INDEX fashion
Kate Hasted and her work; necklaces from £65, scarves from £95 (portrait: David Bartholemew)
Contact Details:
www.katehasted.co.uk www.hollydench.com
Rachel Montague-Ebbs writes the fashion blog,
www.ladympresents.co.uk
K
ent is a creative hub with courses in fashion, such as the BTEC in Fashion
and Clothing at K College and Kent University’s Textiles and Fashion course, and there are some great designers graduating from the county. Two Kent-based fashion designers enhancing the local fashion scene are Kate Hasted and Holly Dench. Both featured at Tunbridge Wells’ Pantiles Fashion Festival and are, as we say at London Fashion Week, “ones to watch”. Kate Hasted is a textile print designer specialising in hand- created effects. Working from her studio in Tunbridge Wells, she has been designing prints for the fashion industry since 2002 and last year she set up her own eponymous label. Her bold statement scarves
and necklaces use striking prints and are inspired from her travels around the world. As Kate explains, “My customers are people who value hand- and British-made items…they appreciate the time and effort put into a piece”. This niche is where Kate believes her fashion label can thrive. In fashion, as in many other businesses, bringing people together is vital, and Kate believes that more fashion events need to occur in the county, to give new designers an opportunity to showcase their work. Holly Dench is the enthusiastic creator of Holly’s Hats, a fascinator and headpiece design company, also based in Tunbridge Wells. She uses her creative fl air to offer a unique design service that incorporates her clients’ personalities and tastes into
the fi nished bespoke piece. Says Holly, “After moving from London to Tunbridge Wells, it has taken a while to gauge the local creative style, and I’m delighted to have concluded that this is an exciting time for fashion and all things creative around here”. In particular, Holly praises the support that comes from meeting other creatives in the area: “everyone is so willing to pull together and help each other out. There’s a genuine sense of local community, which is fantastic.” The future looks bright for fashion in Kent. The growing number of events on the horizon and great boutiques on our high street mean the passion for fashion can only fl ourish. So what are you waiting for? It looks like it could be time to hit the January sales...
getting married? –
www.planningyourwedding.co.uk
29
The INDEX magazine January 2012
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