The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Fashion & Lifestyle London Fashion Week AW13

Claire Barrow: “OH, how it is to be mundane” collection A/W 13

Claire Barrow: “OH, how it is to be mundane” collection A/W 13
28 February 2013
Holly Westwood
Avatar
Holly Westwood
28 February 2013

If you’re one to customise old tired clothes then look no further for fabulous inspiration than the London-based illustrator Claire Barrow. 

Joseph joined forces with Barrow for Autumn/Winter 2012, which saw her customise vintage leathers by handpainting directly onto the material with the use of acrylic paints, a technique that has become her signature style. Barrow’s work has brought back the true essence of London’s mods and punks through the use of classic leather staple items. It certainly created a storm within the fashion world and now Barrow’s one-off designs are sought after by many celebrities. 

Her second collection, OH, how it is to be mundane Autumn/Winter ’13 uses expressive brush stokes and an array of designs in monochrome from dolls head handbags and pin-ups to select phrases of text. Her collection stays true to her heart and expresses her passion for punk sub cultures and rebellious attitude.   

Barrow was discovered by Fashion East, an enterprise founded by The Old Truman Brewery in 2000. The enterprise/company helps young designers through their early career and helps them to establish themselves within the fashion industry. With so much competition for aspiring designers in London it can be hard for them to gain any recognition. Fashion East is a non-profit company sponsored by the likes of Topshop. Each season Lulu Kennedy, the founder, and her team hand-pick three womenswear and three menswear designers to showcase their collection to international press and buyers at London Fashion Week. Barrow was lucky enough to be selected and presented her début collection. 

While working on project Flora at Showstudios last year, she demonstrated her love, yet unusual relationship with flowers: “I’m interested in what flowers mean to humans. They symbolise love, sex and death. It’s the human cycle of life”.

Honouring and modelling her work with great praise was Faris Badwan, the front man and vocalist of the British rock band The Horrors, who Barrow designed a hand-painted leather biker jacket for. Barrow custom designs each of her jackets to suit and express the owner’s identity. Both Claire Barrow and Faris Badwan share a mutual love for the post punk culture and Badwan’s image works in perfect harmony with the jacket designed and created for him. 

Faris Badwan is not the first celebrity to have one of Barrow’s jackets made for them. Rihanna asked her to design and create two jackets that she wore while on her Loud tour. Barrow’s distinguishing and inventive style has been noticed by many London designers and she is sure to go far within the fashion world. 

Through all her collections Barrow has inspired thousands and shows that plain, mundane items can be electric through the art of reinvention. 

Holly Westwood
Photo: Courtesy of Claire Barrow

Related Items

More in Fashion & Lifestyle

At-home beauty essentials to try in 2021

Rebekah Absalom
Read More

The top beauty looks to try this festive season

Alexandra Davis
Read More

Christmas day dresses worth a celebration of their own

Sophie Cook
Read More

Christmas gift guide 2020: For him

Rebekah Absalom
Read More

Christmas gift guide 2020: For her

Rebekah Absalom
Read More

Festive pyjama sets you need for Christmas Eve

Sophie Cook
Read More

The rise and rise of Weekend Doll: An interview with founder and creative director Yuriko Usui

The editorial unit
Read More

Beauty gift guide for her

Alexandra Davis
Read More

10 jumpers you need in your wardrobe this winter

Sophie Cook
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Live Lab at The Yard Theatre: An interview with associate director Cheryl Gallagher
    Theatre
  • Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Capote Tapes
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Dig
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Crobar: Music When the Lights Go Out
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Green stars, two female chefs at the top and a controversially quick award: This is 2021 UK Michelin Guide during the pandemic
    Food & Drinks
  • Assassins: Exclusive new clip
    Cinema
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Uncategorised
  • Schemers
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Green stars, two female chefs at the top and a controversially quick award: This is 2021 UK Michelin Guide during the pandemic
    Food & Drinks
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Uncategorised
  • Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

The highest honour for a jeweller: Sheila Fleet to meet the Queen
60 years and counting: Chloé at Selfridges