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Henrietta Ludgate

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Scottish luxury women’s wear designer, Henrietta Ludgate, recently awarded the Highland Entrepreneur of the Year award by the Prince’s Youth Scottish Business Trust, is the recipient of an impressive number of awards, including the Ethical Fashion Forum’s Fashion Innovation Award for her very first collection shown at London Fashion week for spring summer 2010.  Ludgate, known for her structural aesthetic, and minimalist design, is also renowned for channeling her Scottish Heritage into her collection.  With the entire collection produced locally, support of Scottish craftsmanship is a vital component of her work.  The collection is crafted from the finest British textiles, in an artisanal approach to production, the result of which is an impeccable finish, and clothes that outlive trends and last a lifetime.

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A supporter of slow fashion, Ludgate’s understated silhouettes are haunting in their simplicity and sophistication, with a slight retro sensibility, intonated more by her exquisite tailoring and attention to detail than anything else, she never the less maintains a distinctive and undeniably modern aesthetic. Drawing inspiration from Elsa Schiaparelli, and her surrealist imagery, Ludgate imbues her designs with a certain architectural sense of humor, through sculptural necklines and collars, standing in sharp contrast to the slender tailored sheaths they crown.

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Ludgate’s collection, composed mostly of sumptuous jewel tone brights, in an eco stretch silk satin, endows the slim, sharp tailored silhouettes with the mid 50’s aesthetic of a Grace Kelly sheath, at once sexy and alluring, while not being the least bit revealing.  Combined with simple, understated and less structured sheaths in muted and understated tones, tied at the waist or empire height, with Japanese quilted roleaux’s, the collection maintains a simple, slightly retro elegance throughout, punctuated by witty, surrealist necklines.

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The launch of her new concept store, The Work-Shop in London, hosted by Vogue UK’s Green Fashion blogger, and wife of Collin Firth; Livia Firth, as well as model and Oxfam ambassador, Laura Bailey, opens up the collection to a wider audience.  Already selling to a formidable range of high-end department and specialty stores world wide, Ludgate’s collection sits comfortably next to her competition of mainstream, cutting-edge designers.  Ludgate also offers a bespoke couture service on a by appointment only basis.

The Henrietta Ludgate website is currently unavailable.