DANIEL BLAKE LTD

Designer Daniel Blake graduated from Kingston University with a fashion degree in 1995. Since then, he has made strides in the fashion world by working with London based designer, Sara Sturgeon and as a freelance designer for the Max Mara Group. He recalls, “ My experience in my early career has provided a firm foundation on which I have built my design philosophy. Those first few years have been influential in helping me to launch my business as an independent designer.”

When you meet Daniel, the first thing that strikes you about him is his warm, unassuming manner, combined with his boyish good looks. Dressed simply in baggy jeans and a crisp cotton shirt, one might not consider this young talent to be the man behind these beautifully refined collections.

Daniel's first foray into the world of fashion began at the age of eight, when he designed a wedding dress for his sister, made from a pair of their grandmother's old curtains! Daniel fondly relates, “I grew up in a very creative environment as my mother worked as an interior designer and had a passion for renovating run-down houses. Consequently there was no shortage of materials for me to experiment with, and I always had a project on the go!”

Daniel's East-London studio has a distinct industrial feel, set against an urban landscape. Looking outside the factory windows, glimpses of long steel girders can be seen. The studio itself is a large open space, with exposed brickwork on which rests vast rolls of fabric. Inside are long rows of sewing-machines upon which Daniel's designs come to life. This is a unique-set up as the production-team are barely arms length away from the creator of the designs that they are constructing.