Description
TLC ZOOM
Wednesday 10th June 2026 18:00 BST
MAKING DRAWINGS
Steve O Smith
The knowledge that I have of the fashion industry can be written on the back of a fag packet. However, having a creative and knowledgeable family I am more than aware of the big names in the industry and their huge influence and importance on life, style, business – and the economy.
Let us take the family connection analogy further and when I realised that long standing TLC member Ian Smith’s son was a brillaint and hugely successful young designer of considerable repute I wanted to learn more.
Digging a bit further I discovered that Steve O Smith had won the prestigious Karl Lagerfeld prize and that brought to mind the emormous pressures of creating, selling and running a successful company in this challenging and highly competitive industry.
So – let’s learn more.
Steve O Smith is a London-based designer whose work explores the intersection between drawing and garment construction. During his MA at Central Saint Martins, he developed a distinctive process that uses fabric appliqué and precise pattern cutting to translate drawn lines into wearable forms. The result is a collection of garments that convey a sense of fluidity and movement, echoing the gestural qualities of hand-drawn marks. Â
Smith approaches each garment as a drawing in its own right, working on a made-to-order basis to create pieces that express the language of line and form.
THE KARL LAGERFELD PRIZE
The Karl Lagerfeld Prize was created in 2022, in honour of former LVMH Prize Jury member Karl Lagerfeld. The winner of the Karl Lagerfeld Prize receives a 200,000-euro allocation and enjoys a one-year mentorship by LVMH experts.
THE LVMH PRIZE WAS CREATED IN 2013 TO CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT CREATIVE TALENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THIS COMPETITION IS OPEN TO ALL DESIGNERS AGED 18 TO 40 WHO HAVE CREATED AT LEAST TWO READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTIONS.
