To mark LFW, we’ve curated an edit of some of St James’s & Regent Street's most innovative brands. Yet, what might surprise you is the extraordinary heritage and tradition that remains at the heart of these brands even today. Keep reading to explore Central London’s impressive array of design-conscious fashion brands.
Moving Mountains: Arc’teryx
Arc’teryx is well known for using the latest technologies to create alpine gear for climbing and skiing. Their latest piece of outdoor equipment is the new Venda Anorak, taking the mountains to the city streets. Offering women a style-conscious pullover, the item is created with buttery-soft 30D cKnit fabric to feel super soft next to your skin. Fashionable it may be, but the Venda Anorak is functional too; designed to protect you from the wind and rain, with GORE-TEX protection against the elements.
See the latest high performance outdoor clothing - designed specifically for urban environments - below.
ASICS, staying true to design beliefs
Over 30 years ago, ASICS Shoe Designer Mitsui-San was repeatedly told his designs were too technically complex, and too aesthetically challenging. He has proved the world wrong, as ASICS celebrates the 30th anniversary of the iconic GEL-LYTE shoe. An iconic shoe in Japanese sneaker culture has been reworked this year, with the GEL-LYTE III featuring Mitsui’s signature style, and even his handwriting, with the words ‘Toyko Sun’ visible on the iconic split tongue.
Hear more about this classic trainer, and how Mitsui-San’s defiant approach and commitment to innovation has continued to shape the ASICS brand today, below.
Gentle Monster pushes boundaries
Founded in South Korea, Gentle Monster pushed eyewear to new design heights. If you have visited the Regent Street store, you will be well aware of the innovative aesthetic that each store, and pair of glasses, brings to life. The latest creative project from Gentle Monster is the MY MARS collection, designed by Matthew Stone. His concept was to incorporate traditional painting techniques with new methods to create digitally manipulated, extraordinary eyewear.
Discover endless imaginative possibilities and be inspired by MY MARS below.
SNOW PEAK'S DESIGN EVOLVES WITH EACH GENERATION
Snow Peak is a pioneer of the outdoor lifestyle scene in Japan. Founded in 1958, the design ethos of Yukio Yamai was to create his own line of superior climbing gear. Since then, the family business has continued to flourish. When Yukio's son took over at the helm, he wanted to design products that would bring the indoors outside, and created camping equipment in the 1980s that started a cultural movement. More recently, in 2014 Yukio's granddaughter Lisa Yamai decided to launch Snow Peak Apparel: a clothing line featuring functional, considered, technical outdoor clothing made from innovative Japanese fabrics.Explore the Yamai family's design evolution, from climbing essentials to camping luxuries, and finally to clothing suitable for the wild outdoors below.
Harvie & Hudson’s fresh take on tailored favourites
Thomas Harvie and George Hudson opened the first Harvie & Hudson London store on Jermyn Street in St James’s in 1949, to much acclaim. This year, the brand is drawing inspiration from history with a lookbook reminiscent of the roaring 1920s. With colourful linen jackets and casual shirts in a range of fun prints, Harvie & Hudson’s latest season features traditional looks styled with a dynamic, surprising twist.
Explore the latest Harvie & Hudson looks below.
Liberty supports non-conformist designers
Liberty Fabrics’ Lead Bespoke Designer, Adam Herbert, is passionate about pushing the boundaries of design, even whilst working at a heritage brand. Liberty’s London emporium first opened in 1875, and from there has grown into a globally-renowned retail institution, with Founder Arthur Lazenby Liberty’s words still echoed in the ethos of the team that works there today: "I WAS DETERMINED NOT TO FOLLOW EXISTING FASHIONS BUT TO CREATE NEW ONES”.
From bold geometrics to courageous colour choices, listen to Adam share stories about his diverse career spanning fashion, illustration, interiors and fabrics here.
The Regent Street & St James’s x London Fashion Week hub is live here. Discover further fashion, design and craft content on our websites Regent Street Online & St James's London and social media channels: @RegentStreetW1 & @StJamesLondon via #LFWReset