Design philosophy.

The philosophy of every designer differs,some have similar attributes.Those with Eco friendly fashion philosophy.Many creative designers are opting for ethical values.Victoria first started her own label within the structures of an Artisan handcrafted market place.Only using natural fibres and contemporary modern re cylced or up cycled fabrics and materials.Combining historical knit structures with a contemporary look at fashion trends.

Biography of the designer Victoria Meadows founder of Original Sample

Biography of Designer.


Victoria Meadows was born in Liverpool,England amidst the modern music,entertainment and fashion set of the South Liverpool Suburbs.Living near to the birthplace of Sir Paul Mc Cartney and John Lennon's Auntie Me Mes house.Victoria's parents frequented the reknownly famous Cavin club and were also keen fans of the well known Ronny Scotts club in London.The music and fashion scene stands hand in hand which emphasising the whole bohemian style and contemporary living,rock chic styling known today as Festival chic or Rock chic which has been an inspiring fashion direction for Victoria.
The daughter of a wealthy automobile business sales manager father,who ran a large business with is father and brothers formed a basis for her future entrepreneur skills.With an Artist mother and former fashion designer Victoria's artistic skills where easily recognised by her mother and her teachers from an early age.In her own words she explains during an earlier interview.

"I can remember when in junior school if I painted or draw a picture.They would always end up on the walls of the corridor's and classrooms.I never draw just one picture I liked to draw a series based on colour,texture and theme.I was inspired by the great masters that I saw in Art galleries and books.
My mother went to Art college and I guess I was born with Artist genes.
I continued my desire to create by making numerous amounts of Clothes for my Cindy doll's and then followed this by making my own clothes.
I asked my mother to show me how to pattern cut when I was aged 5 years and have created clothes ever since."


Victoria explains her desire to become creative,studying ballet dancing from an early age. Inspires the designer today helping to make her work feminine and classic,floaty and gorgeous.Her designs have a heritage,artisan style which makes her work timeless and beautiful.Elegant characteristics are key trends in Victoria's soft accessory range.Music and dance have always been an inspiration which has influenced Victoria's artistic mood and final finished collections throughout her career.
Mixing Global Artifacts found during her globe trotting days has created a styling mood artitypical of many of Victoria's collection.The Western globe trotter meets tribal influences has dominated the Catwalks for many years of which Victoria has and does emphasis this in her work sometimes just in her colour palette,other times in her finishes and detailing.
Moving from Liverpool to Nottingham after studying Art at Liverpools famous Art college,she went on to completed a degree in Fashion/knitwear.After graduating
Victoria gathered experience designing for a number of companies,Sabre menswear in London an architypical English traditional menswear label.She freelance designed while at University living in Florence and New York for a period of time.Gaining a creative global globalisation inspiration, typical of her design style and trade mark.Victoria had gathered knowledge of marketing,fashion merchandising,and fashion design from her initial design jobs before she decided to create her own brand.

The Original Sample label was established in 1989 during the fashion grunge era of the early 90's.Victoria's work mixed ethnic inspiration with western style,upbeat and innovative styles adorned her fashion studio.The label helped popularise the knitted hat and scarf as a new and definitive stylish iconic look worn by the fashion elite.The knitted beanie become a fashion accessory not seen in the fashion scene since the 60's and 70's.Striped beanies and long Doctor who scarfs.Celebrities sporting bag hats and plaited hats,rasta tassel hats were worn and famed in a number of soap operas and game shows on TV. Tunic a line style sweaters and cardigans with vintage style cotton lace from Nottingham were trimmed onto a natural Eco cotton knit range.Mono tone colours were a strong colour inspiration black/ecru.Traditional Norwegian cardigans with strong tapestry floral braids and antique silver clasps adorned the early fashion range of Original Sample.

Inti ally being sponsored by the Princes Youth Business after failing to gain funding through local banks.The business started with a minimum grant and loan to buy machines and initially trade at craft fairs,music festivals and large organised raves.It was not long before Original Sample notoriety took hold and the business achieved a UK Princess Trust Award for being The best New Business venture in 1991.The prize was a quality position at a well known international trade fair in London.The show was then known as The London Show,it is now called Pure and is held in the Business design centre in Islington.It proved to be a success where the business started to wholesale to small independent stores and larger department stores throughout the World.Wholesale customers included Harrods of London,stores on the Kings road,Chelsea and further a field Sax's 5th Avenue in new York and many more.Victoria also won another award via the Princess trust which gave her the privileged to design and create fashionable ski hats for then young prince's Prince Harry and Prince William of which she received a personal thank you letter from Prince Charles.
The new label ventured down to London to create a strong retail customer base,starting to sell direct to the public at the infamously famous Camden Lock Market in North London,where the likes of Red or Dead label was formed and traded. Many a success story can be atoned in regard to starting sales on market stores.Marks and Spencers being one of the most famous market stalls turned Super power chain store known globally.
Victoria's customer base grew and incorporated famous musicians,actors and designers including Sade,Oasis,Take That.Popular soap stars for example Angela Grithiths who now has her own day time TV show.The famous actor Hughin Macgregor frequented Original Samples store and the acclaimed Robby Coltrain was also a customer.The fashion designer favorites who purchased at Original Sample has to be Christine Lacroix who used to purchase the vintage brick-brac which was sold to compliment the clothes.Not disimilar to the product rangeofthe label Paul Smith who also bought styles of the market store and who eventually bought wholesale for many year.Victoria Meadows has won two British fashion awards being the wholesale designer behind the soft accessories range for one of Paul Smiths awards with special empahasis on soft accessories.The award sharing continued when her customer French Connection gained a British fashion award for special emphasis on soft accessories.Being part of a team who has gained the famous acclaimed award twice has inspired Victoria to continue to design classic items with a fashion twists giving her products its uniqueness.Customers from the Parisian fashion celebrities also included Ralph Lauren who bought Victoria's Spring/summer sample range of 1995 to create cushions for his lounge.The range was based on the seaside of the 1950's era,Santi fa holidays using Linen and denim knit in traditional tuck knit textures and thin stripes.
The famous Anna Sui was also an earlier customer and she even explained how she was inspired by the early Original Sample soft accessories range.The bohemian styling and live style inspired the designer to work towards an Eco friendly early ethical business policy which continues today.

The business continued to grow opening another stall on Camden selling Interior design items which developed into two retail stores based in Nottingham. The business basis of the stores re created a small Camden lock style emporium,a re look at a 70s' head shop.The Originals stores sold artisan crafts from around the world.Including the Original Sample range which of t-shirts with vintage patches and tapestry backpacks,vintage style Norwegian cardigans and soft accessories,hats and scarfs.
The business later split into two and the wholesale company continued to manufacturer in the UK and wholesale globally.Eventually specialising in purely soft accessories hats and scarfs mainly for the Japanese market.

Victoria decided to slow the business down in the early part of the 00's to find a personal life after trading at the Pret a Porter static show for many years as she wished to find a partner and settle down which she achieved in 2004, getting engaged and having her first child in 2005.She continued to design selling freelance designs through a New York sales agent in New York.Selling designs to DKNY,Tommy Hillfigger and Donna Karen.She continued to create and has since established an on-line store based in New York.
Etsy.com is one of the worlds most vibrant handmade market place on line.Offering millions of unique items for sale.Connecting shoppers with independent creators and designs.Full of inspiring handmade goods.Providing a customer base for a large number of Artists and makers.The site comprises of handmade goods,craft supplies and 20
plus year old vintage goods and up cycled items.Sustainable ethical values are strong within many of there on line designer lead stores.

Victoria is the archetypical entrepreneur recently taking time off to spend quality time with her family.Undoubtedly her earlier fashion business has been an inspiration for her and a number of small business's that have since specialised in soft accessories manufacturing in the UK.However Victoria wants to concentrate on designing a broader fashion range.Wishing to spend more time sourcing quality production overseas to expand her new business which she has relaunched while being a full time parent for her young daughter.Ethical fashion using vintage fabrics and trims were possible using hand made processes to maintain a low carbon footprint for each of her designs is the philosophy behind all the products in the Original Sample range.

Designers Profile-The early years.

Designing...How did you get started?
I can remember when in junior school if I painted or draw a picture.They would always end up on the walls of the corridor's and classrooms.I never draw just one picture I liked to draw a series based on colour,texture and theme.I was inspired by the great masters that I saw in Art galleries and books.
My mother went to Art college and I guess I was born with Artist genes.
I continued my desire to create by making numerous amounts of Clothes for my Cindy doll's and then followed this by making my own clothes.
I asked my mother to show me how to pattern cut when I was aged 5 years and have created clothes ever since.
The fashion direction which my career has taken can be affiliated to my parents as my mother was a former Fashion designer before she married my father.My father was the son of a statesman and a QC and therefore always dressed smartly and never dressed down.My fathers style of dress was accentually English aristocratic and classic.
I love to design with elements of classic and traditional bringing,colour shape and detail into a contemporary setting.
Embellishing and accessorising the classic's in dressing has always influenced my work.Creating designs with longitude and longevity has always been a strong influentual in my design work.
My etsy site is relatively new as I am just returning to work after an extended maternity leave.My daughter is now in nursery school so I am wishing to re start,relaunch my former fashion house.

Ethical fashion philosphy.

Ethical fashion is the New Buzz word for eco friendly clothing that embelishes social responsibilities.
Responsible.Ethical Fashion can equate exquisite design and quality without loosing touch with morality and ethical standards.
Ethical fashion philosphy embraces the concept of creating beautiful designs with ethical production practices.
An ethical fashion collection means from fibre production to the finishing stitches.A conscious effort has been made to repect the people involved and also pretect our precious eco system and planet.
Sustainable fabrics and fibres,vintage buttons and fabric are all used to create artisan pieces of fashionable disireable choices to buy.
Ethical fashion philosphy is simple.The peolpe involved in this inspiring eco sound fabric and fashion industry believe that fashion should be ethical and not just beatiful.
Victoria Meadows the founder and designer of Original Sample eco fuses recycled fabrics into detail within her collection.Combining the richness of historical fashion values with contemporary western styling
.The combination of classic and contemporary makes her designs timeless and wearable.

FREE SHIPPING for Halloween!!!!!!!!

FREE SHIPPING for Halloween!!!!!!!!

Hello,Welcome to The Press release for Original Sample.Today I can announce free shipping for all items on www.originalsample.etsy.com.Choose from a collection of soft accessories.
Handmade within a bespoke studio space in Middle England.

Cashmere and angora now available.

Fabulous new yarns available on line at Original Sample at etsy.com.The Artisan website based in New York.Also great special offer purchase more than one item and recieve free shipping.Choose any style re-design an item for your own tastes and bespoke your own size at www.originalsample.etsy.com

Key Winter trends.

With this years trends promising to be more versitile and classic.The best destination for your bespoke winter woollies can viewed on line at www.originalsample.etsy.com.

Original Sample Winter range.

Special offer this month on the original sample website is free shipping on multipule purchases.Great winter woolies and soft wintery wooly hats at www.originalsample.etsy.com

Free shipping.

Free shipping on my on line store for all of the month of September 09.
www.originalsample.etsy.com

Put humanity into your wardrobe.

In to days fashion scene the buzz word is ethical clothing.Eco and green being a later day explanation.The Ethical is based on a reaction to the greedy profit loving fashion industry.The use of chemicals and third world poor working standards.
Sustainable fashion is also a key Fraze via a fashion evolution,regarding an awareness about proper maintenance of our Eco system.
Original Sample embellishes all these concerns within there collection of accessories.Buy vintage and buy vintage inspired to create a fabulous wardrobe of clothing with longitude in terms of sustaining a fashion direction that is timeless and stylish

Designing new range.

The new range is green,eco conscious for the wave of conscious customers that are wishing for a greener cleaner world.Keeping the spirit to create a healthier,cleaner earth.We wish for and hope for ecology to expand and thrive in a world which is slowly loosing natural resources.

The products history and philosophy behind the label created by Victoria Meadows<http://originalsampleprofile.blogspot.com/

My CV on line.

I have published my personal CV for my customers and possible business associates and like minded artisans to read.I think showing my working history can only add confidence and friendship on-line.
My working live has been successful,interesting,inspiring and at times a rollercaster ride!!!

Illustration for Vintage style cardigan range.

e-mail Victoriameadows18@yahoo.co.uk
mobile 07979 400 323

Victoria.Meadows. B.a hons
Objective
Curriculum Vitae.


2008-2009
Experience

Retailing on-line
www.originalsample.etsy.com
U.S.A site based in New York.
March 2008-August 2009
Ebay site.www.ebay.co.uk shop-Accessories-by-Designers.
2006-2009
Nottingham Trent University.
PGCE course.
2006-2007
New College Nottingham.
Fashion Department.(teacher training).
2005-2006
Chris Judge.
8 a Peacock yard,
London,
SE 17 3LH
Freelance Knitwear Design.
Fashion chains in the UK.
2004-2005
Knitwear Network.
Unit N, The Business Design Centre,
69 Lower Parliament st,
Nottingham.
Freelance Designer Knitwear swatches. Tommy Hillfigger.DKNY.Calvien Klien.


1989-2004 Original Sample Nottingham.
Designer Director.
Handcrafted Knitwear Company.
Unit J, The Business Space,
69 Lower Parliament st,
Nottingham,
NG1 3BB
Accessories Designer lead company designing and selling knitwear to upper price market world worldwide with a large Japan customer base.
Customers- Paul Smith, Harrods, Selfridges. French Connection. Japanese stores. U.S.A Sax’s 5th Ave, Barneys , Macy’s etc.
Achievements- Won a UK business award within Princess Youth Trust.
Showing Globally at international trade Fairs. Pret-a-poter Paris.Sehm Paris. New York Coterie.
British Fashion awards- knitwear collection within Paul Smith and French Connection when these labels won the award.
1999-2001.
Part time Lecturer Fashion/Textiles.
Lincoln Demontford University. Lincoln.
ND Diploma Fashion/Textiles.
2000.
Part time Lecturer Fashion.
New College Nottingham. Adams building.
ND Diploma Fashion.(part of teaching deploma)
,
1987-1988 Charterhouse. Loughborough.
Knitwear Designer
§ Designing for middle to lower market designing for major chain stores.
§ Fareast production and circular machine plant in Leicester.
§ Licensed products N.F.L. Childrens Charactors.

1988-1989 Openhouse. Nottingham.
Senior Designer.
§ Heading design meetings within designer team. Allocating work
§ Passing production, making first samples on flatbeds.
§ Meeting buyers middle market U.K. and U.S.A.
§ Next Stores. Primark . USA stores. Burton group. Top Shop etc.

1984 Tom Necturline. N.Y.C. U.S.A.
Design Assisant.
§ Assisting production/meeting deadlines.
§ Colourways for styles.Handknit Designer range,Sax’s 5th Ave.


Education
1975-1982 Quarry Bank Comp. Liverpool.
" O " Levels, English, Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Photography, Art, Fashion/textiles, Needlework. "A" Level Art. General Studies.
Ballet Teaching Qualification.Allied Dancing Associastion.1980
1982-83 Foundation Course, Liverpool Polytechnic.
1983-1987 Nottingham Trent University, B.A Honours 2-1 Fashion Knitwear Design.
1984 Student Exchange New York City F.I.T 7th Ave, 21 credits.
City & Guilds stage 1& 2. 7302 Teaching Certificate. 2000 Clarenden college Nottingham.
2007 PGCE in further education, teaching qualification. Nottingham Trent University.


Full driving license.



Interests
Collecting books and researching for fashion forecasting and market research,blogging on line.. Visiting art exhibitions and fashion fairs. Browsing in antique shops and on-line.Gardening(growing veg , cooking, and walking.
References.
Liz Clague .Programme Leader PGCE
School of Education
Nottingham Trent University,
Lionel Robbins Building,
Clifton Campus,
Clifton Lane,
Nottingham,
NG11 8NS
Janet Langford,
Head of Fashion department,
New College Nottingham,
Adams building,
Stoney ,st
Nottingham,
NG1
Tel 0115 910-4747