Writing for Another Man, the British designer pens a short essay on the topic of ‘quality’
- TextMargaret Howell
From the quiet beauty of her clothes, to the minimalist architecture of her stores and the modernist furniture within them, Margaret Howell’s universe is marked by her calm, considered approach to fashion and design. Here, the seminal British designer pens a short essay on the topic of ‘quality’, which gives us an insight into the wonderful way she works.
“What does quality mean to you?” I was asked this question in an interview recently and found it difficult to answer. Although quality is the guiding principle of my work it means different things in different contexts: qualities of material, make and presentation are all important, but in their own way. As for quality of design itself? That’s a matter of taste, and taste varies from one person to another. I express what it means to me through my work.
For example, the making of our Wigmore Street shop. This was a large, complex project but not, in principle, so very different from making an item of clothing. Both processes involve quality issues of design, material, and manufacture, as well as collaboration. But for me they both involve a less obvious aspect of quality: feeling…
‘Creation starts with a feeling’
I wanted something that was more than just a retail space. I wanted it to be alive: to have a sense of activity, to acknowledge the whole company, and the workforce involved in producing what is on display. I felt that it should be a place in which the customer could feel at ease and comfortable. But could we translate this feeling into the deep Victorian building on Wigmore Street?
‘Be ready to reconsider first impressions’
When I saw its huge interior I was concerned that the sheer size might work against that feeling. Was it too large? Too intimidating? But once the long skylight was revealed, it gave the space structural unity, as well as the quality of natural daylight, while the genuine texture of the oak floor was warm and inviting. And, carefully planned, the long space itself offered opportunities. We could display items that complement our clothes, as well as host events and exhibitions that reflect my design interests.
‘In design, everything counts’
It’s easy to talk about details in a design as if they are incidental, or optional. But, in this sense, there are no details for me. An element either earns its place in a design or it doesn’t. And of course a shop has a multitude of elements. We worked hard to pare down the interior to match that original feeling.
Now we could appreciate the space, we wanted to embrace its length by building an extra long counter and a matching rail for clothes. The strong lines give a dynamic perspective. Later we balanced these horizontals with the vertical uprights of the Vitsoe system, which provides shelves and drawers without interrupting the vision from the front to the back of the shop. Meanwhile the flowers and foliage we choose are nearer to plants that grow wild and natural, avoiding opulent formal display.
‘Inspiration is a happy mystery’
Where do these guiding intuitions come from? If pushed, I’d have to say that the feeling I wanted in the shop might have something – however remotely – to do with qualities of stillness and contemplation. For me, these are connected with the solitary natural places I have loved since my childhood: the South Downs and the Suffolk coast. Their beauty taught me to value light and space, while their strength and timelessness frees the mind.
