15 Minutes with James Lakeland

As both the face and name behind the brand, we caught up with James Lakeland to find out a little more about his inspiration, designs and brand heritage.  Here, he tells us of his upbringing and the design process he faces each day.

1.       How would you describe James Lakeland to those who don’t know the brand?

James Lakeland is a brand whose vision was born out of a love of high-quality and Italian design. Having lived in Italy for over 10 years I had fashion ingrained into my everyday life, and developed a love and desire to launch a quirky, unique brand and collection.

2.       You are involved in every aspect of James Lakeland, but do you have a favourite part of the process from the concept to shop window?

I have lots of favourite parts! I love merchandising the stores and their windows but equally get a thrill when my samples arrive, as it’s a complex process from the first choice of fabric to the final garments arriving. I also love receiving emails from customers telling me how much they enjoy wearing my clothes. It is a really gratifying part of my job.

 3.       Do have a favourite place to go to gather inspiration and ideas for the designs/company direction?

I love Italy for fabric and design inspiration and choose New York for company direction – it’s a fascinating place to visit. However, there are parts of London which can be just as vibrant, buzzing and full of energy too.

[Image: James Lakeland in India Vogue]

4.       Do you ever wish you could design things that you yourself could wear? Would you introduce menswear into the collection?

My ideal menswear collection would be austere and simple – I love super fine merino, cashmere and cottons. I have designed menswear before….so it will happen sooner than I think.

5.       What does your Italian heritage bring to the design itself?

Clothes have to look good on. Simple! The cut is the secret to a garment and I have trained myself to look at a garment on the body rather than on the hanger. This definitely comes from my Italian side!

6.       What does the Italian fabric and production add to your collections?

There is a reason why ‘Made in Italy’ carries such a strong appeal, and I feel it is something that adds a real uniqueness to my collections. The fabrics that I find in Italy are exceptional – they are not high-street or run-of-the-mill, which adds that exclusivity that I feel lacks in many collections. On the production side the Italians have the cut and the patience to remake the same garment over and over again to achieve perfection.

 

7.       If you could design a dress for anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

There is not one particular woman, although I did design one for my daughter when she was four and that was incredibly heart-warming.

 

QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Designer:  Miuccia Prada
Artist:  Corrado Buscema
Colour:  Rainbow
Item: Dress
Book:  The Bible
City:  Venice
Style:  Understated Glamour
Drink:  Glass of Ornellaia
Essential comforts: Cashmere superfine scarf

 

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