I Saved Laurence

Young upstart Laurence Davies (I Saved is an anagram of his surname, not a religious statement) graduated from his fashion degree two years ago, and decided he was destined to become his own boss.

Just six months after the birth of I Saved Laurence, he had a concession in Topshop's flagship branch in Oxford Circus. Now, his brainchild is found in stockists nation-wide, he has relocated from a village near Oxford to London's trendy Portobello, and I Saved Laurence will hopefully launch its own store early in 2007.

The two-man team at I Saved Laurence - that's Laurence himself, and Chris Oldham, his marketing guru - met while stacking broccoli at their local supermarket, and what a way to come to fruition. Such trivia of the vegetable kingdom do these men possess that they challenge customers to a battle of wits: stump them with a veggie-related question via e-mail, and you will win a free t-shirt.

Laurence prides his company on such displays of comic randomness, and it suits his style down to the ground. He often designs his t-shirts on the spur of the moment, which explains the seemingly haphazard nature of his pieces. Laurence states "there is no concrete structure to the way I design; maybe that's why everything seems so random. I like it that way." He refuses to be a slave to fashion, to the seasonal trends and faux pas, but always manages to provide chic, cutting-edge, street influenced designs.

I Saved Laurence’s apparel is customarily emblazoned with all manner of quirky objects. The S/S '07 range, only his third collection, boasts flamingos, ghettoblasters, and 'I’m with stupid' tags. He also has some cutesy designs just for girls; his Twinkle Toes tees have ballet shoes draped around their neck, which reflects the popularity of his Trainers, Converse-style high-tops also draped stylishly around the neck of many young movers and shakers. I Saved Laurence already has a specialist collection, which features his most popular items to date. This collection includes Trainers; his Village Bike and the quirky, blood-drenched Killer heels designs have also made it into this classic collection of t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies.

I Saved Laurence is always looking to expand the boundaries of its own fashion world. Laurence plans to launch an alternative range, so that he can sink his teeth into something more outlandish and experimental than his t-shirt designs. He is also working on a haute couture evening gown range to provide a more elegant edge to the brand. Generally, his designs have become more streetwise and more marketable since the brand’s conception, but Laurence feels it’s time to pursue other projects, to keep the world guessing what his next step might be. Let’s hope it’s his very own shop, and quick smart.

www.isavedlaurence.com

Kate Abbott