Velvit Welcomes Sadie Clayton

Sadie Clayton of her self-titled line dishes on her new collection, her design staples, and that time Ellie Goulding wore a Sadie Clayton copper and leather bra at the Glastonbury festival

Velvit spoke with Sadie Clayton to learn more about her favorite accessories, her first (horrid but beloved) vintage blouse, and her experience working under some of the world's most impressive designers.

Sadie Clayton (L) and Caryn Franklin (R) at Clayton's SS15 show in London last week.

Velvit: When did you know you wanted to work in fashion?
Sadie Clayton: When I was a young teenager, I began wearing hundreds of beads around my neck and gold Converse. I didn’t want to dress like everyone else. That’s when I realized I had to start making my own pieces. I’m a Northerner, born and bred in West Yorkshire, UK. I didn’t have the V&A or the Design Museum at my doorstop, so I had to dig deep for inspiration for my creations, hence all the crazy sculptural industrial design. 

V: What is your earliest fashion-related memory?
SC: Straight after GCSE’s, I went to fashion school and designed a neck collar with pointed, upturned sleeves and it worked out just like I had illustrated it. I thought, 'no, this cannot be real,' first garment ever made and it was actually worth keeping!

V: Did you learn to design clothing before attending university?
SC: Yeah, for sure. I went to Batley School of Art & Design. When I left school at 16, I did fashion and clothing for two years before completing a foundation degree in ceramics.

V: Who are some of the designers you worked with before creating your own line?
SC: I have interned for Gareth Pugh, Una Burke, and Sorapo. Before I worked with Gareth Pugh, I modeled his couture Stealth Bomber at [British fashion photographer] Nick Knight's exhibition ‘In Your Face.' I also l did a project for Galliano. 

V: Do you work with a design team?
SC: My team includes me, myself, and I, and my amazing intern.

V: What inspires you as a designer?
SC: My inspiration varies from sculptural forms to texture and architecture; nothing overly complicated, however I do also love anatomy.

V: How did copper became such a staple element in your designs?
SC: Copper is certainly my signature. Coppergirl is even my hashtag. I was bored of always seeing gold, brass, silver, and bronze. I thought it was about time to introduce another form of metal, or at least a new texture. It all stemmed from when I was a student at Kingston last year and I began working on my final collection. I chose to work with mirrored copper metal and plumbing copper brackets. My collection won second place for the Innovation Award at Graduate Fashion Week 2013. 

V: Would you say the fashion industry in London differs from other cities?
SC: London is a hub for creativity. Everyone seems to understand each other's struggles and talents, therefore we have cool Facebook groups where we can find collaborations and reach out for help. Being in the UK, you see every trend, movement, and monster. It’s great. Nobody is out of place.

Inside Sadie Clayton's ss15 show off of London Fashion week at St Giles in the Fields.

V: What can we expect from your new collection coming out in September?
SC: It’s just called SS15. I like to keep it very simple. This collection still represents the powerful feminine woman, however it's more refined. As designer a year out of university, it is so important to be constantly developing and refining. 

V: Where will you be you showing SS15?
SC: At an amazing church called St Giles in the Fields. Very eccentric.

V: Where does your unique design style come from?
SC: I just go off on a tangent when designing. I look at all my weird and wonderful sketches and I either rein it in or elaborate.

V: Whether all black or all white, what is your reasoning for using a limited color palette within each collection?
SC: I feel that it’s more striking and it creates a tighter collection. The viewers' eyes will remain concentrated on the texture, the look, and the feel, rather than on a rainbow of color. My debut AW14 collection was all black and copper. This season's SS15 collection is all white and copper. 

V: What is the most memorable response you’ve had to your designs?
SC: Ellie Goulding wore my copper and leather bra in front of 947,000 fans at the Glastonbury festival.

V: What articles of clothing or accessories could you live in forever?
SC: My cameo brooch (I love cameo), a graduation present from my mum. My Una Burke leather choker. My Yohji Yamamoto X Adidas Geisha sandals. And my Manolo Blahnik wine pointed shoes.

V: Does music inspire you as an artist?
SC: I love Motown, funk, and soul. My mum and I could dance to it all night long. Having that in the background while creating gives me a huge buzz.

V: What is a piece you own that holds a strong memory?
SC: A really horrid (but I love it) beige paisley pussy bow blouse. It was my first ever vintage blouse. I still wear it to this day. That was one of the first items that people didn't understand why I was wearing it.

V: What advice would you give an aspiring artist?
SC: Never give up. Work all hours God sends. You can sleep when you’re old and frail from working so hard.

For more information on Sadie Clayton, visit our Artist profiles and shop the hand picked selection Clayton has created in black specifically for our Velvit boutique.