London based Canadian designer and all round nice guy, Todd Lynn, treated the ladies fo Coutts bank to an exclusive look at his SS12 collection at Hervia Bazzar, only a few days after it debuted at London Fashion Week. The Central St. Martins graduate and once protege of Roland Mouret was on hand at the Manchester Spring Gardens store last week to chat to The Fashion Network about TOPMAN, LFW and his business.

The Fashion Network: London Fashion Week, how do you feel with the feedback so far?

Todd Lynn: The feedback has been good, the reviews are good, the people seemed to like it. The buyers have liked it, from Italy, America. At the end of the day that’s what it is for.

TFN: The AW11 collection compliments the SS11 line and SS12 so are we looking at a continuation for AW12 or a drastic change?

TL: What I’ve done for Spring/Summer 12 was add a lot more layers and elements and the idea is to take that further. I’m kind of ready to add more elements and now I think it is about confidence to, once you’ve got your foundation, evolve. It’s a lifestyle brand so doing a completely different product wouldn’t be right, the customers don’t want that. Trousers are really important for us and a lot of brands miss that. I think already in my mind it’s about moving on, but still do the core collection but perhaps that doesn’t need to be shown [on the catwalk] anymore.

 Oscar Pinto Hervia, Todd Lynn and Hannah Martin (far right)

TFN: You sound as if you take your consumer seriously and keep them in mind when you’re designing, is this accurate?

TL: It changes from day to day! Sometimes I’m like, ‘show, show, show, show, show’ and others I’m like: ‘what will sell’. I think it is a balance, I’m not a big team, I don’t have a ‘commercial team’ to take care of it because I have to do it. I think sometimes people look at London Designers as if they’re bigger than they are, it’s actually pretty bare bones. There isn’t always a lot of time to make a lot of show peices. What I’m trying to do is jump on it early and then I’ll have time to play with it.

TFN: How does coming to regional stores and meeting your customers help with how you approach your brand?

TL: I think it is very important. It’s not to direct what you do, because that would be bad. But, to understand their concerns is really fascinating. It helps you make sure you add those elements. Getting their feedback about what they want. It’s more about fit, how they live their lives. It’s fascinating because even women with money, aren’t throwing it around. They’re making sure that their spend has value.

Meeting these people does help, more often than not, it is reassuring.

TFN: What can you tell me about TOPMAN?

TL: They’re little projects, they assist with branding, on some level, they assist financially. I think the branding thing is important, getting your name on the street is half the battle. We live in an insular little world of fashion and we think everyone knows and the reality is that they don’t. You mention  designers to friends and they’ve not heard of them.

There is always a misconception that expensive clothes are just based on a label. Fabrics are supremely expensive and production is such small runs. It costs a fortune.

Interview conducted by Jordan McDowell, images courtesy of Hervia Bazaar

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