Stewart Parvin has earned a Royal Warrant of Appointment as a mark of recognition for the couture clothes he has designed for HM The Queen of England.
If you are familiar with Belgravia, London, chances are that you know of Mr. Stewart Parvin, the brilliant couturier behind some of the most titled people in the world, including Her Majesty The Queen of England. Stewart Parvin received his Royal Warrant in 2007, and has also earned an MVO (Member of the Royal Victorian Order, a British order of knighthood).
Mr. Parvin’s window creations at his shop stopped me in my tracks, and enticed me to enter quicker than a wink! My daughter, Alexandra, and I were immediately ensconced! It is a classical couture haven. Chance would have it that while we were blissfully savouring his elegant collections, we had the honor of meeting Mr. Parvin. His charming demeanor and talents were palpable.
It was most kind of Mr. Parvin to participate and share his insight into the world of Stewart Parvin. I could not bare to condense any part of this interview, so there will be two newsletters because his answers are like a decadent, double-layered box of fine chocolates… you just crave more! I am grateful to share Part I with you today.
When did you know you wanted to be a designer and study fashion at Edinburgh College of Art?
I knew I wanted to be a designer from a very young age. By three I was telling my mother not only what I wanted to wear, but what she should buy and how she should accessorize it! I was fortunate to attend a kindergarten where the owner had a beautiful home and dressed in the most wonderful clothes. Every morning I would be excited to see what she was wearing – at that age I knew the difference between Chanel and St Laurent!!
Is there a designer you have always admired, and why?
There are many designers I’ve always admired, but my favourites are Hubert de Givenchy and Valentino – but I love the classic American luxe sportswear of Halston, Claire McCardell and Bill Blass. I admire them for their easy, relaxed, and sophisticated style, combining wear-ability and glamour.
Was there ever a time you doubted yourself in the context of your talents, or just in life?
I remember just before I started my business in the mid 90’s I was working for a large eveningwear manufacturer whilst all my friends were working in Milan for the likes of Giorgio Armani and Max Mara, and I wondered “am I ever going to make my mark?” Thankfully opening my business and starting my collection in 1995 gave me the focus I needed to channel my creativity in a new and better direction.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Whilst I find art, travel, and cinema inspirational, it tends to be my clients and their desires that are the creative impetus behind my collection.
Before you opened your own firm, what was the one thing you learned from working alongside designer, Mr. Donald Campbell?
There were many things I learned from Mr. Campbell who was a designer of great style, and with an exceptional eye. The most cherished thing I take away from my time with him is the knowledge and detail involved on the technical side of creativity. He taught me the importance of precise pattern cutting and how you can adapt a model pattern to fit a real customer, emphasizing the best features whilst disguising the less perfect.
Do you have a favorite fabric that you like to work with? Is there one that is your signature fabric?
There are so many amazing fabrics available to work with these days, but my go-to signature is double wool crepe – which has amazing versatility and comes in the most incredible range of colours. Nobody can ever look wrong in beautifully tailored and impeccably crafted Italian double wool crepe.
Classic women’s clothing, like classic interior design, is timeless. A simple shift dress is as lovely today as it was when Jackie Kennedy was the First Lady of the US. How do you at “Stewart Parvin” use designs from decades ago, today, and how do you make them current?
I absolutely love the classics such as the shift dress. What I find is that there are so many subtle differences in firstly people’s figures, secondly in fit and thirdly in the trend at that moment in time, that all of these tiny adjustments can make turn something classic into something modern, young and relevant to a new audience.
Do you have a particular creation that you are most proud of?
I’m constantly striving to make my most recent creation the one I’m most proud of – I think that’s what drives one as a designer.
Historically one of my proudest fashion moments was creating a state gown worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which was initially designed for the state opening of parliament – a very formal occasion when the Queen is dressed in full ceremonial robes and presents a speech at the House of Lords wearing the Imperial State Crown. This dress was created out of vintage embroidered satin in a design that paid slight homage to the dress Normal Hartnell made for Her Majesty’s coronation in 1953. The dress I designed achieved international renown when it was worn by the Queen in a set of photographs taken by Annie Liebovitz for Vanity Fair.
“Do you have a favorite color for your designs? (My signature color is pink!)
Snap! My favourite colour is pink too…. and navy blue! ”
When designing a wedding gown (your creations are enchantingly divine!) how do you decide the style for a client?
As with all of my clients, I don’t start out by dictating a silhouette – a quick chat with several nuanced questions will quickly lead me towards the style direction I think we should go. With brides I find this can be a lengthy process as we often have to try many and various options, normally coming back to my initial concept!
What recommendations do you have for designing for women of a certain age? How can they remain fashionable without looking frumpy or dowdy?
It’s very easy for women of a certain age to remain fashionable. It’s usually about proportion – maybe not quite so short, low, tight as a few years ago!! Always emphasize the best bits whilst disguising the bits you’d draw a veil over! In essence - give a nod to your age but don’t be a slave to it!!
In 2016, you designed the lovely dress for HM The Queen that she wore when presenting you with the MVO award. What inspired you to make it purple?
The Queen kindly wore an outfit I’d designed for her when she presented me with my MVO. It was a dress and jacket of the most wonderful purple and subtle gold lame brocade – a colour that particularly suits her. When designing for Her Majesty a bold choice of colour is often at the forefront of my thoughts. The Queen herself once famously said “I have to be seen to be believed” and strong bold colours not only enable her to stand out in a crowd but also suit her beautifully.
Your iconic coat and dress designs never cease to amaze me, especially with the delicate nuances, which make them emblematic to your style. When designing a coat with a matching dress, which do you design first?
It depends on many factors whether I design the coat or the dress first. Sometimes stunning printed silk will be the initial focus so the dress comes to mind first, whilst on other occasions, I’ll have an idea for a detail on a coat necessitating the dress design fitting in with that, so as not to be seen beyond a subtle hint of neckline or collar.
How do you determine the colors each season?
Do you have any projections about colors and fabrics for 2021?
Under normal circumstances, every season one goes to Paris for the bi-annual exhibition where fabric of every hue, texture and style is available to the fashion trade. As such my eye, like other designers be they fashion or interiors, have an innate sense of the new colours we’re going to be working with. This comes I think from having observed each seasons coming colour palettes, watched the world around us go by and as such a feeling for the tones and shades we’ll be drawn towards each season. Having said this I know that my clientele being as they are, will always want to see shades of blues be it royal, powder or navy in the collection, because that always suits the skin tone of the English rose in a way that the beiges and neutral tones suit an Italian complexion.
In my collection for 2021 we’ll be seeing delicate shades of pale rose, primrose yellow and gentian blue.