The Memphis Collection

I'm really excited to be unveiling new work over the next few days. Over the last year, during semi-maternity leave, I have been creating a new and exciting collection inspired by the work of 80's collective, the Memphis Group. With lots of monochrome jacquard and bright, saturated pops of colour, this collection was a joy to make and even more fantastic to shoot. 

Thanks to my incredible team, photographer Alyssa Boni, stylist Grace Woodward, make-up artist Jo Reyes at Smashbox UK, hair by Naz Sonmez and our model was Elina. Keep an eye on Instagram to see the images slowly be revealed....

Gorgeous women in their gorgeous knits

As a New Year project we're gathering together photographs of our customers wearing their various incarnations of our most popular style, the cocoon cardigan. Part snuggly cardi, part coat, they never fail to be a hit every season and (in the UK at least) are a wardrobe essential about 85% of the year. As you can see here, they go with everything and are extremely flattering. If you have one and want to be included in the project, please send us a photo of you in yours!
Below: Grace Woodward, Hannah Rochell, Anita Rani, Amelia Evans, Kim Taylor Bennett, Neneh Cherry

Bump and beyond, part two

In May I wrote a post on maternity style in which I talked about the difficulties of retaining a sense of self during pregnancy, trying to remain stylish and not succumbing to sack-like clothing (unless a shapeless sack is just your thing, in which case, carry on). I thought about my own pregnancy last year and realised that - almost subconsciously - I had started to make more maternity-friendly shapes. Some of the pieces from my Spring/Summer 2015 'Hangar' collection morphed brilliantly into maternity wear and so, too, do a few from our 'Archive' collection for Autumn/Winter 2015.

The Alice cocoon cardigan, Bertie wrap cardigan and Beatrix striped t-shirt dress have all been expertly modelled below by my beautiful friend Mimi (who was around 8 months pregnant at the time). But just to demonstrate how brilliantly versatile our cocoon cardigans are, I've also included a shot of me wearing the Alice and using it to provide a little coverage as I breastfeed my daughter.

The Pacific Skirt

Another gem that slipped out at the end of the 80s was Pacific State by 808 State. One of the old school classics, it appears on just about every nostalgic classic house compilation out there. It is the sound of the summer, so was an obvious choice while I was designing the S/S 2015 collection.

Slip into the fine-gauge cotton blend Pacific skirt with bare feet for a day by the pool or on the beach, then whack on a pair of colour-pop heels for a balmy night out.

The Good Life top

I reckon I've wrecked a few pairs of heels over the years dancing to this one. Today's post is about Good Life and the sweater it named, following on from our last post on the Spring/Summer 2015 collection and the tracks that inspired it.

At the tail end of the 80s Inner City released Good Life and it was such a powerful, seminal track that it sounds as good today as it did then and, in my experience, never fails to get everyone on their feet the minute it comes on. It was so good, it was re-recorded and released again ten years later in 1999. Our Good Life sweater is a fine-gauge knit and a staple for your wardrobe, perfect for our unpredictable British summers, it'll see you through to autumn. We've included the brilliantly low budget video to Good Life below. Sums up the '80s in a nutshell.

Bump and beyond

Pregnancy is a notoriously difficult period, style-wise. Nine long months for some and yet a mere snippet of a woman's life, overall. Still, your body is changing throughout and it can be tough to retain a sense of self and stay true to your style without resorting to tent-like structures for those who prefer to conceal, or permanent stretch jersey for the embrace-the-bump types.

Like many mums I know, I had an aversion to actual maternity wear, so with a bit of creativity I managed to get through my pregnancy without it - knotted shirts and tube skirts in larger sizes saw me through brilliantly. Even better is to be able to continue to wear and enjoy the things you've bought after the baby is born, too. 

It's inevitable that my collections are going to be inspired by whatever is happening in my life at the time. While it wasn't a conscious decision design-wise, there were a few pieces that morphed perfectly into maternity wear and I wore these constantly throughout the last few months before my daughter was born. As I mentioned in the post about the Halcyon cardigan earlier this week, this was my wardrobe saviour and is subsequently my favourite piece from the Spring/Summer 2015 collection. The Harmony dress was another failsafe. My lovely friend Mimi is due in five weeks' time and very kindly agreed to demonstrate just how maternity friendly these pieces can be:

The Halcyon Cardigan

Orbital's Halcyon and On and On was released in 1993 and I loved it so much it appeared on pretty much every mix tape I made over the next few years. I still can't get enough of it - it's a particularly good one to play once the temperature starts to rise, even better if I'm driving around the countryside in my ancient BMW with all the windows down.

As mentioned in a previous post about the Spring/Summer 2015 collection, the colour palette and general vibe for these pieces was inspired by some of my favourite house tracks from the '90s. As the weather is finally improving I thought I'd talk you through some of those tracks and the pieces that have been named after them. The wrap cardigan (pictured above) that shares its name is one of my favourite pieces from this collection. I wore it to death at the end of my pregnancy last September and for that reason alone, it holds a special place in my heart. It is the perfect spring throw-on. 

Recent coverage: Source magazine

Last summer I spoke to new local London magazine 'Source' for their A/W 2014 launch issue about knitwear and the challenges of running a business (challenge being the operative word, given that I was six months pregnant at the time and now have a five month old baby!). The magazine came out at the end of last year and is available to pick up free in local cafes, independent shops and bars around north and east London.

Interview: Helene Dancer, photography: Tara Darby

Milan Fashion Week knitwear round-up

Milan fashion week is over and Paris kicks off today. Obviously I'm extremely excited to see what some of my favourite designers are going put out (Celine, Stella McCartney and Isabel Marant, to name a few). 

But first, here are a selection of my favourite knits sent down the catwalk by the Italian contingent over the last few days. Designers, top to bottom: MSGM, Trussardi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, Jil Sander, Roberto Cavalli, Tods, Sportmax, Etro, Stella Jean, Gucci, MaxMara and Les Copains.

Introducing the Autumn/Winter 2015 collection

If you didn't catch the unveiling of our new collection, Archive, on Instagram on Sunday, now is your chance see it in full. As this is our tenth collection, we decided to celebrate by reprising and reworking some of our most popular and bestselling pieces. The 'Alice' cardigan is the hugely popular cocoon shape we've become known for, the chunky 'Amelia' sweater a winter wardrobe staple and the 'Grace' mohair sweater came about when Vogue commissioned us to make two pieces for a shoot last year (see the resulting editorial here). The palette of rust and grey is simply because those are two of our favourite colours for autumn/winter.
Photography: Alyssa Boni, hair & make-up: Jodie Hyams, model: Sophie Ellson

London Fashion Week knitwear round-up, part 2

Following on from yesterday's London Fashion Week knitwear round up, here's our pick of the best from day 4. Pieces by Jonathan Saunders, Mulberry, Christopher Kane and Pringle. I loved the Peter Pilotto offering so much, I couldn't pick just one. See four of their incredibly covetable knits below.

COMING SOON: the A/W 2015 Archive collection

London Fashion Week knitwear round-up

Another February, another A/W London Fashion Week. As ever there are some choice knits on the catwalks, so I've gathered together some of my favourites from days 1, 2 & 3 (with more to follow, quite possibly). 

Designers are: students at Central Saint Martins, Sibling, Lucas Nascimento, Julien Macdonald, Alice Temperley, Matthew Williamson, Preen & Vivienne Westwood

New stockist: Graceland

New Hertfordshire boutique Graceland opened on Saturday in Hitchin. Owned by my friend Grace (Woodward: fashion commentator, stylist and presenter), it is a beautiful boutique bursting at the seams with rare vintage finds (Lanvin, Dior), unworn pieces from previous seasons (Westwood, McQueen), accessories, stunning glassware (including vases by Borske Sklo, my current obsession) and Grace's careful edit of pieces from the current season. The store also boasts the most inviting, luxurious changing rooms I've encountered. If you can walk out of there empty-handed you're a stronger woman than I.

Graceland is our newest stockist and you'll find some of our favourite archive pieces available to buy (such as the Luccombe beaded skirt and Akiak gilet) , as well as a selection of knits from the A/W 2014 collection. Follow Graceland on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date.

Knitwear styling guide: Top Ten Tips

The summer seems to have gone on holiday and the temperature has dropped. So if you've started reaching for the knitwear as we all have here in the studio, but you need a bit of help styling it, take a look at the Top Ten knitwear styling guide that I wrote for Ideal Magazine:

• There is no better combination than knit and leather. Leather trousers + simple vest and a big, textured knitted cardigan will always be a winner
• Tuck a neat knitted sweater into a high-waisted skirt or shorts for a great transitional look for spring or autumn
• Knitted track pants with heels and a light-weight loose vest or t-shirt tucked in is a great way to rock the sporty look that’s still very much on-trend 
• Layering sheer knits over camisoles and blouses is a good transitional trick for those awkward mid-season chilly days
• Another fabric combination I can’t get enough of is knit with silk. Pull on a ribbed, body-con knitted skirt and tuck in a voluminous silk shirt for an incredibly easy but really chic outfit that will easily take you from day into evening
• A knitted sweater dress, if it’s the right fit and shape for your body, will be your best friend in the winter months. All you need to wear with it is a good pair of thick tights and some awesome boots and you’re ready to go.
• A big, thick knitted cardigan is a real investment piece: it will double up as a coat and you can layer it over jumpers, leather jackets, etc. Super versatile!
• Don’t be afraid of a cropped sweater – worn over a form-fitting dress or with a leather, high-waisted pencil skirt, you’ll actually find it’s incredibly flattering
• If you’re a bit anxious about committing to a big statement knit, invest in a really bold, big scarf. You can be wearing jeans and a really simple jacket but chuck on a huge, bonkers scarf and I guarantee someone will ask you where you got it!
• It IS possible to wear knit from head to toe, you just need to play around with different weights so you don’t look like a yeti monster. One chunky foundation piece worn with lots of finer, gauzy layers makes for a really great autumn/winter look. Be experimental!