Designer to watch: Pearl Lowe on vintage, the countryside and 1950s movie stars

Celebrity designer Pearl Lowe tells Paula Burns about her three passions – vintage, the countryside and 1950s movie stars.

Where does your love of vintage come from?

From an early age, I hated looking the same as everyone else. If one of my friends bought something that I owned, then I’d never wear it again. It was a nightmare for my poor mum. When I was 14, I discovered a vintage shop in Covent Garden called Flip; from then onwards, I was hooked and I still have pieces in my wardrobe from those days.

Has your love of interior design had an impact on your fashion label?
Definitely. I absolutely adore lace, and I use it in my dress designs as well as my interiors. I must have Romani Gypsy in my blood.

What type of woman do you have in mind when you’re designing?

I love women with voluptuous bodies. My icons are 1950s movie stars like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. But to be honest, when I’m designing, it’s usually because I can’t find anything to wear.

I’m a size 10 and a lot of designer dresses are not only out of my budget, but aren’t right for my body shape either. So I’ve designed dresses that work for me and all my friends with the same problem.

LONDON WAS ONE BIG SOCIAL CALENDAR FOR ME. THE COUNTRYSIDE IS MORE ABOUT FAMILY AND WORK.

Your tea dresses are quintessentially English. Do you source fabrics locally?

Yes, everything is sourced locally. And all my seamstresses are from my home town of Frome.

Do you think living in the countryside has allowed you to be more creative?

It has given me the head space to create beautiful things. London was pretty hectic for me; it was one
big social calendar. So I wasn’t hugely creative there. The countryside has been more about my family and my work, and the fact that it’s so beautiful here. I am inspired all the time.

Is there a rock ‘n’ roll element to your collection considering your music heritage?

I think music will always be a big part of what I do – it’s always in my blood.

Do you have a muse when designing?

I guess my daughters, Daisy and Betty, are my muses. If I’m designing a womenswear collection, then I have Daisy in mind, as she models the pieces (pictured above), and if I design a children’s range, I’ll have Betty in mind, as she models them.

Who is your fashion icon?

Coco Chanel. I love everything she created.

pearllowe.co.uk

This article was taken from the May edition of IMAGE magazine