Designer name: Mary Katrantzou

Origin: Athens, Greece

Design background: Mary attended Rhode Island School of Design and then completed both her BA and MA at Central Saint Martins. She has previously worked for Sophia Kokosalaki and freelanced for Bill Blass, amongst other designers.

What are your design signatures? “A hyperrealist aesthetic, bold graphics and industrial jewellery.”

How would you describe the Mary Katrantzou woman? “She has a liberated spirit and a strong sense of style.”
What is your trademark piece? “For spring/summer 2011 it was the lampshade skirt.”

Name three things that are inspiring you for autumn/winter 2011: “Diana Vreeland, coromandel screens and the interwar period.”

What’s next for your brand? “Autumn/winter 2011 and a collaboration with Atelier Swarovski.”

What music is playing in your studio this season? “Erasure.”

What encapsulates fashionable London for you? “Somerset House during London Fashion Week.”

How does London influence your designs? “It's a constant source of energy and inspiration to live and work in London. It has a reputation for great fashion, influential museums and strong education. That all becomes part of your formation.”