New womenswear brand Finery London launches today with a refined focus on high quality design and clean lines at an accessible price point that aims to address the gap between London's derivative high street chains and luxury sector.
Backed by the Global Fashion Group and headed by brand director Caren Downie, formerly fashion director of ASOS, the online brand is geared towards effortless style staples cut with an architectural approach that feels of-the-moment without coveting catwalk trends.
'As a result of the recession we felt that the attitude on the high street has changed and that more focus has been placed on the younger target market,' says Downie. 'Our customer is looking for higher quality product that is more considered.'
Downie was quick to poach Emma Farrow, previously design director of Topshop, as Finery's head of design. 'I loved working with Emma when I was at Topshop,' explains Downie. 'She is extremely creative but has a very considered approach which is rare to find. She has great taste but is very unassuming at the same time.' Up until her departure, Farrow was responsible for Topshop's Unique line shown at London Fashion Week.
Farrow was lured by an open design brief, the only stipulation being to create pieces the pair wanted to wear themselves. 'Our starting point was with our most treasured pieces from our personal wardrobes,' says Farrow. 'Those items that you can't live without and have had for years and years... the perfect vintage dress or t-shirt that go with everything. We were very keen to take a step away from the noise of the catwalks and current trends that seem to be saturating the market.'
Art references repeatedly reverberate in Finery's bold use of print and colour. 'It actually got me thinking that print design could be a great point of difference, so we started commissioning illustrators and artists to design bespoke prints for us,' says Farrow.
Key collection archetypes include the trench, leather skirts, silken jumpsuits and directional day dresses - all cut with a contemporary twist. The debut spring/summer 2015 collection also includes a small range of shoes and accessories, which they plan to expand upon going forward. Offering a weath of style inspiration, Finery's tightly-edited capsule collections will drop online monthly. However, for the next few weeks the brand has a pop-up 'Fitting Room' at 35 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials where London customers can sample their fine fit in person.
Backed by the Global Fashion Group and headed by brand director Caren Downie, formerly fashion director of ASOS, the online brand is geared towards a refined, architectural approach
'As a result of the recession we felt that the attitude on the high street has changed and that more focus has been placed on the younger target market,' says Downie. 'Our customer is looking for higher quality product that is more considered'
Downie was quick to poach Emma Farrow, previously design director of Topshop, as Finery's head of design. She was lured by an open design brief to create pieces the pair wanted to wear themselves
Key collection archetypes include the trench, leather skirts, silken jumpsuits and directional day dresses - all cut with a contemporary twist
Art references repeatedly reverberate in Finery's bold use of print and colour. 'It actually got me thinking that print design could be a great point of difference, so we started commissioning illustrators and artists to design bespoke prints for us,' says Farrow
-
Watch dance, music and film collide at a unique event at Abbey Road StudiosIn this exclusive film, watch Abbey Road’s first Artist in Residence, Jordan Rakei, collaborate with industry-leading creatives to produce a dance performance in the hallowed Studio One
-
Frances Elkins gets her dues at Christie's this JuneYou can soon take home a piece of the legendary American designer’s legacy…including a $3 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture.
-
The new Phone 2 Pro from CMF combines generous scale with true affordabilityWe explore the ins and outs of the CMF Phone 2 Pro, the newest device from the Nothing sub-brand that focuses on bold design and carefully honed value engineering
-
Vans’ West End store turns skatepark, with a 200 sq m travertine rampPart store, part community hub, Vans West End in London ramps up its skateboarding credentials with a design by Andrea Caputo Studio
-
20 years of Dover Street Market’s transporting in-store installations, from giant elephants to soft toysAs Dover Street Market, Rei Kawakubo and Adrian Joffe’s radical London concept store, celebrates its 20th anniversary, we look back at ten of its most colourful installations, crafted alongside Simone Rocha, Jonathan Anderson, Martin Parr and more
-
Alaïa’s secret new London café and bookstore is inspired by the art of hostingHoused on the third floor of Alaïa’s London flagship, the intimate space – inspired by Azzedine Alaïa’s famed hospitality – includes a Violet Cakes bakery and a bookstore by Claire de Rouen
-
‘Music is in the DNA of the brand’: AV Vattev on creating this year’s loudest accessoryRising London designer AV Vattev – who has recently outfitted Charli XCX and Troye Sivan for their viral ‘Sweat’ tour – talks about the influence of music on his ‘bold and unapologetic’ collections
-
APOC’s secret London pop-up is a curiosity shop of weird and wonderful fashionOffbeat fashion emporium APOC’s London pop-up opens in time for the holiday season, offering the work of more than 70 avant-garde designers – most of which you won’t find elsewhere – in a secret location
-
Paul Smith’s Claridge’s Christmas tree is a playful slice of ‘countryside in the centre of London’Sir Paul Smith is the latest in a long line of fashion designers to curate the iconic Claridge’s Christmas tree. Here, he talks to Wallpaper* about the inspiration behind the tree, which features bird boxes and wooden animals
-
Tour Jacquemus’ new store, a serene Mediterranean escape in central LondonSimon Porte Jacquemus has united with OMA on his latest store – a Meditteranean-inspired bolthole on London’s New Bond Street. Here, they talk Wallpaper* through the transporting space
-
The making of Loro Piana’s magical festive Harrods takeover, ‘The Workshop of Wonders’Celebrating 100 years of Loro Piana, the Italian house has taken over Harrods in time for the festive season, spanning 36 transporting windows, two pop-ups and a raft of one-of-a-kind products which embrace the spirit of giving
