COURTNEY SIMON
* This content was created for FEMMEHOOD magazine, view the full publication here.
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Tipped as one of Dazed and Confused magazine’s ‘Fashion Graduates to Watch Out For’, Northumbria graduate Courtney Simon is poised to take the world of fashion in her stride off the back of her highly acclaimed collection’s success at Graduate Fashion Week. Bold, sassy, and successful, just like herself, Courtney’s collection was born in the Caribbean roots of her father and the Apartheid movement, embodying the effortless cool and confidence of 90s hip hop and r’n’b.
We caught up with Courtney to find out about the girl behind the clothes and what it’s like to take GFW by storm...
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What are the main influences/inspiration for your final collection?
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My main inspiration for my collection was my Dad! He’s just the best person ever. I was so interested in his heritage and background growing up a black man in a very white dominated place. I took his passion and love for his Rasta roots and played with it (hence all the red yellow and green). I mixed Dad’s background with the Apartheid movement as I love taking historical events and creating something new and exciting from times of sadness and inequality! I love RnB and hip hop from when I was younger. So I looked into the silhouette and effortless swag of 90’s hip hop, the likes of Ashanti and Lil’ Kim. I love to work with inspiration close and personal to me.
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Were there any quotes/mantras that inspired the mood/attitude of the collection?
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One quote my Dad told me right from the start which stuck with me throughout and now in life was, ‘If you don’t know where you’re from, you don’t know where you’re going’. And that’s what he said about how he felt growing up! I love that because it’s just so true. I used a lot of quotes from the Apartheid to create my prints and badges in my collection about equality and freedom. I dream of one day the world being equal, regradless of race, gender etc. and I felt a lot of the quotes I used represented that.
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If you could use 3 words to describe your collection what would they be?
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Sassy, sparkly, sports chic.
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What’s the craziest thing that’s happened since GFW?
I’ve had quite a few crazy things happen! I got chosen as one of nine ‘Fashion Graduates to Watch Out For’ by Dazed and that all went a bit crazy. I got featured in a few print magazines and online: Dazed, Hunger, Sunday Times Style, Vogue, Debut, Love magazine and the Guardian. Everyday I had friends messaging me like ‘Court you’re on Sunday Times Style magazine today do you know?’ And I was like ‘what? no!’ I had a lot of requests for shoots and things but the best thing was Olly from the band Years and Years, who wore my collection to a festival and I got to watch by the side of the stage and met him, that was pretty dreamy! I also got asked to send one of my coats to New York for Rita Ora. I’m about to send my garments off for a shoot with Hunger magazine (issue 12) and that’s a really exciting opportunity (gotta keep on the down low for now though so can’t mention much more). So I’ve had a few pinch me moments it’s all a bit overwhelming when you’ve spent the last year working so hard for it to actually pay off!
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What does the term ‘sisterhood’ mean to you?
To me sisterhood is us girls sticking together and supporting each other. I’m such a gals gal, I’m so loyal to my friends and love seeing them succeed! I hate this whole women putting other woman down, we don’t want that! We need to empower each other girls!
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Why are women designers so important for fashion?
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I think women designers are so important because they bring a different perspective. They have different styles and abilities. I’m such a firm supporter of girl power and showing that we can do just as good a job, if not better, than males. All hail the woman designer (they also tend to be super sassy and fab).
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What is the advantage of being a woman when designing for women?
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I always think it’s so much easier to design for a woman because I know what I’d like to wear or how it would feel on me. I often think how do women design for men? How the hell do you know what they even want!!! Obviously all women are different and have their own styles, but I just feel like it’s that little advantage of being a woman yourself! Plus you can wear what you design which is always a bonus.
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Who’s your ultimate favourite empowered woman?
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Hands down the queen herself…BEYONCÉ. She slays at life. She is just everything. She’s an independent woman, she’s powerful, she’s inspiring and she’s so so sassy. I just adore her and hope I come back as her in my second life.
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Do you think pop culture provides young women with authentic feminist icons?
YES YES!! I think there’s so many out there, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Rita Ora; all women who are powerful and in my opinion, independent women. I just think young girls need role models which allow them to think, ‘yes I can grow up and be a fabulous independent woman!’ I mean Destiny’s Child - ‘Independent Woman’ (no more needs to be said).
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TEXT AMY ELLIOTT
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Based on interview with Courtney Simon
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Editor’s note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity
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Image | HANNA MOON for Dazed Digital