By Barbara J Walshe

Matthew Williamson is a momma’s boy. And proud of it. Renowned for his edgy muses Sienna Miller, Kelis and Jade Jagger, in a sense, his mum was always the first.

“She used to get ready for work the night before, laying out her jewellery, and I’d sit at the end of the bed questioning why, if she was going to wear those earrings, would she wear that jacket? And she’d take my advice!

“I was obsessed with how meticulous she was and what a process dressing was for her. There was nothing haphazard about it. She would really think it through the night before and never get up in the morning and throw on something,” he remembers.

Williamson, 35, has been doing a lot of remembering these days. In his tenth year designing, he’s celebrating this season with some departures from the usual Williamson protocol.

Firstly, he’s showing at London Fashion Week, something he’s not done since heading west across the Atlantic in 2001, becoming a screaming success in the US and showing at New York Fashion Week (regarded as the toughest in the industry).

Secondly, he’s curating a retrospective showing of his ten-year career at the Design Museum in October - coupled with a satellite exhibition at Coutts & Co’s head office in the Strand - showing dresses which have stood out for him over the years, whether that’s because of ‘who wore it or how it was made’. It includes: “The one dress I love which is sort of timeless in that it was the first dress that was worn at my first show by Kate Moss.”

And while all this happens, the cogs in the Williamson Empire continue to turn. His Pucci show in Milan happens one week after London, his flagship store in New York’s upper east side is set to open early next year, and his third LA-based store is also planned for 2008.

Is he on the brink of collapse? “I’m having as many massages as I can possibly fit in,” he laughs. “It’s manic but then it always is, so I’m used to it. It’s my twentieth show so I’m pretty well aware of what’s ahead. And we’re all working flat out trying to get it done.”

A typical response from the man who has never shied away from hard work. Williamson has admitted in the past that the world-famous Central Saint Martins art college wasn’t necessarily the place for him, in terms of design. Nevertheless, he worked tirelessly to get his 2.1 degree in fashion and textiles, admitting: “I was always thinking in the back of my mind that St Martins would be on my CV and that was all I needed.”

Unfazed by hard work and blessed with talent, Williamson proved he was right. After work experience with Georgina Von Etzdorf, Marni and Monsoon, he launched his debut collection, Electric Angels, in 1996, famously modelled by Kate Moss, Helena Christensen and Jade Jagger. And has continued to exceed all expectations ever since.

“It’s been a rocky road as an independent designer starting out in England where it’s more common that you don’t survive than you do.”

“It’s been a rocky road as an independent designer starting out in England where it’s more common that you don’t survive than you do. There have been difficult times and financial struggles, but both Joe (Joseph Velosa, his business partner) and I have sort of navigated our own way and we’re both quite grounded and level-headed. Often, it’s about applying some common sense to things.”

He credits single-minded determinedness with his success. “It was belief in my own vision. You have to have a single-minded point of view if you want to make a statement and have confidence and belief, which I obviously did. It’s down to drive and ambition and creative ability, coupled with the business acumen of my partner.”

It’s that drive and ambition however that’s kept him working to the point of exhaustion over the past ten years. “I’ve sacrificed a lot of my personal life to get this far so, moving forward, I would like to think that I could actually readdress the balance and actually have a weekend off here and there.” Balance, he says, is key to his ultimate aim for the next ten years: “To have the drive and passion that I have today.”

Of course, he’s quick to add he ‘can’t complain’, saying ‘to be honest’ he gets lots of breaks. It’s just that they’re generally quick ones, a day or two tagged onto something work related.

And the industry suits him, he insists. “It’s cyclical, fashion. So you have to be inspired, whether you are or you aren’t. You really can’t say I’m not going to do a show. But I like that discipline, it suits me to be forced to think of new concepts.”

“There’ll be more pressure in London because people will be coming to the show and I imagine they’ll think ‘Well, bring it on. What have you got to show us?’ It’s got to be really strong.”

Back to this season and the concepts for his London showing, what are his initial feelings? “There’s a lot of buzz around the show in London and I’m really happy I’m back. But there’ll be more pressure on because people will be coming to it and I would imagine that they’ll think ‘Well, bring it on. What have you got to show us?’ So, I think it’s got to be really strong.”

What can we expect? According to the literature, this season hails to the heritage of Williamson, all exquisite colours, textures and prints which are synonymous with this label. He himself says: “It’s based on a girl that travels through Africa but very contemporary, clean, silhouettes, lots of colour, lots of embroidery and textures.”

And the Design Museum exhibition? After two years working on it, he’s excited it’s finally coming together. “Curating its vision has been a lot more intense and more hard work than I imagined,” he admits, “but extremely enjoyable. I’ve been in awe of the institute for many years and really loved what it’s stood for in terms of creativity. So, I’m flattered that they’ve allowed me to show my work there. And Coutts is a great brand and company to be associated with. It’s got a great reputation and profile, and we’re very careful about who we co-brand with.”

But what he’s most excited about is the first stop of the exhibition’s international tour after its three-month stint at the Design Museum. “It’s going to places like Budapest, Moscow and New York, all these glamorous destinations, and the first one is Manchester!” he hoots. “I’m so proud of that.”

His original muse, who he calls ‘a hardcore Matthew Williamson fan’, ‘very glam’, and ‘the chicest woman in Manchester’ will be first in line. “My mum will be there with an army of friends,” he says, and one gets the feeling that this is what he’s most proud of.

Matthew Williamson - 10 Years in Fashion, sponsored by Coutts & Co, 17 October 2007 to 31 January 2008, Design Museum, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD, 10.00-17.45 daily, T: 0870 833 9955, www.designmuseum.org