When Clare Waight Keller created Meghan Markle’s wedding dress in 2018, she hadn’t prepared for the amount of attention it would generate — largely because of the lack of social media that surrounded the previous royal wedding.
“I had no idea how momentous it was going be,” she told Time Magazine. “The last time there was a royal wedding there was no Instagram, really, or any of those huge social networks. So it really took me aback, actually.”
Now, in 2023, Waight Keller is probably a little more prepared for the potential virality of her work — which is good, because her latest endeavour is about to set Instagram alight.
Yesterday it was announced that Clare Waight Keller, who is the former artistic director of Givenchy and Chloé, is the latest designer to have collaborated with Japanese casualwear heavyweight, Uniqlo.
Her collection, which is called “Uniqlo: C”, drops in less than a month and features some of the hallmarks of Waight Keller’s previous work. There are neutral tones of dusky peaches and marigolds, pleated asymmetrical skirts and an impeccably cut trench coat. Oh, and that viral Uniqlo sidebag owned by virtually every woman in London? Yes, there’s one of those too.
Let’s wade through everything we know about Clare Waight Keller’s collaboration with Uniqlo.
What features in the collaboration?
According to Waight Keller, Uniqlo: C is about “fluidity, movement, femininity.” Speaking to Vogue, she said: “I also wanted to bring my sort of British sensibilities—the fact that I’ve always loved a little bit of this boy-meets-girl style, and the idea of attitude dressing.”
This is present in the first campaign images of the collection, released yesterday, which depict models in oversized silhouettes, quilted jackets, high-neck jumpers and structured, industrial footwear.
This is precisely why Uniqlo reached out to her as a collaborator, citing Waight Keller’s deftness with “fluid designs, delicate use of colour, and modern silhouettes.”
“Uniqlo: C marks an exciting new chapter in the design of Uniqlo women’s wear,” says Yukihiro Katsuta, Fast Retailing Group Senior Executive Officer and Head of R&D for Uniqlo, “I believe Clare’s wealth of experience and her designs that fully appreciate the modern woman will usher in a new standard of LifeWear for women. We hope to continue to work with Clare for a long time to come, creating collections full of energy and sensibility that will delight the wearer.”
The highlights of the collection are sure to be the four-season garbadine twill trenchcoat, the chunky, masculine footwear, and oversized boyfriend pullovers. The sidebag, which has been reimagined by CWK to be a“chic, oversized version,” of the best-selling original, may outshine them all, though — especially given that it looks like the sister of the beloved banana bag by The Row, except for a fraction of the price.
When does it drop and how much will it cost?
The collaboration between Uniqlo and Clare Waight Keller, Uniqlo: C, is set to drop online and in over 1,500 stores worldwide on September 15 — that’s less than a month away. Get your alarms set and ready, though, because Uniqlo collabs are notoriously quick-selling, and the most popular items are often snapped up within minutes of becoming available.
While its popularity might make it exclusive, Uniqlo’s collab with CWK remains as affordable as ever, gifting high street shoppers with a little window of access to high fashion designers. The top range of prices is £69.90 to £109.90 for outerwear, while accessories like textured baseball caps and scarves start from as low as £12.90.
Is there going to be more than one?
Uniqlo is loyal to its collaborators, and known for repeating successful partnerships year after year. J.W Anderson, for example, is on its sixth year of collaboration, having started in 2017. Clare Waight Keller’s collab with Uniqlo looks set to be no different, with the designer having already created her spring 2024 collection and now setting her mind to this time next year for autumn/winter 2024.
Speaking about the collaboration, Waight Keller said: “I am honored to have been asked to create a new label for Uniqlo. I have long appreciated its LifeWear design philosophy of technical innovation and functional authenticity. I have always admired the Japanese aesthetic of subtlety, simplicity and detailed perfection, so to be able to work with the Uniqlo team to craft a new sensibility for my womenswear collection on such a global scale is a truly exciting opportunity.”
So pop September 15 in your calendars, guys, it’s set to be the start of something big.
