John Flett

Early life John Flett was from a Jewish background, according to his friend and former "soulmate" John Galliano, who has described Flett as "the love of his life". After studying fashion and textiles at West Sussex College of Design. He then moved on to Central Saint Martins (then St Martins), where he studied fashion under Sheilagh Brown. Brown would later say: "When John Flett came for his interview his work was incredible, one of the tutors said not to give him a place as he looked like trouble. I replied 'that kind of trouble I love'."

At Central Saint Martins, Flett was part of a hothouse of talent – both in fashion and the London scene; his early 1980s peer group included not only Galliano, but also Stephen Jones, Darla Jane Gilroy, Sade and Chris Sullivan.

Career From 1985, Flett became a part of the London high-fashion scene, exhibiting at London Fashion Week and at New York and Paris fashion weeks. Menswear was introduced to his range in 1986 and in 1987 he added a diffusion (lower-priced) line. By 1988, John Flett designs were available worldwide in 70 stores.

Not all his early catwalk collections attracted acclaim. Writing in The Times about his first show in spring 1988, Liz Smith said that he: "has to learn to polish his act". But there was no doubt about his appeal to most of the British press and fashion buyers. An interview and double-page spread of photos of his collection in The Observer described his autumn 1988 catwalk show as: "triumphant". The interviewer said Flett's trademarks were about intricacy, involving clever draping on items such as a backless dress with no visible means of support. She described his finale outfit as: "a wondrous white creation that looked like a cross between a meringue and a crinkle-cut crisp".

Later career and death Despite the acclaim from both buyers and majority of the British fashion press, Flett was unable to sustain his business venture.