Esme Curtis

"Big Time Charlie Potato" is a personal and playful exploration of class, nostalgia, and identity. Named after a phrase my granddad used to describe someone putting on airs, the collection reflects on my upbringing in a working-class family on a council estate—a childhood that felt full of beauty, creativity, and love. I’ve used quilting and patchwork to evoke the warmth and texture of my childhood home, where wisteria bloomed and nothing ever felt like it was missing. Inspired by the romanticism of classic films like Meet Me in St. Louis and The Sound of Music, I wanted to challenge the loud, saturated depictions of working-class life often seen in media. My silhouettes draw from a host of iconic female musicians—Stevie Nicks, Kim Gordon, Dolly Parton, Billie Holiday, Taylor Swift, and Sabrina Carpenter—merging their influence with the softness and sentimentality of home. In conclusion, it would seem that maybe I am the Big Time Charlie Potato.