View Article - Midland Fashion Awards

PEOPLE 77
Sian Sweet, pictured here with
her collection, is a finalist for
Young Designer of the Year.
A KEEN EYE
FOR style
L
ondon may be one of the fashion
capitals of the world but closer to
home forward-thinking designers
are making a name for themselves. One of
them is Sian Sweet from Coven who has been
shortlisted for Young Designer of the Year in
the Midlands Fashion Awards.
The bubbly 21-year-old has a real eye for
colour and shape and crucially is able to spot
trends. Her competition entry is a collection
she designed for a project at Stafford
University.
It features a waterfall dress with
V-neck and slit back in an apricot hue, with
contrasting collar and cuffs. A cream cropped
blouse with Peter Pan collar and button
placket down the front is paired with a skirt
that drapes from the hips. Another outfit
comprises a jacket with Mandarin collar and
asymmetrical panel crossing over the bodice
teamed with culottes. Sian named her brand
Vital, explaining that her aim was to create
wardrobe essentials.
“I wanted staple pieces which could
be teamed with anything in a woman’s
wardrobe. I was influenced by the fact a lot
of my friends wear the same key pieces but
style them differently. The look is simplistic,
clean and minimal and takes its inspiration
from modern architecture.”
The project required Sian to go through
the whole design process from identifying
Heather Loat chats to a
young designer who is
hoping to set a trend in
the fashion world
her target market to creating a mood board
to show what influenced her designs and a
colour board which showed that her palette
was inspired by natural skin tones.
“I was aiming at the busy professional
who wants clothes that she can go to work
in and then style differently for a night out
afterwards. The sort of woman who would
wear my clothes is independent and very
stylish.”
Sian sketched 150 designs in total
before deciding which would make it into the
collection. Her portfolio is full of freehand
drawings which look rather cartoonish and
are inspired by British fashion illustrator and
designer Hayden Williams.
PEOPLE 79
78 PEOPLE
Flying the
flag at award
showcase
In a competition which organisers say
has attracted a record number of entries
from around the globe, Sian is flying the flag
for fashion design in our area in the Midlands
Fashion Awards. But she never dreamed she
would make it to the finals.
“It’s great exposure for me and will really
boost my confidence. I’m really nervous
about seeing my collection on the catwalk but
excited at the same time. The awards are a
platform for up and coming talent and are a
chance to make a lot of contacts.”
Indeed previous winners have gone on to
set up their own label, something Sian would
like to achieve in the future.
She’s torn between focusing on high
street fashion and equestrian fashion in a nod
to her other passion – horses.
All around the living room are horse
figurines and photographs of Sian and her
family with their horses: Midi, Queenie, Rhino
and Bae. Sian’s dad Tony cuts a familiar sight
driving his horse and trap around the streets
of Coven.
Sian has been riding since the age of five
and recently came seventh on Midi in the
Championships of Great Britain.
“Lots of people keep asking me if I
am going to design a riding collection. The
market is not as big but people will pay up to
£500 for a riding jacket.”
For now, Sian has been contacting
clothing manufacturers who could potentially
make her current designs. Eventually, she
hopes to secure a job with one so she can
further develop skills like pattern cutting.
“I would also work on building a brand
identity. This is key because people want
to know the story behind a designer. My
inspiration is someone like teenager Tayla
Blue who created the label Hot!Mess with no
previous experience because she couldn’t
find anything to wear, and now it’s a go-to
brand for the stars.
“I don’t really aspire to be like celebrity
designers but I do admire Alexander Wang. I
love his style because it’s really relaxed and
sports influenced but still stylish. I would love
to dress Rihanna – she has a casual style and
can pull anything off.”
As part of her university course Sian
has researched fashion from the ages,
focusing on the Victorian period. The brief
was historical undergarment reproduction.
She shows me computer aided designs of
a corset giving the garment’s details such
as eyelets and boning and measurements.
These designs would typically be sent to a
factory.
From corsets to cropped tops, trends
are constantly changing. So where does Sian
think fashion is heading now?
“I think trends will become more
androgynous because of the gender fluidity
that more and more people are embracing.
So for example a lot of girls are wearing more
boyish clothes and boys are wearing skirts
and dressing in pink.
“Although a lot of fashion is London and
Manchester based, the Midlands Fashion
Awards show people here have got just as
much talent. I feel that being in the finals is
the start of my career.”
FROM TOP:
Sian sewing another of her creations.
Sian’s sketches are rather cartoonish and are
influenced by the fashion illustrator Hayden
Williams.
Sian competing last year in her first affiliated show
run by The British Show Jumping Association.
FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Sian with her portfolios which show her freehand
sketches and computer aided designs.
Alice Barrett, from Penkridge, models clothes
from Sian’s collection.
Computer aided designs of a corset which Sian
was asked to create as part of a project focusing
on fashion in the Victorian period.
“A melting pot of talented individuals,”
that’s how fashion designers from
the region have been described by
the founder of the Midlands Fashion
Awards, Jenny Eason.
The awards offer a platform for current
and emerging designers, like Coven’s
Sian Sweet, to showcase
their flair both to
consumers, as well as
crucially buyers and
industry big-wigs who
use the event to scout
for the most exciting design
talent of the future.
The glittering final will be held on
October 7 at the City of Birmingham
Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) Centre.
Also flying the flag for Wolverhampton
is HT Headwear a finalist for Accessory
Designer of the Year. Other categories
being hotly contested include
Independent Designer of the Year,
Emerging Designer of the Year and
Make-Up Artist of the Year.
For 2016 there have been a record
number of entrants from the region as
well as from countries such as Italy,
New York, Poland and India.
Jenny says: “We’ve seen so many
previous winners go on to develop their
own careers and we’re proud to have
been a starting point for them. We’re
giving creatives a chance to excel in their
field as well as on their home turf.
“Often the pressure for designers
and creatives to move to London is
overwhelming but there are so many
opportunities right here in the Midlands.”
Finalists will be judged by a panel
of industry professionals and those
crowned as winners in their category
will be eligible for free membership
with the Fashion Central Network with
a listing in their creative directory, a
photoshoot featuring selected pieces
from the designer’s collection or body of
work, as well as a trophy. The Voice 2015
finalist Sasha Simone will perform at
this year’s event.