Alice McCall

Whether you’ve eyed them up yourself in Urban Outfitters, or lusted after them when sported by the likes of Mischa Barton and Chloe Sevigny, the chances are that you’ve encountered the much coveted collections from Alice McCall. You may, however, be a bit sketchy on the details of the designer and her eponymous label, so let us fill you in.

First up, contrary to popular belief, Alice is not Australian but British born and bred. She cut her teeth on the fashion scene in London as a stylist to the stars, working with Natalie Imbruglia, Kelis, Blondie and Marianne Faithful. Her design career began when she started making one off luxury silk tops and customised 1950’s style dresses for London boutiques that were immediately snapped up by Kate Moss and Katy England. This bought her to the attention of the label Buddhist Punk, who swiftly installed her as their women’s designer. In 2003 she met Heidi Middleton and Sarah-Jane Clarke, founders of Aussie denim label Sass and Bide, who promptly flow her to Australia to design for them – and so her antipodean life began.

Alice launched her own label in 2004; combining a laid-back bohemian style with a distinctly cool aesthetic, her vibe is reknowned for being colourful, feminine and effortless to wear – no wonder it has such a loyal following among fashion fans and celebrities alike. Make sure you look out for her s/s08 collection – her trademark high-waisted buttoned minis are top of our wish list along with her oh-so-cool swimwear. Plus, in May she joins the distinguished ranks of designers who are creating a capsule collection for high-street giant Topshop – a mark of success if ever we saw one. Find out more at her website, www.alicemccall.com