JCA Class of 2022: MA Graduate - Annabelle Barton

Last month, the first graduates of Jimmy Choo’s JCA | London Fashion Academy’s MA Fashion Entrepreneurship in Design and Brand Innovation course showcased their collections on the catwalk. Birmingham-born designer Annabelle Barton used the show to debut her “anti-fit” fashion label for petite women called Size-A.

As a petite woman herself, Barton has always struggled with buying clothes and often had to adjust ready-to-wear pieces to fit. This inspired Size-A, a label inspired by luxury, adjustability and creativity, to offer pieces that bridge the gap between altering clothes to fit as desired and finding clothes off the rail to fit a petite body instantly. This is achieved with cleverly designed adjustable waistlines and hemlines, which can be loosened or tightened.

The debut seven-piece ‘Little Do They Know’ collection celebrates Barton’s Irish heritage combined with the 90s nostalgia of the post-pandemic era and features symbols including the Claddagh ring, the Dara knot, and the St Christopher pendant.

Emerging designer to watch: Annabelle Barton, Size-A

Barton is one of four students on JCA’s one-year MA Fashion Entrepreneurship in Design and Brand Innovation course that focuses on enterprise creation. Students on the course establish themselves as freelancers or micro-SMEs and are encouraged to develop a commercial enterprise from the outset. The school offers practice-based education in which students are professionally ‘incubated’ as aspiring designer-entrepreneurs to develop their crafts in professional studios.

Following her showcase, FashionUnited caught up with Barton over e-mail to find out what inspired her to launch a petite fashion label, why she decided to continue her studies at JCA, and her advice for aspiring fashion designers.

Why did you want to launch a label for petite women?

As a petite woman myself, I have always struggled to purchase clothing, especially trousers, without having to shorten them. After a significant amount of research, I realised nowhere was doing luxury petite clothing designed for Gen-Z and this sparked my desire to create one, to fill the void in the industry.

What inspired your graduate collection?

My graduate collection is inspired by my Irish heritage in combination with my own personal style and love for the nineties 'anti-fit' silhouettes. Each of the seven looks has a symbol of inspiration which was then adapted using embroidery, print and creative pattern-cutting methods.

What challenges did you face ensuring that each garment was suited to a petite woman?

I tried not to limit the designs. I know that petite women each have different leg and torso lengths and sizes, therefore I creatively worked around the limitations, adding adjustable waistlines and hemlines that allowed each of the sets to be worn how the wearer desires rather than aiming for a perfect fit. These design challenges eventually made the garments cohesive as a collection.

Why did you choose the programme at JCA?

I chose the programme at JCA as it offered a tailored approach to our learning. Having come from a make-up and hair background and having never touched a sewing machine before, JCA offered one-to-one practical learning as well as building our knowledge in starting and running a fashion business.

What impact would you like to have on the fashion industry?

I would like to spark a conversation about luxury petite fashion and how it has been neglected within the industry so far. I would like to integrate it into luxury retail by continuing with my Size-A brand.

What advice would you give aspiring fashion designers?

I would advise aspiring fashion designers to find their niche and explore what makes themselves and their designs different and continually develop that concept into a physical product. I believe this is what makes you stand out from the crowd.