly Fulton | Image: Hawthorne & Heaney Holly Fulton | Image: Hawthorne & Heaney

Eileen Agar | The return of the Blues

Holly Fulton | Image: Yanyun

After this opportunity to feast on Holly’s designs, we are excited to see what the designer would sent down the runway in the coming fashion week.

By Elsie Wong

Hawthorne & Heaney for the Worshipful Company of Broderers

Hawthorne & Heaney at Holly Fulton’s Retrospective