It isn’t difficult to spot a Shrimps girl; the brand’s colourful, faux-fur coats are attention magnets. When Hannah Weiland launched her playful line in 2013, it was quickly picked up by fashion’s elite. “Laura Bailey saw what I was doing on Instagram and got in touch with me,” she recalls. “I took the coats around to her house and she was like, ‘I’ve never seen faux-fur this good.’ I was lying in bed ill during London Fashion Week and Laura, who wore my sample, was sending me all of these texts saying how everyone stopped her to ask about the coat. Natalie Massenet saw it and said, ‘We need that for Net,’ and Net-A-Porter rang me the next day.“
Looks from Shrimps' autumn/winter 2016 collection
After a meteoric start, Weiland is now designing three collections a year, and on 4 July, saw the launch of a capsule collection as part of Selfridges’ “Shakespeare Refashioned” campaign. Marking the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death, the department store has enlisted designers, musicians and the Royal Academy of Drama to reinterpret the playwright’s work. The Shrimp’s designer immediately turned to Baz Luhrman’s version of Romeo + Juliet for inspiration. “I’ve seen so many Romeo and Juliet productions but those two (Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes), that’s who I think of every time.” Weiland doodled the movie stars, as she does with the mascots or “imaginary friends” embroidered on to her main season collections, to create badges, which can be found along with a frilly heart, on a furry clutch and roll-neck jumper.
For Shakespeare Refashioned, Weiland has designed a furry clutch and a roll-neck jumper.
With a spring/summer presentation to plan for September and a resort collection heading to stores immediately after, the animal-friendly designer shares how she’ll be spending her precious free time next week.
Monday: Walther Koening Books Ltd (Kensington Gardens, W2 3XA)
There’s a really tiny art bookshop in the Serpentine Gallery called Walther Koening Books Ltd. I walk my dog in Hyde Park on Mondays and it’s quite a fun stop off. The only problem is I always buy the books and it’s quite a long walk home with such heavy books! They have the most amazing postcard selection as well. They have a normal, full price room and then in the back there’s a room where all of the art books are discounted. I always spend quite a lot of time in there.
Tuesday: Tate Modern (Bankside, SE1 9TG)
I’m really excited to go to the Tate Modern on Tuesday and see the new Georgia O’Keefe exhibition. I always try to go there in the week for research, because it’s much quieter than on the weekend. The last exhibition I saw there was Agnes Martin, which then inspired my collection.
Wednesday: Electric Cinema (191 Portobello Rd, W11 2ED)
I went to the premier of Ab Fab last week. There are quite a few Shrimp’s coats in it which is very exciting, and it’s actually hilarious. If I hadn’t been to the premier I would be seeing it this week at the Electric, which is really near me. I love the whole experience because you can have hot chocolate and marshmallows while sitting in these huge, really comfy chairs.
Thursday: My Neighbours the Dumplings (165 Lower Clapton Rd, E5 8EQ, UK)
I went to the best dumpling place last week in Hackney and I’m so excited to go back there with my friends on Thursday. It’s called My Neighbours the Dumplings. What a great name! They had this pudding dumpling which was like a chocolate dumpling with ice cream –it was amazing, I highly recommend it. But you can’t book, you just have to go early. There were delicious salads with pickled cucumber and peanuts and of course, the dumplings were the absolute best. I just love dumplings; I love the word dumpling and I love what they look like.
Friday: Portobello Market (Portobello Rd, W11 1LA)
Portobello Market is my favourite place to be on a Friday morning. I love going really early to find amazing vintage pieces – the textiles and the colours are great for inspiration. I walk down Portobello Road to get to my studio and it’s quite deadly because I’ll be like, “Oh, I’ll just pop in here,” and then I’m an hour late.
Saturday: Bleach (2 Berwick St, W1F 0DR)
I get my hair dyed at Bleach in Soho which is quite fun. I’m looking forward to my appointment there on Saturday. Their colours are amazing, but I’ve never gotten them because my coats are so colourful I think if my hair was colourful as well — especially since my hair is longer than half of my body — it would be a bit much. Alex Brownsell, who owns it, is the most talented hairdresser, she can do anything. She also does the hair for my presentations and lookbooks.
