the personal touch of london's secret labels

THE word "handcrafted" used to conjure up rather twee images of tapestry cushions, crochet shawls and the kind of knitwear that the local wool shop sold. Not any longer. Hand-painted, hand-embroidered or just plain old handcrafted clothes are highly prized by the same woman who has a black Prada wardrobe and wouldn't have been seen dead in a wispy floral top made from antique chiffon a year ago. It is a new group of designers, all based in London, that is putting the personal touch - no detail is too small - back at the top of the fashion agenda. Their names are virtually unknown but their clothes are selling fast. "The fact that people are prepared to pay GBP 1,300 or more for a suit from a virtually unknown label is amazing," says Paul Sexton, buyer at Koh Samui, of designer Gurvinder Singh, whose one-off pieces are practically walking out of the store.

"Gurvinder came in off the street to show us his collection," says Sexton.

"His clothes are beautifully made, hand-beaded and sequined. And you won't bump into anyone else wearing the same outfit." Singh is not alone. Rachel Robarts has also kept her quantities small. "My first collection is tiny," says Robarts, whose hand- painted pretty separates have sold out at hip King's Road store, Mimi. Robarts offers a choice of different fabrics and hand-painted designs that the shop's buyers can choose from: "It makes it unique to that shop." Knitwear designer duo, Wilson Estella, have worked with a string of designers whose names read like a fashion Who's Who: Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan. They set up their own label a year ago, crafting luxury yarns into delicate hand-finished pieces that readily sell for the same price as many of the labels on their CV. "People are willing to pay for something handcrafted," says Maggie Smith of Wilson Estella. And, to prove it, their pretty cashmere socks cost GBP 120 a pair at The Cross in Holland Park. Other items on this summer's fashion wish list include Cassandra Postema's floral chiffon tops , Kate Clarkson's hand-dyed, embroidered separates, Ann Louise Roswald's electric coloured chiffons and Monika Jakubiak's beaded, chintzy floral skirts. The words "minimal", "plain" or "simple" could never be used to describe these designers' style. And that is what they set out to achieve. "Everything today is so automated," says Rachel Robarts. "There is a need for something that feels personal." So, handcrafted is hip. The difference now is that the the girl who wears a Robart hand- painted organza top may just have a tattoo to match. Aqua chiffon top GBP 168 and matching long skirt GBP 275, both by Ann Louise Roswald from The Cross, 141Portland Road, W11 Photography: Peter Zownir Styling: David Hayes. Hair and makeup: Sally Kvalheim for Jo Hansford, W1 Model: Faye at Take 2 Shot at Home House, 20 Portman Square, W1 (0171 670 2070) Left: cardigan GBP 159 by Salvage, chif fon top GBP 59 by Cassandra Postema and floral skirt GBP 405 by Monika Jakubiak, all from Koh Samui, 65 Monmouth Street, WC2. Sandals GBP 285 fromManolo Blahnik, 49-51 Old Church Street, SW3 Right: lilac hand-painted organza shell top GBP 179 by Rachel Robarts from Harrods, Knightsbridge, SW1 YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN BLACK Pink sequined, backless dress GBP 795 by Gurvinder Singh from Koh Samui, as before; right, jacket GBP 463 by Markus Lupfer from Koh Samui, cream- knitted tank GBP 368 and skirt GBP 426, both by Wilson Estella at Browns, 23-27 South Molton Street, W1, sandals GBP 28 from Manolo Blahnik

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