CSM grads narrowly miss out

by Brittany Moodie

A London boutique run by two Central Saint Martins (CSM) graduates has only narrowly missed out on the prestigious Telegraph Small Shop Awards.

Tipped as the one-stop shop for the latest in fashion innovation, and a favourite with fashion blogger Susie Lau, Beyond The Valley opened its doors seven years ago.

Since then the boutique has been dedicated to showcasing the works of CSM graduates, up and coming designers, and designs by the shops founders Kristjana Williams and Kate Bonhote.

“Beyond The Valley started in 2004 when we were just about to graduate from CSM and wondering what to do,” explained Williams. “Basically we wanted to create somewhere to showcase our work. Since then it’s really grown and developed with us as designers.”

Cutting edge

Spring/Summer 2011 will see the same cutting edge designs that the boutique is famous for showcasing, one of which is a 3D print Kimono dress, complete with 3D glasses as a necklace.

To coincide with the event, the shop owners are also showcasing some of the boutique's designs at London Fashion Week as well as including some of their designs at CSM's ‘Goodbye CSM / Hello KX’ exhibition this April.

Williams added: “I think what makes Beyond The Valley so unique is the creative energy. There are so many talented people in London so getting any of that into one space is inspiring. We offer a really interesting mix of designers, from recent graduates to contemporary artists that have been in the industry for a number of years.”