Spring is in full swing and today not only is it 25 degrees outside but we have also just had our first Spring Summer delivery. Hooray! I’ve been working on making Lowie even more sustainable so have been collaborating with some new manufacturers. I like to choose a theme for each season and this summer it’s all about India. Since a good friend moved to Goa a few years ago my trips have been more frequent, so I thought it a perfect opportunity to design products utilising their amazing craft traditions including weaving and hand embroidery, go visit some factories AND have a cheeky holiday!

 

Here are my 5 favourite pieces of the collection that I’ll be wearing all summer long.

 

This piece was inspired by an 80’s jumpsuit bought from Spitalfields market years ago when I was doing market stalls myself. I loved the fit and the wrap over style and the wide elasticated waistband was really flattering. I wore this style so much and realised I would be devastated if one day it was beyond repair.  We’ve  already made this style in a denim and a black spot in the past but this is my favourite; a handwoven traditional ikat cotton fabric with cute graphic triangles.

 

 

I travelled to Jaipur and visited some small factories and workspaces where people were hand-block printing, hand weaving fabric and embroidering beautiful things. The level of craftsmanship was so inspiring and opened up a lot of potential for Lowie.

While I was out there I designed three white blouses and worked with the embroiderers to create the designs. The white 3/4 sleeve blouse is such an easy piece to wear, covering your arms but still being really lightweight. Craftwork is really important and intrinsic to the Lowie brand so I’m always seeking to include more hand made elements into the collections.  This one has embroidery on the front panel and along the sleeve seams.  Skinny black jeans are part of my uniform so I’ll just throw this on, teamed with a pair of colourful trainers and I’ll be ready for anything.

 

Since SS18 was heavily inspired by India, I worked with watercolour based Illustrator Jessica Smith to create this print.

I wanted a tiger, which is the national animal of India stalking the jungle at night passing the calm and serene meditating Sumi. I love the bright green and coral colours on the black base. The tiger print is an antidote to the cold and wet weather we have been having recently.  I’ve nabbed one of these shirts already – see my Instagram post.

It’s another great bright shirt to go with my classic skinny jeans and I’m pretty sure it’ll be a staple for day and night.

 

 

The Lowie cashmere button back has been around for a few years and is one of our bestselling staple pieces.  Every season we introduce new colours and this years we have red and green to go with our tiger print. The blend of cashmere and wool makes it super soft but without the 100% cashmere prices. Our customers love the bright colours we do, which is a change from the more neutral palettes you might see elsewhere. Cashmere isn’t just for the winter, it’s a great weight to able to slip on on a chilly British summer evening.

 

 

 

This classic workwear inspired shirt dress is such an easy piece to wear. I wanted to make the workwear style a bit more luxe so chose this lovely modal which is so soft to touch and has great drape. I don’t tend to wear short dresses but this style is slimming, flattering and makes me feel good. Roll up the sleeves for a more relaxed look, or even wear with tights in the winter- get as much wear out of it as possible!