English Eccentrics
Encyclopedia
English Eccentrics is a London-based fashion design label, which creates bespoke one-off designs for celebrities and seasonal collections for a wider audience. Its specialities are hand-printed and hand-embroidered eveningwear and scarves.
Originally founded in 1983 by Helen David
(née Littman), her sister Judy Purbeck and friend Claire Angel, English Eccentrics is now run by Helen and her husband Colin from their studio in Kentish Town
.
Helen has a first-class honours degree in fashion/textiles and fine art print-making from the Camberwell School of Art and Crafts. She also has a post-graduate qualification in fashion from the internationally renowned Saint Martin’s College of Art.
English Eccentrics creates very distinctive designs in limited editions and regularly showcases new talent by featuring collections by guest designers (often recent graduates).
They have dressed celebrities including the late Princess Diana, Sir Paul McCartney
, Sophie Anderton
, Marie Helvin
, Sir Mick Jagger, Prince, Dame Helen Mirren and Toyah Willcox
. Leading photographer, John Swannell, shoots the seasonal fashion collections.
Many of the designs reflect Helen’s love for innovation, print-making and fine art, with a fascinating range of flocked furniture, mixed media art pieces and laser cut clothing. An extensive range of sketchbook extracts from the English Eccentrics design archive (which spans 25 years) can be found on their website.
Originally founded in 1983 by Helen David
Helen David
Helen David was born in Brighton. After her A-levels, she moved to London and gained a first-class honours degree at Camberwell School of Art and Crafts, where she studied textiles and fine art print-making. She then studied fashion as a post-graduate at the famous Central St...
(née Littman), her sister Judy Purbeck and friend Claire Angel, English Eccentrics is now run by Helen and her husband Colin from their studio in Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
.
Helen has a first-class honours degree in fashion/textiles and fine art print-making from the Camberwell School of Art and Crafts. She also has a post-graduate qualification in fashion from the internationally renowned Saint Martin’s College of Art.
English Eccentrics creates very distinctive designs in limited editions and regularly showcases new talent by featuring collections by guest designers (often recent graduates).
They have dressed celebrities including the late Princess Diana, Sir Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Sophie Anderton
Sophie Anderton
Sophie Anderton is an English model and reality television personality.-Early life:Anderton attended Redland High School for Girls in Bristol between 1988 and 1993...
, Marie Helvin
Marie Helvin
Marie Helvin is a fashion model, who worked extensively with David Bailey—to whom she was married between 1975-85—in the 1970s and 1980s she appeared in many fashion stories for British Vogue and posed for a series of nude photographs made by David Bailey, which were published in his 1980 book...
, Sir Mick Jagger, Prince, Dame Helen Mirren and Toyah Willcox
Toyah Willcox
Toyah Ann Willcox is an English actress and singer. In a career spanning more than thirty years Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, released 22 studio albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films, as well as voicing and presenting numerous television shows...
. Leading photographer, John Swannell, shoots the seasonal fashion collections.
Many of the designs reflect Helen’s love for innovation, print-making and fine art, with a fascinating range of flocked furniture, mixed media art pieces and laser cut clothing. An extensive range of sketchbook extracts from the English Eccentrics design archive (which spans 25 years) can be found on their website.