FASHION designer Henry Holland may now live hundreds of miles away in London — but he will always call the North West his home.

The 28-year-old believes his roots have influenced his creations, starting from the popular T-shirts with slogans which launched his career.

He said: “Being from the North means there is a sense of humour and a sensibility to what I do that is very northern.

“We are very tongue-incheek and self-effacing.

The feel of my clothes and the sense of humour behind them reflect that.”

Henry, a former pupil at Bury Grammar School, was always in a rush to leave the area.

He said: “From being about 13 years old I was always plotting how to get to London and get a job here.

“It’s difficult to get time to come back home because I travel a lot, but I will always have a connection with where I grew up.

“My mum lives in France now, but she still has a flat in Ramsbottom and my dad lives in Edenfield.”

Henry left the North West to study journalism at the London College of Printing, before being catapulted into the fashion limelight in 2006 with his slogan Tshirts.

House Of Holland held its first solo show on the main Fashion Week schedule in 2008 to critical acclaim and his brand is now firmly established on the international scene.

Last year, he was welcomed as the newest fashion designer at Debenhams, with the H!

By Henry Holland collection.

His new collection for this autumn and winter has arrived in Debenhams in the last few weeks and Henry appears in new television adverts to promote it.

Henry said: “It’s the first time I have been included in one of Debenhams’ advertising campaigns and it was really fun.”

While Henry designs with a “London girl aesthetic” in mind, he still thinks about the people from his home town who are wearing his clothes.

He said: “I have been sent picture messages from people I went to school with showing my clothes in Debenhams in Bury and I’ve been to see the collection there, as well as at the Trafford Centre.”