Here at Move On Up we've always been big fans of Madcap England so we caught up with their new designer Amy Saunders Tindall to see what's been going down at the 60's inspired brand of late...
MOU: Tell us about your background
AST: I am a qualified fashion designer with a BA in Fashion
& Textiles from the University of Huddersfield. Upon graduating I managed
to get a job at a retro dress company called Lindy Bop, designing 50s inspired
fashion. I have since been lucky enough to take a year out and travel
Australia, this allowed me to gain plenty of inspiration from my surroundings
and led to me working for Madcap England.
MOU: What drew you to working for Madcap England?
AST: Madcap England has a distinct audience due to the clothing
being inspired by the past. I liked the fact that it’s
different, not following trends but making them!
Primarily, I felt that this company would be a great
foundation, enabling me to achieve my goals of designing and producing garments
for the high street. Because I’m involved with the whole process
from start to finish, I’m gaining great experience in all aspects of fashion.
MOU: What sums up the Madcap England brand?
AST: Madcap England is a brand that aims to bring affordable 1960s and 1970s inspired garments to the contemporary era, with
major influences from Mod culture and the Mod Revival trend. Although our garments are inspired by
the past, the contemporary twist that we put into the design allows us to
appeal to customers of all ages. We have a clear focus on quality, fit and
attention to detail.
MOU: What inspires you when creating a new piece?
AST: When it comes to the garment design, the shapes of the
clothing are inspired by the 60s and 70s era. However, I always put my own
twist on the designs and make them stand out in crowd.
I also design my own retro and contemporary prints. I’m highly
inspired by nature, be it wildlife or plant life. I find nature to be
beautifully pure, not always perfect and never identical, and I want to portray
this through my work.
MOU: Do you look at any public figures to gain ideas for new
pieces?
AST: I tend to look at the style icons of the past rather than
the modern era, people like Keith Moon, Steve Marriott and Twiggy. The fashion they wore is totally aligned with the Madcap England
identity and still relevant for today’s
customers.
MOU: What other brands are you inspired by?
AST: Brands that I find truly inspirational are the likes of
Pretty Green, Gabicci Vintage and Mademoiselle YeYe, as well as high-end
designers such as Christopher Kane, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood.
MOU: What era is the most inspirational to you as a designer
and why?
AST: It has to be the 60s - that’s when
things started to become bold, prints became fun and colours clashed. As a
designer, it allows me to be more daring with my designs and be more free when
coming up with prints - the bolder the better!
MOU: What's new or coming soon for Madcap England?
AST: Our new cycling-style tops are selling like hot cakes, also
popular right now are 4 new t-shirts, featuring bold giraffe or octopus designs.
Coming soon will be men’s and
women’s shirts, in colourful and psychedelic prints such as octopus,
flowers and seahorses.
Also look out for new knitted tops in rich block colours,
as well as some new additions to our range of women’s 60s
shift dresses. Watch this space!
MOU: Where do you see
the brand going in 5 years?
AST: We’re lucky to have very loyal customers/fans, but I would
love to see Madcap England become well known, and have a broader customer base.
I aim to keep developing new ideas and expand the ranges; for example, we’re
currently working on developing a colourful new range of women’s
vintage-style shoes. Importantly, we’ll
always remain true to the core identity of Madcap England.
MOU: Finally, what do you hope to achieve with the brand?
AST: I would really like to grow the Madcap England Women’s range and make it
equally as successful as the menswear. I want my work to be enjoyed by
customers and take Madcap England to a wider audience.
Check out their garms here
Check out their garms here
