Margaret Howell
Simplicity, Functionality, Authenticity & Timelessness
Margaret Howell is a contemporary British clothing designer who started her business from a modest flat in South-East London over forty years ago. After graduating from a fine art degree at Goldsmith’ College, London in 1969 she began making accessories which came to the attention of Vogue and other fashion magazines, encouraging her to go onto designing clothes. This led to a partnership with Joseph Ettedgui and the opening of Howell’s first dedicated men’s shop in South Molton Street, London, 1976. The first independently owned Margaret Howell shop opened in St Christopher’s Place, London in 1980. In 2002 the company moved its London offices and prime shop to Wigmore Street, designed collaboratively with architect William Russell. As well as selling the men’s and women’s clothing collections, the shop is used to stage exhibitions that draw attention to aspects of British design. In 2007 Howell was made a Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Art and was awarded a CBE for services to the fashion industry.
In 2010 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from University of the Arts London; in 2013, Howell was awarded an Honorary Professorship from the University for the Creative Arts. Margaret Howell is now sold worldwide with flagship shops in London, Paris, Florence and Tokyo and has more than 100 outlets throughout Japan.
Margaret Howell for Anglepoise
A Special Relationship
Margaret Howell has frequently championed the Anglepoise lamp, admiring the similar design qualities that are the essence of her men’s and women’s clothing: simplicity, functionality, authenticity and timelessness. Type 75™, designed in 2004 by British industrial product designer Sir Kenneth Grange, reinterprets the original 1930s Anglepoise design. Its clean lines combine with the perfect balance and range of movement made possible by the unique spring mechanism that defines the brand. Today, Anglepoise and Margaret Howell enjoy a successful and longstanding relationship. Following the success of the Yellow Ochre Edition 2012, which was colour-matched to an original 1970’s Anglepoise lamp, the collaboration grew to become a 6-piece collection.
Clean Lines
The Collection
“I feel I’ve lived with Anglepoise most of my life – school homework under the light of an original black square based Anglepoise, and later acquiring various coloured styles designed in the 1960s and 70s. One favourite, rescued from a skip, is a Yellow Apex 90, later to inform the choice of Yellow Ochre for the re-modelled Type 75™ lamp. Now, collaborating with Anglepoise we have added Saxon Blue and Sienna to Yellow Ochre to make an exclusive colour range for the Type 75™. We chose colours that we felt would act as accent colour and sit well in both a domestic and working interior.” – Margaret Howell