fashion memories   Over the years of building the Helen Storey
fashion brand there were moments that
often bore no relationship to sales or profit
margins, but were little beacons of light to
me as a creative person.

The following images are a few highlights
over those years.
Helenism
British Vogue 1990
Photograph by Lord Snowdon


For a fashion designer it's imperative that you make money to survive, but often what is more quietly important to the personal vulnerability often found in design work, is endorsement from peers and recognition that you have something that makes you distinctive - this shoot with Isabella Blow and Snowdon did it for me!
Helena Christensen and the white dove
British Vogue 1991
Photograph by Peter Lindbergh


In the early 90s the stylist was as powerful, perhaps more so than the designers themselves and I looked up to 3 in particular. Here Sarah Jayne Hoare directed a beautiful shoot of 'a white future' and although not much of my dress can be seen inclusion in it delighted me at the time.
Christy Turlington and stripes
British Vogue 1992
Photograph by Vallhonrat


Lucinda Chambers was and is my favorite stylist on Vogue. She has the eye of a painter, any one of her pages asks to be more permanent than fashion. Here she choose an outfit inspired by Frida Kahlo from the summer of 92. I wish I had kept it.
Plum Sykes in a pub
British Vogue 1993
Photograph by Steven Meisel


London is a fashion capital on a perpetual 10 year cycle. You are fortunate if you just happen to graduate and enter the fray on one of it's ups! London culture was the focus of this issue and this shot of Plum in a pub with a pint said it all.
2nd Life
Helen Storey 10 year catalogue 1994
Photograph by Platon


Edited by Sally Brampton this catalogue celebrated 10 years of striving and thriving in the fashion industry. The photographer Platon took some stunning shots of our best moments. Here a Russian gymnast bends backwards in the 'rubbish bag ball skirt', a piece which became symbolic for the 2nd Life collection of recycled clothes and accessories.
Sandra spits
British Vogue 1994
Photograph by Sante D'Orazio


Sandra Bernhard was a fan of mine as I was a fan of her. Sante D'Orazio shot her spitting in an LA street in honor of a joint celebration - our 10 year anniversary and her tour of the UK.
Jak cartoon
Evening Standard 1995
Cartoon by Jak


Although this Jak cartoon was meant to show up how ridiculous fashion can sometimes be, I loved it. Fashion can be such a strong provocateur in culturally dull times and young designers sometimes have to be canny and risk ridicule to keep their brand in the media.
God of war coat
Marie Claire Magazine 1995


This coat was made from one of my favorite fabrics, a 'deviore planet velvet' printed by Trish Belford. It was from the finale of our last collection. A catwalk show which took place in the underground tunnel which links the Science and Natural History Museums together.
The girl with the big red hair
British Vogue 1995


Our company had been put into receivership by the time this shot came out. Fittingly it was directed through Lucinda's eyes and as ever timeless. The perfect goodbye .
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