LUCY ROYLE’S CLINICAL FASHION

LUCY ROYLE, A MANCHESTER-BASED, LEEDS-EDUCATED BRITISH DESIGNER SHOWED HER GRADUATE COLLECTION DURING GRADUATE FASHION WEEK LAST JUNE. INSPIRED BY THE MEDICAL TEXTBOOK GRAY’S ANATOMY, ANATOMICAL DRAWINGS AND SKELETAL AND MUSCULAR STRUCTURES, HER FIRST SHOW WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF HER BACKGROUND. LYDIA MILLIGAN MET WITH THE DESIGNER TO DISCUSS SPINE AND STYLE.

Your final collection, inspired by the medical world, was beautiful. Where did the idea spanned from?

My dad is a doctor and my mum is a nurse so growing up, I was surrounded by a lot of medical books.  For my final collection, I though it would be really nice to do something that was part of my identity.

Your designs mirror the look of the body very well, especially the spine while looking very contemporary and individual.

Yes, the spine did feature quite primarily.  It just kind of happened.  You just mess about with ideas; one day I had a sample and just literally pinned it to the mannequin.  Then, of course, once you start putting bits together you end up with an idea.  People do comment on how much the draw cords mirror the spinal cord itself.

I noticed a written print design, where did this come from?

These are my dad’s revision notes when he was a student.  Like the textbook, they have always been around the house.  My dad’s handwriting is immaculate, beautiful.  These notes were on anorexia and bulimia and I thought I would use them to add another dimension to my concept.

All your collections appear quite different, yet with a similar darkness to them.  What inspired them?

The idea was to get a variety.   In one collection, I focused on Ancient Greece and Sophia Kokosalaki.  Greek mythology was a fascination of mine for years so I really wanted to look into it.  My Rick Owens-inspired collection was a university-imposed challenge to associate with the designer and to design to their style.  As he is a dark designer, this collection probably ended up the darkest.  These are designers I really like anyway and I always look at their work.

You design primarily for sportswear; do you intend to continue that way?

Yes definitely, I did my work placement with Reebok which was great inspiration.  I never had an interest in it, then while working at Reebok I realised how versatile it was.  I think sportswear is the way we dress now and what consumers look for.  We were talking at uni about how none of us really wear jeans anymore and you wonder if even jeans will fade; we all wear jeggings now!

Why did you go in to fashion?

To be honest, I sort of fell into it.  I didn’t know what I wanted to do at university and by default, as I was doing an English Literature A level I applied to do English; as I filled in the application I just knew it wasn’t for me.  I got rejected from every University I applied to.  I took a year out to do an Art foundation course; it gave me time to think about where I wanted to study.  I ended up following the fashion route.  I drifted in to it, but fate told me that it was right.

You’re going on to do an MA at London College of Fashion, how did you end up there?

Our external examiner came to visit us back in January to have an informal chat.  He came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.  He said, “If you want a place in a MA, you have one!”  When this offer came along I thought, ‘I can’t turn it down.’

Where do you see yourself in five years?

After the MA I definitely would like to be working for a high-end luxury designer because I have never had experience in that field before.  Ultimately, I want my own business. I think working for a more exclusive designer, you would have more engagement with how the company works as a whole and how they work overseas.  In five years, I would like to be based in London and working for a designer.

lucyroyle.co.uk

Words Lydia Milligan