Chidem Mokan is a former student of London College of Fashion and has been living in London for 16 years. After interning at Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan, Chidem has developed an enthusiasm for prints and vibrant colours. She launched her eponymous brand in early 2013 and did her first showcase at Pure London.
We caught up with Chidem for the latest in our ‘My London’ interview series.
Favourite neighbourhood:
Hackney and Shoreditch.
Favourite place for brunch:
The Pavilion Cafe in Victoria Park, Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings surrounded by green plants – love!
Best coffee in London:
A little Italian owned independent cafe called Quarantacinque on Roman Road, I love finding authentic Italian coffee shops scattered around London.
Favourite gallery or museum:
180 The Strand.
Favourite place to shop:
I have many places I would call my favourite, for clothing; I like walking around Spitalfields, there is so much inspiration and great talent around. I like visiting a shop called Restoration Station on Shoreditch High Street every once in a while, it’s a charity store that repairs and restores vintage gems.
For food: I love the little street markets full of farmers and also local Turkish shops, that you can find everything from back home.
Favourite place to find inspiration:
Nature, colourful flowers, taking long walks with my dog around the city.
Best London destination for a date:
A cool little bar called Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green and Gordon’s wine bar in Embankment.
Favourite park:
Hampstead Heath and Victoria Park.
Favourite food market:
Broadway market and Mercato Metropolitano.
Your sanctuary in the city:
Epping Forest. I love it there, every time I visit, I find myself getting lost in the woods, and I can spend hours finding my way out and discovering new places.
What inspires you?
I love looking at my grandmother’s and mothers old clothes. My grandmother use to be a seamstress and she used to make my clothes when I was growing up. She has some amazing pieces that she made herself, with silhouettes that you see being brought back into today’s fashion. My mother’s style was also very inspiring, not only in the 70s but also in 80s and 90s. I keep looking at her pictures to get inspiration.
This season I’m loving:
I’m loving the oversized pieces, with tiered detailing and big flowing skirts. I think the society is very tired of the old time image of female figures, and I like the fact that more brands are embracing diversity. At Fresha London all of our pieces are made and fitted with real women in mind, our iconic Scarlet Dress is one of the styles that offers this fits which has been the best seller for the last 2 seasons.
