Founded in 2008, the eponymous ready-to-wear label from British designer Madeleine Thompson has garnered a fashion-forward following for its sumptuously soft collections of luxurious knitwear.
With this is mind, we sat down with the 39-year-old designer to find out a little more about her ultra-luxe cashmere jumpers which are now even coveted by the likes of Kate Moss and Rita Ora.
Tell us a bit about Madeleine Thompson
I started as a buyer at a major department store where I also designed their own label and after a few months they asked me if they could actually name the brand Madeleine Thompson! After some soul searching I realised that I definitely wanted to try it alone. I wanted to bring cashmere into mainstream fashion with statement and directional designs without compromising on quality. Here I am 15 years down the line, juggling being a mum and still creating my designs – I’m now stocked in over 150 places worldwide which is incredible.
What’s the core aim of the brand, how do you want customers to feel when they buy your cashmere?
I want my pieces to feel like a friend; comforting yet you know you look super chic; to make people feel like a million dollars and bring out the best in them. We always use the highest quality of cashmere and I am trying to push the boundaries of how knitwear is worn and viewed and what can be done technically with patterns and designs.
Who are your style icons? Any other favourite designers at the moment that catch your eye?
I have a million style icons! At the moment I’m in love again with Bianca Jagger and Talitha Getty and all that 70’s boho mayhem. In terms of other designers; I am sort of obsessed with Ganni, and Cecile Bahnsen at the moment; just such beautiful trailblazing stuff.
Tell us about your new resort/spring summer collections this year
The SS collection is a real fave! We’ve used featherweight yarn to make the clothes feel super luxe and light, whilst still staying true to the patterns and vibe that are quintesstially MT. The resort range was really cool as we did some awesome ski based designs which I adored.
What’s been your favourite part about starting and growing Madeleine Thompson over the years?
Honestly I’ve just loved every minute of the journey. It’s very hard work and that is just the reality of the retail business. But it’s been so rewarding to see the collections grown and develop and to see myself in stores that I’ve been shopping at for years.
Seeing my pieces on all of my favourite celebrities has to be up there too!! Naomi Watts, Busy Phillips, Daisy Ridley and even Sarah Jessica Parker to name a few! Going to LA with my husband a couple of years ago and seeing my collections in five huge American boutiques was super exciting and pretty surreal!
So… what’s next?
I have some exciting things coming up for 2020 and I always just want to continue to grow organically – the AW20 range is full of new statement designs that I can’t wait to show everyone. More collaborations, more shoots and more fun!
