We recently connected with Charlotte Richardson and have shared our conversation below.

Charlotte, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I am a former fashion designer turned Costume Designer. I graduated from London Metropolitan University. Fresh out of Uni I had some success when I designed a red carpet gown for a Bollywood actress Sofia Hayat. I later went on to work as a PA for the late Isabella Blow and after as an intern at McQueen and Stella McCartney. I then returned home to Liverpool were I received the Princes Trust funding to start my own line with the relatively unknown Kim Kardashian even showing interest. However with the infamous market bust the economy had tanked and unemployment was at an all time high. This is when I seen a job advert for a dream job to run a couture house in Dubai I applied and . I had five days before I flew out with one suitcase and money I borrowed from my mother and sister for a plane ticket. It was a completely foreign land to me, the culture, language, sights and smells. But it was fascinating to say the least and the start of my love affair with Dubai and the U.A.E. It was a dream job designing wedding gowns and party dresses for Dubai’s elite and royal family members. I oversaw a team of 20 tailors, cutters and embroiderers (from India, Philippines and Pakistan). The handcrafted gowns could easily of come from a French atelier -it was truly a dream come true. I had to overcome language barriers to communicate my designs to not only staff but also sketch 1-1 designs for a mostly Arabic clientele who’s culture I was still getting to know.
The risk I tool was moving to a foreign country where I knew no one to fill one of the most challenging yet rewarding jobs of my career

Charlotte, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Without sounding cliche I have always wanted to be a fashion designer when I was younger I used to cut up clothes and pin them back into different shapes I would save my money as an 11-12-year-old to buy Harpers bizarre and Vogue the magazine when I was just 17 years old I went to study fashion at the local art college it was here I gained knowledge of the technical aspect of garment making Cinema has always been an influence in my work so it was that I also went on to study more gaming and access into university one year earlier I was excepted into Manchester Metropolitan University where I further learnt the technical aspects of Garmin construction and have they are implemented in the industry after my first year I took a gap year out that turned into three years of me travelling and exploring I returned to get my bachelors with honours in fashion design and pattern cutting from London Metropolitan University it was here I met and befriended Dihonn carroll who had introduced me to Isabella blow I had at her request I had assisted her and her personal affairs before Record she recommended me to Mcqueen I worked there for one season and then had moved on to Stella McCartney as a junior PR overall this gave me a sound approach and knowledge of what goes in to producing and marketing a fashion brand I returned home to Liverpool where I worked on a business plan for the best part of a year and was granted funding by the princes trust for my fashion label however this coincided with the economy crash and unemployment was an all at an all-time high making it rather complicated to get a job as an undergraduate let alone starting a fashion label I had applied for a position who were headhunting for a designer to run their could tour house in Dubai it was a dream job I worked hard on a presentation and gave my best any of you but did not make it through to the final round.

However they did like my work and myself and said to keep in touch a few months down the line they called and asked if I could come out to Dubai five days before Christmas. So I did, with one suitcase and money borrowed from my mother and sister for a plane ticket I flew out to Dubai not knowing anyone, the Language or customs. Faced with the eciting yet overwhelming task of overseeing a staff of 20 tailors, cutters and embroiderers mostly from the Philippines, India and Pakistan the tailors had made a bet that I wouldn’t make it past two months but I stayed two years till the family owned business was sold. After Ghanati Couture, through word-of-mouth I have begun to establish a rapport and reputation amongst Dubai’s elite and the Royal family who I designed gowns for, landing my first contract designing presenter dresses for Ya Hala tv channel launch ,this was the start of me working as a self employed fashion designer. I did this successfully for a number of years before returning home to Liverpool to settle down. Late one night while trawling through Facebook I saw an ad for a costume course at the local college, having studied fashion previously I thought this was perfect and just what I needed to further advance my sewing skills to start my own bridal business.
I planed to do the course for just one year but within three months I had successfully won the nationwide Royal Opera house design challenge for my Madame Butterfly kimono design I knew I was on the right track, I stayed for the two-year duration of the course but I already secured my first job with the BBC on a TV drama before completing the course.

Fast forward to today I have had the opportunity in the few years I crossed over to Costume to working on some great shows such as the Emmy award-winning I may destroy you I have also recently designed a short film called ‘Write Off’ featuring Mike Rowley which I am rather proud of as he is an actor whose work I have admired for some years prior to designing for him, which was was surreal.

I think no one’s journey is ever the same as the next person which makes it all the more challenging yet exciting thrilling and never a dull moment especially in the creative industries that Im in,

My plans for 2023 and moving forward would be to design the costumes for a high end TV drama . I am also working on as we a line of party dresses and bridal wear for the bride who has exceptional taste but without braking the bank. Im living proof that you can do what you want and that it’s never too late to change your career.

My main aim is to carry on working with inspirational people and in turn inspiring others be it to strike out on their own or how they can use clothing to enhance their image and personality . Everyone deserves to look and feel like a a super star.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

The internet was still a new territory at the time. Youtube had just come out in my graduate year and at the time I wasn’t aware just how vital a role it would play in the future for industry and for myself. Knowing what I know now of course I wish I had been an earlier adopter but things happen for a reason. That said Word of mouth is and will forever be for me the best resource you can have for your business, marketing and so on,

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Passion is what drives me. A passion and genuine love for what I do is what drives me everyday. It’s the passion to create something new or with my own hands, to make something unique that will adorn someone else body and make them to feel and look great/comfortable .

Costume and fashion can at times be interchangeable. The fact that I can use costume to tell a character’s story on screen or use fabric to shape and mould cloth from a 2D into a 3d living wearing peace inspires me, the journey of research and using everything i have and know to make something and then seeing my costume/ clothing worn by someone gives me a pleasure in no way that a 9-5 ever did or could.

The creative journey is constantly growing , shifting changing lanes sometimes but always learning and refining what I know and can do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vanderhaer.com
• Instagram: charlotte_vanderhaer
• Facebook: charlotte van der haer
• Linkedin: charlotte van der haer richardson
• Twitter: @vanderhaer
• Youtube: charlottervanderhaer
• Other: https://saraputt.co.uk/client/charlotte-vdh-richardson/

Image Credits
Royce Aldrich (black and white) portrait of me with blue feather top by Yasir Saeed