Taking it to THE NEXT LEVEL
BASIC DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN boring – although, when it comes to updating your wardrobe, it can often feel like that. Finding that perfect tailored coat/cosy knit/midiskirt that can slot seamlessly into your wardrobe yet isn’t achingly dull can be surprisingly tricky. But now, thanks to Next, it’s just become a whole lot easier.
With annual online sales of £1.5bn, Next has always been big on knowing what women actually want to wear. And at the moment, what that means is clothes that fuse function with fashion-forward flair. The high-street giant has met this need with its latest venture: a boutique-feel capsule collection, Label/mix. Part of the retailer’s branded offering, Label, this collection of limited-edition pieces is produced in conjunction with an ever-changing roster of established designers and emerging brands. The 91-piece debut has been created alongside 10 names, including LFW hit Rejina Pyo, thinking woman’s favourite Osman, bold British brand Teatum Jones and embellishment expert AV Robertson. Each designer has translated their aesthetic into pieces that can be easily mixed with other offerings in the collection and every piece is thoughtfully designed with details that elevate them above your regular basic-basics.
Promoting and nurturing emerging talent is something the Label/mix team are passionate about. For the designers, joining forces gives them the chance to expand their audience and expertise. ‘Collaborating with Label/mix gave me the opportunity to reach a wide and diverse range of customers with my designs,’ says Pyo, the young designer whose baggy jeans and split-cuff black blazer are sure to attract the same cool-girl kudos as her mainline sculptural dresses. ‘It was a great opportunity to work with a leading British fashion retailer that has the knowledge and resources that we don’t currently have as a young designer brand. It has been invaluable to learn from their experience and enlighten the efficiency within our own processes,’ say design duo Teatum Jones, whose pieces include a geometric-print midiskirt.
Quality, like the design, is superior: super-soft cashmere, buttery leather and fluid silk all star. With prices starting at £35 and not topping £400, Label/mix hits that premium high-street sweet spot. In other words, you get a designer piece at a fraction of the price. Sounds good to us. Available from 28 September, exclusively at next.co.uk