Hannah Marshall, 27
Designer
Since she launched her first collection for autumn 07 at London Fashion Week event On|Off, Hannah Marshall has been making waves across the UK catwalk scene with her new take on the Little Black Dress.
After graduating from Colchester School and Art and Design, and stints with designers Robert Cary-Williams and Justin.Oh, Marshall’s own label was initially supported by the Centre for Fashion Enterprise, a talent-nurturing organisation supported by the London Development Agency. Three seasons of British Fashion Council/Topshop New Gen support followed. Marshall showed her spring 10 collection on the catwalk as part of the Redbull Fashion Factory event – and will potentially be there again for next season.
“I used the New Gen sponsorship to build a profile and create a clear message about my collection before taking it onto a catwalk,” she says. “It was a fantastic platform from which to gain recognition.”
The groundwork paid off – Marshall has been named a Future Fashion Star by Cosmopolitan magazine and had Erin O’Connor model at last season’s Redbull catwalk.
“Having the support of individuals makes all the difference,” Marshall says. “You have to be persistent to make it, and have a clear message about what you’re about. But you also have to try not to conform. It’s worth knowing what you are entering into – once the first collection is launched you are on a hamster wheel of producing one collection at the same time as creating the next.”
It can’t be long before Marshall hits the LFW catwalk.
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