Launching her own brand in 2015, Sadie Clayton has showcased her collections at London, Berlin and Shanghai. Striking especially with her sculptural silhouettes, Clayton has been worn by celebrities like Ellie Goulding and Gigi Hadid. Constantly collaborating with artists and designers, you can always see Clayton working on something new and creative. Learn more about Sadie Clayton’s inspirations and creative process in our exclusive interview below…
LATEST: How did you launch your brand?
SADIE CLAYTON: I launched my brand officially in 2015 with my first commercial collection in February 2016. It was a struggle with lots of amazing friends helping me for free, but 2 years on I feel blessed by what I have achieved.
LATEST: Your copper accessories are very striking, what was the inspiration behind them?
SADIE CLAYTON: First and foremost, I am a creative, so whether it is clothes or sculptures or other tangible objects I am inspired by bringing a vision to life. The essence of my copper work is the creation of a beautiful piece of armour to protect and shield, and how I work the copper comes to reflect the texture of life.
LATEST: How do you decide for a collaboration? What makes you certain that it is the right one?
SADIE CLAYTON: My collaborations either come proactively – I search them out, for example with Nixon watches, my longest and on-going collaboration, or Cutler & Gross, or opportunities come my way. You can never be sure that everything will be successful, but as long as the collaboration sits well with my brand, and who I am as a professional, then I don’t think I can go too far wrong.
LATEST: If you could describe your brand in one sentence what would that be?
SADIE CLAYTON: Sculptural, feminine, independent and empowering
LATEST: What is the theme of your current collection and how did you decide it?
SADIE CLAYTON: I take my inspiration from everyday life and the concepts of Headspace, time and energy are constants in my work. For this season, I focused especially on our journey through life, how every day we have to mutate and gently twist ourselves to fulfil the multiple roles that are required from us through our work, friend and family and the layered emotions that this naturally creates.
LATEST: Is there a process you go through for your collections or do you just create them through inspiration?
SADIE CLAYTON: I mainly create my collections through inspiration sketching first, draping and modelling to help this take shape. I create lots and lots of sketches and then once I have my ideas together I sit down and hone the key looks and pieces.
LATEST: If you could design a garment for anyone who would that be?
SADIE CLAYTON: Grace Jones
LATEST: What is something you love and something you dislike about the fashion industry?
SADIE CLAYTON: I have been lucky enough to be surrounded by lots of people who believe in me and understand my creative abilities, but fashion as a whole has been dulled down to a fast changing commodity limiting the scope for young designers, such as myself, who still believe in the beauty of the bespoke, to emerge, and creating a ‘throw away’ mentality which is eroding the heart of the industry.