Francesca Dutton has been dubbed “the queen of British fashion” (along with Oliver Peoples and James King). In the Sixties, she was part of a team that launched what is known today as the “Hollywood look”. This meant that women dressed in tailored suits and high cut blazers went into movies and on television more often than not to portray the image of beauty that the studios and directors wanted them to. The “Hollywood look” was actually a response to high fashion clothing worn by affluent white women at the time; clothes that were too expensive for the average person to afford were designed and manufactured for them. This also included clothing from countries other than England such as Australia and America. It was a way to counter the perceived inferiority complex of these items by creating something for everyone, something that fit all body types and that could make women feel good about themselves without feeling like they were being exploited or taken advantage of.
Over the years, Francesca has expanded her portfolio to include a wide variety of different designs from around the world and she has branched out into fashion design for other companies. Her partnership with Nationality, however, is an intriguing example of British style at its best. Nationality, one of the most recognisable fashion labels in the world, offer a vast range of clothing that caters for all different nationalities. In the case of this clothing, the brand offers coats, cardigans, polos, jeans, skirts, dresses, bikinis, tracksuits, beachwear, lingerie, swimwear, work wear, casual wear, evening wear and accessories. It is perhaps Nationality’s best kept secret as it caters for British, European and American consumers no matter what their nationality or ethnicity.
Francesca Dutton’s company is definitely on the up and is proving that British style can be adaptable and flattering for many different women. In fact, her rise to fame has come at a time when high profile celebrities have been forced to speak out against high profile body shapers such as those from The Old Navy, A Pea in the Pod and Evisu. While these brands may not cater specifically for those of British descent, they do promote a sleek silhouette that is very pleasing to the eye. Add to this the fact that Dutton designs are made with real cotton, and it seems as though her clothing line simply must succeed in the UK if she is to continue to become an internationally successful business model.