Shrimps is a fashion label from the young London-based designer, Hannah Weiland, launched in 2013. It wasn’t a fondness of crustaceans that led Weiland to name her fashion brand Shrimps. In fact, it was her childhood nickname because she was small and pink. On the edge of Portobello, Weiland’s glass-walled office overlooks her small workforce, teeming in preparation for the coming season. Several clothes rails hang with Shrimps’ signature garments, floral organza dresses slotted in between luxury faux-fur coats, while geometric beaded bags are dotted around the otherwise minimal space. Shrimps has grown from a student side project to an international brand, where Weiland’s absent-minded doodles are the central design element. She runs a fashion. Brand, manages a team and designs around three or four collections a year (excluding collaborations).
With a background in History of Art and a diploma in Surface Textile Design from the London College of Fashion, Weiland takes her inspiration from the witticisms of modern art and a playful engagement with pattern and texture. She loves to go to art galleries and look through art books to start getting ideas for the next collection. Her SS18 collection was inspired by a trip to Venice where she became engaged, so sometimes the inspiration comes from real life, especially travel.
Shrimps grew from faux fur outerwear and brought the material to the luxury sphere, leading the conversation on cruelty free fashion. The brand now has a full RTW offering and is renowned for its accessories. The Shrimps AW18 collection was the first collection that included their own designs of shoes, this was an exciting and new process for the brand.