Biography
Born and brought up in industrial South Wales.
He studied Textiles at Camberwell School of Art and Fashion at St Martins Charing Cross Road, where he was inspired by the broad cultural and artistic influences from lecturers such as Frank Bowling, Elisabeth Suitor and Mike Leigh.
Christopher’s first job, after gaining a Distinction for his MA in Fashion & Textiles, was with British couturier Murray Arbeid in New Bond Street. Here he learned the craft of draping, pattern cutting and the concept of producing decorative techniques in the atelier, where within the construction the technique is also the decoration, this concept continues to be the driving force for Christopher whatever the medium. Clients included Princess Diana, Janet Baker and Regine amongst others.
Christopher lectured in fashion at various art schools and colleges that are now universities. This culminated in his teaching on the MA Fashion course at St Martins alongside the legendary Professor Louise Wilson.
While he was teaching Christopher was creating hand-tufted carpets in Portugal which were exhibited at Oscar Woollens and Robin Guild interior design stores in London. These were featured in the Observer and House And Gardens magazines. Christopher was chosen to have one of these rugs in an exhibition called ‘For The Floor’ which toured museums in the USA for 2 years.
Christopher was a founder of The Collection Design Studio a textile studio that was innovative in every aspect of fashion and textile design-print, weave, knit, embroidery and constructed fashion techniques. These were cut first into garment shapes and then into 3D garments of every type. These original copyright designs were sold world wide to every level of the fashion market from international high street brands to Fashion Houses at the other end of the spectrum. Clients such as Prada, Valentino, Armani in Italy Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren in New York. Whole collections evolved from these designs.