Designer DETAIL - Rachel Gilbert

Soft, feminine, romantic and yet modern - Rachel Gilbert tells us about her ‘Hidden Secret.’

With a glittering career that is only growing bigger and better by the day, Rachel Gilbert is sitting pretty. From her days at the exclusive Whitehouse Institute of Design to her stint in New York head-designing Nicky Hilton’s clothing label, it’s the launch of her self made label and the stunning S/S collection that has really put Rachel Gilbert and her delicious designs on the map. Along with these remarkable achievements, the dynamic designer has also lent her hand to prestigious labels such as Lisa Ho and Morrissey.

Meant to be.

Following in the artistic footsteps of her interior designer mother, Rachel found it was an easy choice to involve herself in the creative industry. Following completion of her (design?) diploma of fashion design at the Whitehouse Institute, Rachel and soon found herself working as a fit model and assistant designer for Lisa Ho. It was here she kick started her practical experience.

Meeting Cavalli.

Out of all her achievements and success, it was Rachel’s meeting with an iconic designer that she counts as her most memorable career moment.

“I have been so lucky to have so many incredible moments in my career so far but I would have to say the most exciting moment would have to be having dinner with Roberto Cavalli in New York. The man is a genius!” Rachel remembers. “Other great moments would have to be having RGS fashion shows at Australian Fashion Week, working in the most amazing and inspiring city, New York, and seeing my designs on a stranger for the first time - I was lucky enough for those strangers to be Nicky and Paris Hilton.”

Creatively Inspired.

Rachel finds her design inspiration in places far and wide, garnering ideas from her own passions, her travels, and the people who surround her.

“Every season I am inspired from different things, it has a lot to do with what I’m passionate about at that point in my life. Designing really comes to how I am feeling at the time, people in my life inspire me, cultures and travel destinations, vintage books, icons, even the smallest things can inspire me, it’s the way I see it and image it to be something else!”

The Hidden Secret.

Rachel’s S/S 0708 collection is pretty and powerful force to behold. The collection was designed with the modern, yet girlie woman in mind.

“When designing a collection I always like to have two moods within the collection, a lot of women dress to suit how they feel at the time,” Rachel says. “So I always like to have the soft, feminine, romantic pieces for women to feel beautiful in which was inspired from the 1920’s era and I also like to have that stronger more confident and sexier pieces which reflects the modern independent women of today.”

Rachel loves…

“My favourite piece from my collection that is in store now would have to be the Tabatha Lace dress, this is a little French lace vintage cream cotton dress, is so easy to wear from day to night.”

To have your own taste of Rachel’s delicious collection, visit www.rachelgilbertsydney.com where you can also check out her complete list of stockists.