British fashion designer Henry Holland has spoken out in defense of the Duchess of Cambridge following claims author Hilary Mantel labeled her a “plastic shop window mannequin”.
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“We love Kate, she’s gorgeous, she’s a great ambassador for British fashion and the way that she chooses to wear not just established labels like Alexander McQueen but the way she also chooses to wear up and coming designers like Erdem and Christopher Kane. It’s really good that she acknowledges the talent that we have coming out of the UK and uses fashion in that way, she does great things for us,” Holland told Fairfax on Tuesday.
“Michelle Obama was the first person to really showcase design talent and put it onto the world stage because she has that ability and I think Kate’s doing a similar thing which is great and very exciting.”
During a recent speech at the British Museum, the award winning author claimed Catherine was “a jointed doll on which certain rags are hung” and said she has been “entirely defined by what she wore”.
The House of Holland designer and judge on Rihanna’s reality show Styled To Rock said while his colourful, bold and “off the wall” designs may not be called upon for royal duty by the Duchess and her style team, Mantel’s claims are shocking, especially to the booming British fashion industry.
“People have often looked to London for being the most creative, the most eclectic and the most exciting of the international collections. I think in recent years we have proved we can produce collections which are creative, commercial, sellable and wearable. It’s testament to the colleges that we have and the creativity produced that people are finally recognising what British designers are capable of.”
“The level of creativity and the range of collections in London has always been amazing. Just look at the news that Christopher Kane has been bought by [luxury fashion conglomerate] PPR and McQueen is now back in London after showing in Paris for many years. That’s great because they are a London based brands using London talents who are educated at London schools. The recognition is long overdue and welcome,” he said.
Holland, who’s Autumn/Winter 2013 collection titled ‘Rave Nana was shown at London Fashion Week at the weekend, understands the power of “it” girls and celebrity endorsement thanks to a throng of A-list friends including Alexa Chung, Kelly Osborne and Pixie Geldof.
“I'm not stupid. I know that having celebrity friends has helped me although they are my real friends, and I've never ever paid a celeb to come to my show. The thing is, readers of fashion mags and serious fashion followers are much lesser in number… so it does help me reach a much wider audience. We've all grown up together and we all support each other's projects,” he said.
He described his Rave Nana collection as a blend of swirling, psychedelic prints with a ‘90s rave attitude. Models in their ‘20s walked the carpeted catwalk wearing styles their grandmothers would have worn in the ‘50s in colours their mothers would have sported in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Holland will be heading down under in the coming months to launch his new diffusion range for Sportsgirl.
Styled to Rock airs on Thursdays at 8.30pm on Style.
