There’s a certain freshness to Temperley London’s spring/summer 2015 collection; a younger, more modern feel. There are fewer of the evening gowns that the brand is most often associated with and, instead, more relaxed jackets and suits, versatile separates, breezy skirts and cropped trenches.
“Relaxed tailoring is a key focus for summer 2015 – with soft sculptured lines layered to create an effortless silhouette, and femininity accentuated by rich jacquards, beautifully ornate detail and fresh colours,” says Alice Temperley of the collection.
Temperley is, herself, currently going through something of a suit phase, she admits. “I am having a suit moment – I have a different suit for every day of the week.”
The spring/summer collection marks a new direction for the British brand best known for exquisite wedding dresses and red-carpet gowns worn by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley, not to mention a certain Duchess of Cambridge (a black cut-out dress worn by the duchess to a gala event in October reportedly sold out within 24 hours, while Pippa Middleton famously wore a emerald-green gown by Temperley to her sister’s wedding party).
But this new collection is part of a wider evolution, which has also seen Temperley consolidate her main and diffusion lines, doing away with the Alice by Temperley range that she launched in 2010. The aim now, she says, is to “turn Temperley London into a global luxury lifestyle brand”.
As she explains: “Over 14 years the business has grown, and we expanded into new categories. Now we have fused our main line and our diffusion line so we can focus on one brand and one message. With four collections a year, Temperley London offers a full day-to-evening range.”
So, what, then, can we expect for autumn/winter 2015? “Luxurious layering, rich fabrics and patterns, and combined global nomadic references,” she reveals.
The designer, who is one of Britain’s most successful but also widely regarded as one of its most down-to-earth, continues to work from the same studio where she launched her label nearly 15 years ago, which is located next to her atelier in a mews in London’s Notting Hill.
An average day will see her catching up with her team first thing, then spending the morning in fitting sessions for her upcoming collection; the afternoon will be spent sketching or researching. “No day is ever the same and the days are never long enough. I try to have one business day, three design days and one project day to work on branding and marketing materials,” she says.
“I work very organically, starting with inspiration and research. From architecture to art, music, books and photography – I find myself constantly inspired. I then start to sketch and work with my team on fabrics, colours and prints, which are all designed by hand in-house. We make all the prototypes for our silhouettes in our atelier and fit the toiles to make our looks.
“When the artworks and patterns are right, we engineer all designs to the patterns so nothing looks like a cut-and-sew fabric and the whole collection looks more unified.”
What could she not do her job without? “My hard working team, a sense of humour, quick decision-making and huge amounts of energy,” she says.
The brand currently has a store in The Dubai Mall and in Doha’s The Gate Mall, with more regional operations in the pipeline. “The Middle East is one of our most important and fastest growing markets,” Temperley says. “Middle Eastern women are very sophisticated and love colour, pattern and celebrating their femininity. They love to dress up and wear a complete look and are passionate about well-made clothes with beautiful detailing.”
sdenman@thenational.ae
