Our Interview with Designer Caroline Matthews
Born and raised in Leeds, Caroline Matthews graduated from Leeds College of Art & Design in 1996. She worked in a number of fashion houses before embarking on her own. This savvy young designer launched her own bridal range under the name of Caroline Atelier and has since won many awards and accolades for the same. Her award winning bridal collection is beautifully elegant and has brides lining up from around the country. This designer has many plans for the future and we were dying to find out just what they were!
Q: What was it that first made you realise that fashion design was the direction you wanted to take with your life?
A: I have always wanted to be a fashion designer ever since I was young. I had one of those fashion wheels and was always designing new clothes. I don't ever remember wanting to do anything else.Q: Was it always occasion wear and bridal wear that you wanted to design or did you just lean in that direction after a having worked in other areas?
A: I didn't ever think i would be designing bridal or evening wear as orignally i was always wanting to do high fashion! I loved denim and wanted a denim label which i still want. I also wanted to create an fashion range that would take you from day to night.
Q: Where do you find the inspiration for your pieces?
A: I can find inspiration anywhere. I know it sounds crazy but you really can get inspiration from anything. I was watching Gladiator the movie the other night and came up with 2 new dresses based around the roman era so you never know!! My father is Indian so i would like to use that as an influence for my spring/summer evening wear range too.
Q: Which do you prefer – to be given complete artistic licence to create a dress – or to have to work within a brief for a particular customer?
A: Of course all designers prefer to have their own artistic license when it comes to designing a dress, but thats not always possible. I love the freedom but I also love bringing someones idea to life, be it either bridal or a sexy evening dress for an event.Q: Is it difficult to work within a brief?
A: No its not difficult as long as both the designer and client are working off the same page, and understand eachother's ideas.
Q: Has it ever happened that you felt perhaps the customer has taken the wrong direction with a dress and would you then have to subtly steer them down the correct route?
A: A few times actually, but I will always subtly give the client other options to suit their body shape and sometimes when you give more options and different fabric choices you can make the new design idea seem alot more desirable. At the end of the day I want a client to look good in my clothes and I also want the client to feel fabulous so its worth getting it right for both of us.
Q: As well as having already won Business of the Year in Munster and most recently, Fashion Designer of the Year at the Kerry Fashion Awards earlier this year, how does it feel to be recognised like this and has it helped in furthering your business?
A: It was fantastic to win these awards. I have lived in Ireland for nearly 4 years now and I have won awards in 2008, 2009 and 2010 so its been amazing. As I am from the UK it was always difficult to break into the fashion industry but i have felt since moving to Ireland that I have had more opportunites and its paid off. I hope now that i can start to get a lot more clients as I recently had Aisling O Loughlin wearing one of my pieces for the IFTA awards so hopefully its onwards and upwards!Q: You have in the past designed dresses for some of Ireland’s famous faces, (pictured: Aisling O Loughlin at the IFTA's in a Caroline Atelier dress) but who would you most like to dress if you got the chance?
A: I have a few women on my list actually, the first is Eve Mendez as she is all women with fantastic curves and seriously sexy, Chloe Sevigny need i say more... very quirky and always bang on trend. And finally Amy Huberman as she is so girl next door but is very into her fashion and is aways keen to support irish designers.
Q: Who, out of all the world’s most glamorous ladies, would you consider a style icon in your eyes?
A: Jackie O is a big one for me, ultra glamourous, oozing elegance she made anything look desirable.
Q: What particular designers would you look up to in terms of influencing your work?
A: Jenny packham is a designer who I would look up to in Bridal as her designs are fresh,stylish and still retain some tradition. I also love Sass and Bide for fashion, they are edgy girls and know there collections are what women want.. well who wouldn't want to buy a pair of skinnie jeans that makes your ass look tiny!!!! They get it right everytime..
Q: What about your own personal style? How would you describe it?
A: Funky,edgy and sometimes a little bit quirky!!
Q: What’s next on the cards for the Caroline Atelier label?
A: Well I hope to get my fashion label started towards the end of the year, and I am also looking at an accessories range which is going to be great to design. I would love to see my eveningwear range stocked here in Ireland and also my Bridal wear both here and internationally too.
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