June 2019 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition| 117F
ashiondesignerDeborah
Coatessayshereyefor
aestheticsisinhergenes.Her
motherwas‘designingmini-
skirtsbeforeMaryQuant’
andherdaughtergraduated
fromtheLondonCollegeofFashion.Two
yearsago,afteralifetimeofdesigningcouture
outfitsforprivateclients,Deborahopened
herownboutiqueinBromsgrovewhereshe
launchedherownready-to-wearcollectionof
occasionwear.
Thisspringhasseenthelaunchofalinked
collectionofcasualweardesignedtomixand
matchtoensurethesameitemofclothingcan
bewornasasmartbusinessoutfitbydayand
transitionfluidlytoeveningwearbypairingit
withadifferenttoporaccessories.Thereisan
elegantsimplicitytoallherdesigns,apared
backlookwhichlendsitselftoversatility.
Thedetailcomesinhowyoudressthebasics
tocreateradicallydifferentlookswiththe
samepiece.
Herstyleisinfluencedbythetailoringof
thehautecouturiersofthepast:Christian
Diorbeingamongherfavouritedesigners;
andOssieClark,bothofwhom“understood
theessenceoffemininity”.
“Itisallaboutbalanceforme.Ihavelearnt
overtheyearsthereisalchemytolooking
goodanditisallaboutbalance.Istudied
fineartatBirminghamUniversityandforme
designingclothesislikesculptingthebody.”
TheDiorsilhouetteandtheuseofluxury
fabricandlotsofittocreateflowingcurves
andlinesappealstoDeborah,whoalso
ownsherowncollectionofVintageOssie
Clarknumbers.ButwhileDeborah’sown
designsmightechotheeleganceofthe
past,theyareverymuchofthemillennium,
clothesdesignedforamoderncareerwoman
whowantstolookchicandprojecther
individualityatworkandplay.“Itisnotabout
fashion.Itisaboutstyle,”saysDeborah.
Evenasateenagershewasneverafraidto
standoutfromthecrowdwithstylechoices.
“Ihavealwayshadmyownidentity.Ihave
aneyeforwhatworkswhichisfundamental
whendesigningorstylingwomen.I
rememberformyfirstdateatacinemaIwore
myowndesign,atartanwooltabardwitha
blackvelvetsailorcollarandavelvetbeltwith
it.”Shelaughsassheaddswryly:“Hedidn’t
askmeforanotherdate.”
Atschoolherwillingnesstobedifferent
didn’twinherfavourseither.“Iwasn’texactly
arebel,butIwasindividualandmytextiles
teacherdidn’tlikethat.ShepredictedIwould
getaDatO-levels,butnotonlydidIgetanSTYLE FASHION
‘Ihavelearntoverthe
yearsthereisalchemy
tolookinggoodanditis
allaboutbalance’A,butmyworkwaspickedtobeshowcased
inLondon.WeweredesigningclothesandI
wasdoingwhatwasrequired,butmakingit
quirkierandpresentingitinadifferentway,
buttheteacherdidn’tseeitlikethat.”
InherearlytwentiesDeborah
demonstratedthesamegritand
determinationtodothingsonherownterms
whensheputherselfthroughuniversityasa
singleparentwithayoungtoddler,andagain
whenshedecidedtoopenherownboutique
atWorcesterRoadinBromsgrove,sellingher
housetoraisethestartupcapital.
Designingclothesprofessionallybegan
asasidelinetoherlifeasaworkingmother
whenshewasapproachedtomakeclothesfor
friendsforspecialoccasions.Itgrewbyword
ofmouth,evolvingintoabusinessfocusing
onbespokeoccasionwear,bridesmaids’
dressesandoutfitsformotherofthebride/groom.HerdesignshavegracedStJames
Palace,CheltenhamandGoodwoodraces
andgarnereda‘bestdressedaward’fora
clientattendingDubairaces.T
odayherdesignsaremadeupat
herLondonatelier,allowingher
tofocusoncreativeideasand
runningthebusiness.Shefits
designingaroundlookingafter
theboutiqueandappointmentsforfittings
forclientsbuyingmade-to-measureand
bespokeoutfits.
Eachpieceinhercollectionworks
interchangeablywiththeothers,andit
speaksofathriftiness,aconsciousnessthat
customersinvestingingoodpieceswantto
gettheirmoney’sworth.Thatmeansbeing
abletowearapieceindifferentwaystocreate
multiplelooks.