Meet 13 Magpies Design Studio Founder: From Council Estate in Lincoln to hanging with Anna Wintor

We are talking to the founder of 13 Magpies Design Studio, Kerri Plumtree a fashion graduate from the University of Lincoln. As A Designer she has enjoyed previous success at The Greyfriar’s Tartan award during Edinburgh Fashion week, The Northern Youth Fashion Show in York, an event hosted by Katherine Viner and Anna Wintour and most recently ‘Fashanne’ The Fashion awards for students in the East Midlands.

13 Magpies Design Studio will showcase their graduate collection ‘Tentropy’ with Fashions Finest at London Fashion Week in September. ‘Tentropy’ embodies 13 Magpies Design Studio for sustainable fashion practice and aims to create a meaningful life cycle for ethically produced clothing. As a collection ‘Tentropy’ challenges our consumer culture and examines our relationship with the things we discard. With the help of F.W.R.D (A charity organization that collects and redistribute abandoned festival tents), 13 Magpies Design Studio was able to reclaim and transform salvaged festival waste into unique and desirable clothing for festival goers. This is a collection greatly influenced by Rave Culture and the punk Aesthetic.

1. What three traits define you?

Illegitimate Lovechild of Vivienne Westwood and Christopher Raeburn. Magpie – Opportunistic.
Trash Panda – If you don’t want it I’ll have it.

2. How is the fashion industry evolving?

Fashion has never been more fashionable than it is right now. As a result, I believe that in some instances it has led to fashion at the highest ilk becoming too mainstream, too bland and too beige. There was a time when Fashion week meant pictures of all types of weirdly, wonderfully creative pieces being sent down the runway. In the age of the internet and Instagram mass appeal runs rife, designers seem to take fewer risks in order to appeal to the masses. Which leaves less room for creativity among high street designers. Runway pieces are merely copied and churned out to the hungry consumer with no room for reimagination or interpretation. Fashion needs to slow down before it burns itself out. The current system is unsustainable, I think there are a lot of young designers that recognise this… the future lies with them…. I believe the industry is capable of change and it needs to adapt in order to survive.

3. What are the biggest challenges in your career?

The biggest challenge of my career so far has been maintaining the balance between my work and home life. Juggling a part-time degree over 6 years with running a household and parenting two children.

4. What can we expect from you/your brand throughout the rest of 2017?

13 magpies Design Studio will continue to develop the ‘Tentropy’ collection throughout 2017. Salvaging more waste from British music festivals and transforming them into desirable garments that will eventually return to the field as functional festival wear.

5. Where does your inspiration come from?

I can find inspiration in almost everything, in fact, the more obscure the reference the more creative the outcome. Often the challenge is filtering my imagination. Mostly though, I’d say youth culture and street style are among my biggest influences.

6) Do you have a story you are particularly fond of, from the early years of your career?

The most surreal memory of my career so far was meeting Anna Wintour at the Northern Youth fashion show in York. I mean a girl from a council estate in Lincoln shaking hands and shooting the breeze about Paris fashion week with the most powerful woman in fashion… the mind boggles.

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Tickets to the show: http://www.fashionsfinest.com/tickets