Like many school discos were when I first found my feet, and a love of dance. When I turned Punk, and gigs replaced discos, slint and most things Vievinne Westwood etc beyond my means, I started making clothes at home at 15, and started taking and developing my own photos. By 19 I had self taught myself basics in both crafts, including working from patterns, and having my own make shift dark room ( frustrating my sisters when i set it up in the family bathroom for hours on end).
Punk life in London was everything to me, the dark underbelly of Soho was where we hung out in the Kit Kat Club, and the Batcave. At the same time successful fusion Clubs emerged like the Camden Palace, and a merge of new wave, punk, post punk, and Detroit sounds hit us on the dance floor. Something entirely new was emerging first with the New Romantics, then Uk take on the Deteout beats. London began to change, again, as it has since heady days of the 1920s and 30s, every decade bringing new Tribes, as old ones faded away. For us this morphed into Warehouse Parties, in derilict Docklands, new Clubs like the Fridge, and rumpits of something happening in Ibiza. An explosive heady Club Scene emerged in the late 80s, Acid House. Within a year this had morphed into sub genres. By the 90s the scene was main stream acrods the whole UK.
All my Tribal influences from Punk to Goth, Pyschobilly, to Dance Culture, and more, were a big part of my design inspiration.
From those heady last days of the 80s, in Ibiza, and when I first started making high end Designer Jewellery in London, heading to Ibiza for down time, Ibiza kept on giving. Then into the mid 90s, when I launched GILDING THE LILY then URCHIN, right up to the present.Through it all Ibiza has always felt like a second home, and keeps inspiring me.
From the Club Scene to the beautiful landscapes and beaches, the people, the characters, the wild abandon.
IBIZA URCHIN brings you my personal experience, with some great retro look unisex T Shirts and more, bringing you that Ibiza Vibe, direct from the source, and from someone who was, and still is part of dance culture.
