Personal profile
Scholarly biography
Darran is a design academic, lecturer with a professional background in the fashion industry and in freelance practice. His research interests lie in an inter-disciplinary drawing based approach to fashion and textiles practice, exploring where the drawn image emerges within the fashion process and how it can expand fashion practice through engaging with art, photography, film, installation methodologies,and forms of exhibiting.
Darran is a highly creative pattern maker with many years of experience working in the fashion industry and within higher education. Having garnered experience in leading British and Australian fashion companies he has acquired a unique set of skills combining design and pattern cutting. His expertise employs both classical and experimental drape techniques combining technical and commercial know-how . He has worked to support leading couturiers including Christian Lacroix and Giles Deacon while working as a lecturer in the undergraduate degree and master programmes at at renown fashion Schools including Central St Martins, Royal College of Art, London College of Fashion, Istituto Marangoni, UCA Epsom School of Art, Ravensbourne University and Kingston University
His professional career includes work for fashion designers GILES as his right hand man as well as PUCCI, Florence . In his successful freelance practice, he has worked across fashion consultancy, trend analysis, costume design, and art direction.
At the University of Brighton, Darran teaches students fashion design on MDes/BA Hons Fashion with Business Studies. He contributes to developing challenging subject material for Level 6 students, including fashion’s relation to art, the role of the narrative and image within fashion, and the relationship between garment and body.
Trained at St, Martins School of Art graduating with a MA in Womens Wear Design ,BA Womens Wear Design Ravensbourne .He jump started his career working for design label Owen Gaster ,Emilio Pucci and Giles Deacon , Loewe, Daks. Hardy Amies,Biba.
After a successful period in London he set his sights for Australia and became a Senior Pattern Maker for the infamous Australian Design label Willow , followed shortly by a tenure as Senior Toilist for Josh Goot .and Dion Lee
He has created looks for international Icons Madonna and George Michael, he still prides himself as one of the two who created the legendary white Kylie dress from the 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' for Australia's very own pop princess.
Darran has also been a mentor to young Australian design talent and has been visiting Lecturer at The University of Technology in Sydney and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology .
He also had a Design Label in Sydney called Masculin which he co designed on with Celebrity Stylist Kelly Smythe which previewed its debut collection in 2015.
Currently he now works a a Senior Pattern developer for the White Company and Senior Pattern maker for Ong Oaj Pairam Ltd .