As far as quintessential English brands go, few hit the spot quite like Marks and Spencer and Bella Freud do. Each is loved for its distinctive design aesthetic and the heritage it represents within British culture. From M&S's timeless basics to Bella Freud's authentic slogan knitwear that has long been adored since the 1990s and is often seen on the likes of Kate Moss, Alexa Chung, and Olivia Wilde.
This season, both powerhouses have paired up to release a limited capsule collection seamlessly blending each brand's strengths to create what we predict will be an instant sell-out success.
Inspired by M&S's history, Bella visited the company archives in Leeds, fully immersing herself in the brand before working on the 27-piece collection alongside the M&S design team in London. Drawing up a classic concept that nods to Bella's infamous uniform with graphic designs and strong tailoring. As a result, the collaboration brings playful joy to classic capsule wardrobe pieces.
“Working with M&S was great. It was so much fun and there was so much harmony between our teams. We were excited about the same things, and both wanted to do something where we brought fashion and tradition together," says Freud. "I feel like the collection I've created with M&S is like something I would do for Bella Freud, but what's wonderful is that it's so accessible, delivering it to a lot more people and on top of that, the price and quality is incredible.”
The collection has been carefully designed to offer an endless array of outfitting options, making it more accessible for those who, like me, have been fawning over Freud's pieces for years. It features a contemporary colour palette with bright and soft hues and easy-to-style neutrals. All of which can be individually styled or paired together to make the most of each piece.
A key focus continues to be tailoring, with coordinating pinstripe trousers, a blazer, and a mini skirt perfectly paired with chunky merino wool blend jumpers and 100% cashmere roll necks.
"For me, the standout piece from the collection is the suit. I wanted to create a capsule edit of interchangeable pieces that can be worn at any time. If you have nothing else apart from a suit, you will always have a great look. I’m also really glad we have both the trouser and miniskirt options, co-ordinating back with the suit jacket. We'd agreed upon a suit for the collection early on and then I had this craving to add a miniskirt, and I just love the addition, it feels relevant to now," says Freud.
The collection is now available to shop online and at selected stores, with prices ranging from £15 to £139.
Below, we have cherry-picked our top pieces from the collaboration as the perfect opportunity to invest in a Bella Freud piece if you've been eyeing them for a while or as a chance to give your autumn/winter wardrobe a Freudian twist.
