Isabel Spearman Launches ‘The Dead Stock Project’ in London
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ALIVE AND WELL: Isabel Spearman is taking deadstock style straight to the consumer with a pop-up shop in London.
Spearman, whose Instagram platform The Daily Dress Edit aims to champion independent British brands, will showcase dresses made with deadstock from a host of high street and designer brands including Cefinn, Rixo, Jigsaw and Boden.
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While the fashion industry may know all about deadstock — Burberry, Stella McCartney, and Alexander McQueen are among the big names that work with it, or donate it — not all consumers are aware of its possibilities.
“It’s not a sexy word, but I wanted to make a desirable collection out of it,” said Spearman, who challenged each label to create one style from old fabric.
She added that while the brands were eager to participate, none of them actually had much leftover stock to work with — so the dresses will be very limited-edition.
Prices range from 89 to 295 pounds, and customers can also place orders online. Brands taking part include Albaray, Aligne, Brora, Boden, Cefinn, Jigsaw, Iris and Rixo.
The pop-up, which runs from Tuesday through May 26 at Oxeye, a restaurant located behind the new U.S. Embassy in London’s Nine Elms, is already proving popular among customers. It’s by-appointment-only and 98 percent of appointments are already booked, said Spearman.
Johnnie Boden, founder and creative director of Boden, said his brand’s design features “past-season linen made from European flax. It’s a maxi style with a balloon sleeve and classic Boden floral print trim. It will look as amazing on the beach as it would on the school run. Made to last, it will be a go-to year after year.”
This is the firs time that Spearman has focused on deadstock. She said her hope is that, in the not-too-distant future, “we will be consuming less and people will be making more informed choices — perhaps shopping in the way older generations shopped — investing in things that last, or that came about through clever, sustainable initiatives.”
The pop-up is Spearman’s fourth, and will also include new dresses by 50 independent British brands, such as Coco Conran.
Spearman launched The Daily Dress Edit in 2018 after serving as a special advisor to former British first lady Samantha Cameron.
She has also worked as global PR director for Anya Hindmarch and is an ambassador for Smart Works, a charity that provides clothing for women in need who are joining or returning to the workforce.
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