How would you describe Libélula to those who don’t know the brand?
Libélula is a brand for all women who love vibrant beautiful pieces in their wardrobes – our shapes are super-flattering on all figure types. I was actually a size 16 for a long time, and cut all the patterns so have always done so with the perspective of someone with womanly curves. I suppose I understand what a woman with boobs and hips needs/wants in her wardrobe. Also a lot of our shapes are vintage inspired, and the prints come from anything and everything which I find that is beautiful. We have gathered a very loyal following over the years, and have had lovely feedback from customers saying that they feel our dresses were designed specifically for them, that they always feel happy and confident, and just how many compliments they get when they were wearing one of our pieces. That’s what it’s all about…!
You design everything from daywear to wedding dresses. Do you have a favourite piece to design, and if so, why?
Nope, I love it all! We have become best known for our silk dresses, but recently started doing more tops and blouses too. My passion is designing new styles as with 3 very young little boys I don’t get the chance to wear beautiful evening dresses much… at the moment! Currently the tops and day-wear pieces (like the knitwear) are much more relevant to my life and wardrobe. There is one very special dress that has been our bestselling shape for years now called the Millie Dress. The shape of it came from a friend in Spain who told me about a dress belonging to her Granny that she always got compliments on when she wore it. She lent me the dress so I could make my own version of it, and named it the Millie Dress after her. She very sadly passed away from Cystic Fibrosis so now we give £10 from every Millie dress to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as a thank you to her.
Do you notice your time in Spain influencing your designs?
My time in Spain has influenced my whole being and perspective in life so I imagine, without me realising, it has totally influenced my work too. I lived in the south of Spain in a hut up a mountain that for the first year had no electricity or running water! My studio was in a tiny whitewashed village on the side of a mountain 10 minutes down the road. They were wonderful dreamy years of my life. The Spanish people live life like I think it ought to be lived – they cherish their friends and families, and know when to stop working and start having fun every day. I love how they never plan too much in advance, and most plans happen in the moment. Even now when we go there with the kids we call up old friends who are always up for a meal that day, to meet for a drink or to let us join in whatever fun they are having.
I remember when I first arrived in Spain, in the middle of a Feria; the kids were dancing through the night with the young and the very old!! No one had any self-consciousness, they were just shaking their hips and having a ball in the simplest loveliest way. I thought, “WOW – this is how it should be” – and that’s how it was for all the wonderful years I lived there, I worked hard getting Libelula off the ground but boy did I dance too! One day I hope we will go and live there again so my boys can have some wonderful, sunny, carefree days like I did in my favourite place in the world.
There were rumours of you designing Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. How did this come about?
I have no idea how the rumour began but it was first said on the US Huffington Post, and it took on a life of its own. We had just moved house, and Bert (the middle of my 3 boys) who was only 8 months at the time had suspected meningitis! I had no help with the business at the time, and as you can imagine it was total chaos! If all the journalists who were stalking me at the time could have seen the towers of packing boxes, me working till 3 am every night then being up at 6 to feed the baby they would have known pretty fast that it wasn’t me making her dress. It was amazing publicity for Libélula though!
If you could design a dress for anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
If it had to be someone famous then it would be Keith Lemon because he is brilliant, and the only person that makes me laugh on TV, but sadly he wouldn’t need a dress. If it didn’t need to be someone in the public eye it would be one that I’ve actually done already, which was my sister’s wedding dress. I was so delighted that she wanted me to design it for her. It is such an intimate and special experience crafting a wedding dress for someone… and to be able to do that with your sister is as good as it gets!
You’ve worked for Alexander McQueen – what was that like? How much influence did he have on your work?
The creative process there was the most fascinating thing for me to watch and learn from. When you are studying at university you sometimes wonder why they make you do all these different things, but then when you start working everything falls into place. McQueen was a genius. I remember struggling with a pattern one day so he came to help, and he sure knew his stuff….it was very inspiring.
How do you ensure every piece you create is luxurious?
We use the most beautiful silks, line them in delicious silk satin, and the cotton is wonderfully soft too. We make sure the shapes are winners, and that everything has a lovely detail or print to make it special. Then when people buy anything from our website we send it beautifully wrapped in crunchy tissue paper, with big thick printed ribbons, pink and cream boxes and a hand written card. It doesn’t get much better than that!
QUICK-FIRE ROUND
Flower: Peonies
Jewellery: Alex Monroe
Designer: Isabelle Marant
Artist: Alice Gates
Colour: Pink
Book: They F*** you up.
City: Barcelona
Style: Vibrant
Drink: Sparkling Elderflower Cordial
Essential comforts: A hug
Libélula is on sale today at BrandAlley with up to 80% off. Why not head over now and see if anything tickles your fancy?
