Katharine Hamnett 2018 Collection + Talk

By Marilyn Virginia

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

‘In conversation with Sarah Mower’ renowned fashion critic and columnist for publications including American Vogue.

The collection was staged in Liberty’s London, and will be on sale both in-store and on-line.

Amounting to a retrospective men’s and woman’s collection of classic understated Hamnett looks, only working with organic Silks and Cottons, non chemical Denim, Katharine retains her image for authentic clean mother- earth fabrics, and with her activist approach rife in the eighties still proudly displayed today, she has a fashionable place in fashion more than ever.

With the seasons buzz word emblazened on her sumptious silk shirts ‘Protest and Survive’  she did not want to be drawn in to conversation about Brexit with Sarah Mower,  stating ‘don’t even get me started’ she sensibly dodged the issue, thank the lord.

Trousers were of organic Cotton in Hamnett classic shapes, Olive silk Onesy’s and sharp shorts based on the English Military look good with the Tee’s, and non chemical Denim Jackets which ‘took ages’ to perfect. A wonderful 3/4 length black Macintosh stunned but at a price of £600 not too affordable to everyone.

Miss Hamnett, who looked grand in her dark glasses and silk shirt, graduated in 1979 from St. Martins,  spun stories of her origins, she started her journey of design, showing her collection, from 1989 when she warned of chemicals infecting the environment then, with no outside funding, she ran her business in any way she wanted.

She experimented with sharp designs and with her activism inspired routes was immediately taken up by the trendy youth of that period, the likes of George Micheal, Mike Jagger, David Bowie Duran Duran,  gaining even more popularity by protesting at the sit-ins on Greenham Common and…… Hating Maggie Thatcher.  

She primarily sold her open source designs in Joseph and dealt only with Lyn Franks the known feminist when she wanted specialist publicity to get her point across.

An important British ethical designer and one well worth watching for hints and calls to action, her collection never cheap, has her stamp upon it, and therefore will be bought up by the old and young elitist and socially conscious people today.

A great evening of chatty fashionista’s abounding…. See the pix, with the Prosecco flowing and my piccie taken by stylists, and also with Miss Hamnett herself.

I was decked head to toe, before my Gothic period, mid-eighties in second hand Katharine Hamnett.

it’s nice to meet the person behind it all still thriving, a very pleasant shrewd business woman, with a calming influence for me now, knowing she and me were early aware, and always, eco- fashionably bang to rights!