[slideshow_deploy id=’12008′]
Florence Bridge is a young designer. Yes, she’s one of a million. Yet she belongs to a small, and deservedly thriving, cult of young talents who are tackling the industry with a head-on, DIY method of attack, and rapidly garnering herself the attention which her delicately gritty brand of urban cool commands.
Armed with a degree in fashion design and invaluable experience with the likes of Matthew Williamson and Erdem, Florence independently launched her namesake label last year. And as is the case with many of today’s young London designers, her focus lies in digital print. For Florence, inspiration is everywhere. Photographs of materials and textures provide the starting point to each season’s offering, with her debut AW13 collection celebrating the intricate veins of marble.
Whilst Florence’s minimal, fluid silk pieces certainly follow a format; she likes to experiment with seasonal themes. Her design heroes include Christopher Kane and Prada, for their unabashed refusal to stick to the tried-and-tested. She tells us confidently, “ ”fashion should be fun.“ ”
This year, Florence’s focus is on expansion. While she owes her initial success to the open-doors of e-commerce, she understands the importance of tactile experience in luxury shopping, and wants her customers to see and feel the quality of her fabrics and manufacturing, (all of which is carried out in the UK.)
So, what can we expect from SS14? Florence is currently shooting the campaign in the Caribbean, and tells us to anticipate wearable shapes in exotic colour. We anticipate a new favourite designer.
by Roberta Lister
Shop the Spring 14 pre-collection from March 17 Florence Bridge and Lux-fix.com