London Fashion Week’s “Biggest” And Best Kept Secret
Jacob Kimmie, the self-proclaimed saviour of British fashion, has been cited as the ‘hot ticket’ at London Fashion Week by Creative Head magazine, after successfully launching his Spring/Summer 2009 collection off schedule in September 2008.
The catwalk show for ‘La Nuit Érotique’ welcomed an audience of an eclectic mix of Jacob’s fans including jazz singer Victoria Hart, classical group All Angels, BBC News presenter Simon McCoy and his news presenter wife Victoria Graham plus shoe designer extraordinaire Oliver Sweeney. WGSN comment that the ‘La Nuit Érotique’ collection is “exquisitely crafted and highly covetable – Kimmie is certainly one to keep an eye on”.
Jacob also made his presence known for the first time in Paris at the Vendôme luxury trade show at the beginning of October 2008. For the past two seasons Jacob has been bubbling under the surface having registered on the radar of the fashion industry after his Autumn/Winter catwalk debut during London Fashion Week in February 2008.
South African born and British and French influenced, Jacob has used his experiences and frustrations as inspiration for the signature look that has become known as the fashion label Jacob Kimmie. Jacob is a designer that sketches and sews. As a self-taught designer he can be found in his Birmingham studio hand stitching delicate chiffons and silks. Jacob prides himself on intricate craftsmanship, his latest collection features a dress which is hand stitched with 1.4 kilometres of ribbon and retails at £11,000 aimed at his growing private client list. His passion for forward fashion thinking and his ability to envisage aesthetically pleasing garments only makes Jacob’s pieces more appealing.
From the fluorescent yellow plastic meat packer’s suit which was used to make his first garment at the age of eleven, to the bubble wrap and shower curtain clothing he made for the underground rave scene, Jacob has always been aware of his talent. At the age of 34, Jacob may appear to be a newcomer in the eyes of the industry, but he certainly does not lack industry experience. Now, on the verge of 2008 Jacob Kimmie is the label that is setting the standard and raising the bar. Setting himself aside from his peers that are currently the ‘face’ of Britain’s newest designers, Jacob’s own self-assurance only adds to his ability to offer a fresh alternative to the world of fashion.
As the fashion industry currently suffers from “The Emperor’s New Clothes Syndrome” it is refreshing to see Jacob Kimmie bucking the trend with his designs and attitude. At 6’2” and weighing twenty two stone, Jacob’s physical stature matches his talent and his collections. As an individual Jacob is controversial, a person who is driven by anger and injustice. As a designer he is breaking the mould and rattling the cage, a British couturier building a British brand whilst wearing combat shorts and trainers.
