One of Mimi Wade’s enduring muses is her own grandmother, silver screen actress Pamela Curran, or as she affectionally calls her, Granny Pammy. With her feline flick of eyeliner, mint green tresses and irrevocable cheekbones, Mimi herself echoes the air of a Hollywood starlet. Graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2015 and launching herself in London’s fashion scene as a protégé of infamous Fashion East, Mimi’s brilliantly glamourous and Lolita-esque collections have been a staple seductive giggle punctuating London Fashion Week ever since. I snuck backstage ahead of Mimi’s AW20 runway show to capture the skimpy, sparkling madness of her latest collection, and ask her about the Harley Quinn inspired, environmentally conscious collection.

Did you always want to be a designer growing up?
I wanted to be an artist or an actress, and I always knew I wanted to study at St Martins. When I arrived on foundation it was the Fashion pathway that I found the most inspiring.

As a child, I was obsessed with dressing up. I still am! I feel like clothes have always given me an armour, a way to attempt to control how I am perceived and how I feel. Is this the same for you?
Absolutely, I love how clothes can uplift, empower and give confidence. I always feel my best self when I'm wearing my own designs and I want to share that feeling with the world.

Who is the Mimi Wade girl?
I am my own muse.

Working with Warner Brothers on this Harley Quinn inspired collection must have been a dream collaboration for you. What inspiration did you draw from the character?
She's such a great character and I think there are already existing parallels between her and my work, so it came naturally. I tried to imagine what she would wear in the real world, the deconstructed eagle and Harley t-shirts, the cheerleader references, the crystals, the power mini skirt suits, the leather… I created a whole wardrobe this season.

Your collections have always heavily featured silver screen glamour and cinematic imagery. What are your favourite films?
What a Way to Go! (1964), American Beauty (1999), Babydoll (1956), Rebecca (1940), Lost in Translation (2003).

In the age of #MeToo and women becoming increasingly vocal about harassment and misogyny, I feel like dressing in really feminine designs has taken on a new resonance. More than ever, it’s a fuck you to people who imply women need to dull themselves down or that they are “asking for it”. Do you feel like your designs have this in mind, helping women embrace their sensuality and femininity?
I don't consciously design feminine or overtly sexy clothing as a statement against people making those kinds of misogynistic comments or assumptions - I just make clothes that I love and want to wear, fuck the haters! If I can give women the courage to embrace their sensuality and femininity, then that's a wonderful thing.

It’s been so special to me to see your brand evolve and grow. I’ve noticed that you design utilising an array of fabrics like leather, silk and satin. Your AW20 collection featured upcycled leather and cotton shirt material, as well as mohair. How do you choose which fabrics to work with? And how did you bring sustainability into your brand?
Thank you! More than half of the collection is made from repurposed and upcycled materials. The leather is a by-product and the mohair sourced has an ethical stamp. All the garments and accessories are printed and made in London. It's hard to be perfect, but we are trying our best to design and create as responsibly as possible as it's critical for the future of our planet. As a brand, we are growing up and realising that it's not enough anymore just for something to just look cool. But that doesn't make it any less fun.

You have done some amazing collaborations and themed collections, like your Polly Pocket capsule collection and your SS20 ‘Nymph’ collection that featured you as a bewitching fairy. What would your absolute dream collab be?
I want to do a collaboration with Baci (the Italian chocolates with the love messages inside) or Mon Cheri (Cherry Liqueur chocolates).

Finally, who are your muses? What draws you towards specific women and how do they inspire you?
My work is very self-referential. My Granny (actress Pamela Curran) is a continual inspiration, and Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey were obviously the main source of inspiration this season.