002 // It Always Starts With the Fabric
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I've spent over twenty years designing clothes, and one thing hasn't really changed in all that time. For me, the starting point is almost always the fabric.
There's something about handling a piece of cloth that immediately gets you thinking. The weight, the texture, the way it falls, even the sound it makes when you move it. All these things begin to suggest what that fabric might become.
Quite often, I'll have an idea for a garment in mind, but it's only when I find the right fabric that the design really starts to take shape. Sometimes the opposite happens. I'll come across an interesting cloth with absolutely no intention of using it, and suddenly there's an idea for a jacket or a coat.
That's the part of designing I've always enjoyed most.
Letting the Fabric Lead
I've always believed that a good fabric should be allowed to do what it naturally wants to do.
A densely woven cotton has a certain structure to it. It holds its shape, develops creases and softens with wear. It's particularly interesting for outerwear and workwear inspired clothing because it gives a garment character without needing too much design added to it.
Wool behaves completely differently. Depending on the weave and finish, it can be crisp and architectural or soft and fluid. A wool coat can look incredibly simple on a hanger, but the way the cloth moves on the body makes all the difference.
And then there are fabrics that become more interesting the longer you live with them. Cotton that fades slightly at the seams, cloth that softens through repeated wear, or suede that develops its own subtle variations in texture.
I like that clothes can change with you rather than remain exactly as they were the day you bought them.
Learning From the Mills
One of the great privileges of my career has been the opportunity to work with fabric mills all over the world, from the UK and Italy to Portugal, Japan and China.
I've spent countless hours looking through collections, handling fabrics and talking to the people who develop and produce them. It's something I've always found fascinating.
Every mill has its own strengths, specialisms and way of approaching cloth. Some have generations of knowledge behind them, while others are pushing the boundaries of what modern textile production can achieve.
What I've learnt over the years is that there is an enormous amount of skill and knowledge involved in creating a beautiful piece of fabric, long before a designer gets anywhere near it.
And quite often, it's those conversations with the mills, discovering a new weave, an unusual finish or a particular quality, that spark the beginnings of a collection.
It's one of the things I still love most about this industry. No matter how long you've been doing it, there's always something new to discover.
The Importance of Getting It Right
Fabric selection isn't just about how something looks.
Over the years, I've worked with some beautiful materials that simply weren't right for the garment I had in mind.
A fabric might look fantastic as a small swatch but behave very differently when it's made into a full coat. It might be too heavy, too stiff, or lack the movement that the silhouette needs.
That's why sampling is such an important part of the process.
It's only when you see a garment made up, put it on a body and live with it a little that you really understand whether the fabric and design work together.
Sometimes a small adjustment to the proportions is enough. Other times, you have to accept that the fabric isn't right and start again.
Experience helps you make those decisions, but it doesn't eliminate the need to test things.
Choosing Fabrics for Supermoon
When I began developing Supermoon, I wanted the collection to have a sense of familiarity.
Not clothes that shout for attention, but pieces that feel immediately comfortable and make sense in a wardrobe.
The fabrics were a big part of achieving that.
I've been drawn to practical cottons, textured cloths and materials traditionally associated with workwear and outerwear. Fabrics that have enough substance to give a garment shape, but still feel relaxed and easy to wear.
The intention wasn't to reinvent these materials. It was to use their existing qualities in a slightly different way, through proportion, fit and the details of each garment.
I think the most successful clothes often come from knowing when to stop designing and letting the material do the work.
Still Learning
Even after all these years, I still get excited when a new collection of fabric swatches arrives.
I'll spread them across the table, move them around, compare colours and textures, and begin imagining what they could become.
Some ideas work. Plenty don't.
But that's the process, and it's one I never get tired of.
Because before there's a sketch, a pattern or a finished garment, there's usually a piece of fabric that started the whole thing.
Supermoon / / Edition 01