23 Apr 2010, Posted by admin in OFW Blog, 0 Comments

Celebrating Piers: The Oxford Fashion Week Concept Show

By Leila Siddiqi

Piers Atkinson is a master of many trades: design, illustration, photography, PR, writing and teaching. The journey started when he moved to London in 1995 to help out with Andrew Logan’s Alternative Miss World contest after which he co created Show Off night club events and assisted fashion designer Zandra Rhodes with art direction and PR. He then joined Mani Lennard and Disorder Magazine as fashion editor whereby he put forward a successful newspaper for Graduate Fashion Week. This venture was followed by Piers writing a daily for London Fashion Week. In 2007, armed with inside information of the London fashion scene and media industries, Piers returned to his old love: designing hats. Four years later he boasts five highly acclaimed collections, a young celebrity clientele and has dressed Cat Blanchett in Vogue. He enjoys working with people and has collaborated with designers such as Ashish and Noki.Miliner maestro Stephen Jones invited him to exhibit two of his hats at the V&A for his exhibition in 2009. Recent highlights of his career have been Lady Gaga,Palome Faith and Christina Aguilera wearing his hats. Oxford Fashion Week is proud to present Piers designs at the upcoming Concept Show on 4th May, 2010.

Each collection of Piers has a unique theme; the first one being Disney, but with a twist, the second on relationships and being watched and with the third which was based around the princess and the frog fairytale we saw the beginning of happier narratives. When asked on how he conjures these unique visions he answers “I get inspiration from almost anything but I work with themes over a period of a few collections; my first three were about my emotional state! The last two and the next are looking at the passing of time, death and immortality. Last season this was channelled through visual references, 80’s airbrush posters, internet porn and a friend’s gold moustache!”

Piers looks forward to the entire event which he expects to ‘celebrate creativity, passion and fashion!’ People may expect to see humour and wit sneaked in under a guise of chic from his designs at the Concept Show at the Oxford Fashion Week. He is not only behind some of the marvellous hats that will be displayed on the runway but is also on OFW’s board of advisors along with Dolly Jones (editor vogue.co.uk), Claire Wilcox (senior curator of fashion at Victoria and Albert Museum, London) and Richard Woolfe (controller, Channel 5).

Pier’s first encounter with Oxford city was through visiting his brother, Charles, who is a student at Wadham.”I was introduced to the town, its incredible history and its architectural beauty. When OFW contacted me I was already in love with the place so was thrilled to be involved. I am also a lecturer at a university in London and am always keen on supporting student activities in any way possible,” Piers reveals.

His future plans include building his client base and reputation, collaborating with great artists in many genres and working in film. “I want to keep learning-I hate getting bored!” With his constant appetite for self development and his numerous artistic talents, Piers Atkinson is a role model for an entire generation of fashion conscious men and women. Here is extending a warm invitation out to all such people to see Piers designs live at The Concept Show at The Randolph Hotel, 4th May 2010.

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