Katie with models in her collection

Katie Eary and I met for a quick cup of tea on a late Sunday afternoon in Angel, London.  Rushing down to meet me, Katie had just come from her home town of Stevenage, nonetheless looking shockingly cool and chic in a pair of tight leather trousers, a Katie Eary leopard print shirt, Joseph leather-sleeved tailored jacket and her mum’s Clark boots which she had stolen that morning.  I couldn’t help but admire the gorgeous silver-studded perforated, leather Burberry bag that accompanied her apparently “thrown-together” outfit.

The 27-year old designer is currently working on her first womenswear collection for A/W 2011;  “Out-of-control and visually cool” is how Katie describes her new range of clothing. The collection is based on the French foreign legion, more specifically the idea of “bare minimal survival” and the concept of endurance in harsh climates such as the Arctic.

Katie put together a teaser line for Fashion Week S/S 2011, and with such positive feedback, she hopes that the collection will go far.  After the considerable success her menswear has seen, Katie explains that she really wants to “go for it” and make the new collection one to appeal to a wider audience.

Katie’s fashion career began at eighteen, and she wanted to start designed from a very young age. However, having never taken anything seriously at school, she felt she was merely “existing and not actually doing”.  She was creative, but didn’t have the drive or the confidence, yet following her graduation from the University of Leicester, and a master’s degree (at the Royal College of Art in 2008), Katie set off to design her own clothing. She decided to create a menswear collection, and explains that she designs her pieces for “naughty, young, slim boys, with ADHD, not interested in fashion or girls, just into their computers.”

Immediately after her graduation, her first collection was shot by Mario Testino for British Vogue, with Kate Moss donning her clothing.  And the very same week, she was commissioned by fashion mecca Selfridges to make hats for their window displays; Katie feels that this was her “proudest moment in fashion.” Following her first fashion week show, which was also on her 25^th birthday, she felt she had “finally contributed”.

In the past, Katie has worked with sports brands Nike and Puma, as well as with and jewellery designer Duffy.  Her next big collaboration is with Wah Nails, for whom she is designing a Halloween special for September.  She is also working closely with French Connection womenswear and again, with Puma.  Her menswear designs are currently stocked in Harvey Nichols, though with her t-shirts being so exclusive, a mere ten pieces are stocked in two separate designs.

Katie sees her future piloting her own fashion house, and would like to work with Kenzo for men at some point. She explains she would love to revamp the brand, and create something new, exciting and fresh. And with Kanye West coming round to her flat for cups of tea, Sienna Miller sporting her clothing on the front cover of Vogue and JLS asking her to design for their tour this hardly seems impossible.  She has also recently supplied her collection to stars such as Professor Green, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

Katie's cool take on womenswear...

Katie currently lives in Angel, although she has lived in various parts of East London for the past five years.  When not designing, her favourite place to drink is The Cat and Mutton in Hackney or, for a more chilled one, The Albion in Islington.

Katie’s fashion picks? She never, ever leaves the house without her super tight leather trousers, unless of course it’s a very hot day, in which case, she will throw on tiny denim shorts.  Her current designer of choice is Ricardo Tisci, and her favourite items of clothing is her Celine beige cape.  She also loves her Giuseppe Zanotti fishbone sandals which she waited two years to purchase.

Upon finishing our cups of tea, Katie departs with her powerful final words, “You think that nothing can get any better than this, and then it just does.” She has already accomplished so much, but it seems that the unstoppable Katie Eary is really set for big things.

Find out more about Katie on her website, where you can also shop online and find stockists. Follow on Twitter @katieeary.