The genius of Margaret Howell is not that she was the first designers to create, simply, clothes. No, Howell envisioned clothes with all the beauty of "fashion" that met the necessities of daily life. For a long time, fashion was fashion and clothes were clothes. Howell dared to do both simultaneously.
This is why, across her label's half-century of life, Margaret Howell's beautiful but approachable garments came to define the very notion of good clothing. They're as lovely now as they were back then and they'll be just as lovely in another 50 years. Turns out, by ignoring trend in favor of quality make and material, you end up with timeless stuff.
"I have always wanted to design and make things that are truly lasting," the designer tells us.
And indeed, much of it has lasted long enough to be documented in a new book dedicated to Howell's life and work, appropriately titled Margaret Howell Life and Work — and a follow-up to the much-loved Japan-only Margaret Howell Houses published over two decades ago and currently on its 10th edition — which provides a necessary opportunity to slow down and reflect on one of the industry's all-time greats.
Much praise has been deservingly lavished upon Howell's work over the years — including during multiple conversations with this very outlet — and given its indifference to trend, it's sometimes difficult to find more to say about it. Her clothes really do speak for themselves, both the Margaret Howell mainline and the militaria-inclined MHL. sub-label. They're nice, they're considered, they're not going anywhere, even as they inspire wave after wave of new-gen adherents who venerate Howell like a deity (and if you worship quality clothes, she kinda is).
But Margaret Howell Life and Work, published in English and Japanese by Tokyo publisher Shueisha, provides a neat look back at it all, tracing five decades of output, ideas, spaces, photographs, and people who've informed both Margaret Howell the brand and Margaret Howell the woman.
It's a reflection of how her line's permanence, a longevity guaranteed by one simple trick: make nice things.
This conversation has been condensed and edited.
Your relationship with Japan is a crucial part of your label's legacy. [Howell's label has maintained a Japanese licensee for over 30 years] Can you speak to how Japan has shaped your approach to working, living, thinking?
Margaret Howell: My strong connection with Japan comes from the great team we have in Tokyo, who I’ve always enjoyed working with, and the Japanese appreciation of natural materials, their attention to detail and respect for craftsmanship.
Do you think that informs the lasting appeal of Margaret Howell Houses?
It’s obviously nice that people continue to respond positively to Margaret Howell Houses. The book showed real places that I liked. The houses were lived-in and comfortable, perhaps in the same way that our clothes are relaxed and designed to be worn. That has proven to be very lasting.
It all feels very holistic, how your approach to living informs your label's oeuvre. Would you recommend that young creatives practice something similar?
I would never tell someone else how to think. My approach to working and living isn’t a conscious decision. The way I choose to live and the things I respond to feed naturally into my work.
How did you refine your perspective to what it is today?
I have always wanted to design and make things that are truly lasting. I grew up in a time of postwar recovery, so we looked after the things we owned. A sense of quality was instilled in me at a young age and this has stayed with me.
It feels like a very forward-looking way to consider clothing.
Thinking about the future doesn’t change my approach to creative work. To me, design demands care and thought, and I apply these values to both my work and the way that I live.
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