Fast track to fashion

The daughter of a racing driver, Zoë Jordan draws on a childhood of travel for her eponymous line, says Rebecca Gonsalves

Rather than trends, London-based designer Zoë Jordan's clothes are all about “feminine swagger and a boyish insouciance”, a sentiment that came across in swathes at her London Fashion Week debut last September.

When the whole she-bang kicks off again in February it will be Jordan lighting the touch paper with the first scheduled show of the season. "It's totally thrilling and equally terrifying," says Jordan, who came to fashion design after studying architecture and a stint as an investment banker in New York. "I feel incredibly honoured to be launching London Fashion Week this season. Let's hope our hard work shines through."

Jordan's approach to her eponymous label marries a passion for colours and fabrics with her business background. "I love to pick up colour inspirations from my travels around the world," she says. "European fabrics, both Italian and English, always form the base of the collection. Quality is essential – I want my collection to be worn season after season."

The daughter of racing driver and entrepreneur Eddie Jordan, she draws inspiration from her adventurous early life in the motor racing world, which culminates in a refined silhouette and bold use of colour in collections that veer between feminine and androgynous.

Although still in its infancy, Jordan's well-received line, stocked in Harrods, Start and on her own website, has already appeared on the red carpet – worn by the likes of Nicole Sherzinger and Keira Knightley. "It's fun for sure," says Jordan about seeing famous faces in her designs. "But I get just as big a kick from seeing people walking down the street in the collection too!"