by Jenni Horn

jhorn@thekmgroup.co.uk

Iconic fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, who learnt her craft in Medway, will be adding a touch of glamour to the great outdoors.

Zandra, who trained at the Medway College of Art in Rochester, has teamed up with outdoor retailer Millets to produce an inspiring range of outdoor kit ranging from tents to T-shirts.

The designer, who is more at home creating stunning outfits for model Kate Moss, has relished the opportunity to turn her attention to wellies, folding chairs, umbrellas and flasks.

She said: “It will be great to see my prints reach a new market and brighten up everywhere from campsites to concerts.

“I love music and have designed the costumes for several operas, so it would be nice to think that my designs for Millets will help to add to the theatre of Glastonbury and Britain’s other festivals.”

With her extravagantly large diamante-framed glasses and exuberantly pink hair, Zandra Rhodes may not look like the outdoor type but she said: “I love camping. Some years ago, my husband and I went white water rafting down the Grand Canyon and we camped on the banks of the Colorado River. It was incredibly dramatic and extraordinarily hot. Another time, we camped in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in Wyoming. That was beautiful, in a totally different way. Even though it rained continually I still loved it. After all, camping is all about getting close to nature and that’s what we did.”

The inspiration for Zandra’s designs for Millets comes from the Native Americans.

She said: “I’ll never forget the impact their amazing costumes had on me the first time I saw them. It was in the Museum of the American Indian in New York and I was overwhelmed by the sophistication of the cut and the brilliance of the decorative details. Feathers were everywhere.”

(blob) Zandra Rhodes’ collection will launch in all Millets stores in mid-March 2010.