Favourite place to be inspired  

The Caribbean (or Kew Gardens palm house lol)

What gets you up in the morning?

Good Coffee and an on-going to do list

If you could borrow anyone else's wardrobe, who would it be?  

Ameilia Dimoldenberg (I would love to see her in one of my pieces on a chickenshop date!)  

How would you dress your alter-ego?

Like 1970s Cher (amen) lots of prints, embellishment and midriff or Beyonce’s style from the Black Is King visual album really luxury, dramatic feminine pieces with matching sunglasses and grillz!

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Why is sustainability important to you?

As a broad answer because I care about the world I live in, humanity and its future. I was brought up in a family where nothing went to waste and things were mended or used for something else so I’ve always had this attitude of not being wasteful.

I wasn’t always sustainable in my fashion choices however from learning the reality of the fashion and textiles industry at university it lead to my own further interest and research changing my outlook. I altered the way I consume a lot and what I wanted to do with my career in fashion because I don’t want it to compromise my beliefs in sustainability.

It’s something I’m constantly working on and trying to better myself in, I would never say I am completely sustainable but I would rather be transparent on the work I am trying to do rather than green wash.  

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What app can’t you live without?

Tik Tok, bad addiction but can also learn so much from it!

Which shops/brands do you rely on?  

I try to not shop and buy new clothes often. I’m lucky that my Mum has kept a lot of her clothes from the 80s,90s, 00s so I’ve got my own vintage wardrobe at home and I shop mostly on Vinted. I like seeing what’s new on Selfridges and Net-A-Porter though; Ganni, Rixo, Farm Rio are some of my favourites.  

Are there any organisations/communities that help entrepreneurs succeed?

For me I’ve received a lot of help from charities like the Princes Trust and Princes Foundation, Sarabande (Alexander McQueens Foundation). These organisations have supported me with mentorship, training and funding for my business and I would recommend them to anyone in the start-up stages of their business.  

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We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

Rosie Gaunt from Net-A-Porter has been a mentor to me since being on their Modern Artisan Programme, Rosie is one of the organisers of the programme and has a big role in it, she also cares a lot about sustainable living and circularity and taught me a lot more about this by the way she organised the programme. Rosie was able to connect me with other designers within my field and helped me to gain mentorship from some inspiring names in sustainable fashion like Amy Powney (from Mother of Pearl), Gabriella Hearst and Patrick Grant.  

Having Amy Powney as a Mentor was really insightful hearing honest advice and the highs and low’s she’s faced running Mother of Pearl as an eco-conscience brand. It was a comfort to hear how she navigated the fashion industry as a Northerner and not from an affluent background. The advice she shared has stayed with me, as these factors can sometimes be at the core of imposter syndrome.

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What has been your most satisfying moment since starting your business?

It sounds cliché but probably making my first sale, it was really exciting to see that someone that isn’t your friends and family appreciates your designs and wants to wear them.  

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Who is your favourite loaner on LOANHOOD?

From going to the LOANHOOD pop up at Fashion District Festival I discovered ‘8 Ball Custom Vintage’ I really love how their pieces are created from up-cyled textiles but also really wearable and elegant. I also love Ethan Leylands feather corsets I would definitely want to rent one for a special occasion/ event.

Rent Isabelle Pennington-Edmead on the LOANHOOD app

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Could you be the next #ModernArtisan? YNAP and The Princes Foundation are offering UK-based fashion and textiles graduates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the third edition of their flagship training programme.

Applications are open now until 30^th July 2023. The paid programme runs from October 2023 to June 2024, with three months based at YNAP’s London headquarters focussing on responsible design practices, before moving to Dumfries House, The Prince’s Foundation’s headquarters in Scotland, to learn luxury manufacturing skills for six months. The resulting handcrafted collection will then be launched exclusively on Net a Porter next year.

Do you have a passion for sustainability and inclusivity in fashion? Are you a collaborative team player with an eagerness to learn? Head YNAP to find out more.