Designer Research

Imogen Wright

Student Imogen Wright has developed an idea using sustainable fabrics, this is what I found; 

Inspired by creative women, British designer Imogen Wright is focused on creating a fad-bucking wardrobe of “practical and fresh” clothes, rather than a collection. “I wanted to make something that is focused on cut and craftsmanship, but is also more sustainable and can last for a very long time,” she says of her classic pieces, all of which have a thoughtful twist on fabric and proportion. “I think it’s important not to make something that can be easily thrown away,” she explains.

Born in Hackney, Wright moved to Devon when she was a child, but returned to London to undertake a foundation degree at Central Saint Martins. She has since completed internships at Peter Jensen, Phoebe English, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen, as well as a stint at Céline where she was a design assistant. “My time there has really informed this collection, how it’s styled and the way I work,” she says.

With many of her understated garments, there’s more than meets the eye. Take a seemingly ordinary white-button shirt hanging on the rail, for instance, for which Wright has developed a technique where the side of the shirt, which opens up to a narrow triangle, is padded inside with a top stitch. “It creates volume, so when the wearer walks, you can see big pleats appear,” she explains.

“I also wanted to include bits of the domestic environment, because the modern creative woman has so many different aspects to her life,” she continues. For her graduate collection, Wright has collaborated with a jewellery designer to cast fruits and vegetables like orange peels and grapes in silver plating, which she has used to make earrings or as decoration on accessories. On the day of the show, Wright also plans to hand sew fresh vegetables onto the garments, to underscore her emphasis on freshness.