Sue Clowes

Sue Clowes is an English Textile and Fashion Designer known for the collection that launched Boy George and Culture Club in 1981.

Sue Clowes (Susan Ellen Patricia Clowes) was born on 31 October 1957 in Islington, London, England to William Reginald Clowes and Ellen Atkins.

Clowes attended Camberwell school of Arts and Crafts to study Textile Design and screen printing.

In 1979, Clowes began her career selling her printed clothing on a stall at Camden Lock market. Jon (mole) Baker helped her expand when he bought everything she had on her stall to stock his shop Axiom in The Great Gear Market, The Kings Road. She opened a shop in Kensington Market and began manufacturing clothes and accessories. Throughout Clowes's career, music and musicians have radically influenced her work: Culture Club approached her to design a collection for the group to sell in the shop The Foundry in Ganton Street where George O'Dowd worked as a window dresser. Clowes created a cultural cocktail of offbeat imagery with religious undertones. Her idea portrayed in the Culture Club look was that wherever you are in the world, whatever your culture or religion "we are all part of one club called the human race". The Flesh and Steel collection of winter '83 of printed silver crosses was worn by Jonny Slut of Specimen. Susanne Bartsch, an event producer provided early exposure for British designers with a series of Shows in New York then Tokyo. Clowes took part alongside other 80’s designers including Leigh Bowery. In May 2010 Boy George was portrayed on film by Douglas Booth in the BBC2 drama documentary "Worried About the Boy". The actors wore original vintage pieces in the film by Sue Clowes. In April 2012 Kylie Minogue wore one of Sue Clowes vintage t-shirts for the AntiTour.

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