Designer name: Alice Temperley
Origin: Temperley is from Somerset. She now lives in Notting Hill, London.
Career highlight: “Still being around and independent.”
Design background: Temperley studied at Central Saint Martins, followed by a Masters at Royal College of Art. She consulted for eight months for Ratti in Como before setting up her own label.
How would you describe the Temperley London woman? “A sexy, strong, well travelled and confident woman. She knows her own identity but yet is comfortable enough to experiment with different styles and shapes.”
Spring/summer 2012 inspirations: “This season my key themes are the Silver Screen; sensual and powerful women; masculine, ultra feminine, elegant elongated silhouettes; and the notion of Grace.”
What’s next for your brand? “We are in the middle of our ten year anniversary celebrations; we’re working on a lot of exciting projects. I am launching my first book this October, entitled
True British, published by Rizzoli. It tells the story of Temperley from the start and is a very open, honest, visual diary of ten years of creating the House of Temperley.”
Who are your design heroes? “Yves Saint Laurent and Alaïa for their attention to detail. I love the continuity and the seemingly easy transition between structured tailoring and soft feminine gowns. They were fearless, excellent and had a huge impact on the fashion world.”
What’s your favourite cultural hotspot in the capital? “The Victoria and Albert Museum. I go several times a year. I can spend hours walking around looking at all the beautiful exhibitions and love the museum shop.”
In five years’ time I will be… “There are so many things I would love to do. I want to transform Temperley into an all-encompassing, World of Temperley lifestyle.”