Couture Work for Christian Lacroix

In 2001 I developed a unique approach to creating structures and aesthetics for woven textiles known as my ‘ribbon work’ technique. These fabrics combine extra weft and double-cloth structures, with strips of torn silk or heat-set polyester used as ribbon yarns to achieve embroidery effects on the surface of the weave. Double cloth techniques are also exploited to achieve reversible fabrics, which do not require a lining, whilst at the same time concealing floats within the fabric to create entirely double-faced pieces. The pieces use a combination of techniques and materials in a unique way, and have become recognized as my signature style.
I was first approached by the Lacroix Couture Studio manager whilst exhibiting my work at Indigo in September 2001. My stand was part of the Texprint exhibition, an internationally recognized scheme, which awards the top 24 UK textile graduates the opportunity to exhibit at international trade fair, Indigo/ Premier Vision. I was subsequently awarded the ‘Lee 400’ trust prize by Texprint for the collection and as a result was invited to exhibit the work at Interstoff Asia in Hong Kong in October 2001.The first commission I undertook for Lacroix was for two woven lengths to be used in their Autumn/Winter couture show (2002/3), and I was subsequently commissioned to weave a further two lengths for the 2004/5 show.
All the lengths were used for coats in the autumn/winter couture shows, and achieved a considerable degree of recognition in the press. Recent press coverage of the work has included an in-depth article in internationally recognized Selvedge magazine - with contributions from leading textile academics and writers. The article - ’Superstructures’ - by Lesley Jackson examined four leading pattern weavers. My couture work was featured alongside the work of Margo Selby, Preeti Gilani and Ismini Samanidou.