Even within the almost uniform excellence
of British bridal designers there are always one or two who stand out
from the others as being just that little bit different. Antonia Pugh-Thomas
is one such designer. We thought we'd try to discover why:
|
When did you first think you might want to become a designer - and was
there anything in particular that made you think so?
|
I got the sewing bug when I was 14 years
old and was kicked out of my sewing class at school. The sewing teacher
told me that I had no ability or talent and that I would never be able
to make clothes successfully.
I am the type of personality who hates being told that I cannot do something
and so I instantly decided that I would learn and become very good at
it! So from that point on, I sewed constantly and made clothes for myself,
friends, drama groups, competitions.
I eventually decided to set up on my own when the fashion house where
I worked went bankrupt and I was made redundant.
|
So are you self-taught? |
Well, my earliest training was from my mother and
grandmother, both accomplished seamstresses but I also taught myself a lot
about pattern cutting and construction by buying commercial patterns and
making them up and then subsequently converting them.
When I worked for Catherine Walker at the Chelsea Design Company, ...
Sorry - *the* Catherine Walker? Princess Diana's designer?
That's the one - when I worked there I did a year’s evening classes
at the London College of Fashion and I also did a residential pattern-cutting
course at a private school in Shropshire, which was excellent.
But I'd have to say that the best training I have had is from learning “on
the job” and rising to the challenges presented to me by all my clients
over the years.
|
I'd imagine you've had a great number of clients over the years but how
did you get your ‘break’ in the business |
| I started out with one private client (who I still
work for, fifteen years down the line) who was a television personality
and recommended me to several of her friends. They in turn passed my name
on to their friends and my business grew rapidly. |
How would you describe the typical APT client – if there is such a
thing? |
I don't think there is actually a 'typical' client.
We work for sophisticated, working women who know their own minds and derive
great pleasure from wearing stylish and elegant clothes.
Our clients come to us from all over Britain and Europe as well as the States
and even Japan. We are very used to doing early morning fittings for brides
who have stepped off ‘the red eye” from New York or Hong Kong
and want to see us before they head into the City for their day’s
meetings.
We also have a lot of clients who are of an artistic bent and enjoy having
a lot of input into the design of their dress or outfit. Each of them is
highly individual and not at at 'typical'. |
If your clients are highly individual, what makes an APT dress an APT dress? |
Unusually for a designer, I do not want my dresses
to be identified as an APT dress.
The whole premise on which the business is based is that each client is
an individual and therefore each dress must inevitably be unique to match
that client’s body shape and personality.
We never repeat a design and so every piece that we produce is haute couture.
However, every APT dress is made with extreme attention to detail and we
always use the highest quality fabrics and trimmings: where possible, we
always try to source our fabrics in Britain. |
Apart from choice of fabric what else influences your design ? |
I see the human body in architectural terms and so am continually
influenced by the shapes of people around me and the strangers that I walk
past in the street.
I also derive inspiration from visiting the National Portrait Gallery looking
at the dresses of the sitters or studying the sculptural folds of statues
from Greek and Roman times. I spend a lot of time in the V & A fashion
rooms studying details of garments on display.
There is also nothing better for design inspiration than seeing a truly
beautiful piece of fabric and thinking deeply about the best way to use
it to its full advantage. |
What’s your starting point when designing a dress? |
| The shape of the client, their likes and dislikes, the setting
where they will be wearing their dress and their personality. These are
all fundamental to being able to design the perfect dress for a bride. |
Finally, What’s the most common request you get? |
| Honestly? It’s to make people look thinner and more
elegant than they already are. |
| |
| Antonia, many thanks. |
| |