Profession / role:

Creative Director

Company / organisation:

House of Bilimoria

Website (if you have one):

www.houseofbilimoria.com

My primary role in relation to fashion is:

Designer

I am looking to discover or buy

building links with artisans and fair trade producers

About me / About business or organisation:

Shilpa Bilimoria is the designer and founder of label House of Bilimoria which debuted at London Fashion Week in 2008.

Shilpa was born into a family of tailors. She has been immersed in the craft of tailoring from a very early age.

Shilpa has graduated with a BA (hons) in Design for Fashion & Textiles. Though, in her opinion the most valuable education has come from being exposed to many different cultures, this is what has had a profound effect on Shilpa's outlook on life, and her work.

Since graduating Shilpa has pursued her goals; she went on to design at a London based high-street retailer. Following this she took a couple of years to explore the industry and was designing, making and selling clothing at local London markets, Portobello, Spitalfields and Camden.

Namely the British Sari Story, where she came in the top 10 finalists from the whole of the UK, which led her to having the opportunity to have her design displayed in the Victoria & Albert Museum in a workshop with the British Sari Story, and being part of the national exhibition that travelled nationally. She is also published in the V&A's book 'British Asian Style'.

Shilpa also is a long-standing collaborative with the Little Hands Design CIC team, teaching dressmaking and fashion drawing to children from the ages of 6-16 and adults. Working to inspire and educate is also one of her passions.

She is passionate about the work of the east, and is infatuated with the vibrancy and textures of intricate embroideries and brings this into the pieces she works on.

Shilpa has a great future focus of supporting local communities and the revival of crafts, traditional skills and tailoring. Her aim is to one day be able to visit the communities less fortunate, and the greatest artisans in the world, and bring their magnificent crafts and traditional techniques to the light of the world’s stages.

Career history / Company history:

Launched in 2008, House of Bilimoria has gone from a small bespoke brand to full running production company based in Studio in Wembley