Matthew Williamson's Designer Dream

2 months ago 03rd Sep 08:30

Matthew Williamson dreamed of becoming a designer when he was 11.

The fashion creator could never understand why his sister did not know what career she wanted as he never contemplated doing anything else.

He said: "I wanted to be a designer from the age of about 11. There was never any question in my mind. I just knew. I remember my sister couldn't decide if she wanted to be a nurse or a teacher, and I was like, 'How do you not know?' "

Matthew admits his parents - his father sold electrical items, his mother worked as an optician's receptionist - were initially surprised by his aspiration, but never tried to convince him to pursue something else.

He said: "I think it probably was quite shocking for a parent to have a son who wants to be a fashion designer, but for them it was a spark of uniqueness and that grew into pride. It was like, 'Well, thank God he's got passion.' "

I wanted to be a designer from the age of about 11. There was never any question in my mind. I just knew. I remember my sister couldn't decide if she wanted to be a nurse or a teacher, and I was like, 'How do you not know?'

Matthew grew up in Manchester, North England, and was the youngest person on his course at London's prestigious Central Saint Martins college.

He explained to Britain's The Observer newspaper: "I became absolutely determined to go there. The plan was to go to a place in Manchester to do a foundation year first, but in the interview this woman said, 'What you have in your folder is what we expect when you leave the foundation course.'

"I'd never been to London and I was 16, but I got in - the youngest kid on a course of 60."

Matthew's designs have since been worn by a host of celebrities, including Sienna Miller, Jade Jagger, Cheryl Cole and Helena Christensen.