We caught up with Made in Chelsea’s Louise Thompson on her latest venture, a denim line called Pocket London which she has designed in partnership with business partner Edward Page. The design duo spilled the beans on how to make it in the fashion business, who they’d love to see wearing their jeans, Louise’s latest hobby and which of her MIC co-stars they’d like to dress…****
For a debut collection together, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt about fashion so far?
**Edward - **We have learnt that things will always improve; this is down to us learning more as we go along. Every line that we produce we want the brand to evolve, so it is important to strive to do just that.
**Louise –**The pace of the industry! Working a season ahead with design and development of the collections means that you are constantly thinking and planning ahead. Organisation and multi-tasking are definitely key elements when working within fashion.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone starting out in the fashion industry now what would you say?
**Edward - **Patience is key, it is not just going to happen overnight, so we have to stay realistic and keep our heads screwed on. We are confident in what we produce so if we keep going, we know we can progress in the industry.
**Louise – **I definitely agree with Edward, it can be really hard starting out but if you’re patient and determined then things will start to fall into place. I would also say it’s good to have a supportive network around you, from friends and family to also business relationships, having people around you that believe in your brand is a tremendous help.
If you could give women one piece of fashion advice what would it be?
**Louise – **I like to have a bit of fun with fashion so I would say to not to take it too seriously. I have quite an eclectic style but fundamentally I think you should dress to your body shape and wear items that make you feel good.
**Edward - **Looking good comes from within, so if you are feeling confident and positive then whatever you’re wearing you are going to look good!
Who do you hope to see in Pocket London jeans, or has there been anyone spotted in them yet which got you really excited?
**Louise – **I am hoping to see my cast members Millie and Rosie both in a pair, they both have great style so think they would look pretty good rocking some POCKET jeans!
**Edward – **I would love to see Rita Ora in a pair, particularly some of the new designs from our AW13 collection. There are some really statement pieces which I think would look incredible on her and really match her style.
Louise, how would you describe your personal style and what would be in your absolute capsule wardrobe?
**Louise – **My style varies from day to day – it’s usually influenced on how I am feeling! I love getting dressed up for an event or party but at the same time I could live in my over-sized jumpers that I can relax in! Within my absolute capsule wardrobe I’d definitely have my Isabel Marant wedge trainers – they are so practical when I’m running around going to meetings and at the same time they give me that extra bit of height during the day! I’d also have some Pocket London jeans, a Celine t-shirt and a statement necklace from Mawi for a more causal style. I’d definitely ensure there was a killer pair of heels by Charlotte Olympia (nothing less than six inches!) and a LBD from Topshop so that I’d have an outfit if heading out in the evening!
Do you both have a muse or anyone in common that inspires your designs?
**Edward - **We try and keep our designs as original as possible. Rag and Bone jeans are great and someone we perhaps aspire to emulate, but we want to carve out our own path.
**Louise – **We both really love Cara Delevingne and think she epitomises our brand well. She encapsulates the ‘London girl style’ perfectly that reflects within Pocket London designs – someone who will have fun with fashion and still look stylish at the same time! I think she would look amazing in a pair of our print jeans for AW13!
Louise, are there any trends or fads that you’ve worn and regretted or anything you would never want to design?
**Louise – **I don’t think there’s anything I look at and particularly regret – at the time I would have thought it looked good at the time even if I wouldn’t wear it now! I do think it’s important to not blindly follow trends and fads though, as they will not suit everyone. I try and dress for my height and shape so what might look awesome on someone else might not look so great on me and vice versa! In terms of design, I think it’s important to keep on challenging yourself so there is nothing I would rule out at the moment!
What’s next for you both – can we expect a full wardrobe of Pocket London in the future? Or a kids line for the new royal baby to wear?!
**Edward - **A full wardrobe would be amazing, POCKET will always just be jeans, but with our company Max De Courcy, we want to create other lines, POCKET is only the first one.
**Louise – **A baby line would be fun. I would love to see the Royal baby wearing some of our designs! But like Edward mentions, this is just the first step from our company Max De Courcy. We will definitely look to expand on this in future, building a whole brand which has various avenues to it; accessories, shoes, more clothing! We both love doing this so once we have finished university we will be able to concentrate fully on this and really expand and develop both POCKET and our fashion house.
Louise, what would we be surprised to know about you?
**Louise - **One thing that people may be surprised to know about me is that I have been recently learning to skateboard and really love it! I have a glow-in-the-dark board who I have named ‘Turtle’ and I have to say, I’m getting pretty good at it!