A Little Necessary Evil History

We've been at this for nearly 10 years now! Can you believe it? "Of course not!" I hear you cry. We can't possibly be old enough. Well we're early bloomers, what can I say....apart from old goths never die! Anyway, it has indeed been nearly 10 years, which is more than enough time to rack up an anecdote or two.

All through my childhood I'd been drawing clothes and telling everyone I was going to be a fashion designer, but then I got to Secondary school and one of the other girls got in there first and told everyone she was going to be a fashion designer. I didn't want to look like I was copying (which is very important when you are 12!) so I went off on a tangent and ended up with a Chemical Engineering degree (because my Chemistry teacher asked me what I was going to do for a degree).

Fast forward a few years and then it all started up again, because I couldn't find the clothing I wanted. Being the shy retiring type (not so much), I wanted to wear things that were a bit more interesting, so I started making them. Except I'm really bad at sewing. Really, really bad. So then I found someone else to make it. Then I got noticed by a rather excellent manufacturer that offered to make it for me. Hence Necessary Evil was born. It might have been a little more complicated than that, but I can't quite remember, it's been nearly 10 years and I've had two kids since then.

Moving on. We launched the brand spanking new Necessary Evil brand and used it as an excuse to hold a party at the Intrepid Fox somewhen in 2006 or 7. We had models, music and I think there was even a stripper.  

Since then, my personal highlights have included:

• The stunning and lovely cover model Bianca Beauchamp becoming an admirer of one or two of my efforts (and buying me a drink. Whoop!)
• Spotting one of my dresses in the newspapers, courtesy of a mean bus driver who picked on a young goth couple.
• Then there was good old Brandgate, which saw a few members of the goth subculture catapalted into the public eye and culminated in my designs appearing all over the papers, on TV and (my personal favourite) in OK! magazine.
• And seeing Lacuna Coil all kitted out in a couple of my mens designs, was just off the scale, amazing.

Back to now (or some time relatively recently, depending on when you're reading this - assuming somebody reads this - and how long it takes me to get round to updating this). My two babies are becoming more accomodating to my fashion designer lifestyle (I mean they let me work sometimes). Which means, there is a ridiculously exciting new collection on it's way and ideas already bursting out of me for the next ones! So watch this space.

Thanks!

Kate

xxx