Kimberley Lawton is not your average tailor. With dyed blonde hair swept back and fixed in place, tinted glasses of a size Michael Caine would be bashful of, slender, elegant fingers unabashedly adorned in silver jewellery and a personal colour palate Henry Ford would applaud – Kimberly has style, a style which embodies her taste and brand; with an aesthetic which is so well considered and presented it belies her relatively short time in the industry and infectiously playful personality.
Graduating with first-class honours from the University of Arts London, Kimberley gained an apprenticeship under the Head-Cutter and Creative Director of Huntsman on Savile Row – learning pattern cutting at the heart of tradition. While there, she met Joshua Dobrik; the duo stuck out on their own to form Dobrik & Lawton, bringing their own individual and ‘like-minded’ approach to the craft. During the three years that the house was producing, they were fortunate to be offered a 6-month residency on Savile Row, bringing them back home to the heart of British Tailoring – their return also marked them as being the youngest tailors on Savile Row in 53 years.
LAWTON, Kimberley’s first solo project, started in 2022 with a house style as unique as the founder. Openly influenced by costumes from Golden Ear of Hollywood and strong silhouettes of 70s musicians, her work has a self-admitted decadence, glamour, and an underlying subversive quality imbued in every stitch.
Tailoring for men and women, her suits have power, but more importantly, empower the wearer. So, who better to ask to wear the 893 for us for a bit of subversive, unisex flare.
Pictured: Buttermilk Rayon Westerner, Black Cash Jacket & 893B Sateen Bootcut.
Q/ Approaching Bryceland’s from the perspective of a tailor; what are your thoughts on the importance of proportion when dressing?
My house style takes many cues from 70's tailoring, in which proportion is everything. By exaggerating or diminishing certain areas of a silhouette, a tailor has the unique ability to cast their client in the most flattering light possible. For example, a high waisted flared trouser will elongate the leg line and synch in the waist. The same logic applies to more casual clothing, but is perhaps more subtle in its execution.
Q/ Though we have our Emmeline Collection, for this shoot, we focused on subverting our core masculine items to work universally for a female form. How would you bring other elements of Bryceland’s into your wardrobe?
Now that we are emerging into the colder months I would certainly pair some Brycelands knitwear with my tailoring. The RAF roll neck would pair seamlessly with my chalkstripe suit, or for a more casual look I might wear my 893 Bootcut jeans with a tailored jacket.
Pictured: Buttermilk Rayon Westerner, Black Cash Jacket & 893B Sateen Bootcut.
"I love that bootcut and flared trousers and jeans are making a comeback. That extra width from the knee down just adds an interesting and flattering element that can be as subtle or as extravagant as you like"
Q/ Lawton has its own distinctive style and colour palate. As a one woman enterprise with your name above the door, are you always conscious of this when dressing and for those who might be a little intimidated by black?
As someone who has an almost exclusively black wardrobe, I find I don't encounter too much trouble when putting an outfit together. However I do understand that this is not the case for many of my clients, so I make no efforts to guide them towards my gothic tendencies. My aformentioned love affair with 70's tailoring has broadened my tastes to include a wide range of colours and cloths, so when a client comes to me with an alternative colour in mind I am always enthusiastic.
Q/ Specifically regarding the 893 bootcut we shot you in, the flare is already a strong new favourite for us, breathing a bit of nuance into an outfit - what are your thoughts on bootcut and how to bring them into a regular outfit rotation?
I love that bootcut and flared trousers and jeans are making a comeback. That extra width from the knee down just adds an interesting and flattering element that can be as subtle or as extravagant as you like. When styling a bootcut jean, I think the clue is in the name. A slick pair of cuban heels or cowboy boots is always going to look good. Boots with flared trousers also look great, but for a more louche look I find letting the trousers break over some leather horsebit loafers looks effortlessly cool.
Q/ Of the two looks, the double black sateen definitely seemed to resonate with your personal style - the Oxford and blue denim maybe a little different . How did you feel in the two outfits? Of course, we think you looked effortlessly great in both.
Very kind of you to say. Obviously I feel most at home in black, but it was fun to push the boat out in some colours. I've actually had a few friends comment on how nice it was to see me in some colour for a change! By wearing a blue jean rather than a black I definitely feel like I am drawing more influence from heritage americana styles, which is definitely something that inspires me in my work.
Q/ Next time we do this, if you’d like to - what would you be excited with trying or playing with, like the Jumpsuit form the Emmeline collection which we didn’t end shooting.
I would love to try the Emmeline Jumpsuit (in black, obviously). I think wearing that under a tailored jacket would look amazing. I'm also partial to a leather jacket, so I'd love to give the Brent jacket a try. I think so many pieces in the Bryceland's catalogue lend themselves well to a rock and roll look, which is something I love to explore.
For those interested in some more styling, and if you missed it the first time around: Click below for our interview with Richard Biedul.
Photographer: Alex Natt