High fashion? No, cut-price chic from Sainsbury’s
FANCY a catwalk look with a supermarket price tag? It may sound too good to be true, but Sainsbury’s hopes its new upmarket range will give designers a run for their money.
The chain claims its Tu Premium collection would not be out of place in fashionable stores such as Hobbs, LK Bennett and Whistles.
Meanwhile, rivals Tesco and Asda are increasingly opting for quality materials and cutting-edge designs. Tesco’s F&F label even boasts its own show every season with celebrities on the guest list.
Sales figures suggest picking up a dress during your weekly food shop no longer carries a stigma. In fact, £1 in every £10 spent on clothing, footwear or accessories is in a supermarket, according to retail analyst Kantar.
Many of the stores’ designs are unashamedly similar to the latest crea-
‘We’ve seen it on the catwalks’
tions from the catwalks of Paris, New York and London – but, of course, they are only a fraction of the price.
In George at Asda’s autumn collection, a £25 dogtooth coat has recently been tipped by British Vogue’s fashion editor Laura Ingham.
She told the Daily Mail’s Femail: ‘I love the oversize dogtooth check. We’ve seen lots of it on the catwalks.’
The Tu Premium range, available from Tuesday, includes a wool blend wrap coat at £50, a silk shirt for £30 and leather ankle boots costing £50.
Femail’s Style Editor DINAH VAN TULLEKEN says: ‘A timeless, understated and attractive collection of cleverly cut basics in a simple palette of beige, navy and grey. The items wouldn’t look out of place in Hobbs or Jigsaw.
‘But is it what the Sainsbury’s customer is after? These colours can be tricky to wear – draining, especially as you get older. And loose-fitting styles look fabulous on thin, athletic frames, but if you’re anything over a trim size 12 you’ll probably want something more structured.’