INDIGO | Thursday 28th February 2013
fashion
Fashion Editors: Lois Bryson-Edmett & Cordelia Yeung Deputy: Jess McGahan fashion@palatinate.org.uk
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Bringing bespoke fashion to your doorstep Lois Bryson-Edmett talks to Durham’s newest fashion designer about her tailor-made service
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n between a busy lecture timetable, a hectic social life and sports matches, it’s rare that Durham students can find the time to get enough sleep, let alone run their own fashion company. So it was with some admiration that I met Georgie Moule, a second year theology and education student at Durham who manages to do just that. After being taught the essentials of sewing by her grandmother, Georgie retained a passion for clothes making throughout her childhood, often drafting out designs of outfits she hoped to one day make. Now, after permanently installing her sewing machine in her Durham student house, Georgie has been able to render her dream a reality and begin to design and make the clothes she once envisaged. Since establishing her Facebook page ‘Moule Clothing’, Georgie has been inundated with requests for outfits for a variety of events taking place in Durham. Using fabrics from Durham suppliers or online outlets, Georgie is able to price
her dresses within the student budget- offering her customers the chance to wear something made bespoke for them, priced at just less than your average ASOS purchase. After the initial success of her dresses, she has since branched out into experimenting with maxi skirts, t-shirts and even menswear such as shirts and trousers.
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Georgie is able to price her dresses within the student budget
Drawing inspiration from sources as varied as high street shops to favourite artists and even the sea, Georgie has become known for her distinctly
‘simple’ style that relishes understated, clean cut design. The result is a collection of flattering, feminine outfits that are earning her well-deserved attention around Durham. Because of this, through word of mouth alone she has earned herself 265 fans on Facebook, and is constantly managing a stream of outfit requests. Georgie explains that being at Durham provides her with a unique opportunity to pursue her passion without any of the usual constraints that could hold back another aspiring entrepreneur. While she loves her degree course, it’s clear from talking to Georgie that her real driving force is fashion, and since she has been able to install her sewing equipment permanently in Durham, she has relished the opportunity to indulge her hobby whenever possible - grabbing opportunities between lectures to get some stitching done. She is modest about her impressive success, but attributes her notable achievements to a kind and supportive family who
Photographs: Georgie Moule have always encouraged her to pursue her interest, joking “My dad wants me to be the next Stella McCartney!” Her grandmother also played a key role in sparking her passion for design, encouraging Georgie to learn to use a sewing machine and experiment with her ideas. Sadly, she has since passed away, but she continues to provide a source of inspiration for Georgie, who after recently discovering old samples of her appliqué and beading, has begun to experiment with embellishment in her designs. Georgie is also positive about the Durham fashion scene - immersing herself fully in events such as college fashion shows, and praising Durham students for taking an interest in the clothes they wear. Far from subscribing to the stereotype of the Durham student kitted out head to toe in Jack Wills and topped with a popped collar, Georgie insists that plenty of her peers are experimenting with their clothes and providing her with inspira-
tion every day - the key is just to keep an eye out for them! Following the expanding success of her online enterprise, Georgie is now hoping to continue to grow her brand and cater for more customers. Her immediate ambition is simply to purchase a proper tailor’s dummy that will make her fittings easier. However, looking further in the future, Georgie holds aspirations for working for an ethical fashion company such as People Tree, designing and making for a wider market. I look forward to watching Georgie’s business expand and her aspirations become a reality. In the meantime, I’ll be supporting Georgie’s ambitions in the best way I can - I’ve already placed an order for my June Ball dress. I suggest you do the same! For more information or to place an order, visit Georgie’s Facebook page: www. facebook.com/pages/MouleClothing