Radical British fashion designer Katharine Hamnett has been forced to close down part of her business empire due to increasing debts.
Two key elements, Katharine Hamnett Designs Ltd and Katharine Hamnett Ltd, have gone into liquidation. A spokesman for the designer said that “unsatisfactory licensing agreements in Europe” forced the closure of the two firms. “Katherine is personally the biggest creditor. She is shrinking her business back to the core,” he added. Hamnett Sportwear, Hamnett Homes and a consultancy company will continue to operate as normal.
The outspoken Katherine, who once wore a pro-disarmament T-shirt emblazoned with the words “58 percent don’t want Pershing missiles” to a meeting with former Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher, cancelled her London Fashion Week show in September following the terrorist attacks on the US. Her spring 2002 collection was still snapped up by Harvey Nichols and Joseph in London and Henri Bendel in New York, but the sales weren’t sufficient to resolve the designer’s financial problems, however. The socially and politically motivated designer is especially well known for her slogan-bearing T-shirts.
In the Eighties, her “Choose Life” versions were worn by the decade’s pop sensation Wham!, while more recently the terrorist attacks and subsequent US military action inspired a series of shirts declaring “No War", “Women Against War” and “Life Is Sacred”. A portion of revenues generated for sales of the latter will go to the Afghan Refugee Appeal.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
