Jane Bowler and her plastic pieces

The wild designs of Jane Bowler, 28, are making a splash in the form of her SS13 collection, Undercurrent. After studying for her MA at the Royal College of Art, Bowler went on to fall in love with innovation and texture in design. Bowler has made a name for herself by transforming industrial materials into unique pieces and is now on her fifth eye-catching collection. Her unique work requires the melting, dying and cutting of plastics. She knits, crochets and experiments with materials to define the outcome of each garment.

Undercurrent, unlike previous collections, is less sultry but more vibrant, using a mix of colour to create unruly and bold pieces such as her maxi dress series: “The pale pink floor length dress is a favourite… I think it’s unusual and a great fit. I actually quite like pink now too!” The collection shows an abundance of netting, metallic shades, scale-like designs and shapes reminiscent of synchronised swimming, not to mention those jazzy nose clips! “My work is aimed at anyone that loves to have fun.  The collections span from garments to accessories which means that you could go all out and wear a statement dress or jacket, or dress it down with your everyday style…”

Bowler has always held the notion of a collaboration close, whilst working on various projects. She has a knitwear team working with her to create pieces such as the above PVC gold knitted jumper worn by Azealia Banks. In addition to this, she has collaborated with Lauren Moore to create a line of bags to go with her SS13 collection, using the plastic cut-offs from the garment construction, so that nothing went to waste. In this economic climate, frittering away materials can be unadvisable: “I think the change in economy has definitely changed the way that I design.  In the past I have used recycled and re-appropriated materials in my collections, and have become more and more keen on working to a zero waste policy by making use of every scrap of material.”

What with celebrities such as Rita Ora catching onto Bowler’s “plastic fantastic!” trend, it’s no wonder her designs are getting a lot of attention. She has had her work featured in Dazed & Confused, Vogue Online and many others, including Another Man Magazine which was shot by renowned photographer Nick Knight. Her latest collection will be stalking the runways of Fashion Week next February and her list of stockists is constantly growing: “I am looking to do a couple of menswear looks this season and I would love to collaborate with a footwear designer/company!  In five years, I hope to be stocking in many stores internationally with a snazzy, spacious studio.”

Check out Jane Bowler’s previous collections at her website here. Honestly, you’ll love Bowler’s plastic colour, the textures, her slim fit dresses and statement knitwear just as much as she does: “I love what I do and wouldn’t change it for the world. I hate taking fashion too seriously. I have a bright, bubbly personality, so I guess that is reflected in my garments.”

Elizabeth Finney