Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio? 

Miki Fukai: March 2003.

Penny Martin: What made you choose it? 

Miki Fukai: Because my friends (jewellery designers called a'n'd) are also working in this building.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio? 

Miki Fukai: Designer (obviously), art director, marketing/studio manager, pattern cutter, machinists and studio assistants.

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day. 

Miki Fukai: Normally, Miki greets everyone at the door (10.30), coffee, work, lunch and chat, work some more, tea break, work some more, then everyone leaves around 7pm. 

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously or was it designed? 

Miki Fukai: A lot of the furniture at the studio was either given by people or found on streets. To make everything seem coordinated, I decided to paint everything in white. I arranged the space in a way that is quite open so that everyone can see each other and make it seem friendly. So I guess it was kind of spontaneously decorated, but I hope it's nicely arranged.

Penny Martin: Is there something about your studio that inspires your work or is it purely a practical space? 

Miki Fukai: I own a lot of art/design reference books, but otherwise it's basically a practical space (always tidy though or I can't work).

Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio? 

Giles: Summer 2003

Penny Martin: What made you choose it? 

Giles: For the light, the peacocks and the badminton court on the roof.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio? 

Giles: Shape analyst, sequin/feather counter, karl lagerfetcher, dust manipulator, scissor sharpener, illuminati spotter

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day. 

Giles: Silence. No lunch. Disco at 6 when the mirrorball goes on.

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously, or was it designed? 

Giles: Courtsey of Argos.

Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio? 

Peter Jensen: We moved in about a year ago, though we've been in the same studio block for about four years now.

Penny Martin: What made you choose it? 

Peter Jensen: The price! But also because the block is home to Emma Cook, Shona Heath and Abake, so we knew we would be in good company.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio? 

Peter Jensen: The three main people are Peter, Gerard and Alex. Peter and Gerard are the bosses and Alex is the assistant, but tasks are not divided - everybody does a bit of everything. Also, we always have placement students who are essential at show time to the smooth running of the studio.

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day. 

Peter Jensen: Peter gets in about 7.30 or 8 am - he is a very early riser. He listens to bad Danish music (so no-one else has to later on) while he organises what will happen that day. Alex arrives about 9am and has a coffee with Peter and they talk nonsense for a few minutes before starting to sew samples and any small production orders that need doing. Once Gerard comes in, everything starts happening at once - sewing, faxing, telephoning, cutting, drawing... A short lunch break and some more coffee, then our stylist Lucy might come in to tell us her news and talk about the new collection and the show. All the time samples are being sewn, toiles are being fitted, print designs being discussed, orders packed and prepared. The day usually ends around 7pm, though often later around show time.

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously, or was it designed? 

Peter Jensen: When we moved in, it was quite dark and divided up so we ripped everything up and out, painted it white for maximum light and varnished the floor for maximum sturdiness. It is now one large space with a small cupboard for storage. Though not exactly designed, we did have the luxury of at least planning where everything would go - we moved only across the hallway.

Penny Martin: Is there something about your studio that inspires your work or is it purely a practical space?

Peter Jensen: We arranged it to practical constraints but all the time were aware that we needed it to look nice, so research and drawings go up on the wall, and clothes hang from the ceiling to remind us every day where to find inspiration. Everything in the studio has been collected over time by Peter, so though it is fairly utilitarian, everything has its own story - the table that once lived as a door, the Danish-designed trestle table from Peter's past. Various things like stools and lamps have made their way over here from other people's studios (Shona always has heaps of stuff to give away) so in that way it is testament to our friendships and working histories!

Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio?

Stephen Jones: First moved into this studio in 1994.

Penny Martin: What made you choose it?

Stephen Jones: That it was like the TARDIS: from the outside it looked like a tiny sweet shop but inside it opened up into a large space. And it had good vibes.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio?

Stephen Jones: In the studio, many different people. I have Lesley my main design assistant, Anna who does all the buying, Cat for press, Angel bookkeeping and the heads of my three workrooms; Deborah, Gina and Craig.

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day.

Stephen Jones: In a typical day, there isn't a typical day! But although I am a morning person, I work at home in the early hours and only arrive at the studio around 10:30. I will have always have left piles of sketches swatches and notes on peoples desks the night before, so the first thing to do is to decipher and discuss these. Then we will have design and press meetings to go through future projects, appointments and interviews. After lunch is kept for fittings; either internal fittings working on toiles for a new collection, or with private clients, creating and checking couture hats. At the end of the day the studio gets frantic with Anna and Cat sending hats to shops, press and clients around the globe. And throughout it all, there are phone calls for me from say, Christian Dior in Paris. So I have to work hard to keep my head straight throughout the day! I am normally the last to leave, always remembering a hundred unfinished tasks which will have to wait for tomorrow.

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously or was it designed?

Stephen Jones: The décor was designed from the outset. The front of the studio was already decorated with beautiful baroque plasterwork. And I went from there. The whole place is the same colour: crystal lilac, which is the most amazing colour of ultra-soft, lilac-tinged grey.

Penny Martin: Is there something about your studio that inspires your work or is it purely a practical space?

Stephen Jones: Yes it inspires me; it is elegant yet frivolous, historic but moderne!

Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio? 

Eley Kishimoto: September 1994.

Penny Martin: What made you choose it? 

Eley Kishimoto: The size, one room to fit 10m print table, a dye room, a clean design and make room, but importantly it is very cheap and it is local to our home.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio? 

Eley Kishimoto: We all have individual responsibilities and in addition to this we are all chameleons and adopt each other¹s roles if required. We would like to make the point that it is a team effort and we work well as a team.

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day. 

Eley Kishimoto: Design, print, manufacture, market, communicate and laugh as much as possible.

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously, or was it designed? 

Eley Kishimoto: The mess grew with us, it's a very natural process of collecting and not being able to throw anything away.

Penny Martin: Is there something about your studio that inspires your work or is it purely a practical space? 

Eley Kishimoto: It is a practical space but the people who inhabit it are party to inspiration.

Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio?

Boudicca: Around the time that Brick Lane was developed by Property Developers using European Community money.

Penny Martin: What made you choose it?

Boudicca: A 20mtr Long table, close to Hackney Marshes and the old canal system: 
all great escape routes.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio?

Boudicca: To make... To create... To cook... To live...

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day.

Boudicca: Chaos, laughter, nightmares, and dreams....

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously, or was it designed?

Boudicca: Scavenging Night Times Thieves and Daytime Believers.

Penny Martin: Is there something about your studio that inspires your work or is it purely 
a practical space?

Boudicca: Its purposes are both the inscape and landscape of our every waking decision.

Penny Martin: When did you first move into your studio? 

Preen: We moved into the studio in June 2004.

Penny Martin: What made you choose it? 

Preen: It's big, airy and compartmental.

Penny Martin: What are the different roles of the people working in your studio? 

Preen: Designers, production, research - basically everything!!

Penny Martin: Please describe what happens there on a typical day. 

Preen: Chaotic creativity. No typical day.

Penny Martin: How did the appearance/décor of your studio come about? Did it evolve spontaneously, or was it designed? 

Preen: We designed it.

Penny Martin: Is there something about your studio that inspires your work or is it purely a practical space? 

Preen: Both, we love the fact that there's a tube line running past it. It brings new energy in every 10 minutes, in every direction.