SOPHIE HICKS ARCHITECTS

SOPHIE HICKS had an ace up her sleeve when developing fashion-forward retail concepts for the likes of Acne Studios, Chloé, Yohji Yamamoto and Paul Smith. Before becoming an architect, the Londoner worked for visionary fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa and as a fashion stylist for British Vogue. ‘Fashion people speak a different language,’ says Hicks, ‘but
I understand that language.’ Interested in architecture from a very young age, she made the switch ‘before becoming tired of fashion. I left on an up.’

Hicks formed SH Ltd Architects in 1990 while studying at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. With a few staff members on board, she juggled refurbishing residences with the responsibilities of motherhood. ‘It’s quite unusual to start a practice while studying, but as a mature student I could cope.’