All the best high-street collaborations and need-to-know brands for the new season
Ah, we love designer collaborations. Great quality and chic catwalk-worthy designs, but with a much more accessible price point? You don’t need to tell us twice. This autumn, there are plenty to choose from. The only thing to note? You need to move fast, they won’t hang around long...
The set-your-clock one: The Vampire’s Wife x H&M
Susie Cave’s label The Vampire’s Wife was born in 2014, and her line of modest yet modern , vintage-esque dresses has been a hit ever since. The Duchess of Cambridge, Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller are all fans, but its steep price tags (up to £2,500) have meant it’s been out of reach for many of us.
Enter H&M, famed for its fabulous collabs that have queues snaking up the high street on launch day, which has tapped The Vampire’s Wife for its next big one. It follows its recent tailoring collection with Giuliva Heritage, which sold out within hours.
What to expect: The same beautiful designs we know and love from the brand, at a fraction of the price. Party season is looming but celebrations are set to be small, so a statement dress is a must.
The piece to buy: The romantic frilled maxi – a similar style in the main line comes in at £1,495. Dress, £49.99, The Vampire’s Wife x H&M
Other brilliant buys in the collection
Cape mini dress, £24.99; Collar, £9.99; Charm bracelet, £17.99 Out 22 October, hm.com
The one that looks more expensive than it is: John Lewis & Partners x Mother of Pearl II
After a brilliant first collection, Amy Powney is back with a second for John Lewis this autumn. A pioneer of sustainable fashion, her designs always err towards classic-with-a-twist pieces that’ll have a place in your wardrobe for years to come.
What to expect: Flattering sleeved dresses, ideal for work.
The piece to buy: The trench coat, £220 – rarely does a high-street trench look this slick and structured. Out 26 October
The minimalist’s dream: JW Anderson x Uniqlo
This launch date (15 October) will have been in every fashion editor’s diary, such is its shopability. We’re all still wearing (and loving) pieces from the previous collections; it’s synonymous with wear-forever buys.
What to expect: Stylish wintry pieces that work for the city: Anderson’s theme was ‘A Day in London’, although everything here is versatile. Nothing is too cumbersome, so lends itself well to layering.
The piece to buy: Cream collarless coat, £49.90 – wear with a polo-neck and wide-leg trousers. Out now
The every-box ticker: Label Mix
The beauty of Next’s Label Mix initiative is that the megabrand works with a few designers at a time, so every area is covered each season by a specialist.
Take this autumn’s line-up: Marques’Almeida has nailed dresses and knitwear, Second Female has workwear separates down pat, Grace & Oliver covers colourful coats, while LF Markey has denim ticked off. See? Every box.
The piece to buy: We predict a stampede for this frilled, printed midi-dress. Dress, £195, Mix/Fabienne Chapot Out now
The new sustainable labels to know
It almost feels as though every brand is claiming eco-credentials these days, so it’s tricky to work out what sustainability truly means. Each of these new labels, however, has it as the foundation of its business…
Aligne
Perfect for: Minimal tailoring that looks more expensive than its price tag suggests.
Why we love it: Aligne doesn’t adhere to traditional collection timings, so its seasonless offering promotes maximum cost-per-wear with clever layering and accessories. Products are delivered via road rather than air or sea, to cut down on carbon emissions.
Blazer, £95, knit, £75, trousers, £80, Aligne
OMNES
Perfect for: Printed separates that can be dressed up and down.
Why we love it: From its design process (when picking materials, what will happen to the piece when we no longer wear it is one of their concerns), to its packaging (a mixture of waste paper and wood pulp), OMNES is very transparent about its practices, and its sustainability report is available on its site.
Dress, £85, Omnes
Yasmina Q
Perfect for: Special dresses you can humblebrag about. Why we love it: Saudi designer Yasmina Qanzal specialises in figure-skimming, silky dresses. Fabrics are sustainably sourced, the brand uses eco-friendly practices and it has an all-female team.
Dress, £380, Yasmina Q
Caes
Perfect for: Your capsule wardrobe, from neutral knits to the perfect shirt.
Why we love it: Slow fashion adopter Caes has ensured its entire supply chain is set up to treat workers fairly and minimise the impact on the environment. For fans of Cos, Totême and The Row.
Knit, £160, Caes
The new working-from-home favourites
Ugg’s loungewear
Whether we like it or not, cosy clothes are going nowhere, and no one does comfies like Ugg. Its Scuffette slippers have been bestsellers this year, and we can bet its loungewear will follow suit.
Dressing gown, £110, pyjamas, £90, slippers, £80, Ugg
Nanushka x Alighieri
Both well known for stylish, unique and feminine designs, the pairing of Nanushka and Alighieri resulted in a super-chic capsule of 24ct-gold pieces. A limited line of clothing will also launch in the new Nanushka London store early next month.
Barrel of the night necklace, £240, Dichotomy earrings, £210, Nanushka
Ernest Leoty’s casual line
With roots in couture, the brand is famed for its flattering activewear, and this season it’s extended into knitwear and loungewear. Think oversized cashmere knits and merino leggings in a stylish colour palette.
Hoodie, £140, track pants, £120, Ernest Leoty
Mejuri x FRAME
Affordable jewellery brand Mejuri has teamed up with cult denim label Frame to create the latter's first jewellery offering. The pieces are bolder and more statement than the minimal gold designs Mejuri is famed for: expect chunky chain necklaces and slick gold hoops.
Le Chain necklace, £497, Mejuri x FRAME; Le textured hoops, £151, Mejuri X FRAME
New Balance x STAUD
When retro favourite New Balance met social-media hit Staud, the perfect wear-anywhere trainer was born. Pair with a chunky jumper and knitted leggings for a casual look.
Trainers, £110, New Balance
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