Claire Barrow is a fashion designer fêted for her hand-painted unisex leather designs has been interviewed as part of the North project by SHOWstudio.

The project is motivated by questioning existing depictions of the North of England in fashion imagery, SHOWstudio editor Lou Stoppard and Manchester-based academic Adam Murray teamed up to unpick Northern identity, the effect of geographic space on creative output and the importance of place in general, amongst other things.

Claire’s discusses her memories of growing up in Yarm and the effect of her youth on her current aesthetic. She mentions The Northern School of Art in the interview as being ‘the most amazing place in the world!’ Claire studied BTEC Extended Diploma in Fashion at our Middlesbrough Campus and emphasises the hard work needed to succeed on the course.

Her London fashion week debut was presented as part of Fashion East in September 2012. Her unique aesthetic has won her a legion of fans from Vogue’s Francesca Burns to Rihanna, and plaudits from Vogue, Dazed & Confused (they commissioned a film of her graduate collection), Grazia, i-D and The Independent. Claire has undertaken various collaborations with the likes of  Joseph and Underground. Celebrated for her DIY punk aesthetic, Barrow aims to ‘provide people with a piece of art which they can wear and keep forever like they would a painting on a canvas.’

You can watch her interview below, inspiring to other young designers in the Tees Valley!