Flora McLean British fashion designer Date of Birth: 02.04.1971 Country: Great Britain

1. Flora McLean - A British Fashion Designer
2. Early Life and Education
3. House of Flora and Recognition
4. Teaching and Collaboration
5. Expanding the Brand
6. Award and Recognition

Flora McLean - A British Fashion Designer

Flora McLean is a renowned British fashion designer specializing in avant-garde headwear. Her designs are highly sought after by couturiers, private collectors, and fashion show organizers. McLean's creations are made from a variety of materials, often unrelated to traditional hat-making. She incorporates PVC, acrylic glass, felt, leather, veneer, fiberglass, and nylon into her innovative designs. Her creative process is characterized by geometric shapes, a deep understanding of historical fashion trends, and concepts derived from contemporary art.

Early Life and Education

Flora McLean, the daughter of actor and photographer Bruce McLean, was born on April 2, 1971. Influenced by the magazine Vogue and inspired by her mother's passion for sewing, Flora began sewing and creating garments at the age of six. As a student, McLean pursued a master's degree program in women's fashion design at the Royal College of Art. During her penultimate year of studies, she secured a position with Ashley Page and started designing costumes for the Royal Ballet. One of her first professional creations was a collection of hats and turbans specifically made for her father's film, "Urban Turban," in 1996.

House of Flora and Recognition

In the same year, Flora McLean established her own fashion house, "House Of Flora," and began fulfilling individual orders. Glossy magazines, advertising companies, and fashion show organizers sought her expertise, knowing that McLean excelled in creating women's hats. The couture brand "House Of Flora" hats were acquired by renowned companies such as Givenchy, Katherine Hamnett, Caroline Cornu, Bruce Oldfield, and Matthew Williamson. Over time, McLean's work spread throughout the fashion world. Her pieces became part of the exhibition "Hat Anthology" curated by Stephen Jones at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Jones, acknowledged as "one of the most radical and important milliners of the late 20th and early 21st centuries," selected only five designers for the exhibition, and McLean was fortunate enough to be one of them.

Teaching and Collaboration

Presently, Flora McLean teaches at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art. She holds a senior teaching position in fashion and leads a program encompassing design, style, and promotion at Middlesex University in North London. McLean also teaches at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. Additionally, she acts as a visiting lecturer, representing the British Council in Poland and Kazakhstan. McLean serves as co-editor, alongside British artist and photographer Anne Hardy, known for her large-scale photographic works, for the book project titled "FASH n RIOT." This extraordinary work can be found in the finest stores in London, Paris, Zurich, and Tokyo.

Expanding the Brand

Starting in 2004, the "House Of Flora" brand expanded its product range to include rings, necklaces, bracelets, sunglasses, handbags, belts, and more. In 2008, McLean unveiled her first designer dress, "Dress No.1." Following the success of "Dress No.2" and "Dress No.3," Flora announced that the "House Of Flora" fashion house would release one new dress each season.

Award and Recognition

Flora McLean is the recipient of the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Award, bestowed by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation. This award is the only one in the UK that recognizes achievements in applied arts.