“The camaraderie and the communication between the members of the industry, who have become my friends, make your business what it is. Because of the support network that exists here, it’s a hell of a lot easier to start a brand in London than it is in other capital cities.” JONATHAN SAUNDERS
get by with a little help from my friends Time flies when you’re having fun. Marking ten years of Jonathan Saunders, the designer invites his fashion family to pose for a celebratory album.
TEXT ANDERS CHRISTIAN MADSEN PHOTOGRAPHY SCOTT TRINDLE FASHION DIRECTOR SARAH RICHARDSON Hair Alex Brownsell at D+V Management using Bumble and bumble. Make-up Lucy Burt at D+V Management using YSL Beauté. Photography assistance Richard Pilnick, Neil Pemberton, Holly Cullen. Styling assistance Alice Lefons. Make-up assistance Akari Sugino. Model Nastya Sten at The Society Management. THIS PAGE: NASTYA WEARS TOP AND SKIRT AUTUMN/WINTER 13. OPPOSITE: JUMPER AUTUMN/WINTER 14. SKIRT SPRING/SUMMER 13.
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“I’m sure a lot of designers say that they struggled, but basically I was so broke. I lived in a cupboard. I didn’t have any shoes. I had a pair of flip-flops that I’d stolen from an Italian showroom.” JONATHAN SAUNDERS
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PORTRAITS JEFF HAHN COLLAGES JONATHAN SAUNDERS Hair Louis Ghewy at The Book Agency using Bumble and bumble. Make-up Ninni Nummela at Streeters using Nars Cosmetics. Photography assistance Jose Cuevas. Make-up assistance Danielle Close. Starring Amber, Charlie Harrington, Justin Padgett, Katie Grand, Laura Carmichael, Lulu Kennedy, Nicki Bidder,
Sarah was unbelievably supportive,” Jonathan says, referring to Sarah Mower, the
In the surroundings of his Islington studio, the four-storey building that now houses
fashion critic and Contributing Editor at American Vogue. “She courted an American
the Saunders corporation, those words aren’t without added significance. “I’m sure
buyer saying, ‘This is what modern is supposed to be.’ And it ended up getting us an
a lot of designers say that they struggled, but basically I was so broke. I lived in a
order from Neiman Marcus and bringing us into the American market, which took the
cupboard. I didn’t have any shoes. I had a pair of flip-flops that I’d stolen from an
business to the next level.”
Italian showroom, and I had just come out of Saint Martins and I had no concept of
The accelerating expansion of his label, which now includes menswear and pre-
being able to do a fashion show. I was more concerned about affording where I was
collections as well as a string of past collaborations with brands ranging from Escada
staying. And eating. So I went into Lulu’s office and pulled out all my samples, and
to Target, kicked off another chain of industry friendships. Style.com’s Tim Blanks
she gave me £5,000 to do my first show,” Jonathan says. His autumn/winter 03 debut
was one. “Things that I love, he loves,” Jonathan says. “Well, not all the time, but
show on the Fashion East platform that Lulu Kennedy had just launched wasn’t just
there’s always an excited and heated conversation about something or other, and
the beginning of a friendship, but a brick in a puzzle, which would eventually form an
he has infinite knowledge about absolutely everything.” Leather designers Ilya Fleet
entirely new era of British designers.
and Resha Sharma were brought on as collaborators. “Whenever people try to do
“We were all kind of winging it. We didn’t make sales pieces, we weren’t interested
something in their own way - you know, like Alaïa does, kind of fuck-the-system - it’s
in that side of it,” the Glaswegian designer says, recalling his early London days
exciting. That’s what I get from them. They’re a gorgeous couple.”
alongside Christopher Kane, Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll and Louise Gray. “To
When Saunders was tapped to design a ready-to-wear collection for Pollini, he
me Lulu epitomises the energy that’s made London what it is. Now you’re already
thought he’d see if mega stylist Katie Grand would like to join him. “She was just one
seeing the next generation of British designers, who are starting from a much more
of these formidable figures in fashion that I thought was really scary and probably not
established point, so I hope we don’t lose the energy our generation started.” As
a very nice person, and probably really difficult and probably hated me,” he laughs.
much as it’s a celebration of his label, Saunders’ decennial also marks the anniversary
“I contacted her thinking she’d say no and she said yes. She came into the rat-
of a group of designers and other fashion folk in East London, whose successes owe
infested shithole I was at in Bethnal Green at the time, and she got down on her
a lot to their mutual support for one another.
knees and started working on a trouser, which was completely opposite from what I
Members of the group include Kane (“how down to earth he is makes me feel like
had perceived.” The pair struck up a friendship, and Grand went on to style Saunders’
I can be a fashion designer without having to be this extremely learned person
own shows. “I don’t think it works in a normal way, but it works,” he notes.
from a well-to-do background”), Ilincic (“I’ve got a lot of respect for female fashion
When it comes to support, however, nothing compares to your PR. “She’s chatty, she’s
designers in London, because it’s not very big and it seems people are continuously
friendly,” Jonathan says of his friend Nicki Bidder, who masterminds his promotion
supportive of male designers”), East London legend Princess Julia (“the stories she’s
from Starworks HQ. “But she’s a very astute businesswoman, and I always like that
told me about what happened in London over the years really inspire me”), actress
in a woman.” Next to Yvie Hutton, his Managing Director and BFF since their teenage
Laura Carmichael (“she’s my kind of girl: loves fashion, but wouldn’t mind getting
years (“we met doing flyers for a club but got so busy chatting we got sacked from
her hands dirty”) and Charlie Harrington, Fashion Director at Stella magazine (“there
the job. It was the beginning of an amazing friendship”) and Justin Padgett, the
are only a few people in the world I can sit down with from 6 pm until 6 am and not
Fashion Director at Starworks, who also happens to be Saunders’ boyfriend (“he
pause a breath”).
makes me laugh so much. We’re the best of friends as well as being boyfriends”),
Riding a new wave of British fashion, back in 2003 Saunders was facing the iron
only one friend can say she was there from the start: his dog, Amber. “She’s such
gates of the international market. Enter British Vogue and Lucinda Chambers, who
a wise old soul. Working late, never really knowing where I am, not really planning
came backstage to meet him at his first show. “She shot a dress on the cover. I had
things that much… It’s not the type of thing that’s characteristic of having a dog. But
no concept of how important that was at the time, but it propelled me into being a
she’s always fine. She gets it.”
something that was less one-dimensional.” TIM WEARS SPRING/SUMMER 15.
I’d done in previous collections, and people were weirded out by the change. But
a brand than it is in other capital cities,” Jonathan says.
ROKSANDA WEARS SHIRT AND COAT AUTUMN/WINTER 14.
it is. Because of the support network that exists here, it’s a hell of a lot easier to start
brand identity, and it seems increasingly so every season.”
made the decision to simplify the collection, making it much more minimal than what
TIM BLANKS, Editor-at-Large, Style.com “Tim was one of the first people to
There had been a real problem with the print and I was heading for a disaster. I
the members of the industry, who have become my friends, make your business what
understand the other side of what I did and how the brand could actually progress into
the Jonathan Saunders brand. “The camaraderie and the communication between
wanted to say on a real creative level.” LULU WEARS JUMPSUIT SPRING/SUMMER 13.
“There was one definitive collection,” he recalls. “I think it was autumn/winter 08.
ROKSANDA ILINCIC, designer “Roksanda’s an angel of light.
of one Sarah Mower MBE.
in London (albeit a rather plural, somewhat sexually bi-curious one) and the heart of
CUTLER AND GROSS.
his friends but his fashion family. It has turned into one of the most solid marriages
expression through fashion, so she’s always supported designers in saying what they
studio into a big brand. For Saunders, his final breakthrough would come in the shape
support to me.” KATIE WEARS COAT SPRING/SUMMER 13. SUNGLASSES JONATHAN SAUNDERS FOR
wasn’t drawing in the American buyers, whose orders could turn a young fashion
labels, gradually adding to a posse of industry colleagues, who haven’t just become
projects. In a show environment and putting a show together, she’s been an amazing
Saunders has tirelessly been building one of London’s most successful high fashion
LULU KENNEDY MBE, Director, Fashion East “Lulu’s just the best. I just love
designer’s residency at London Fashion Week, however, the British schedule still
her. To me she epitomises the energy that has made London what it is. She loves
designer, I think, from an international perspective,” Jonathan says. Years into the
monarch, a president or, indeed, a fashion designer. For ten years now, Jonathan
KATIE GRAND, Editor-in-Chief, LOVE “Katie has an amazing knowledge
Being married to your job is generally considered social failure, unless you’re a
about fashion. She’s very closely related to designers and gets very closely involved in
ALL CLOTHING IN PORTRAITS JONATHAN SAUNDERS.
She just floats into a room. I think she’s worked incredibly hard. She’s got an amazing
Princess Julia, Resha Sharma and Ilya Fleet, Roksanda Ilincic, Tim Blanks, Yvie Hutton.
PHOTOGRAPHY JAFF HAHN
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Her love for fashion, her open-mindedness… she’s an amazing character.” PRINCESS JULIA WEARS DRESS AUTUMN/WINTER 14. JACKET SPRING/SUMMER 14.
Julia’s told me about what happened throughout her years in London really inspire me.
PRINCESS JULIA, Culture Correspondent, i-D “The stories
when she feels the stress levels increase.” AMBER WEARS JUMPER AUTUMN/WINTER 14.
“Amber’s been around since the
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beginning. She’s very sensitive. She’ll lose loads of weight when I’m doing a show,
NICKI WEARS JACKET AUTUMN/WINTER 14. AMBER
side of the industry, and she’s also a really brilliant businesswoman.”
LAURA CARMICHAEL, actress “Laura is how all actresses and celebrities should be in my mind.” LAURA WEARS COAT SPRING/SUMMER 13. SUNGLASSES JONATHAN SAUNDERS FOR
NICKI BIDDER, Managing Director, Starworks London “Nicki is one of the
RESHA AND ILYA WEAR JACKETS AUTUMN/WINTER 14.
other, speak to Charlie Harrington.” CHARLIE WEARS JUMPER PRE-FALL 14.
very few PRs I actually like. She understands the industry, she understands the creative
point of view, but it’s exciting. They’re a gorgeous couple.”
love her. She’s wonderful. Anybody who wants to learn something about something or
RESHA SHARMA AND ILYA FLEET, designers, Fleet llya
“Not only is their work incredibly beautiful and impeccably made from a craftsmanship
“Charlie is the most entertaining and fascinating person I’ve met in the last few years. I
AUTUMN/WINTER 14.
so much. We’re the best of friends as well as being boyfriends.” JUSTIN WEARS JACKET
CHARLIE HARRINGTON, Fashion Director, Stella
My life wouldn’t be what it is without Yvie, so we’re kind of married in a way.” YVIE WEARS COAT AUTUMN/WINTER 14.
JUSTIN PADGETT, Fashion Director, Starworks London “Justin’s an amazing guy. It’s difficult to go out with anyone who’s a fashion designer. He makes me laugh
YVIE HUTTON, Managing Director, Jonathan Saunders “It’s a very unusual thing to be able to work with someone and be a close friend to them at the same time.