Rose Elliott 

Rose Elliott Design was a continuation of the design business I started after I graduated from Winchester School of Art with a BA in Printed Textiles. I worked as a freelance textile designer, together with creating hand painted clothing and accessories including shoes and boots. I took part in London Fashion Week and sold to various shops including Liberty of London and Henry Lehr in South Molton Street plus was commissioned by Pink Floyd.

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The need for more space led me to take on a studio/shop above Dingwalls’ Dancehall in Camden Lock in 1981. From here Rose Elliott Design was open to the public at weekends (when the market was in progress) but could be used to work on painting and designing during the week. 

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In the studio I could see private customers, taking commissions for a variety of garments, amongst which were one-off jackets that were entire paintings wrapped around the customer. (See Turtle, Kingfisher, Jungle jackets). These sold to a shop on Rodeo Drive in L.A. and to a variety of individuals including Matthew Kelly, plus Wardrobe in Bond Street ordered Hummingbird jackets - one of which went to Elton John.

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Rose Elliott Design moved to larger premises in Middle Yard, Camden Lock in 1989 and I started to concentrate mainly on hand dyed silk clothing for the next few years. I designed the garments, cut them and had specialist outworkers to make them up. They then came back to me to be buttonholed, washed and dyed - each one an individual colour - and then sold over the weekend. Every garment could be ordered in any colour, or to match a sample provided, and could have changes applied - special made to measure sizing, alterations to details like pockets/sleeve length etc - and be ready for the next weekend.

I opened a second shop in Chalk Farm Road in 1989 and the two premises ran concurrently.