Best fashion collaborations for your diary
Alexa Chung, Bella Freud, Carine Roitfeld, Kenzo - meet Marks and Sparks, Mr Selfridge, H&M and Uniqlo. What to buy at the best designer collaborations of 2016
Topshop, Uniqlo, H&M and many others have successfully followed the model. Over in America, Victoria Beckham, the most exclusive of designers, has announced her own collection for Target, the least exclusive of discount retailers.
There are those that say the Balmain launch by H&M last year was peak collaboration point. It was H&M's most successful designer venture ever. Surely nothing can be bigger? Surely fatigue will set in soon for the endless roster of designers and the capital X on everything: a fashion equation we're tiring of solving.
But with exactly three massive collections launching the first week of November 2016 and more excitement announced, we have no choice but to straddle the bandwagon and list them all. Here's what to buy at the new designer collaborations.
Kenzo xH&M
Forgive us: the Kenzo x H&M collection looks, for want of a better word, badass. Jungle green, clashing animal prints in brights and neons, slouchy sweaters, furry bombers, quilted coats, asymmetric cuts and skintight jumpsuits offset with the toughest-looking ruffles ever gathered. The menswear is equally bright, fun and textured. Every single thing is a statement piece and, according to the laws of physics and precedent, every single thing will sell out.
Top buy: A statement animal + logo jumper or the ribbon dress
How to get it: 9am on Thursday November 3, store doors will open. If you're not queuing outside immediately, woe betide you. Shoppers will be let in in groups of only 20 at a time every five minutes and will only have 10 minutes in the store. If you're shopping from home, be ready at 9am at your laptop. Make sure you know exactly what you want to buy first by browsing our lookbook and perhaps writing a battle plan.
Where to buy in London:
Westfield Shopping Centre
103-111 Kensington High Street
174-176 Oxford Street East
234 Regent Street
Oxford Circus
Westfield Stratford City
Click here to see the Lookbook
Alexa Chung revisits the Archives for Marks and Spencer
This latest collaboration between Alexa Chung and Marks and Spencer launches on 1 November. Last time Alexa Chung dipped into the M&S the resulting 31 piece collection was a safe bet for fashionistas and traditionalists alike with Lady Di-style pie crust collars and navy blazers. This time around M&S hope for more hype by debuting a collection with a slinkier feel. Yes, there are the sturdy coats, skirts and trousers but there's also the white zip-up furry coat, the leopard print slip dress, and the delicate polka dot halter neck dress. With her own fashion label launching next year, this may be one of the last chances to buy a piece of Alexa at a discount.
Top buy: We loved a glimpse we got of a black, shiny mini skirt.
How to get it: Available 1 November in store and online. The spring collection did not sell out immediately and there were no queues out of the door, but collaboration fever and Christmas shopping might add to the rush: be prepared.
Uniqlo X Carine Roitfeld
Uniqlo is the Japanese casualwear brand that makes us all want to be a little bit basic. Carine Roitfeld, on the other hand, is the extremely French former editor-in-chief at Vogue Paris. Whilst H&M will do their best to convince us that the animal of the hour is the zebra, Carine Roitfeld is a firm believer in the seductive power of the leopard. Her latest collection for the normally utilitarian Uniqlo heavily features black, with a smattering of printed blouses, silk scarves, leopard print and military khaki- it's armour for the everyday fashionable and it's sexy, too. Not outrageous H&M playsuit sexy, but sophisticated sexy. Don't pair that fur coat with woollens- in the words of Roitfeld herself 'I think it's more sexy with the silk and with the décolleté, no?'
Top buy: The silk neck scarf paired with the big black furry bomber
How to get it: From 10am Thursday 3 November, the full Carine Roitfeld collection will be available at 311 Oxford Street (The Uniqlo store). It's also available online from 2 November.
Click here to read more
J&M Davidson x Tanya Ling
Top buy: Get your own personal commission in store
How to get it: At the store on Mount Street, until January 2017
Click here to read more
Bella Freud X You
Have your very own collaboration by correspondence with designer Bella Freud by emailing her and requesting a personalised jumper. Or go to Selfridges on 10 November where she'll be appearing in person to write your name, ready for printing on your own piece of clothing. Then the company will make your one of her iconic jumpers so you can look as hot as Gigi. Beats a Christmas jumper every day of the year (though I suppose you could get her to write 'God Created Jesus' and wear it proud).
Top buy: Get a meta sweater by asking her to write 'God created jumpers'
How to get it: On 10 November at Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, W1A 1AB
Click here to read more
Zayn Malik x Versus
See how many times you can spot Gigi Hadid in this article. Here she is again on the (robotic) arm of boyfriend Zayn Malik. He's the former One-Directioner whose breakout solo career (despite some stage fright) has been smooth RnB all the way. Gigi and Zayn were the hottest couple at the Met Gala, thanks to many celebrities taking the futuristic theme too seriously and also thanks to Zayn's arms being dressed by Donatella Versace. Now Zayn has announced a collaboration with Donatella in the form of a Versus line. Versus is the little sister brand of Versace proper- it's all denim, party dresses and Italian sex appeal. A collaboration with Zayn certainly won't dilute this vision. The ZAYN X VERSUS collection will be presented next spring before dropping in stores and online in May.
