5 Things To Know About Molly Goddard’s Happy-Making SS23 Collection
By Alice Newbold
MOLLY GODDARD
AnOther MAGAZINE: BTS OF MOLLY GODDARD SS22 /
Watch: Behind the Scenes of Molly Goddard’s Latest Collection
In a new film, Tegen Williams captures the intense final days leading up to Molly Goddard’s baby clothes-inspired Spring/Summer 2022 collection
By Alex Peters
Molly Goddard has released a new short film that goes behind the scenes of her latest Spring/Summer 2022 show, itself presented as a film during London Fashion Week. Directed by Tegan Williams, this new film gives the audience an all-access pass to the final few days leading up to the event. Here we get to see the process that goes into creating a show – the fittings, rehearsals, cups of coffee, set building, hemline touch-ups, Pret pastries, model corralling. An old family friend, and former Molly Goddard model herself, Williams is a familiar presence at the studio and her sense of naturalness in these spaces can be felt throughout the film.
“I’ve known everyone on the Molly Goddard team for so long – Molly, Alice (Goddard, Stylist) and Tessa (Griffith, Managing Director) since I was born,” says Williams. “I feel super comfortable in the studio, sometimes too comfortable I forget why I’m there!” While she has previously helmed BTS films for past seasons, as well as directing and editing the A/W21 collection remotely, Williams’s long-term relationships proved particularly crucial and meaningful this season when Goddard was navigating the intense times with her baby Frank, who makes various adorable cameos throughout the film.
“Having my newborn son with me whenever I came into the studio was a challenge and it made me thankful to be working with Tegen and Alice: people I’ve known forever and feel very comfortable with,” says Goddard. Having started designing for S/S22 while eight months pregnant, Goddard was influenced by baby clothing and the collection is subsequently filled with smocked trapeze tops, ruffled bouncy dresses, and ballet flats.
While cuddling Frank was Williams’s biggest highlight, she was equally as excited to work with “choreographer god”, as Goddard describes him, Les Child. “Working with Les is always a highlight! I was so chuffed he said yes to working on this show. He’s a legend and as much as he doesn’t like me filming him he’s too brilliant to ignore!” Williams says. In yet another season without an audience, Child collaborated with the team in creating a safe digital way of presenting the collection whilst still giving the excitement of a proper show. Although as Williams says, “Molly’s clothes don’t fanfare, they’re brilliant whatever.”
VOGUE RUNWAY: MOLLY GODDARD FW21 /
Despite the obvious limitations of the moment, the world has hardly stood still for Molly Goddard. Since the U.K. went into lockdown for the second time this winter, the designer has been forging ahead with her eponymous label, recently dropping a capsule of exquisite bridal dresses that’s primed for the current boom in micro- weddings. (At eight-and-a-half months pregnant, Goddard and Tom Shickle, her partner in life and work, are close to marking another happy milestone in their personal lives too.) “This collection was maybe the toughest to put together because of all the restrictions,” said Goddard, speaking via Zoom from her home in West London this morning—she’s been isolating since January, under doctor’s orders. “There was so much uncertainty even in the logistics, but that didn’t stop us from taking risks. In a way, I think we really went for it.”
Goddard is well known for her daring otherworldly confections, though this season she took to honing the down-to-earth signatures in her repertoire. She leaned into the quirky Britishisms that make her work sing, starting with an extended offering of her adorable Fair Isle sweaters for both men and women. Goddard takes pride in the fact that much of the collection is manufactured in the U.K., and for fall she worked with a Scottish factory to produce traditional tartan kilts that looked especially good on the male model in her virtual fashion show, paired with colorful knits and a slouchy blazer.
Tailoring has gradually become a mainstay for the label as well, and this time around it was a men’s suit in charcoal gray with subtle ruching through the waistline that stole the limelight, prompting several male staffers at Vogue to inquire about Goddard’s new online preorder service. And though it was hard to ignore the exuberance of the tulle evening dresses in her lineup—she opened and closed the show with two especially flirty strapless numbers—the taffeta frocks with angular bows were just as attention grabbing layered over raw denim pants for day or with knee-high metallic boots for party time.
“I missed the library and going to markets—all the people-watching!” said Goddard wistfully of making the collection. Though her new clothes may have been conceived in isolation, they gave glimpses of just how playful reemergence could look this fall.
By Chioma Nnadi for Vogue
8 questions with Alice and Molly Goddard, fashion’s coolest sibling duo /
Alice and Molly Goddard discuss dress-ups, Avril Lavigne, and three decades of collaboration
By Clara Malley for Document Journal
Since childhood, Molly and Alice Goddard have enjoyed a close, at times adversarial, creative bond. From dressing up in tinfoil and emulating 90s pop stars, the sisters’ fashion tastes zig-zagged together and apart, as Molly pursued a career in fashion design and Alice in styling, the two developing reputations in their own rights. Molly launched her eponymous fashion line in 2014, while Alice juggled editorial styling with publishing her biannual zine, Hot and Cool. But in the midst of hectic, individual success, the sisters have continued to maintain their collaborative relationship, with Alice styling Molly’s London Fashion Week presentations.
In Molly’s London studio, the sisters read each other questions sent by Document. Their off-the-cuff conversation spanned early inspirations at Portobello Market, meandering style evolutions, and why, if you can, you should work with your sister.
Molly Goddard—Ok, recording. ‘What are your first memories together that involve fashion?’ Dressing you up. I used to make you clothes out of, like, everything.
Alice Goddard—Tinfoil.
Molly—Tinfoil, jewelry, put makeup on you. Probably when you were about four and I was about seven.
Alice—Yeah.
Molly—What else do you remember?
Alice—I don’t know. Playing fancy dress.
Molly—Yeah, fancy dress.
Alice—And, I don’t know, just being your little mannequin.
Molly—[Laughs] Yeah.
Alice—And not really enjoying it. [Laughs]
Molly—I think you did enjoy it.
Alice—Deep down. [Laughs]
Molly—You should answer the next question.
Alice—‘Do you consider yourselves to have similar personal style?’ I think, now, yes, but growing up, not so much.
Molly—Growing up, not so much. I was quite J-Lo.
Alice—And I was quite Pete Doherty.
Molly—Yeah, you were more indie, I was more…
Alice—Brown tracksuit.
Molly—Yeah, velour brown tracksuit. [Laughs] And Benetton.
Alice—Really? Like what?
Molly—I used to love my Benetton t-shirts.
Alice—And I remember you had those pink driving loafers which were so good.
Molly—Yeah, pink driving loafers, low-slung jeans, Benetton t-shirt. That makes me sound really posh but it wasn’t posh. It was like Mike Skinner. And you were more…
Alice—My typical outfit was leopard-print leggings, fake Vivienne Westwood pirate boots, denim mini skirt, Batman t-shirt, and yellow plastic gun earrings.
Molly—That was good. That was when you were like 14, though. That was very good.
Alice—That’s what I remember wearing all the time.
Molly—I don’t know what I used to wear. I wore a lot of different things. But yeah, now we’re more similar. More classy. [Laughs]
Alice—More classy. [Laughs]
Molly—‘Who are fashion icons you grew up with that you think inform your work now?’ Ugh. I don’t like this question ever. I don’t know… Fashion icons is hard because it changes, doesn’t it. Do you have any?
Alice—Not [ones] who we really grew up with.
Molly—It really varied, I suppose…I would watch music videos. You would watch “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child.
Alice—I suppose we both really liked those Vogue Runway magazines. I remember loving Luella [Bartley] and Marc Jacobs. That probably is a lot of what informs our work now to a degree.
Molly—Yeah. I think, also, it’s quite hard because you don’t sit around thinking, ‘This is an icon I admire.’ I didn’t really have that kind of obsession about things. Actually, thinking about it…I think Portobello Market was quite a big influence, and there were people there who I think were icons in a way. Like Mum and Dad’s friend, Evie. She used to wear very interesting clothes, and I’d always try to dress up and think about, ‘What would she think of my Red or Dead platforms or my tie-dye t-shirt?’ I think growing up in Portobello you kind of weirdly made an effort to look interesting. Do you think?
Alice—Yeah, I don’t feel like there was any single icon in celebrity way…I remember that I loved Lara Croft, actually.
Molly—Yeah, you did.
Alice—I don’t know if that’s really had any influence on me now. [Laughs]
Molly—And I think it’s hard because you say one thing and then it kind of sticks. There was a phase where I definitely tried to dress like All Saints but only for one short period of time.
Alice—[An] Avril Lavigne phase I think I had. P!nk phase.
Molly—Yeah, it’s hard.
Alice—‘Most stylish member of our family.’ Our Granny’s quite stylish.
Molly—Yeah I think our Granny’s quite stylish.
Alice—She likes a brooch on her fleece.
Molly—[Laughs] Yeah she does like a brooch. She always looks very stylish. Mum and Dad are pretty stylish.
Alice—Yeah they’re pretty stylish. We’ve got quite a generally stylish family.
Molly—Yeah they’re not bad. ‘What is the best part about being sisters?’
Alice—I think we don’t have a choice. [Laughs]
Molly—I think laughing. Like we can be a bit silly.
Alice—Working together. Being able to work together as sisters is pretty good actually.
Molly—It is pretty good.
Alice—And being able to have fun and spend lots of time together. Aww, it’s quite nice.
Molly—It is nice. It makes things very easy because we kind of already know what each other means before you even really have to say it. You don’t have to explain shit that you would to other people. And in the time we save doing that, we get to have a laugh.
Alice—[And] talk about our favorite chocolate bars. [Laughs] I always find it funny when I have friends who aren’t similar to their siblings at all. Well, I suppose it might be nice to have a sibling who you’re not similar to, but it’s amazing that we’re so similar even when we’re not together. And we don’t fight at all.
Molly—And everything kind of complements. Like, what you like and I don’t like makes it interesting. We tell each other when we’re being stupid or annoying.
Alice—Yeah.
Molly—[We] can be very honest.
Alice—’How would you describe each other in three words?’
Molly—Oh dear [Laughs]. I think you are goofy.
Alice—Yeah.
Molly—Clever.
Alice—Awww.
Molly—And stubborn. Are those all a bit rude?
Alice—[Laughs]
Molly—But stubborn in a good way. What’s another word for that? Strong-willed.
Alice—Awww, that’s nice. I was just going to say ginger, smiley, and nice. [Laughs]
Molly—[Laughs] You can do better than that.
Alice—I don’t know, it’s quite hard to be nice to each other, isn’t it? And serious?
Molly—It is quite hard.
Alice—We weren’t brought up to be nice to each other.
Molly—No. [Laughs] That’s alright. ‘Ginger, smiley, and nice.’
Alice—I think you’re very nice and giving to the people that work for you. That’s what I think. You’re a nice boss.
Molly—[Laugh] Okay, that’s alright. Thank you, that will do. ‘Discuss your childhood together and what’s brought your careers to this point.’ We’ve kind of worked together from the beginning, haven’t we?
Alice—Yeah.
Molly—I remember there was a point where I thought you were doing loads—when you started Hot and Cool, that was before I was doing anything. I was in Uni. I remember being very impressed with that.
Alice—Aww.
Molly—We’ve kind of had a nice balance of, like, gearing up together. And now we get to work together…It’s all quite separate, the work we do together and what we do otherwise. Our work together is kind of just purely creative, working on the show….
Alice—I suppose what I mean about siblings who aren’t similar is that it must be funny to have a sibling who doesn’t fully understand what you do. It’s so nice that we both understand completely what we do and can help each other.
Molly—Yeah, and I think you’re the only person who actually understands what I want to do, which is what’s nice. No one else gets it.
Alice—I think I can do a better three words.
Molly—Alright. Are we done? Are you trying to think of three words?
Alice—Yeah.
Molly—What was mine? Strong-willed…
Molly and Alice—Clever.
Molly—Goofy. Is that good? I think that’s quite good.
Alice—Yeah. I’ll take that.
Molly—You need to go with the first thing that comes to mind.
Alice—Ginger, smiley, and nice [Laughs].
Molly—Clumsy.
Alice—Clumsy, generous, and…
Molly—Stunning [Laughs].
Alice—Stunning, visionnaire [in French accent].
Molly and Alice—[Laughs]
Alice—Alright, that’s enough.
Molly—That’ll do.
MOLLY GODDARD SS19 /
Molly Goddard is our kind of girl.
All good vibes and inner confidence, she dresses to please herself. Just listen to how Goddard describes her SS19 muse as “slightly flush… unsure whether it’s down to sunburn or the cevezas, but she doesn’t care it becomes her.” It certainly does.
Frills, created by gathering tens of metres of cotton into architectural volumes were the name of the game here. It’s what Goddard is know for, but she injected plenty of newness. How about a pair of Molly Goddard culottes with an explosion of ruffles at the hem, or an unstructured tulle housecoat? There were fully sequinned options too including a teeny tiny skater dress which conjoined the bad girl attitude of Tonya Harding.
Speaking of bad girls, Goddard introduced a vamp element, with slashed-to-the-waist frilled party dresses. There was plenty to please the Goddard super fans, who tuned up in their voluminous smocked finery but it was also great to see Goddard push her aesthetic with new shapes and structures. We raise a glass of ceveza to that.
Words by Claudia Croft for 10 Magazine
Tim Walker and Molly Goddard Launch Book Collaboration /
“Patty” spans Goddard’s archive of work, dating back to her debut 2012 collection.
LONDON, United Kingdom — Fashion photographer Tim Walker has partnered with London-born designer Molly Goddard on a collaborative photo book titled “Patty.” The book, which was styled by Molly’s sister Alice and art directed by former British Vogue creative director Jaime Perlman, looks at Goddard’s archive, dating back to her debut 2012 collection.
Pages printed with new images of models, friends and family members wearing Goddard’s signature smocked tulle dresses, elasticated-waist tops and ruffled a-line skirts feature in this tome. “We used the clothes to enhance aspects of one’s personality to show who they are,” the designer tells BoF. “Some people are covered in dresses and have the confidence to do that, while others wear their own clothes and hold the brand’s clothes. It was all very free flowing.”
Having graduated from Central Saint Martins with a BA in fashion knitwear in 2012, followed by a MA in 2014, during which she interned with John Galliano and Meadham Kirchhoff, Goddard quickly gained traction for her traditional hand-craft techniques such as hand pleating, smocking and crocheting, as well as for her charming set-designed presentations early on in her career.
Goddard’s vision — distinctive and dreamy, much like Walker’s — captivated the imagination of the fashion world as well as celebrities like Rihanna, Zendaya and Agyness Deyn, who have all worn her designs.
The designer won the British Emerging Talent award at the 2016 Fashion Awards and was a 2017 LVMH Prize finalist. This month, she was also announced the winner of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, granting her the top prize of £200,000 (about $272,000) and a year-long mentoring scheme.
Goddard’s win seals an impressive year for the designer, who has never relied on outside investment. The launch of the book marks a symbolic next step for Goddard, as she looks to grow her business where sales are expected to exceed £1 million ($1.35 million) by the end of the year.
Article by Christopher Morency for Business Of Fashion
Frieze Magazine: Molly Goddard /
Form: Molly Goddard
In collaboration with Bang & Olufsen, Design Matters, the London-based fashion designer talks about manipulating fabric, feeling comfortable and making something from nothing.
Watch it HERE
BFC Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2018 Shortlist Announced /
Congratulations to Molly Goddard for being shortlisted for the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2018, announced yesterday by the British Fashion Council (BFC).
