My secondary school, Godolphin was/is filled with inventive, creative girls. Nowadays, I hear about an amazing venture from a fellow Goldolphiner almost every month: tales about how my classmates have made ambitions reality. And so, when I saw Hannah’s plush coats and accessories grace the glossy pages of Vogue I couldn’t resist writing about her brilliant designs. Here’s the Shrimps story:

“Shrimps is a newly launched faux-fur fashion label from the young London-based designer, Hannah Weiland. With a background in History of Art and a diploma in textile design from the London College of Fashion, she takes her inspiration from the witticisms of modern art and a playful engagement with pattern and texture. Using carefully sourced fabrics that emphasise colour, Shrimps has created a range of beautifully crafted pieces, perfect for the forward-thinking customer with a taste for the fun in fashion. The first collection blends the simplicity of the classic Breton-stripe with bright faux-furs to create coats and clutch bags that are at once nostalgic and surreal yet contemporary. A British brand that captures British humour, creativity and innovative fashion.”

Hannah comments that the name of the brand is derived by her childhood nickname ‘Shrimps’, because she was ‘small and pink’. The product names are clearly inspired by her creative muses, Grayson (Perry), Vincent (Van Gogh) and Pablo (Picasso). And though Hannah doesn’t have a vendetta against real fur, she clearly outlines the pros of sensibly sourced faux fur fabrics: it doesn’t molt, and doesn’t encourage paint throwing!

More information here: shrimps.co.uk

Buy online here: www.avenue32.com/designers/shrimps