AARON CHALLIS

I am a womenswear designer based in the South East of England, having studied at UCA Epsom (BA) and Kingston School of Art (MA). My work is predominately inspired by the human condition, citing both historical and fictional women as a muse and starting point for new projects, previous examples ranging from Queen Elizabeth 2nd to Little Edie Beale. Each new muse/ inspiration brings its own energy to the project that once mixed with my love of vibrant colour, camp and drama, each project/garment all live happily in the same stylised universe.

Through my work, I aim to create a new world, in which the characters, models and the garments I create live - brought to life through colour, silhouette, corsetry and, most importantly, drape with a focus on old Hollywood glamour. The work is playful but also strong, resulting in mysterious and imposing figures, some draped head to toe in vibrant colours and coated in jewels, others stripped back where the styling is key to the projects identity. My work is very specifically focused to ideas of both social status and identity, executed through a tongue-in-cheek aesthetic that is still grounded by a timeless, classic and sometimes silly beauty.