Horsey designer Luella returns with the launch of English style book

Horse loving fashion designer Luella Bartley MBE is rumoured to be considering a come back to fashion design after her label collapsed in 2009.

Her clothing label ‘Luella’ with its flagship Mayfair boutique were forced to cease trading when one of its main suppliers, the Italian  production company, Carla Carini closed leaving orders for the label’s spring/summer 2010 collection unfulfilled. Her Singapore based distribution company VSQ then withdrew its support. Her demise came as a massive shock to the fashion industry which awarded Luella the coveted Designer of the Year Award at the British Fashion Awards in 2008.

Her clothing was often a quirky take on traditional themes which included some strong equestrian influences like hacking jackets with ¾ length sleeves and idiosyncratic modern details. Her first collection in 1999 was humorously entitled “Daddy, I want a pony”.

Now the former journalist and Vogue employee who lives with her three children and fashion photographer partner David Sims in Cornwall has been reported to be considering a return to clothes design. Her new book, Luella’s Guide to English Style is due to be published later this month and many are hoping that this will be the precursor to her reviving the Luella brand.

At Dogwood we’re great fans of Luella and pray that the rumours are all true and this dreadful waste of British design talent does make a comeback to the London fashion stage.