5 Minutes With Amy Powney: Creative Director At Mother Of Pearl

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON LYST.COM - MAY 2016

Mother of Pearl is a luxury womenswear brand based in East London and is known for its bold prints and sporty aesthetic. Appointed Creative Director of the brand in 2015, after having worked her way through the ranks from studio assistant in 2006, Amy Powney has taken Mother of Pearl from strength to strength and has cemented it as one of London Fashion Week’s highlights. Here we ask the designer about her inspirations, her meteoric rise to creative director and how she switches off after a busy day in the studio.

Can you tell us a little bit about your history at Mother of Pearl? You started at the brand when you were just starting out, so you must have seen it change and grow a lot.

I started at Mother of Pearl as a studio assistant after graduating from my fashion design degree. I have just celebrated my ten year anniversary at MoP and have seen the brand and myself evolve and grow a lot within that time. The brand has seen different incarnations over its complete history but after being handed the reigns a few years back I was able to solidify its identity.

You’ve been the Creative Director since 2015. How do you think your collections have changed in the last few years? Do you think you’ve matured as a designer?

I think my latest collection, SS17, was the first time I felt my whole creative vision come to life. There has always been great elements to the brand and my designs, but it takes time to mature as a designer. My transition isn’t yet complete—I’m not sure when it totally will be, although each season I feel I am a step closer. I am currently getting my head around the social and digital elements of the brand which is something that is so fundamental to a modern business. I think getting to grips with that side of things is helping me mature as a creative director.

What would you say MOPs signature pieces are?

Mother of Pearl has always had a long-standing history of prints and bold pieces. You can see these elements in everything we do—from printed shift dresses to statement separates. In recent seasons, I have been able to work on our staple pieces with more creative flair so now I see a shift dress with a sleeve detail (such as a smocked bell sleeve) as a MOP signature. I recently launched denim into the collection for SS17 and I hope this equally becomes a core go-to for our customer.

Who is the MOP woman? Do you have certain women in mind when you design each collection?

I think Mother of Pearl appeals to different women (which I love) and their varying traits with its juxtaposition of sporty and easy silhouettes and feminine detailing and prints. But, I also like to think all these women have some things in common—they are modern, aware, light hearted, genuine and effortless in their style.

How would you describe the SS17 collection that you presented in London this September? We felt like we’d just stepped out of the coolest country club after seeing the show! Where did you get your inspirations?

The film New York Stories was my main inspiration. It's a triptych of short movies by Frances Ford Coppola (co-written with his daughter Sophia Coppola when she was very young), Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen. The collection was an amalgamation of the three leading heroines of each short film—a sexy hopeful artist, a teenage girl dressing up in her mums 80's couture and a blue rinse granny.

Who or what inspires you day to day?

I find most of my inspirations for the collections through photography, especially socialist photographers like Martin Parr, Nick Waplington, Perry Ogden and Richard Billingham. I also love film and I attend lots of exhibits which always inspires me. The last one that I saw and really admired was the William Eggleston photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Who would you love to see wearing MOP that hasn’t already?

I would love to see Adwoah Aboah wearing Mother of Pearl. She is a great female role model.

What’s your work uniform?

I am a real jeans or relaxed tailored trouser and knit girl at work, and it has been amazing to add both these categories to the collection in the last year. I usually dress them up with some fun MoP shoes or down with white trainers. I love winter for a great coat, always oversized (and they are also one of my favourite things to design!)

How do you relax?

I currently spend all my spare time fantasising over interiors, especially ones with a pink and green palette, as I am renovating my home. I constantly sift through interior images and online stores looking for what I want. It's really good escapism working on a creative project that isn't fashion, but unfortunately doesn't allow much time for anything else. My new home is in Walthamstow and my current favorite hangouts are there. I’ll go to Buhler and Co for the best brunch and tahini brownie and then the Wild Card Brewery in Walthamstow Village for local brewed beers for my other half and really great music. The perfect evening hideout.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in fashion?

You need to work incredibly hard and surround yourself with great people! Advice is invaluable from people with experience but always remain true to your identity and brand. Don't try to be everything to everyone and never stop learning.

5 Minutes With Amy Powney: Creative Director At Mother Of Pearl - Lyst