HELEN HOWE : MADE IN ENGLAND

BY SARA DARLING
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A ONE STOP SHOP FOR LUXURY BRITISH TWEED WITH A TWIST 
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Capes are not just for superheroes- a statement which is confirmed by bespoke fashion designer Helen Howe.

Working from her airy studio in Leicester’s Creative Quarter means that she can soak up the fresh country air as she designs. Consequently, her inspiration comes from rural England, and places she visited in Scotland as a child, which are evident in the tweed influences used across her collections.

Taking advantage of the slower pace of life in the Midlands, Helen is also a mother to two children, which she manages to juggle by employing a close knit fashion team; The resulting designs are beautifully constructed classics, including coats, capes, riding jackets, suiting and dresses.

For the SS18 show at London Fashion Week, Helen also added a beautiful boned corset, which was snapped up by fashionistas for editorials, and an edgy addition to her quintessential customer’s wardrobe.

However, Helen is cautious not to be pigeon-holed as a country wear label. Creating traditionally inspired clothes for active women, she always makes sure the shapes have a modern twist. So much so, her trademark is the back pleat, which crops up on everything from hacking jackets to dresses which makes them uniformly flattering and roomy.

Preferring to design for comfort, the classic silhouettes are classic rather than a fast-fashion fad, Helen’s customers return season after season to snap up an investment piece, which can be made to order for clients who have a particular Liberty print lining or suede-patch colour in mind. 

Having won the ‘Designer of the Year’ at the Midlands fashion awards in 2016, her market is constantly growing, with America and Japan on her agenda for this year. With her unique interpretation of traditional structures, her use of contrasting suede, Harris Tweed and Liberty print linings, means her collections are anything but boring, and although they don’t follow trends, there is a market for luxurious made in England investment pieces. 

The Helen Howe customer comes in all kind of body shapes, and her designs never date. So if you are looking to gift yourself with something that will keep on giving, , check out the website or make an appointment to visit the Atelier for yourself.