Residents’ Journal | FASHION
The
tr ailbla zer Jennifer Mason meets Laura Waite, founder of bespoke tailoring brand Calder London, as she prepares to embark on a new venture
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hat began in the summer of 2010 at Henley Regatta under the name Laura Jane has blossomed over the past four-and-a-half years into one of the capital’s most promising bespoke fashion labels. Calder London (as the brand has been known since late summer 2014) is the brainchild of Laura Waite, whose refreshing take on the traditional blazer has proved Laura Waite popular with British and international clients alike. Laura didn’t take the traditional route into starting her own fashion brand. ‘I didn’t study design, and I think that’s actually been both a help and a hindrance,’ she explains. ‘Ultimately in this industry the best thing to do is to gain experience within a company, rather than studying, which I’ve done the hard way by starting my own! The best lessons I’ve learned have been from making
I wanted to create a clothing label that was timeless, focusing on blazers in really traditional fabrics mistakes. Having said that, it would be nice to have some sort of mental guide as to how to do everything properly. It’s probably taken me longer than it would have if I’d studied or worked for longer in the industry, but you get there in the end.’ I ask Laura about the inspiration behind the brand. ‘Growing up, I spent a lot of time in Scotland among relatives who lived on Islay, a remote island in the Inner Hebrides, and discovered a love for the beautiful fabrics spun by the traditional Victorian looms of the Islay Woollen Mill,’ she replies. ‘I wanted
to support these talented craftsmen and create a clothing label that was timeless, focusing on blazers in really traditional fabrics, particularly tweeds.’ Currently, Calder London has two faces: the small ‘ready-to-wear’ collections available to purchase online and the bespoke service which is the backbone of the company. ‘The online collection gives clients an idea of what the brand is about, the message we portray, and how to wear our jackets,’ Laura tells me. ‘Tailoring is such a personal thing that it’s actually very difficult to buy a jacket without trying it on. Everyone has different styles and shapes, so it just makes sense for the business to be mainly rooted in the bespoke service.’ However, catering to the wants and needs of her varied client base is not always easy, I learn. ‘People come to me with specific areas they want to cover up, and they usually have an idea about how they want to achieve that,’ Laura continues. ‘My role is to recognise a design that will disguise those “problem” areas in a flattering and stylish way.’ Each meeting begins with a browse through Laura’s collection of blazer samples and her fabric swatches. ‘We’ll talk about colours that will suit their skin tone – and often I’ll also do a wardrobe consultation, chatting about the best ways to style their finished blazer. I think the difficulty facing my clients is that they like the idea of a blazer, but they’re not sure exactly what they want or how to wear it. That’s where I come in.’ Laura either sees clients in their own homes or at a small studio in Richmond. ‘It’s the ideal location for me to have a creative base,’ she says.
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Residents’ Journal | FASHION
‘I just love Richmond. Not only is it the perfect demographic for the brand, but I also love being by the River Thames – if I have a stressful moment I can go and sit down there and mull things over and relax. When the time comes to have a boutique, I’ll definitely be looking in this part of south-west London.’ The business has gone from strength to strength, and Laura is on the verge of launching a new avenue for Calder London: leather. ‘Leather trousers are another one of those items that can be really tricky to buy off-the-rack,’ she explains. ‘For that reason, a lot of my clients have asked for them time and time again.’ In collaboration with Heléna Boxer, a talented stylist (dressing the likes of Coldplay and Jay Z) whom Laura has worked with for years, the brand is producing a range of made-to-measure trousers which, I’m told, will offer fashion-forward clients a chance to don leather in comfort and will form a stylish combination when worn with a more traditional tweed Calder jacket. ‘We’re in the early stages right now,’ Laura says, ‘but it’s very exciting. We’ll be launching in the next few months – We’ve just taken on our first leather clients and are really excited about the potential of this new and niche product.’
Sourcing materials for her designs has been one of the biggest hurdles facing the business – particularly in the run-up to the launch of Calder Leather. ‘It’s taken a really long time to get the material portfolio together,’ she agrees. ‘The tweeds and blazer fabrics are easier – I design my own checks and colours with the mills I grew up with, and I also source cashmeres from Italy. Procuring ethical leathers is going to be the tricky part. It will be more of a challenge, but that’s a really crucial aspect for me. ‘I searched high and low for a tailor in London that could produce the kind of quality I was looking for,’ Laura continues. ‘Of course, on Savile Row you can see why people say that British tailoring is the best – but not in the factories that are affordable for new businesses. It’s a shame, because I wanted to keep everything based in the UK as far as possible, but in the end I had to think about the quality of my finished products – that’s the most important thing if you want to ensure your customers keep coming back to you.’ Heritage fashion has become hugely popular around the world in recent years, spearheaded by brands like Burberry, so it’s little wonder that Laura’s clients herald from as far away as America, Russia and China. ‘I’m finding that often, people of wealth are far more inclined to spend their money on quality products like beautifully tailored jackets than flashy designer brands,’ says Laura, ‘so in that sense I feel that my business has really hit its target.’ It’s not only her bespoke service that is making waves; Laura’s talent has also been spotted for far bigger projects. Headhunted a few years ago at a trade show by quintessentially British brand Holland & Holland, she has since collaborated with the company on several projects including, most recently, a safari collection. ‘That was something very exciting and completely different for me,’ Laura enthuses. ‘I’d never worked with the kind of fabrics they wanted before, or designed things like dresses, so it was a big change, but an incredible opportunity. I just had to grab it and go with it. Now I’m designing their women’s tweed jackets, which have just been released in America and are selling really well – I’m very proud
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Residents’ Journal | FASHION
© Holland & Holland
of that. I hope it will help to get my name out there name for myself, and after nearly five years, I’ve and earn the Calder brand more of a following.’ managed to bring together a great client base for But Holland & Holland isn’t the only brand to the bespoke section. The leather trousers have have spotted Laura’s potential. We’re not allowed naturally followed on from that. I get asked all the to name names at this early stage, but a huge time about suits and shirts, but it’s too soon for British leather brand is preparing to launch its me to expand any further.’ Has she considered inaugural clothing line and it wants her talent and going back to school? ‘I’ve thought about it,’ she Calder’s luxury designs admits. ‘I have studied on board. ‘Projects like the tailoring side of I think my proudest moment things, but I often this are such a huge compliment,’ Laura has to be spotting someone wonder whether it would gushes, ‘particularly for be useful to study the walking down the street someone who’s never set business aspect – but it’s wearing one of my jackets foot in design school.’ about finding the time! So what does the Now that everything is future hold for this dedicated businesswoman? beginning to take off, it’s about just going with the ‘Well primarily I’m focused on launching the flow and learning as I go.’ Calder Leather side of things at the moment,’ she As our chat comes to an end, I ask Laura about replies, ‘but eventually, if that’s a success, I’d like her favourite part of owning and running a fashion to branch out again. We tried out a coat design business. ‘I think my proudest moment has to be for the first time this winter which has proved to spotting someone walking down the street or at be really popular so our new collection includes an event wearing one of my jackets,’ she smiles. more of those. Not having studied design and had ‘It’s the best feeling ever.’ n that experience, I didn’t want to jump in initially with too big a collection. I wanted to create a Prices for a bespoke Calder London blazer start from niche product that would allow me to build a £300 (calderlondon.com)
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