Margaret Howell, Autumn/Winter 2008
Our history of Fashion has produced some of the most influential and gifted names in the business and have been seen it dominated by male archetypes. However, we often forget fellow female contemporaries whether it be Fashion or not including Sister Corita or Jacqueline Casey, they fellow the footsteps taking the same challenges as their opposite sex. As a interesting note, a thought springs to mind such as Austrian menswear designer Ute Ploier who has so far produced a menswear collection that is both critical and conceptual. She takes her role and has a female sensibility and attitude that for which in turn highlights her ability to have the best features in men’s clothes today.
We immediately identify British Fashion of a men’s nature with the familiar name of Paul Smith. And why not that since his modest and painful career started has propelled him into enormous international recognition success for his signature stripes, shirts and accessories for men. On the contrary, we shouldn’t neglect a woman who has done it all in a home-grown modest way already. Though as a contrast with a focus on beautifully tailored women’s clothes that is not typical or too feminine she outreaches these terms but keeping herself grounded and her love affair with traditional British fabrics. Old boys school bags that were rucksacks or satchels made from fine leather of a hand cobbler’s touch, a woman’s peacoat from cashmere or a wool skirt portrays that picturesque beauty of a well-dressed English woman in London in the 1970’s. Margaret Howell’s sensibility and aptitude by the combination of strong British fabrics with a vision that is contemporary and seasonally evolving.
A slender men’s inspired silhouette draws the attention of a shruken double-breasted jacket in leather green with a long flowing wool dress; grey trousers with a tweed wool coat and a top shirt with ruffled edge shoulders and pocket flannel trousers marks a strong tensions of confidence and sophistication.
This complimentary ‘less is more’ approach which emphasises the nature and tactile qualities of each garment is very vibrant to concur with a woman’s strong wielded personality. Margaret mentions:
‘I enjoy the tactile qualities of natural fabrics such as tweeds, linen and cotton; fabrics that lasts and get better with wear. It still gives me a thrill to use a beatifully made shirt, a fully fashioned cashmere sweater, a tailored jacket and trouser.’
Conceptually and proportionally, her current and past womenswear range has shown the duality of a man’s shirt layering with her observant use of fabrics giving her clothes a focal strength. Her menswear is also strong with elements of narrowing fitting pants, collared buttoned shirts and an elongated wool over coat extending to the legs and cuffs.
Margaret’s home grown success mirrors that of Paul Smith’s, Ann Demeulemeester or Karen Walker’s but it’s great to say she honed her own set of qualities and to love her just the way she does her clothes. And as we grow older and the seasons grow longer, we will always go back to the classics we love best and look to women who are eternally in vogue.
Margaret Howell is a British born fashion designer, born in 1946. Following a BFA from Goldsmiths in London, she embarked on her career with first accessories and a vintage shirt to follow on her first menswear shop in 1977 and womenswear in 1980. Today, her clothes are designed to produce both a functionality and quality that is both inherently beautiful but also detailing structure.
To follow-up on Margaret Howell, here are some images of her collection thus far creating inspiration:
Photography by Chris Moore / Vogue UK
Images from Patricia No
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