People, Places & Personalities

For gawd sake, get me to the church on time!

I had request from a bride-to-be this week. It was not for a new commission, but rather a desperate plea to remedy a gown she had...

Briefing for Bespoke: Line, shape, proportion

You may have caught the compelling TV series “Madmen“. The story of the how the advertising industry took fire on Madisson Avenue in the...

The Red Dress

Last week I put the finishing touches to this glorious red dress and sent it on its way to New York for a client who will attend the Tony...

Tools of the trade

I make no secret of my love of craft – the special skills, the attention to detail, the creativity. This week I’m privileged to speak at...

That thing called Swing

From time to time I wonder what happens to the finished garments that leave my studio, often with my exit advice to “wear them in”. It is...

Dressing for the stage

When I first started business in the UK it was through a company I created called ‘The Concert Store’. Music is a great passion of mine,...

Telling tales

Quentin Blake gets me thinking. I’m sure that’s because he’s a great artist, and great artists excite the brain as well as the senses. I...

All in a day…dress

The V&A seminar, an invitation to speak on the BBC’s iconic radio programme Woman’s Hour, and a new commision from the King’s Singers...

Carol Alayne ~ master tailor