Ruby Lou: Made by Niki - Vintage cool

Niki McMorrough

I love the brand Made by Niki. I think the createur of the brand, Niki McMorrough has really acheived something distinctly different and unique with her brand and in a world of mass manufacture and copycat designing, I think she has really taken a style and made it her own.
Following a degree in European Studies and a 10 year award winning career in marketing and journalism which included Head of Marketing for Ministry of Sound, Niki attended De Montfort University to study Contour Fashion (the same university and degree course as I did) which is a specialised course dedicated to structured lingerie and corsetry, as well as including modules on swimwear and structured eveningwear/bridalwear, so for a lingerie aficionado it gives an excellent base to build a lingerie career.
Since launching her brand in 2006, she has promoted shapewear as a fashion item and not just a practical underwear item as it was previously known for, and her innovative designs have dressed celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Naomi Campbell and KT Tunstall.
She was recently in Hong Kong where she gave a speech at Hong Kong Poly University to lingerie industry members and aspiring design students. Below is an excerpt from an interview she had with online lingerie magazine Global Intimate Wear....

Globalintimatewear: What’s your main design idea in your brand?

Niki: Made by Niki is a fashion lingerie brand creating beautiful, elegant power-lingerie for busy women who need stylish solutions which really lift and support their body comfortably.

Globalintimatewear: What are your favorites when you are free? And what makes your design inspiration?

Niki: I am very rarely free! I spend most of my time working and researching for our collections, so that they are the very best they can be. If I get time, I like seeing my friends, listening to music, travelling and good food.

Globalintimatewear: What’s your opinion on shapewear design and market?

Niki: I think a lot of Shapewear is not even designed! Much of it is inspired by a technological innovation, but not necessarily linked into what a woman really wants in her life. It’s really important for Shapewear companies to remember to be inspired and let this show through in the garments, even if it’s in a really subtle way. I think technological innovations should only be used on the product if they enhance the design idea and comfort. For instance, consumers don’t actually care whether something is ‘seam free’ or what % lycra it contains, but they do care about buying beautiful products that fit their lifestyle, their body and the occasion they are buying it for.

Click here to read the rest of the interview.

And below is a preview from Niki's Autumn/Winter 2011 collection.....