INTERVIEW SHANTELL
Hey there dude, thanks🤘 for your interest.
Shantell Bancroft BA (Hons), is a Barbadian, London born Fashion Designer based in the South East of England.
She has been drawing, painting and sewing for over 20 years.
Watching the Clothes Show LIVE religiously throughout her early teens, Shantell was awe struck by all the beautiful fashion that appeared on the BBC show.
At 15 years old, she knew she wanted to become a fashion designer one day..
Shantell studied G.C.S.E Art, then went on to complete her A-Level Art & Design at LA SWAP Sixth Form college in North London.
Leaving there in 1999, she went on to attend London Guildhall University (now named London Metropolitan University) in 2000 gaining a BTech National Diploma in Art & Design.
At Guildhall, she was able to let loose. Her tutors embraced and encouraged her to blend her love of traditional art and garment construction.
Shantell went on to study at the Kent Institute of Art & Design, ( now UCA) graduating in 2004 with a BA in Fashion Product Development.
She went on to work in simultaneous roles in 2005-2007 with two popular independent labels.
A Production / Studio Assistant to Jon Jourrou at Seirra Designs - a House Of Fraser luxury womenswear concessions brand.
At the Arcadia group- a freelance Design Assistant to the Menswear Design Manager for street brand Burton Menswear.
In 2009 she continued her experience within design - assisting Fashion Designer/founder Christine Mhando at ChiChia London.
Shantell took the first steps to forming her company in 2005. In 2009 she began developing the womens wear and brand.
She established the label, The Urban Tiger in 2011, launching with a small collection of lace boleros.
Inspired by her Barbadian heritage, her work celebrates her West Indian culture.
2012 Shantell begins work on her next pattern print collection - this time a small line of oversized tops. After weeks of searching for printed fabric depicting West Indian culture, with zero results, she she decides to create custom fabric. 
Featuring her her own original art, inspired by her adventures in Barbados, West Indian ancestry and obsession with the Afro.
In 2013, life threw Shantell a huge curve ball. Turning her life upside down, separating her from her studio art and pattern production equipment for the next 3 years. .
With no means of producing clothing, Shantell turned to her art. Developing the two print pattern designs created in 2012, into her first art series, a total of 5 prints.
She released these prints, hoping to make enough money to buy screen printing equipment, to transfer her designs onto fabric for the collection.
In 2016, Shantell manged to retrieve most of her studio equipment. With no sales of her paper prints, she still lacked the money to finance the cost of digitally printing her textile designs.
And to replace the essentials equipment he could not retrieve -her a sewing machines and dress stand.
To possibly bootstrap the production, of the collection. Shantell turned to her love of making jewellery and released Bathsheba- a 25 piece collection of hand fabricated metal earrings.
After 8 months of design, development and production, Shantell released the collection in 2019.
Bathsheba's influence, is a blend of the art of the indigenous people of the Caribbean with the geometric forms performed in the martial art of Wing Chun.
In 2020 the label celebrated a re-brand to the eponymous name.
The jewellery receives many positive responses. However, it does not produce the funds to finance the printing of fabric, fabric samples, labels ect.
Undeterred, for 10 years, Shantell has had one dream. To be a Fashion designer, with an independent label. To make designing beautiful womens wear her full time job.
For 7 of those 10 years, she has tirelessly worked to move the production of comfortable easy to wear, print tops to completion. With no budget, progress has been slow.
She has turned to Ko-Fi to help her receive donations from supporters who wish to help her fund her label.
For as little as the cost of a fancy cup of coffee, you can support her journey in producing this 7 year project, as well as her future collections. Simple use her Ko-fi donation box below.
Bi-monthly, in what might be the weeniest studio in the world....nah forget that.....the galaxy.... is LIVE drawing, good music and chit chat. Shantell's Artist Studio Hangout's are a real good time!!
If you ever miss a live stream, don't freat - we upload them to her YouTube channel/ Watch the replays here on YouTube
Contact Shantell mailto: shantelllovesaart@gmail.com
Please use the subject line 'Interviewer Submission' . In your message, please have a little fun with Shantell by including a little bit about yourself, the animal which best describes your character, as well as the context of the interview, links to your website / blog / podcast, previous interviews, social links.
Please only get in touch if you wish to interview Shantell.
To read her press features click here.