Behind the Seams: The perfect gift for fans of The Great British Sewing Bee

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I know nothing about dress making and have little interest in fashion but I love Esme. I read this book in a day because it was exactly what I knew it would be - fun, interesting and hypnotic. My siblings would help me if I got into terrible debt but I’ve never had loads of money. I have had enough money to survive.”

I had no idea who Esme Young was, I got the book as I enjoy crochet, crafting and occasional sewing, and I thought there might be some good tips on sewing/clothing repairs. At age five, Esme was asked to write in her notebook, but instead, she filled it with drawings - the only way she knew to express herself. At seven, when it was discovered she was partially deaf, she found refuge in her sketchbooks. Shortly after, Esme made her first garment and a passion for sewing and designing was born. As a teenager, she made her way to London where her creative journey truly began.

After Swanky Modes closed in the early Nineties, Young transitioned into costume design. As well as Bridget Jones, she has made clothes for The Beach, 28 Days Later and Never Let Me Go. She now teaches at Central Saint Martins and works with one of her former students, the designer Ashish, on his collections. She was nearly 70 when she was approached to be a judge on the Sewing Bee. So why didn't I love the book more? I think it's primarily because it doesn't seem to have a purpose. It documents key times, and it documents the highlights of those, all the positive things for example, about four women working together, managing families and other commitments, doing it for the love of clothes and not for the money. It's not that I wanted scandal, I cannot imagine Esme is the type of person to dish the dirt, but it was all a bit nice. There wasn't any analysis - why did this work, why did this fail. There was little emotion - the struggles were glossed over, so we didn't get to see the pain, which made the triumphs less triumphant. And there wasn't a lot of context either, other than the lists of people she encountered. It must have been a tough and difficult time - she does admit to being scared - but this was a feel good book. She teaches at Central Saint Martins and is involved in a project called "Exploding Fashion" which highlights the importance of pattern cutting. [14] [17] Writing [ edit ] Young dove into a creative world in London with a lot of ideas but very little money. “We were part of a very vibrant and creative community,” she says. “We knew artists and we knew musicians.” Friends helped Swanky Modes put on their fashion shows for free. “It was amazing. I did find it special. We couldn’t have done it without people doing it for nothing.” She recognises how different the London of her youth is to the London of today. “I think it’s so difficult now for creative young people in London. We squatted, we could afford to have a shop, there was a real creative community. Now, it’s not the same at all.” In 1972, she formed the fashion house Swanky Modes with three other designers. They had a shop in Camden and made one-off designs to measure.

Covering her childhood, family life, career starts and many highs, friendships, teaching and ending up with her much loved time as a judge on The great British sewing bee (which is one of my favourite cosy shows). This was interesting, filled with heart and humour, and just also so inspiring reading of Esmes love for what she does and how she was fired up with that passion and self belief from the start. I didn't understand any of the sewing bits but then I love watching Sewing Bee because watching people being creative is really what it's all about. The two 90-minute embroidery workshops you'll attend will be hosted by fashion designer Jo Hill – with Esme giving you tips and inspecting your creations. Then, as he recovered in hospital in East Grinstead, West Sussex, Brian fell in love with Esme’s mother Patricia, a “glamorous and full of life” nurse. Esme is forthright in her opinions but never unkind to contestants. “I have a reaction to things and I’ll say how I feel about them, good or bad,” she says.

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Previously, she had been living with a friend in a council flat, but when she left, the council refused to keep her on as a tenant and was forced to leave. What TV shows has Esme presented? Young attended the Convent of the Holy Ghost, Bedford, where she learnt to draw and to sew. [11] She went on to Saint Martins School of Art. [11] [3] Career [ edit ] Swanky Modes [ edit ] The course in Cambridge taught me everything I needed to know about art – drawing, sculpture, printing… it was very practical and we got to try everything. They had a brilliant graphics department, with lecturers including people like Roger Law (Spitting Image), which is why I then applied to study graphics at what is now Central St Martins. It was a wonderful time – I remember feeling like anything was possible and I could whatever I wanted. More recently, Esme has released a memoir titled Behind the Seams: My Life in Creativity, Friendship and Adventure. I don’t find it hugely difficult being a judge on the show – it’s not dissimilar to the appraisal process you do as a teacher, and I can spot when things aren’t quite working. The most important things are the silhouette and the fabric you choose to work with. The correct fabric is what counts – not just quality – because you need it to do what you want it to. I also look at sewing technique. I know first-hand that the only way to learn is often through mistakes.” Chapter Eight: The Future Of Fashion

You might not recognise her face, but you have almost certainly seen the work of Esme Young, the stylish judge on The Great British Sewing Bee. Esme Young's clothing line She was “great fun but far from easy”, Esme writes in her memoir. Her mother ­suffered from postnatal depression and her five children lived with their aunties while she recovered. Christie, Janet (11 June 2022). "Esme Young, star of The Great British Sewing Bee goes behind the seams with her new book". The Scotsman . Retrieved 22 September 2022. Prior to joining Sewing Bee, she made Leonardo DiCaprio’s cheesecloth shirt in The Beach, Scarlett Johansson’s fur coat in Under The Skin and every outfit worn by Kirsten Dunst in The Two Faces of January.Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited, Company number: 1394141; Registered office: Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing, Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL As well as running her successful clothing line, Esme lectures at her old fashion college - the prestigious St Martin's College in London. Esme Young on The Great British Sewing Bee

It was a wild time. By day, she was creating garments and at night she rode her motorbike to parties dressed in a leopard-skin catsuit. Still, money was tight so Esme lived in a squat. She loved the experience. a b c Dunn, Karen. "Meet The Great British Sewing Bee's Esme Young". Gathered . Retrieved 15 July 2020. BBC Two - Richard Osman's House of Games, Series 6, Week 14: Thursday". BBC . Retrieved 11 December 2022. She recently released her memoir, Behind the Seams: My Life in Creativity, Friendship and Adventure .She ponders a moment. “When I think about it, my life has been a lot to do with chances. It’s a bit like my dad in the war, ­surviving everything he did.”