“Today Alice Temperley is the designer making the biggest waves in British fashion, in a very short time, Temperley has been able to build a business that rivals not only those of her more starry contemporaries but those of older more established houses as well.”
-US Vogue

History

Temperley London was launched during London Fashion Week in September 2000 and has quickly grown to become one of the most desirable fashion brands in the world. The company operates three stand alone stores in London, New York and Los Angeles as well as various concessions.

It’s products are currently sold in more than 290 of the best boutiques and department stores across 35 countries. These include Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols in the UK, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks 5th Avenue in the US, Harvey Nichols and Villa Moda in the Middle East, as well as leading boutiques such as 10 Corso Como in Italy and Montaigne Market in Paris. Temperley London sells on-line on Net-a-Porter.com and Neiman Marcus.com.

Fans

Amongst many others, Temperley London fans include Scarlett Johannson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Naomi Watts, Molly Sims, Mischa Barton, Keira Knightley and Claudia Schiffer. The Temperley London Black label, which is defined by incredible craftsmanship and timeless creations, is continuously featured on many of the important Red Carpet occasions around the world.

Early Years

Alice Temperley was born in England in 1975, trained at London’s Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and finished her studies with a Masters degree at the Royal College of Art. Besides a thorough training in the traditional disciplines, Temperley specialized in fabric technology and print, believing that these understandings are beneficial to the creative process as they enable the design to start with the fabric and its construction and work upwards from there. This has already led to the winning of many awards from a young age including the Award for Innovation from Central Saint Martin’s and English Print Designer of the Year 1999 at Indigo, Paris. More recently Alice was awarded the Glamour Magazine Designer of the Year Award, the Elle Magazine Young Designer of the Year Award along with The Walpole Award for British Design Excellence. She was also named one of Britain’s top 30 business women.

Career

With the decision to launch her own label together with her husband, Lars von Bennigsen, Temperley turned down very prestigious positions in international fashion design. Over the past 7 years the main Temperley London line has been expanded and developed to become a fully rounded ready-to wear collection which includes tailoring and casual separates as well as the signature Temperley dresses and knits. Temperley London also produces a “Black Label” and a Bridal Collection – exquisite dresses which are intricately embellished and finished to the highest standards, all with exclusive Temperley designed beading, embroidery or lace.

A great amount of research and discipline is displayed in each collection. Every garment is handmade to an extremely high standard, embellished pieces are constructed employing elaborate beading and embroidery techniques, some of which date back to ancient times while others have been specially developed by Temperley London. Prints, beading and embroidery across all collections are designed in-house and are exclusive to the label. Temperley London is particularly known for its attention to detail, right down to the smallest button or bead which are sourced across the world. All fabrics and components used are of the highest quality available and Temperley London prides itself in its application of the best fabric finishes and production quality.

Temperley London Accessories, are a recent addition to the brand and mirror the design philosophy of the ready-to-wear collections in the focus on surface texture, detail and use of fine materials. For Spring/Summer 2008 the range has expanded to cover a broader spectrum of shape and colour to cater to a wider audience. Available in various sizes and a multitude of colours and materials, the aim is provide a bag for any occasion day to night. From day hold-alls, weekend bags, to totes, hobos and evening clutches, the myriad of shapes are both highly functional as well as being unique and recognizably “Temperley London.” Mixing functionality and femininity, the accessories have evolved and matured to be a stand alone collection while perfectly reflecting the design philosophy and stamp of Temperley.

While constantly being expanded in breadth, the collections always stay true to the Temperley London philosophy of making timeless pieces for the wearer to look and feel beautiful rather than following trends purely for the sake of fashion.

External Links

Temperley London Website<br>
Temperley London Boutique, Urban Path<br>
Alice Temperley Biography, Vogue UK<br>
Temperley London Collection Style.com<br>
Shop Temperley London Neiman Marcus<br>
Shop Temperley London Saks Fifth Avenue<br>
Temperley London on Net-a-Porter<br>