OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, there has definitely been a mood-shift when it comes to fashion. As a new season dawns, it seems relevant to ask, what does fashion mean now? Which is where the thinking behind our Style With Purpose capsule collection began.

Curated by editor and author Erica Davies, 15% of every item sold will be donated to Refuge to support the record rise in demand for its services this year. 

‘It’s about making yourself feel good while helping others who need it,’ says Erica. ‘What we really wanted to achieve was this feeling of community, this sense of giving back.’ 

The sense of mindfulness and focusing on what’s important is reflected in the edit. ‘The collection definitely came from a place of: what will be useful to people for a long time?’ says Erica. ‘What pieces will they be reaching for time and time again? What will work with existing pieces? You might just want to buy one item that will refresh your autumn wardrobe, or it might spark some ideas from things you already own.’ 

The key themes, very much informed by our reality of the past six months, are cosy, comfortable and casual: ‘They’re those items that you get a lot of wear out of, but still get a lot of pleasure from.’ Think textures, creative layering, practical yet stylish overcoats and a dash of leopard print, which, let’s face it, never goes amiss. And who better to model the collection than real women. Mothers, daughters, students, business owners and creatives – those who want their clothes to be stylish, but also need them to work as hard as they do. Erica talks us through the looks below.

If you would like to see Erica introduce the collection in person and offer her advice on putting together a capsule wardrobe, you can attend our virtual event on 17 September. Tickets cost £5 each and all proceeds will be donated to Refuge.