Colin McDowell vs Matthew Williamson

“Matthew Williamson’s universe is a kaleidoscope of colour. He creates a world where everyone is gorgeous, glamorous, and golden. There’s a reason why ‘It’ girls love him; without Matthew they’d just be girls”. – Glenda Bailey. Editor-in-Chief, Harpers Bazaar.

A few days ago, talking at the V&A lecture theatre with legendary fashion curator Colin McDowell, Williamson recalled his grey upbringing, how his interest for fashion started at the tender age of 11 and the difficulties of studying at incomparable but cut-throat environment that is St Martins at only 17.

The hall had a pretentious and showy atmosphere where CSM students asserted their presence and professionals scanned the audience for the common people who had actually paid to attend. This climate dropped when Colin & Matthew both humble and modest took their seats and divulged into Williamson’s life, where about his childhood he said how struck he was with sombre Manchester and it provided none of the colours he craved, a contrast to the exotic colours he lives amongst within his designs today. Clearly his creativity has always shone through, his mother told that “he would sit at the kitchen table drawing, easily resisting an invitation to go out and play.”

Openly Williamson continued openly about university life at one of the UAL colleges (which are still renowned and have an increasing amount of applicants each year), "I was 17 when I started there which was so young and a lot of the people on my course were in their fifties and sixties," he explained. "I didn't have a clear idea at that stage of what sort of look I wanted to create and I spent a lot of time feeling like the black sheep. I constantly felt confused why everyone went to lunatic asylums for inspiration and I just wanted to make hot, sexy clothes. I powered through though because I knew I was meant to be there." While studying here he met his then partner and still business partner Joseph Velosa, they had a relationship resembling a silverscreen romance where they travelled around the world and trecked across India where Williamson got a long lasting inspiration for his clothes.

It was inspiration by Joseph which kickstarted his career, "I remember looking down the Vogue masthead and thinking 'Plum Sykes - I like the sound of her'. So I sent her a selection of swatches and samples and a week on I was sitting in Vogue House surrounded by Vogue editors wanting me to make them dresses." The entirety of his exciting career, his celebrity friendships and his stories about Kate Moss & McDonalds can be found in his new book, which was essentially what this lecture was to advertise. It can be purchased easily online or from specialist magazine and book stores such as R D Franks at 5 Winsley St. London.

Matthew Williamson’s may be slowly aging, at a point where he can finally release a book but his SS11 collection has sumptuous bodice style tops and dresses, animal prints and stunning electric blues and this is what will keep his clothes young forever.


As with some other posts, this will feature on The Other Side Magazine.