Best of British

With the whole country going Jubilee crazy this week, the fashion world has quickly caught on. Online retailers such as ASOS and Boohoo.com have front-page features with Best of British fashion trends. But will you be wearing the Union Jack with pride this weekend? I am going to look at a handful of current British fashion designers that make me proud to be British. There are so many designers that I feel show Britain at its best, notably Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, John Galliano and Julien MacDonald, but I have chosen my four, personal favourites: Alexander McQueen, Christopher Bailey, Phillip Treacy and Marchesa.

An obvious starting point for a top British designer is the late Alexander McQueen. His dark and often disturbed collections display creativity and innovation at its finest. Originally from the East End of London, McQueen studied at Central Saint Martins and his first collection in 1992 - 'Jack The Ripper' - took the fashion world by storm. He continually pushed the boundaries of Catwalk shows, a favourite of mine being the Spring/Summer 1999 'No.13' show in which a plain white dress was sprayed with glow in the dark paint. (picture below). McQueen's innovative ideas and the beautiful execution of his designs make him a favourite British designer.



The next British designer who I feel epitomises British fashion is Christopher Bailey. The Yorkshire-born designer is the creative director of Burberry and his clean lines and simple designs create cohesive collections that are very wearable for the British public. The classic trench-coat is also a must have in every wardrobe and is a display of Burberry heritage at its best. Bailey is definately a designer who has taken the demands of the British public into consideration whilst designing and this makes him one of Britain's best.

I think when considering the best British designers, Philip Treacy is a key contender, simply because no-one makes such beautiful and creative head-wear. Treacy's hat designs have re-defined modern millinery and the orchids, feathers, ships and Andy-Warhol inspired designs have all featured on his hats. He began making hats for Chanel and then went on to collaborate with some of the world's finest artists and designers, including Alexander McQueen. His hats have recently been worn at the Royal Wedding and show off the best of British creativity and craftsmanship.



My favourite British fashion house is Marchesa. The beautiful designs of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig are absolutely breathtaking and the combinations of the simple, minimalistic drapery and the structural organza create theatrical dresses which are extremely popular on the red carpet. The range of fabrics, colours and textures in each collection make every dress different, yet the collections still work cohesively as a whole. In my opinion, Marchesa is the British fashion house that makes me most proud to be British.