Having been the former Fashion Director of the Daily Telegraph, named Journalist of the Year twice at the British Fashion Awards, been awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to fashion journalism and most recently been appointed President of Graduate Fashion Foundation the charity behind Graduate Fashion Week, Hilary Alexander has cemented herself within the fashion history books. She sits down with Jordan Wake to discuss ‘a life in fashion, what she hopes to achieve in her new role, fashion journalism in the digital age and her plans for the future….
Hilary Alexander OBE - President of GFF
Your earliest fashion memory in London?
I think it must have been meeting John Galliano. He was quite accessible in the early days. I went to his studio and he demonstrated how he had developed a new type of cutting and seaming for a circular sleeve.
Your favourite fashion moment?
It would have to be one of Karl Lagerfeld’s phenomenal Chanel shows in the Grand Palais, probably the Fall 2010 Iceberg show. A thousand tons of ice had been brought over from Sweden, and the models walked past this massive iceberg, splashing through the water. Some of their shoes came off, and continued to float, long after they had passed by. It was truly spectacular – and the clothes were marvelous. And also ‘waltzing’ around Karl’s garden on the Left Bank, when I went to interview him about his Chanel Garden for the Chelsea Flower Show. He was wearing a Comme des Garcons suit, with the trousers tucked into a pair of Hunter green wellies I had brought over from London.
What career would you have chosen if you weren’t a Fashion Journalist?
I’d like to have been an Archaeologist. I’m absolutely fascinated by ancient civilisations, principally the Assyrian, Babylonian, Ancient Egyptian, Minoan, the Maya and the Incas.
Do you have any idols?
The late Hebe Dorsey from The International Herald Tribune, she was very kind to me and almost like a mentor. Also Gertrude Bell who was an early Victorian explorer who travelled throughout the Middle East and helped to create modern Iraq. I’m in awe of Anna Wintour’s iron-discipline and vision, Suzy Menkes remains an inspiration and a friend. And I will never forget the late great Lesley Goring, the amazing show producer who worked backstage at so many GFWs, Central St Martins’ shows, and the Royal College of Art – who taught me so much about styling a fashion show.
Hilary Alexander OBE with Dame Anna Winter and Suzy Menkes OBE
How do you think the industry has responded to the current climate crisis?
I think there’s a variety of environmental elements to consider when talking about the current climate crisis, such as sustainability, conscious design and ethical standards. There are encouraging signs - From high street retailers like Zara announcing that all of their collections will be made from 100% sustainable fabrics before 2025, to the luxury fashion houses such as Gucci going fur-free, and Stella McCartney’s well-established stance. I think it’s incredibly encouraging to see all these different brands implementing these changes to help tackle the environmental issues we are currently facing.
What was the biggest challenge you faced whilst adapting to modern technology in your career?
Back in the early days of computers, being able to save your copy was not as straightforward as it is today. There was a very real danger that if you were writing on a deadline and accidentally pressed the wrong button, then everything would vanish with no way of retrieving it. On the plus side, it was fantastic to be able to Google and have instant answers if you were chasing a date or a particular detail regarding designers’ sometime-obscure references.
Hilary Alexander with from L-R: Toni Blaze, Daniel Lismore, Dame Zandra Rhodes and Richard Quinn who joined her as judges on the Hilary Alexander Trailblazer Award 2019.
Where do you see fashion journalism moving towards in the digital age?
Curiously, I think there will be more of an emphasis on print journalism because I feel it’s much more tangible and lasting. If you have a magazine with a particular shoot or feature that you love, you keep it because you know its easily referable to. Very often with online everything seems to be here one minute and gone the next, it feels like you can’t really keep hold of anything.
Hilary is joined by designer Richard Quinn in the GFW Live 2019
You were recently appointed President of Graduate Fashion Foundation following many years as a supporter and trustee of the charity, can you tell us what your new role entails?
It is a fantastic honour. I see my role as primarily a communicator, being able to spread the word about GFW and GFF, to talk about what a marvelous charity it is, the opportunities it offers to graduates, head-hunters, the Press – and, of course, to take advantage of all the opportunities to network for potential sponsors, ambassadors, and Life Patrons. Since I took on the role a few months ago I have been invited to Armenia Fashion Week in Yerevan, to address students at the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies; to Spain, to assess final year students at Vigo University and give a series of talks, together with fellow industry trustee, Professor Elinor Renfrew; to Venice, to participate in the joint British-Italian seminar on sustainability; to Stockholm, to give a talk at the Formex Exhibition; and to Rome to be a judge of final year students at the Academia Moda e Costumi, which is headed by our International trustee, Adrien Yakimov Roberts. I also attend the shows at London Fashion Week, and am occasionally invited to other fashion weeks in Madrid and Tbilisi.
Hilary judging front row at Graduate Fashion Week
What do you hope to achieve in your new role as President?
I am dedicated to seeing GFW/GFF continue to evolve and to expand its worldwide reputation as the largest and most extensive body for BA fashion talent in the world. I also look forward to the continuing expansion of the charity beyond its title event, Graduate Fashion Week, through its continuing programme of master classes at universities and colleges around the UK; the development of Master Classes with our Life patrons and Ambassadors; and the collaboration with industry bodies such as the UKFT, the British Fashion Council, the British Council and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, among others. I am also aware that the President and Executive need to be alert to any opportunities to promote arts and design education which have often been under-valued.
Hilary with Sarah Mower of Vogue International
The best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
To be accurate, to be truthful, to be passionate and to be enthusiastic. And to always remain curious.
What advice would you give to a fashion student hoping to showcase their work at Graduate Fashion Week this year?
Be prepared. Make sure your portfolio is well-curated, easy to read, and tidy – nothing worse for a potential employer than to try and pick up a portfolio weighing 50 or 60 kgs which then sheds scraps of paper and sketches all over the floor. (Yes, this has happened). Have an edited version available on DVD or USB. Have cards printed with your name, address, email, telephone numbers, website, relevant hashtags. Make sure you are on your exhibition stand when head-hunters are visiting - this is particularly important when we hold the Industry Breakfast. Be informative and enthusiastic to visitors. And ask questions!
What inspires you most about graduate talent and the next generation?
It’s always exciting because you have no idea what graduates are going to come up with next. It’s a complete revelation because the way they approach to design is so completely different to anything else you’ve seen before in terms of the fabrics, silhouettes, layering and accessorising. The completely new and novel approach is what I find most intriguing and inspiring.
Hilary onset with Solent Hair and Make Up Student for a GFF video shoot.
What are your plans for the future?
I suppose I should really write another book. And after publishing my book on the history of leopard print, I’d quite like to explore the history of tartan; I’ve read that in a tomb in China, from around 300AD, a body was discovered wearing ‘tartan-like’ leggings. People often say I should write about my life and career, but that’s a difficult thing to do. I’d quite like to compile a dictionary of all the fashion weeks around the world. There’s so many of them now you could spend an entire year traveling around the world from fashion week to fashion week.